New Zealand: God’s Movie Set

Apr 12

It’s been said there are more sheep than human beings in New Zealand. But there are no snakes here, Mate! Only enthralling sights and friendly Kiwis (as local residents are called). Having visited the country six times (and always in different locations that left me awed each time) I can confidently say that NZ must be God’s movie set.

Nature must have bequeathed all its treasures to NZ that it seems like the perfect place to shoot a movie. Its stunning landscapes left audiences so awed that the UK Sunday Express once wrote: “If locations were awarded Oscars, New Zealand would scoop the lot.”

I couldn’t agree more. I’ve had the most momentous experience of being a part of the global campaign to launch NZ and the Lord of the Rings (LOTR) trilogy which gave me the opportunity to engage in almost everything the country has to offer. In the air, on the ground, and on water, NZ has so much to offer that one trip is not enough.

Surrounded by sea, crisscrossed by rivers and lakes, covered in native bush and with a central spine of spectacular snow-capped mountains NZ served as a backdrop to scores of films and television series

Back in the early 2000s NZ was once thought of as just a lush, exotic destination “somewhere down there” near Australia until LOTR director Peter Jackson brought the country’s stunning varied terrain to life on the silver screen.

The LOTR 17-Oscar winning motion picture trilogy, which was filmed in more than 150 locations all over NZ, catapulted the country to one of the top ‘must-see’ destinations in the world.

The country got a ‘starring’ role in blockbusters The Chronicles of Narnia: (The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe) and Jackson’s NZ$200 million version of King Kong.

Other films that brought NZ to the big screens globally – The Hobbit trilogy (now playing of Disney+), Once Were Warriors, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, Mission: Impossible: Fallout, Mulan (2020), The World’s Fastest Indian, River Queen, The Lovely Bones, The Legend of Zorro, X-men Origins and 50 Ways of Saying Fabulous – were filmed in different parts of the country.

Oscar-winning Sir Anthony Hopkins, who played the lead role in The World’s Fastest Indian, said he was trying to convince his wife “to move here”. He told local Maori that he had never known such peace as he experienced in the deep south of the country and described the movie as “the best thing I've done - the best experience I've had”.

*“… it wasn't done in post, it wasn't CGI, it was the beautiful, incredible creation of Mother Nature in all of her splendor.” (actress Evelyn Lilly, The Hobbit)*

*“If locations were awarded Oscars, New Zealand would scoop the lot.” (UK Sunday Express)*

Emmy award winner Kiefer Sutherland, who starred in Vincent Ward’s war drama River Queen, said he once came close to buying a farm and “a dozen sheep” in NZ. The Canadian actor reveals he was drawn to the film by the beauty of the country, and the opportunity to learn more about its Maori culture. The movie was shot in the central North Island.

"My favorite parts about [The Hobbit] 'The Battle of Five Armies' were the moments where you could clearly see that we were looking at New Zealand. That it wasn't done in post, it wasn't CGI, it was the beautiful, incredible creation of Mother Nature in all of her splendor,” declared Canadian actress Evelyn Lilly, who played the role of the Mirkwood elf Taurie in Jackson's three-part adaptation of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Hobbit.

*Aoraki / Mount Cook alpine peaks in The Hobbit*

Surrounded by sea, crisscrossed by rivers and lakes, covered in native bush and with a central spine of spectacular snow-capped mountains, the country’s breathtaking natural scenery has served as a backdrop to scores of films and television series such as The Last Samurai, Perfect Strangers, Sylvia, The Piano, Once Were Warriors, Vertical Limit, Boogeyman, Whale Rider, Hercules, Xena, and Power Rangers to name just a few.

Even before Jackson’s movie LOTR trilogy made the country famous, more than 150 international films have already been filmed in NZ. Filmmakers worldwide are drawn to what UK newspaper film critic Ian Nathan described in The Times as “the hottest movie-making country in the world.”

The country is such a hot destination that tourism is consistently ranked among its top largest export earners.

Since the release of LOTR films helped NZ consistently win ’best destination’ awards including Conde Nast Traveller Award’s best country in the world (2005) taking the top overall prize and besting winners of 23+ other categories – scenery, environmental friendliness, safety, climate, culture, food – beating Thailand, Australia and Italy.

