The NeverEnding Story

Hooray another classic fantasy kids movie from the 80's. The movie itself is based on a book by Micheal Ende. I never read the book but it was reported that he did not like the movie and he even had his name removed from the credits. But enough with that. Let's start.

We meet a boy named Bastian (Barret Oliver) whose father wants him to be more rooted in reality and for him to keep his head out of the clouds. A group of bullies chases Bastian into a book store where he sees a man named Mr. Coreander. Bastian becomes fascinated with the book he is reading called The NeverEnding Story. So when Mr. Coreander turns his back he steals it. But Mr. Coreandr doesn't call the cops because Bastian left a letter saying he would return it. Bastian gets to school but he is late and it is the day of a big test, so he hides in the attic and decides to read the book. We open with a camp of two people named Night Hob (Tilo Pruckner) and Teeny Weeny (Deep Roy). They get interrupted by a creature known as The Rockbiter (Alan Oppenheimer). The Rockbiter says a thing called The Nothing is destroying the land so he is going to The Ivory Tower to see if The Childlike Empress (Tami Stronach) can help. They make it to The Ivory Tower where the Empress lives. But the Empress's cone-headed servant tells everyone that the Empress is gravely sick and someone needs to find a cure. The prophesy says that a warrior named Atreyu (Noah Hathaway) must find a wise man named Morla in the swamp of sadness and ask them to find a cure.

Atreyu goes on his way to find Morla. But when he goes into the swamp of sadness his horse Artax starts to sink into it. Artax drowns in the swamp but Atreyu makes it to Morla who is a giant turtle. However Morla is not interested in saving the Empress or stopping the Nothing. So she just tells Atreyu that he must pass three trials to find an oracle that will tell him how to cure the Childlike Empress and stop the Nothing. But without Artax, he starts sinking in the Swamp of Sadness. Luckily something saves Atreyu. Atreyu wakes up and it turns out that what saved him was a luck dragon named Falkor (also Alan Oppenheimer) who took him to where the three trials are. He also meets a gnome named Engywook (Sydney Bromley) who tells Atreyu that only confident people can pass the first trial. So Atreyu walks between two statues and he tries to stay confident, but the statues zap him with lasers. Atreyu gets out of the way and continues to the next trial. The next trial is a mirror that shows whoever looks into it their true self.  When Atreyu looks into it he sees Bastian. This of course freaks Bastian out but he decides to keep reading. He finds the oracle and the oracle says that a human child must name The Childlike Empress.

***SPOILER ALERT STOP HERE IF YOU DON'T WANT THE END RUINED***

Falkor picks up Atreyu and tries to take him out of Fantasia to find a human child. But the Nothing comes and Atreyu falls off Falkor. Atryu finds a room foretelling his journey. He runs into a creature called the G'mork (also Alan Oppenheimer) who tells Atreyu that the nothing can't be stopped because The Nothing is pure dying imagination. The nothing finally catches up with him, and Atreyu finds himself riding on Falkor's back through what is left of Fantasia. They find the ruins of the Ivory Tower where the Childlike Empress tells Atreyu that the child that needs to name her is Bastian. So Bastian runs out to a window where he shouts the Empress's name "MOOSINKNED!". No he actually said Moonchild if you listen closely or actually read the book or just do what I did and look it up on the internet. That is what he can be heard shouting. So the world of Fantasia is saved and Bastian now has the power to wish for whatever he wants. So first he wishes that the Nothing never happened. Then he wishes that he could get revenge on some bullies at school by chasing them with Falkor. The Beginning.

***SPOILERS OVER KEEP READING***

The NeverEnding Story in my opinion is one of the best fantasy movies ever. It has a complex story and some real dilemmas and drama. Another thing I like about it is the effects. I think it is sort of like if the movie Labyrinth did less of the Muppet look and tried to look a bit more realistic. Not too realistic like in Lord of the Rings, but just right in between. I think the best characters in this film are Falkor and The Rockbiter. Oddly enough The Rockbiter actually has very little screen time, just a scene at the beginning and a scene at the end. Just goes to show you, characters don't have to be there long to be memorable or leave an impact. However I do think that Noah Hathaway does scream his lines a bit too much. So in all I think that The NeverEnding Story is another fantasy movie that you should check out. And have you heard the theme song, it is awesome. See you later.

ARTISTS RENDERING OF THE "HUMPTY DUMPTY" INSEDENT

I draw this when I was 7