Alkallabêth Movie Treatment

[Elentári]

I know this forum is probably meant purely for HoF members' efforts, but yesterday I stumbled across this in-depth treatment of a movie adaptation of Tolkien's The Akallabêth - The Downfall of Númenor by H.K. Fauskanger. It was written before Jackson's The Hobbit was a real possibility, with the thought to offer a potential follow-up to the original Trilogy.

There's a lengthy Introduction but if you don't want to wade through that, the breakdown of the screenplay treatment is in two sections:

Ideas for a Westernesse movie Part 1

Ideas for a Westernesse movie Part 2

Sadly, the project was not completed - there should have been a Part 3, and Part 2 ends after Ar Pharazon's ships have set sail for The Undying Lands - but I feel there is great potential in what was produced thus far, and I like that we actually get to see the fair Sauron as a major character, though I think it is possibly a step too far to try and bring in the forging of the Rings of Power in Eregion (as a lengthy narrated backstory) as well as the actual events in Númenor. Plus the author actually proposed taking the movie - mooted at only 3 hours - right up to the Battle of Dagorlad!

Still, I wondered if others might like to read it as well, and perhaps have a discussion on how the final part might play out...

[Voronwë the Faithful]

I would read such a discussion with interest, but I don't know that I would have much to say.

[Elentári]

Well, it would be interesting to know what folks think of Fauskanger's treatment, to begin with... I'm not suggesting anyone tries to finish it for him, simply wondered what might be a suitable place for the story to end. Personally I reckon the actual drowning of Númenor, with Míriel finally getting swept away off the mountainside is cinematic gold anyway, and I think ending with something like fair Sauron laughing in his temple then suddenly realizing that he's going to "cop it" as well would be great, then the last images could be his spirit rising out of the waters, fleeing back to Mordor (as a black cloud, smoke on the wind, whatever...) and coalescing into the figure of Sauron in armour as we know it from the FotR Prologue, complete with close-up on the One Ring on his finger. I reckon that would be enough to tie this story into LotR. I quite like the idea of the ruined Sauron looking into a mirror, perhaps clad in the dark armour already, then he lifts the iconic masked helmet over his ruined face.... (or is that too Darth Vader like??? )

[Snowdog]

I'm not very observant I guess as this is the first I'm seeing of this. Very interesting!

[Eldy]

I first read Fauskanger's Westernesse when I was beginning to explore online Tolkien fandom back in early 2007, almost two years before I became active on forums. I was already a fan of Númenor based on The Silmarillion (I'd not yet read UT), but it left a tremendous impression on me and largely defined my view of the Second Age for a long time. It wasn't until just a few years ago that I realized Armenelos is not, in fact, walking distance from the summit of the Meneltarma (not that Fauskanger explicitly says it is, but his treatment gives the impression of it being very close with the scene of the "pilgrims" returning to the city in their white festival garb). It's been a while since I last read the whole thing, but I remember it very fondly. Fauskanger's Isildur, which takes strong cues from Herendil in The Lost Road, remains "my" Isildur, and I'm sure there are ways I still don't realize how much it's influenced my imagination. Just a really stunning (and delightfully erudite!) work through and through, and best of all, there are no shoehorned-in Hobbits!