_20120823073844_320_240.JPG "Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins in a scene from the fantasy adventure \"The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.\"")
This film image released by Warner Bros., shows Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins in a scene from the fantasy adventure "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey." (AP Photo/Warner Bros., James Fisher)
Updated: Friday, 02 Nov 2012, 7:35 AM CDT
Published : Friday, 02 Nov 2012, 7:35 AM CDT
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Perhaps hairy-footed hobbits can teach us all something about safety.
Most regular travelers pay little attention to those snooze-inducing inflight safety videos. But Air New Zealand has found some magic by celebrating the upcoming premiere of the first in the "Hobbit" movie trilogy.
The airline's four-minute safety video featuring the character Gollum and film director Peter Jackson got more than 2 million hits on YouTube within a day of being posted Thursday. The carrier calls itself "the airline of Middle-earth" and cabin staff appear in the clip as film characters.
The hobbits themselves would be proud. After all, author J.R.R. Tolkien created the mythical creatures as risk-averse.
Two of the author's great-grandsons even make cameos. Royd Tolkien appears wearing prosthetic feet.
Big and hairy, of course.
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