Corporate Christmas Parties Book Out LOTR

Corporate Christmas Parties Book Out The Lord Of The Rings Movie Sessions

Three weeks before opening, 52 Village SKYCITY Cinemas are already full with corporate sales alone for the third instalment in the Lord of the Rings trilogy – The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.

Village SKYCITY Cinemas Chief Executive, Joe Moodabe, says corporate bookings for the new movie which opens on Thursday 18 December 2003, are unprecedented.

“Due to heavy demand, Village SKYCITY cinemas are sourcing another print of the movie to put on more screenings especially for the corporate market, says Mr Moodabe.

“Corporates are using the movie as a great way to end the year - hiring out cinemas to host staff and clients for Xmas functions. Some are entertaining with pre-movie refreshments and some are theming their evening with special The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King 3-D collector cups and other movie related merchandise,” he says.

Mr Moodabe believes the demand is due to the fact the movie is the most anticipated movie of the year, a local movie and the fact it’s a cost effective and fun way for corporates to entertain.

“Village SKYCITY Cinemas has always offered private screenings to the corporate market – however businesses are embracing this movie more than ever.

“In some instances this will be their third year in a row – after booking private screenings for the first two movies last year and in 2001, they now need to complete the trilogy with this the final movie in the series.

“As well as the corporate bookings, we also have a record number of clubs and charities using the movie for fundraising purposes and we are still offering public movie screening sessions hour on hour once the film opens just after midnight on 18 December,” says Mr Moodabe.

Tickets went on sale for the most anticipated movie of the year at all Village SKYCITY Cinemas (including the Mega-Screen – formerly the giant Imax screen) last Thursday (20 November), featuring special 12:01am sessions to celebrate the launch of the movie on the morning of Thursday 18 December 2003.

Advance public ticket sales are currently available online at www.villageskycity.co.nz, at your nearest Village SKYCITY Cinema or by phoning the information line on 09 979 2400 (general info line).

Exclusive to Queen Street, in Auckland, there will be extended versions of the first two movies to build the excitement as the launch for the new movie draws near. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring – the extended version - will screen at the cinemas on Queen Street from 4 – 10 December and The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers will screen from 11 – 16 December. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King will screen 24 hours non-stop at the central city location from one minute past midnight 18 December through to 21 December 2003.

For diehard fans, there will also be special Lord of the Rings movie marathon on Wednesday 17th December featuring all three of the movies back to back in sequence at Village SKYCITY Cinemas Queen Street where movie goers will be able to sit through an unprecedented nine and a half hours of cinema (with breaks in between each movie). Fans will begin by watching The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring from 3:20pm followed by The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers from 7:40pm which will lead in to The Lord of the Rings:The Return of the King which will screen just after midnight on 18 December - to screen at the same time as other Village SKYCITY Cinemas’ public movie screenings.

Those wanting to secure a place at the very first public screening can also purchase tickets to a special Charity Screening (on Thursday 17 December) at Village SKYCITY Cinemas with part proceeds to the Starship Foundation. Tickets to the charity premiere cost $100 each and will include being among the first in New Zealand to see the movie, pre-movie hors d’oeuvres and drinks and the chance to go into a draw to win a replica of Strider’s sword, featuring Peter Jackson’s engraved signature. Guests to the charity premiere are invited to arrive at 5.15pm and the movie will begin at 6.30pm. Tickets are available at www.starship.org.nz or 09 3074957.

Village SKYCITY Cinemas are located in Hamilton and Auckland at: Broadway Newmarket, Highland Park Pakuranga, Manukau, West City Henderson, Westgate, St Lukes and Queen Street – Auckland City.

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