*Spotlight on Cathedral Cove (Coromandel Peninsula) in mystical The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe*

Movie locations, tourist attractions

Life was never the same again for the Kiwis after the phenomenal success of the LOTR trilogy. Here are some must-see film locations that will take your breath away. (Info and images: newzealand.com)

As you plan your NZ holiday, keep in mind that it’s such a vast country you’d need to pre-book your accommodations, transportation and movie locations tours. Personally, I’ve moved around the country on self-drive, trains and domestic flights, each offering a different way to see the stunning land- and seascapes. Tip: Plan your holiday around NZ’s four seasons — summer (December - February), autumn (March - May), winter (June - August) and spring (September - November).

The Hobbit trilogy (prequel to LOTR)
Location: Hobbiton, Matamata, North Island

Fans of J. R. R. Tolkien are often so devoted they look for traces of Middle-earth in real life. If you fall into this camp, Hobbiton Movie Set, a to-hobbit-scale version of The Shire, is the perfect place for you. This shire comprises forty-odd hobbit houses, a lake, and the Green Dragon Inn – all of which are surrounded by rolling hills the colour of radioactive shamrock and grazing sheep who are so content and peaceful, they only occasionally block the road.

Lord of the Rings trilogy
Locations: Hobbiton, Kaitoke Regional Park & Tongariro National Park

Part of the appeal of the ‘Lord of the Rings’ trilogy was the perfect rendering of a mythical universe. Had the film been shot in a less ideal location, it might not have touched a nerve with audiences in the way it did. What made the location so perfect was not just the beauty and drama of the landscapes but also the varied geography, which provided the rolling hills of The Shire (Hobbiton, Matakana), the forests of Rivendell (Kaitoke Regional Park), and the barren ground of Mt Doom (Mount Ngauruhoe, Tongariro National Park) – and all the rest.

*Pit stop experience: Maori hangi tradition, food cooked in a pit dug in the ground*

*Stunning glacial Lake Pukaki in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug*

Top of the Lake
Locations: Lake Moke, Glenorchy and Queenstown

Cinematography usually takes a backseat for directors of television detective dramas, but Dame Jane Campion is no ordinary director. Her TV series ‘Top of the Lake,’ which is above average in grittiness by any standard, defies convention with its picturesque settings of Lake Moke, Glenorchy, and Queenstown. But fans should have realistic expectations if they visit these locations because they will most likely find not suspense and drama but pure joy.

*Twizel alpine featured in scenes from LOTR and The Hobbit*

Mission Impossible: Fallout
Location: Milford Sound, Fiordland

Milford Sound is one of the most beautiful locations in the world, so it was only a matter of time before it was used as the backdrop for a stunt in an action film. For ‘Mission Impossible – Fallout’, the location was perfect, providing steep cliffs and canyons for Tom Cruise’s helicopter to somersault over and weave in and out of during a high-speed chase.

*Milford Sound’s steep cliffs and canyons for Tom Cruise's helicopter to somersault over and weave in and out of during a high-speed chase in Mission Impossible — Fallout*

Mulan
Ahuriri Valley, Canterbury

Disney’s ‘Mulan’, a film based on a Chinese legend about a young female warrior, received strong reviews, with critics lauding its thrilling battle sequences and stunning scenery. Part of the film was shot in New Zealand’s spectacular Ahuriri Valley, which provided the location for the training camp and the battle scene. It’s an area of outstanding natural beauty, with views of the snow-capped Southern Alps and the Ahuriri River, which meanders through open grasslands and tussock-covered hills.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Location: Cathedral Cove, The Coromandel

When the Pevensie children walk through the magic wardrobe into the fantastical ruins of Cair Paravel (Cathedral Cove), the cinematic experience is genuinely magical. (Cathedral Cove that is, not the wardrobe). It’s a beautifully shot scene, but the location does a lot of the work. Perhaps it’s the untouched golden sand or the appeal of finding your own hidden cove, unsullied by traffic or an internet connection. (Note - Cathedral Cove Walk is closed due to landslides and you can only view the arch by sea in summer 2023-2024).

