Voice of Dagor Dagorath
New Member
- Joined
- Jan 9, 2023
- Messages
- 1
This started as a half-meme, because I genuinely think a story such as this would have potential to cover important themes to the depths other stories (or even Tolkien's other stories) couldn't.
For those unfamiliar with it, this article covers the various versions of the prophecy:
tolkiengateway.net
Obviously, there is a lot more room in Dagor Dagorath for creative freedom, since it is just a prophecy. Because of that, I personally wouldn't make it like any apocalypse movie. Rather, I would take care to represent Morgoth and all his servants returning from the Void as embodiments of things and mistakes committed on a daily basis. The Wars that Morgoth and his Maiar waged on Beleriand are their preferred, direct method of corruption but, as we know through the concept of Morgoth's Ring, they (especially Morgoth) exist in the very fabric of reality.
I am sort of inspired by this quote by the author Joe Abercrombie:
"Evil turned out not to be a grand thing. Not sneering Emperors with their world-conquering designs. Not cackling demons plotting in the darkness beyond the world. It was small men with their small acts and their small reasons. It was selfishness and carelessness and waste. It was bad luck, incompetence, and stupidity. It was violence divorced from conscience or consequence. It was high ideals, even, and low methods."
The entire movie (or show, whatever fits more) could go into depths of human condition as Morgoth, Sauron and the others are returning in full power. There could be a main character (who we find out later is Túrin or Adam reborn) who is tempted by Sauron or Morgoth himself by this fact of evil. I think of a moment similar to Words of Húrin and Morgoth in which Morgoth captures this character and utters the words: "With my eyes you shall see and with my ears you shall hear and nothing shall be hidden from you."
And we get a slide-show/sequence/revelations/whatever not of huge, divine battles, not of satanic cults worshipping Morgoth or etc, but simply acts of evil, directed as flawlessly and gut-wrenchingly as the best of cinema. (They could be from real life or public domain fiction so as to avoid copyrights of sorts. Rather than making new stories up, I think it'd be a greater effect if it were the stories audiences were familiar with.)
A flashback adapting The Tale of Adanel would probably be a good addition as well.
I truly think that, if executed well, this adaptation would drive the world's interest, because it would cover all themes. And I do not mean: "Oh, it would gross as much as blockbusters!" I do think it would, but I think it could speak to society and individuals on a deeper level. Again, all if executed well.
Or, who knows! Maybe I am just too naive and optimistic to think that art and stories can change the world in significant ways and the movie/show would just gross $3 billion, go over everyone's heads as if nothing happened the next day. That's also possible.
What do you think and what would you add?
For those unfamiliar with it, this article covers the various versions of the prophecy:
Dagor Dagorath
The Dagor Dagorath (S. Battle of all Battles), also known as the Second Prophecy of Mandos or simply the Last Battle, is an apocalyptic event prophesied by Mandos...
Obviously, there is a lot more room in Dagor Dagorath for creative freedom, since it is just a prophecy. Because of that, I personally wouldn't make it like any apocalypse movie. Rather, I would take care to represent Morgoth and all his servants returning from the Void as embodiments of things and mistakes committed on a daily basis. The Wars that Morgoth and his Maiar waged on Beleriand are their preferred, direct method of corruption but, as we know through the concept of Morgoth's Ring, they (especially Morgoth) exist in the very fabric of reality.
I am sort of inspired by this quote by the author Joe Abercrombie:
"Evil turned out not to be a grand thing. Not sneering Emperors with their world-conquering designs. Not cackling demons plotting in the darkness beyond the world. It was small men with their small acts and their small reasons. It was selfishness and carelessness and waste. It was bad luck, incompetence, and stupidity. It was violence divorced from conscience or consequence. It was high ideals, even, and low methods."
The entire movie (or show, whatever fits more) could go into depths of human condition as Morgoth, Sauron and the others are returning in full power. There could be a main character (who we find out later is Túrin or Adam reborn) who is tempted by Sauron or Morgoth himself by this fact of evil. I think of a moment similar to Words of Húrin and Morgoth in which Morgoth captures this character and utters the words: "With my eyes you shall see and with my ears you shall hear and nothing shall be hidden from you."
And we get a slide-show/sequence/revelations/whatever not of huge, divine battles, not of satanic cults worshipping Morgoth or etc, but simply acts of evil, directed as flawlessly and gut-wrenchingly as the best of cinema. (They could be from real life or public domain fiction so as to avoid copyrights of sorts. Rather than making new stories up, I think it'd be a greater effect if it were the stories audiences were familiar with.)
A flashback adapting The Tale of Adanel would probably be a good addition as well.
I truly think that, if executed well, this adaptation would drive the world's interest, because it would cover all themes. And I do not mean: "Oh, it would gross as much as blockbusters!" I do think it would, but I think it could speak to society and individuals on a deeper level. Again, all if executed well.
Or, who knows! Maybe I am just too naive and optimistic to think that art and stories can change the world in significant ways and the movie/show would just gross $3 billion, go over everyone's heads as if nothing happened the next day. That's also possible.
What do you think and what would you add?
