Bradley’s Almanac

Checking In: ROTK & the Exhibition

Posted on December 18, 2003 at 2:05 pm | No Comments

All’s been quiet on this northeastern blog … been alternately too busy or too unmotivated to write. Rather than force it, I’ve just been taking a little break. Better a quiet blog than a blah blah blog, right?

Saw Return of the King yesterday, and you can probably guess what I thought of it. Took the day off and drove down to Randolph to meet up with my old friend Randy, just as we did for parts one and two. Hard to believe how quickly the years seem to have passed since I first heard Peter Jackson was planning to make it happen. I remember the first one feeling so far away… and here I sit the day after the final chapter. Freaky.

I won’t go on and on about everything I loved about it… you can read gushing reviews all over the internet. No one could possibly have done a better job bringing those books to screen than Jackson & company did. I anxiously await the extended DVD (over an hour of cut footage!), which will probably arrive next fall.

Before it does, though, Boston gets a very, very special treat…

The Lord of the Rings Motion Picture Trilogy Exhibition at the Boston Museum of Science. Unbelievable. I’ve been reading about this thing for months, and it ends up the U.S. Premiere is right here in town. From the M.O.S. website

On August 1, 2004, the Museum of Science will open the much-anticipated The Lord of the Rings Motion Picture Trilogy�The Exhibition. The Museum will be the U.S. premiere site for this international touring exhibition.

The exhibition features hundreds of pieces of memorabilia from the epic film trilogy including original costumes and jewelry, as well as the One Ring. Immersed in film props, visitors can explore the groundbreaking technology used in the films such as computer-generated special effects and animatronics, and hear from cast, crew, and director in exclusive �behind-the-scenes� interviews shown on videos throughout the exhibit.

The exhibit includes massive models, an �armor corridor�, and a display on prosthetics including Hobbit feet and Orc teeth. An interactive scaling activity reveals how filmmakers can make the actors appear to be tiny Hobbit-sized or large wizard-sized, using an ingenious mix of trick photography, forced perspectives, and props made at different scales. Visitors can also see themselves transformed as Hobbit or wizard-sized in their own photo.

The exhibit was developed by the Museum of New Zealand, Te Papa Tongarewa in partnership with New Line Cinema, the producers of the film trilogy. Following its run at the Science Museum in London on January 11, 2004, the exhibit will show in Singapore before coming to the Museum of Science, Boston in July 2004. The next city on the tour after Boston is Sydney.

This exhibition was made possible through the support of the New Zealand Government. Check out The Lord of the Rings Motion Picture Trilogy – The Exhibition at the Museum of New Zealand, Te Papa Tongarewa.

The bittersweetness of the end of the trilogy is replaced with another year of anticipation. I cannot freakin’ wait.

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  • BOSTON-AREA LIVE SHOW ACTION
    Monday, November 3rd
    Margaret Glaspy
    Brooke Annibale
    @ City Winery

    Monday, November 3rd
    Crispin Hellion Glover
    presents
    "No! YOU'RE WRONG or:
    Spooky Action At A Distance"
    Live Slide Show + Film
    with Q&A and Book Signing
    @ the Coolidge Corner Theatre

    Tuesday, November 4th
    Dinosaur Live!
    Improvised Entertainment with
    Edi Patterson, Paul Scheer,
    Rob Huebel, Jason Mantzoukas,
    Owen Burke, Danielle Schneider,
    and Mary Holland
    @ the Chevalier, Medford

    Wednesday, November 5th
    Boris
    "Pink" 20th Anniversary Tour
    with Uniform
    @ the Paradise

    Thursday, November 6th
    Matt Pond PA
    @ the Fallout Shelter, Norwood

    Thursday, November 6th
    Colin Hay (Men at Work)
    @ the Chevalier Theatre

    Thursday, November 6th
    Robert Plant's Saving Grace
    featuring Suzi Dian
    @ the Shubert Theatre

    Thursday & Friday
    November 6th & 7th
    The Lone Bellow
    @ the Sinclair

    Thursday, Friday, & Saturday
    November 6th, 7th, & 8th
    Buffalo Tom's 2nd annual
    "Please Come to Boston" fest
    with special live performances
    & guests each night
    @ the Somerville Armory

    Friday & Saturday
    November 7th & 8th
    Steve Martin & Martin Short
    three shows @ the Wang

    Saturday, November 8th
    Luke O'Neil
    "We Had It Coming"
    Book Release Party
    4pm @ the Sinclair

    Saturday, November 8th
    Cracker
    with special guests
    @ Abbot Hall, Marblehead

    Saturday, November 8th
    Howl Owl Howl
    @ the Paradise

    Saturday, November 8th
    The Mars Volta
    @ House of Blues

    Sunday, November 9th
    Flock of Dimes
    @ the Rockwell

    Sunday, November 9th
    The Samples
    @ City Winery

    Monday, November 10th
    Constant Smiles
    The Shallows
    @ Deep Cuts

    Tuesday, November 11th
    Jason Bonham's
    Led Zeppelin Evening
    @ the House of Blues Boston

