Called it. Just two days ago, I told you about the Wellington Airport’s new Gollum sculpture, and I suggested that New Zealand just give it up and start calling themselves Middle Earth, or The Shire, to commemorate their first-ever cultural contribution. Might as well ride the wave, right? Well today, we have Air New Zealand’s new Hobbit-themed flight safety video – co-produced by WETA and featuring a Peter Jackson cameo – in which a stewardess dressed like Arwen’s first line of dialog is “Welcome to this Air Middle Earth Flight.”
They say the 18-hour flight is juuust long enough to watch the first three LotR movies, including special features.
The safety video is also soundpapered in wall-to-wall pan flute, because nothing says “simple, good-natured peasantfolk” like pan flute. It’s all part of New Zealand’s plan to become the world’s largest Lord of the Rings gift shop. I hear their new official motto is WELCOME TO NEW ZEALAND, THE LAND OF TOLKIEN*!
*Who was English.
If WETA co-produced this, who was the other producer, Michael Scott from The Office? It’s hard not to picture the guys who wrote this dressed like Austin Powers for Halloween, telling everyone to beehaiv and loving every minute of it. New Zealand is like an entire country full of dorky dads.
“Hey, I know you guys hate vegetables, so I replaced your green beans with maaagical ent stalks that will protect you from goblins and glow in the presence of orcs! Whoaoaaaa, better eat ’em quick!”
“Aw, dad, c’mon, take off the tunic, you’re embarassing me in front of Billy.
[via ThePlaylist]