Unendliche Geschichte, Die (1984)

Director:

Wolfgang Petersen

Writers:

Wolfgang Petersen (screenplay) &
Herman Weigel (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

20 July 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | Fantasy

Tagline:

A boy who needs a friend finds a world that needs a hero in a land beyond imagination!

Plot:

A troubled boy dives into a wonderous fantasy world through the pages of a mysterious book.

Plot Keywords:

Bully | Fantasy Reality Crossover | Atmospheric | Wish Fulfillment | Alternate Dimension

Awards:

4 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

Barret Oliver	...	Bastian
Gerald McRaney	...	Bastian's Father
Drum Garrett	...	1st Bully
Darryl Cooksey	...	2nd Bully
Nicholas Gilbert	...	3rd Bully
Thomas Hill	...	Koreander
Deep Roy	...	Teeny Weeny
Tilo Prückner	...	Night Hob
Moses Gunn	...	Cairon
Noah Hathaway	...	Atreyu
Alan Oppenheimer	...	Falkor / G'mork / Narrator (voice)
Sydney Bromley	...	Engywook
Patricia Hayes	...	Urgl
Tami Stronach	...	The Childlike Empress

Also Known As:

The NeverEnding Story (UK) (USA)
The Neverending Story (International: English title)

Runtime:

102 min | 94 min (international version)

Country:

West Germany | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | South Korea:All | Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Canada:F (Ontario) | Finland:K-8 | Singapore:PG | Spain:T | Sweden:7 | UK:U | USA:PG | West Germany:6 (w) | Canada:PG (Manitoba) | Canada:G (Nova Scotia/Quebec)

Filming Locations:

Bavaria Filmstudios, Geiselgasteig, Grünwald, Bavaria, Germany

Company:

Neue Constantin Film

Trivia:

The makeup team on the movie tried to paint Noah Hathaway green, just as Atreyu is in the book. "It wasn't believable. I looked like fungi!" Hathaway said.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the US version, when The Nothing first appears and Rockbiter drives away, his position relative to the camera changes inconsistently between shots.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Bastian's Father: Good morning, Bastian.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Sasquatch Dumpling Gang (2006)

Soundtrack:

The Neverending Story

Dark, if not surreal fantasy delivers a good message.

Finally, the truth about stories. The fact is, nothing ever really ends, and thusly, someone had to say so. That's what this movie does, and it does it ever so elegantly. A young boy, who knows so much about the "Lord Of The Rings", and "Beowulf" is about to find out something more real as he borrows a mystical book he finds enchanting. the even more powerful fact, is that once the book is opened, it will never close. Just as life never really ends on this earth, neither to stories. The book, titled "The Never Ending Story", is about Fantasia, a world that is dying, and an unbelievably horrifying substance known as "The Nothing", is enclosing it. A young warrior must face the danger of finding a cure. On earth, or in the book, life is intertwined to reach the ultimate answer to a young boys fears, and a young warriors quest. Film is full of some really lovable characters such as Falkor, the luck dragon, and the Rock Biter. Then, there is the Gmorg, whom I believe, is the most wretched creature in cinema. That thing is scary! In any case, film starts out as colorful and mystical, and grows dark and nightmarish with every scene, leading to a wonderful message about the substance that keeps Fantasia , and every other world out there, alive. Beautiful, just beautiful. A classic.