    Tuesday & Wednesday
    November 11th & 12th
    Micky Dolenz (the Monkees)
    Songs & Stories
    @ City Winery

    Wednesday, November 12th
    Jens Lekman
    @ the Sinclair

    Thursday, November 13th
    Janeane Garofalo
    two shows
    @ the Somerville Armory

    Thursday, November 13th
    Major Stars
    Mountain Movers
    Gossip Collar
    @ Deep Cuts

    Thursday, November 13th
    Celebration of Hip-Hop with
    Hall of Fame Induction of Rakim
    @ Berklee Performance Center

    Friday, November 14th
    The Smithereens
    with John Cowsill
    @ City Winery

    Friday, November 14th
    John Fogerty
    doing CCR songs
    @ MGM Music Hall

    Friday, November 14th
    Tequila Sirens
    Cryin Caleb
    Headband
    Lunch Mother
    @ the Loft, Somerville

    Friday, November 14th
    Geese
    @ the Paradise

    Friday, November 14th
    Spiller
    The Long Wait
    @ the Middle East

    Saturday, November 15th
    Hallelujah The Hills
    (20th anniversary show!)
    with the return of the mighty...
    Ho-Ag! @ Deep Cuts

    Saturday, November 15th
    Beach Fossils
    @ the Paradise

    Sunday, November 16th
    The Faint
    Hercules & Love Affair
    @ the Royale

    Sunday, November 16th
    Die Spitz
    @ the Sinclair

    Sunday, November 16th
    Black Flag
    (Ginn & the kids)
    @ Taffeta in Lowell

    Monday, November 17th
    Tom Morello & Friends
    (electric full band show)
    @ the Paradise

    Tuesday & Wednesday
    November 18th & 19th
    The Barr Brothers
    Land of Talk
    @ the Sinclair

    Wednesday, November 19th
    EARFULL series
    "Writers reading, songwriters playing"
    with authors
    Peter Orner & Nick Flynn
    and musicians
    Dead Gowns & Future Teens
    @ Regattabar, Cambridge

    Wednesday, November 19th
    Author Joe Hill
    presenting 'King Sorrow'
    @ Brookline Booksmith

    Thursday, November 20th
    Weakened Friends
    @ the Sinclair

    Thursday, November 20th
    Sarah McLachlan
    @ the Orpheum

    Thursday, November 20th
    SOM
    Hiroe
    Girih
    Bedroom Eyes
    @ Deep Cuts

    Friday, November 21st
    Queensrÿche
    Accept
    @ Somerville Theatre

    Friday & Saturday
    November 21st & 22nd
    Letters to Cleo
    The Cavedogs
    @ the Paradise Rock Club

    Saturday, November 22nd
    Couch
    @ Roadrunner

    Sunday, November 23rd
    Story of the Year
    Senses Fail
    Armor for Sleep
    @ Roadrunner

    Monday, November 24th
    Stevie Nicks
    @ TD Garden

    Monday, November 24th
    Bar Italia
    Lifeguard
    @ the Paradise

    Monday, November 24th
    Patti Smith
    Horses 50th Anniversary Tour
    @ the Orpheum

    Tuesday & Wednesday
    November 25th & 26th
    The English Beat
    @ City Winery

    Wednesday, November 26th
    The Lemonheads
    @ The Wilbur

    Saturday, November 29th
    Portugal. The Man
    @ Roadrunner

    Saturday, November 29th
    Vundabar
    @ the Sinclair

    Sunday, November 30th
    Caspian
    Aisha Burns
    @ Sonia

    Monday, December 1st
    (second show added)
    The Beths
    Phoebe Rings
    @ the Royale

    Friday, December 5th
    The Besnard Lakes
    @ Deep Cuts

    Friday, December 5th
    STL GLD
    House Party
    with Bad Rabbits
    @ the Sinclair

    Friday, December 5th
    The Bug Club
    Spirit Ghost
    Dinos
    Joy Boys
    @ O'Brien's

    Saturday, December 6th
    The Aimee Mann & Ted Leo
    Christmas Show featuring
    Paul F. Tompkins, Nellie McKay,
    & Josh Gondelman
    @ the Chevalier Theatre

    Saturday, Dec 6th
    Freezepop
    Mellow Bravo
    Harris
    Replaced By Robots
    @ the Middle East Downstairs

    December 6th
    Sorry
    @ the Middle East Up

    Tuesday, December 9th
    They Are Gutting A Body Of Water
    Hooky
    @ the Somerville Armory

    Wednesday, December 10th
    EARFULL series
    "Writers reading, songwriters playing"
    @ Regattabar, Cambridge

    Thursday, December 11th
    The Ladybug Transistor
    Giant Day
    Gold Dust
    @ Deep Cuts

    Saturday, December 13th
    Paula Poundstone
    @ the Mosesian Center, Watertown

    Saturday, December 13th
    Will Dailey
    @ the Paradise

    Saturday, December 13th
    Converge's SADDEST DAY Fest
    with Touché Amoré, Coalesce,
    The Hope Conspiracy, Soul Glo,
    Year of the Knife, Stress Positions,
    Wormwood, and more
    @ Roadrunner

