Special midnight engagements of The Lord of the Rings attracted fans to theaters across the country on Tuesday–and attracted critical praise as well.
Some fans pre-ordered their tickets, rushing into theaters in droves. Some simply waited in lines that stretched around city blocks. And, some–the die-hard fans–dressed up as wizards and other characters from the film, throwing parking-lot parties that were second only to Super Bowl pre-game romps.
“We have a party going outside the theater,” one fan told The Associated Press at a screening in Des Moines, Iowa, wearing full sorceress attire. “I can’t wait. There’ll be minstrels playing, and my husband is going as Gandalf.”
Film critics at both Newsweek and Entertainment Weekly have been equally excited about the movie this past week. Newsweek wrote “the movie works. It has real passion.” Entertainment Weekly said that the film possesses an impressive “sense of awe and grandeur.”
Paul Dergarabedian, president of movie-industry trackers Exhibitor Relations, believes this positive word of mouth will help The Lord of the Rings become one of the year’s top-grossing films. “The core audience for this film reads and they are probably following the reviews very closely. The early buzz and critical reviews have been very strong, so that’s a good sign.”
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring opens wide today.