The Power of the Dog
Location: Ida Valley, Otago

Anyone who watches ‘The Power of the Dog’ will be struck by the cinematic shots of the Hawkdun Ranges. They are an ever-present backdrop, toffee coloured and strangely folded. The ranges are unconvincing as Montana, but then they haven’t been selected for their resemblance but for their cinematic qualities. They draw the eye, allowing Director Jane Campion to focus the viewer’s gaze on what she thinks is important: how the harsh natural environment of Montana has shaped her characters. Particularly striking are the lingering shots of the Hawkdun Ranges in extreme weather, drought and snow, and wide-angle shots of cattle flowing over hills or marching, silhouetted against a skyline of immense black storm clouds – all of which show off the region’s incredible beauty.

*Uruti Valley on Taranaki Maunga, NZ's most-climbed mountain, in The Last Samurai*

The Luminaries
Location: Hokitika, West Coast

It is impossible for anyone who visits Hokitika on the West Coast not to be impressed by the grandeur of the landscape. It is a part of the world that is relatively uninhabited and untouched, so it was the perfect location for this period drama set in mid 19th Century Aotearoa New Zealand. To see the exact locations where the TV series was filmed, visit Lake Kaniere and Crooked River at the foot of the Southern Alps.

Sweet Tooth
Tasman Glacier and Central Otago region

‘Sweet Tooth’ Executive Producer Susan Downey has described New Zealand’s landscapes as “exaggerated” and “brighter and bigger than real life.” In other words, the perfect setting for her post-apocalyptic drama about the fragility of the natural world. The show follows the journey of Gus, a 10-year-old boy who is half human and half deer, who leaves his home in Yellowstone National Park to find his mother. To bring this story to life, the film required a range of locations, from crumbing urban cities to picturesque natural landscapes – all of which were found in New Zealand. Highlights included Tasman Glacier, Central Otago, and Warkworth Cement Works.

*The unique natural light in New Zealand is a major draw to filmmakers*

Pete’s Dragon
Rotorua, Central North Island

Despite being set in the Pacific Northwest of America, Disney's ‘Pete’s Dragon’ (a film about an orphaned boy who befriends a dragon) was filmed entirely in New Zealand. A key location was a forest of Californian Redwood near Rotorua, which provided the setting for the dragon’s home. Director David Lowery says New Zealand’s unique light was a major drawcard. The light in New Zealand is stronger than it is in Northern America, so it gave the redwoods a special-effect-like glow that wouldn’t have been possible in the northern hemisphere.

Wellington: Wētā Workshop and Adventure Safari

Wētā Workshop is your gateway to immersive filmmaking experiences in Wellington. Explore 20 years of creativity here - packed full of props, weapons, models and costumes from film and television. Learn about the making of movie effects and props, from armour to weapons, creatures to costumes, and make-up to miniatures. Marvel at the props, costumes, and cool stuff from The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, Avatar and District 9. Learn about the making of props, costumes and creatures created for your favourite films. Interact with cool stuff from its creative departments and, if you're lucky, catch an artist at work on its tour stage. Don't forget to drop by the Wētā Cave, a cavern of creativity in its own right where you can browse incredible collectibles and see an exclusive, free behind-the-scenes documentary.

Adventure Safari, expert tour operator, offers Wellington Movie Tours that will take you to specific filming locations, showing and explaining the scenes that were filmed there. It also includes a visit to the Wētā Workshop Experience and the Wētā Cave.

Ian Brodie, the author of The Lord of the Rings Location Guidebook (available on Amazon), says the book was number one on the country’s bestseller list for weeks and sold thousands of his second ‘revised’ edition before they’d even come off the press. He is inundated with requests to take Tolkien fans and international media to filming locations.

“I’ve always thought of New Zealand as Middle-earth, long before it was realized on film and it’s just brilliant that it is now truly established as the home of Middle-earth,” Brodie beams.

Middle-earth or not, if there’s one place in the world I would love to re-visit, even settle in, it would New Zealand. Why? Friendly, welcoming local Kiwis, outdoor lifestyle, the food, the wine, abundance of activities, history and culture, actual kiwis (birds) and wildlife, and the passion of New Zealanders for their country.

Debbie | ws

More info and images of film locations and itineraries:

Debbie Reyes-Coloma

New Zealand: God’s Movie Set

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