La storia infinita

The Neverending story is by far the best "Fantasy" film ever made and I doubt that it will ever be topped. I saw this movie with my dad one cold autumn afternoon, and my life changed forever that day. This movie taught me that fantastic places and wonderful creatures really do exist. You only have to want them to. Even today, aged 23, working in the computer industry, I find myself slipping in the Neverending Story soundtrack in my CD player and dreaming away to Fantasia...

This movie the most beautiful and touching movies ever created. It's an example of a timeless story, told with wonderful creatures and dazzling vistas of the land of Fantasia. The amazing and perfect soundtrack help capture your heart and won't let go until the end credits fill the screen. At which time you notice that you've been crying for the last ½ hour. I consider myself extremely lucky that this wonderful movie was shown to me at such a young age, telling me that the world is what you make of it.

And luckily, this September I can watch it all on DVD!!

This is a masterpiece, nothing less

This film was a favorite of mine as a kid, but even back then I recognized that the book by Michael Ende was superior. Overall, it's a wonderful children's film marred by an inconsistent tone and an unsatisfying ending.

No fantasy film I've seen has tapped more successfully into the kinds of philosophical thoughts that kids have. Think of Rockbiter's speech describing the Nothing: "A hole would be something. Nah, this was nothing. And it got bigger, and bigger, and bigger...." This is the type of film that greatly appeals to introspective kids who think about things like infinity and the end of the universe. Do children really think about such things? I did. People who find that surprising have forgotten how profound children can sometimes be.

The whole of Fantasia, indeed, seems to be built out of children's dreams and fears. Some of it is about exhilaration, as when Atreyu rides Falkor. Others reflect anxiety, as in Atreyu's trek through the Swamps of Sadness. What appealed to me most as a kid was how an imaginative but passive child, sort of a young Walter Mitty, opens up a book in which an older, braver version of himself goes on adventures. But "Neverending Story" isn't so much escapism as it is about escapism. It's essentially a fable about the destruction of a child's fantasy world as he grows older and adapts to the modern world.

The special effects are good for their day. Although they look phony at a few points, the film's distinct visual look, from the shimmering Ivory Tower to the assortment of weird creatures, holds up well today. What makes the film work especially well is that the two child stars--Barret Oliver and Noah Hathaway--prove themselves capable actors. I use the word "capable" because almost everyone in the film overacts in an annoying way, which I blame primarily on the director. But there's a wonderful cameo by Gerald McRaney as Bastian's father. He has the perfect tone for the scene, appearing loving but distant, unable to fathom Bastian's mind. I wish the film had followed through by returning to their relationship at the end and exploring how Bastian changes as a result of his experiences in Fantasia.

The reason the ending doesn't work is obvious to anyone who's read the book. Simply put, the movie shows only the first half of the book! While this isn't the movie's fault entirely--there was no way the entire story could have fit into one movie--this could have been handled better. "The Wizard of Oz" faced the same problem yet managed not only to become one of the greatest fantasy movies of all time but to surpass its source material in some ways. "The Neverending Story" doesn't accomplish that feat. The story feels unresolved at the end while at the same time failing to clearly set up for a sequel. It attempts to wrap everything up with a sequence in which Bastian takes revenge on his old bullies. I enjoyed this scene when I was a kid, but in retrospect it creates a clash between the real world and the fantasy world. Bastian never grows as a character, he never learns to put his feet on the ground, something the early scenes suggest will happen.

There's one other problem, and that's that Wolfgang Petersen never really figured out the proper tone for a children's movie. He must not have had a clear idea what age he was shooting for. Some of the scenes are quite scary and violent, making this film inappropriate for younger children. Yet the muppet-like characters are presented in an annoyingly condescending way that I doubt older kids (not to mention teens and adults) would appreciate. For example, the first scene in Fantasia plays like a revival of Sesame Street, with Rockbiter filling the Cookie Monster role. By the time I was old enough to appreciate the deeper aspects of the story, I cringed at the film's cutesy moments. Petersen didn't have to direct the film this way. Had he shot for a wider age group, the result would have been fresher and more authentic for everyone.

i still remember seeing this movie when it first came out on the big screen,i was 17,it may have been 84/85,it was still a time of the big old picture theaters,it was a full house,the audience was fairly young,but i noticed there seemed to be a lot of mature people as well-for the duration of the movie, myself and the people around me were engaged and totally engrossed in the viewing.i also remember something i hadn,t seen before,when the movie finished,the whole audience stood up and started clapping,this at a time in new zealand when not every one owned a video machine-after all this time,even with so many distractions,home computers,playstations and everyday general living this movie still is a classic and even someone my age(34)it helps to take me back to my child hood times-a place filled constantly with dreams,a place where there was no dilemmas,no stress and being a kid was all about playing and having fun-i introduced this movie to my niece and nephew,a few years back and they absolutely loved it-a gentle reminder to the magic of being a kid-enjoy

The boy Bastian (Barret Oliver) misses his mother, who has died, and is bullied at school by three bullies. One day, he is running away from the three boys and hides in a bookstore, where the owner shows him a book that he has never read called "The Neverending Story".

Bastian does not resist and shoplifts the book, leaving a note telling that he will return the book after he reads it. He goes to the school attic and anxiously reads the book that tells the story of the magic kingdom of Fantasia that is doomed to destruction, unless the boy Atreyu (Noah Hathaway) can save it. But he needs the help of an Earthling boy to avoid that The Nothing destroys his world.

The first times that I saw "Die Unendliche Geschichte", a.k.a. "The Neverending Story", I was younger and younger and I simply loved it. Twenty-eight years later, I have just bought the Blu-Ray and after watching it again, I liked but less that I remember.

The state of art especial effects in 1984 is now dated and the acting is only reasonable. But the story of the coming of age by force of a boy that sees his innocence lost due to the death of his mother and bullying at school has a beautiful message in the end and is still worthwhile watching it. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "A História Sem Fim" ("The Neverending Story")

The NeverEnding Story is one of my all time favourite movies, it is just so magical. The music is brilliant, and the story is a magical, simple and effective one. The scenery, sets and costumes were visually a feast to the eyes, just gorgeous to look at, and if it didn't get any awards for best art direction, then that is a massive shame, because it was so beautiful to watch. Falcor was a fantastic character, a very warm and loving character, that you just have to love. I have to admit though, Gmork is very scary. The acting is fantastic, Barret Oliver very spirited as Bastian, and Noah Hathaway born to play Atreyu. And Tami Stromach as the Childlike Empress has a small but wholly relevant role in the film. This film is practically perfect in every way and has a wonderful message, don't miss it! The second film's okay, but the third one is god awful and should be in the bottom 100. 10/10 for this though. Bethany Cox