We've been re-reading The Hobbit, in anticipation of the film opening next month. And while I've enjoyed the extraordinary writing, I'm also possessed by the 20th century need to SEE. Luckily for us, Air New Zealand has put together a flight safety video for those heading to New Zealand. And, it's full of magical creatures.

The safety video is inspired by the upcoming fantasy adventure The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, a production of New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures (MGM), which is the first in a trilogy of films from director and Kiwi Sir Peter Jackson. The video has been created in conjunction with the Academy Award-winning Weta Workshop (The Lord of the Rings films) and features appearances from Jackson, as well as the unforgettable character, Gollum, and descendants of J.R.R Tolkien, author of the timeless masterpiece The Hobbit, on which the trilogy is based.

Pay close attention to the safety video - you could win a once-in-a-lifetime Middle-earth experience in New Zealand. Hidden within the video are secret Elvish codes. Viewers who spot the codes can then visit airnzcode.com/hobbitmovie to unlock the door to Bag End and be eligible to win a trip for two to New Zealand, including a tour of the Hobbiton movie set, a visit to the Weta Cave in Wellington, and double passes to the red carpet global premiere of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. I've counted codes and entered!

Two great grandsons of The Hobbit author J.R.R Tolkien, Mike and Royd Tolkien, also make a cameo appearance in the safety video. Royd Tolkien, who features in the video with prosthetic hairy Hobbit feet, says the opportunity to be part of Air New Zealand’s association with The Hobbit movies was too good to miss. “They’ve done a great job of capturing the essence of The Hobbit films and it was a privilege to be invited to participate.”

Royd Tolkein

If you're playing the video over and over again, looking for visual treasures each time, you're not alone. Each time I watch it, I laugh and think back to the book, wondering what I'll spot next.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is the first of a trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien. The three films tell a continuous story set in Middle-earth 60 years before The Lord of the Rings,”which Jackson and his filmmaking team brought to the big screen in the blockbuster trilogy that culminated with the Oscar®-winning The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.

Air New Zealand is an Australasian airline with a Pacific Rim focus. North American services include daily, non-stop flights to New Zealand from San Francisco, Los Angeles, Honolulu and Vancouver, and Los Angeles non-stop to the Cook Islands and London. Consistently rated among the world’s best international airlines, Air New Zealand was named ‘Airline of the Year’ by Air Transport World in 2010 and 2012.

Once you've watched the video, be sure to watch this behind the scenes glimpse into the making of the video. It's hilarious, and so very creative.

“Sir Peter Jackson and the team at Warner Bros. Pictures in the United States were fantastically supportive during production of the video. To have Gollum step off the movie screen for the first time and into an Air New Zealand aircraft is incredibly special and Sir Peter Jackson delivers a superb cameo. He should come out from behind the camera more often!” - Mike Tod, Air New Zealand General Manager Marketing and Communications

I've always longed to go to New Zealand, even more so with the Tolkien movies inspiring us with such incredibly beautiful landscapes. Until we head there, and until the movie hits the theaters, this will hold me admirably.

Information and photos courtesy and copyright Air New Zealand