    Saturday, December 13th
    A John Waters Christmas
    @ Berklee Performance Center

    Saturday, December 13th
    J. Robbins Band plays
    Burning Airlines
    @ Deep Cuts

    Sunday, December 14th
    Cursive
    AJJ
    @ Brighton Music Hall

    Monday, December 15th
    Algernon Cadwallader
    @ the Sinclair

    Wednesday, December 17th
    Patti Smith
    Book Tour Stop
    @ the Chevalier

    Saturday, December 20th
    The Del Fuegos
    Early & Late shows
    @ City Winery

    Sunday, December 21st
    Samantha Fish
    Cedric Burnside
    Jon Spencer
    @ the Wilbur

    Saturday, December 27th
    John Oliver
    @ MGM Music Hall

    Sunday, December 28th
    The Felice Brothers
    Charlotte Cornfield
    @ the Sinclair

    Monday & Tuesday
    December 29th & 30th
    The Disco Biscuits
    Monday @ the Sinclair
    Tuesday @ the Royale

    Wednesday, January 14th, 2026
    Bishop Allen
    Mates of State
    @ the Sinclair

    Thursday, January 15th
    Cate Le Bon
    @ the Sinclair

    Thursday, January 15th
    Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
    "Piano & Voice" performance
    @ the MFA Boston

    Monday, January 19th
    Shame
    @ Brighton Music Hall

    Thursday, January 27th
    The Residents
    Eskimo Live! Tour
    @ Brighton Music Hall

    Friday, January 30th
    Greg Freeman
    Golomb
    @ the Red Room at Cafe 939

    Saturday & Sunday
    January 31st & February 1st
    Something In The Way Fest 2026
    with Explosions In The Sky,
    Sunny Day Real Estate, Citizen,
    Tigers Jaw, The Hotelier, Momma,
    Angel Dust, February, First Day Back,
    Glitterer, Glixen, Gollylagging, Guv,
    Graham Hunt, Horse Jumper of Love,
    How Much Art, No Warning, Pelican,
    Park National, Pool Kids, Sheer Mag,
    Wicca Phase Springs Eternal,
    and Teen Suicide
    @ Roadrunner

    Thursday, February 12th
    Brandi Carlile
    The Head and the Heart
    @ TD Garden

    Friday, February 13th
    Nine Inch Nails
    @ TD Garden

    Friday, February 20th
    Marissa Nadler
    @ the Somerville Armory

    Saturday, February 21st
    Margo Price
    @ the Royale

    February 28th
    Ratboys
    Florry
    @ the Sinclair

    Tuesday, March 3rd
    Spiritual Cramp
    @ the Sinclair

    Friday, Saturday, & Sunday
    March 13th, 14th, & 15th
    Dropkick Murphys
    @ MGM Music Hall

    Tuesday, March 17th
    Dropkick Murphys
    @ House of Blues

    Thursday, March 19th
    Julianna Barwick
    & Mary Lattimore
    @ the Somerville Armory

    Friday, March 20th
    The Hives
    The Chats
    @ House of Blues

    Saturday, March 21st
    Cass McCombs
    Chris Cohen
    @ Brighton Music Hall

    Saturday, March 21st
    Joyce Manor
    Militarie Gun
    Teen Mortgage
    Combat
    @ House of Blues

    Monday, March 23rd
    Westerman
    @ the Sinclair

    Thursday, March 26th
    The Format
    Piebald
    Adult Mom
    @ Roadrunner

    Sunday, March 29th
    Ladysmith Black Mambazo
    @ Sanders Theatre

    Wednesday, April 1st
    Wednesday (the band)
    @ Roadrunner

    Thursday, April 2nd
    On Cinema Live! with
    Tim Heidecker
    & Gregg Turkington
    @ the Wilbur

    Friday, April 3rd
    Patrick Watson
    @ Somerville Theatre

    Saturday, April 4th
    Puscifer
    Dave Hill
    @ the Wang Theatre

    Thursday, April 16th
    Rhiannon Giddens
    @ the Orpheum

    Saturday, April 18th
    The Last Dinner Party
    Florence Road
    @ Roadrunner

    Sunday, April 19th
    Heavenly
    Swansea Sound
    Jeanines
    @ the Sinclair

    Thursday, May 14th
    Melody's Echo Chamber
    @ the Royale

    Tuesday & Wednesday
    May 19th & 20th
    Belle and Sebastian
    play "Tigermilk" (19th) and
    "If You're Feeling Sinister" (20th)
    @ the Orpheum

    Thursday, June 11th
    Echo & the Bunnymen
    @ Roadrunner

    Wednesday, June 26th
    The Church
    The Singles Tour
    (rescheduled from 8/1/25)
    @ Somerville Theatre

    Friday, September 4th
    Peter Hook & the Light
    play New Order's "Get Ready"
    @ House of Blues

    Saturday, September 12th
    Rush
    @ TD Garden