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Click on the thumbnails to see the larger pictures. |
Casa Loma Visit
Pictures and Text by Marie O'Connor
We arrived at Casa Loma just after 9. Our tickets were for 9.30 but there was a crowd building so they let us in at about 9.20. We were among the first half-dozen or so. It took us about an hour to tour and by then it was really getting crowded.
Along the right side of the tunnel wall, as you walk toward the stables, there were panels hanging from the heating and water pipes at the top of the wall. They were maybe 5' by 7' long and seemed to be preliminary charcoal-like sketches of sets - Hobbiton, Bree, Rivendell, Lothlorien. Along with these were architectural plans for the buildings - Bilbo's house, the Green Dragon, Prancing Pony, etc. - and some full colour panels that developed the sketches. In two places, where the tunnel opens out, there were 3-dimensional displays - one of an orc dungeon in Barad-dur and the other the Gates of Moria. The gates were on a large rock wall and suddenly appeared and disappeared. Every so often along the tunnel, the round Elvish logo appeared on the floor, made by lights in the ceiling.
In the basement of the stables were more of the large panels showing long distance views across New Zealand - fields, mountains, etc. The stables themselves were divided into four sections.
Where the horse stalls were was Sauruman's lair at Isengard. Christopher Lee's costume was there with pictures of him wearing it and a horrific-looking laboratory, dark and bleak-looking with books and bottles and orc fetuses in jars. Lighting was provided by gas flares in gruesome iron lamps that hung from chains.
Lothlorien was strewn with pictures and costumes of elves - Galandriel, Elrond, Legolas, etc. The elven boat that carried Aragorn, Sam and Frodo was so small and slight-looking it was hard to imagine one adult male inside. Elven cutlery, dishes, crystal were in cases, as were Legolas' quiver, arrows and bow. The bow is richly carved. The elven bread that the fellowship takes with them was in another case (it looked as if it was made of leather; in the shape and colour of autumn leaves). The walls were hung with silk-screened banners and everywhere there were trees and leaves.
A third stable section had the largest number of costumes. I only photographed Boromir's, but each was set up with the costume in front of a photo of the actor wearing it. These were around three sides of the room. In the centre were the weapons for each, under glass, with a magnificent elven telescope in the center. The hobbits' costumes were hobbit-sized, so obviously weren't worn by the real actors but looked delightful, especially for children.
A small cubby-hole off the main room had a replica of the hobbits' room at the Prancing Pony with four small wooden beds, the straw bedding and feather pillows ripped to pieces under the shadow of a Black Rider. A wagon with Bilbo's birthday fireworks was in the corner and the hobbits' backpacks were in a case.
In the smoking and billiard rooms of the castle were the banners from the wars - ragged orc ones, Gondorian, Elven, etc., all distinct and so identifiable that you really didn't need labels. There were some warrior costumes as well. The most darling exhibit had to be Bilbo's parlour, with everything comfortable and hobbit-sized, down to a tiny tea-strainer - books and papers on the floor, a warm fireplace, warm comfy furniture and Bilbo's party suit. Just perfect. There were children clustered around this display.
The long hallway on the second floor of the castle had black and white portraits of all the main characters. Up in the attic on the way to the towers was a saddle from a Ringwraith's horse, dark black leather, high at both front and back; and further along the hall was the Green Dragon Inn, with hobbit-sized mugs and tables.
Lastly, in a smaller turret room were dwarvish artifacts - buckets on chains, etc. set amidst an underground cave. There was a lovely picture in that room of the fellowship in Moria, settling down to rest. Aragorn and Boromir were sitting side by side at the bottom of a stone stairway, two warriors, friends, relaxing together, talking. Aragorn was smoking his long, thin pipe.
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