The NeverEnding Story (1984) is a perfect fantasy with young Bastian reading about the adventures of Atreyu to save the world of Fantasia! The film is about imagination, hope, adventure and what happens when the dreams ends! The film is based on the 1979 novel by Michael Ende with the original title, Die unendliche Geschichte. It is directed by Wolfgang Petersen, who had died on August 12th, so this film feels like Petersen’s gift to us and inspires our imaginations. He previously directed Das Boot (1981) and later Troy (2004). Petersen co-wrote with Herman Wiegel who previously wrote the drama, Christiane F. (1981). He has a cameo in the movie. It begins with soaring sounds, fantastic cloud formations, and the theme song, composed by Girogio Moroder who recieved an Academy Award for Midnight Express (1978).
The song was performed by Limahl (also has a cameo) with the singer, Beth Anderson. The rest of the music is by Klaus Doldinger from the German group Passport. Bastian (Barret Oliver) gasps and suddenly awakens. Oliver was in the first movie and the sci fi sequel, Cocoon: The Return (1988). The novel has his full name, Bastian Balthazar Bux. He places a bookmark in the book he was reading when he fell asleep. In the kitchen, his father (Gerald McRaney), in a business suit, get his breakfast ready. McRangey worked mostly in television, I recognize him from the sitcom, Major Dad. Bastian struggles to open the lid of jelly jar. His father easily untwists it. Bastian tells his father about a dream of his mother who passed away. Father mentions his drawings in his math book, not trying out for the swim team, and he should not be daydreaming. Bastian is walking on the city street and encounters three bullies who call him weirdo.
They chase him to an alley and toss him in a dumpster. Bastian dusts himself off returning to the street, but the bullies are there and Bastian runs again! He takes refuge in an antique bookstore. Bastian is told to leave by the store owner, Carl Conrad Coreander (Thomas Hill). The actor was also in the sci fi mini-series, V: The Final Battle playing Father Andrew Doyle. Coreander points out the arcade and tries to explain books. Bastian says he has read everything from Lord of the Rings to Tarzan. He asks about the book Coreander is reading and he is told that his books are safe. The bookstore owner is distracted by a phone call and tells Bastian to “forget about it.” Bastian looks at The Neverending Story which has a symbol of two snakes wrapped around each other, the Auryn! Bastian takes the book, Coreander smiles, and then he sees Bastian’s note that he will return it. He races into the school’s hall with the book underneath his jacket. Bastian peeks into the classroom and finds there is a math test.
He takes the key to the attic, it is a dusty, collection of objects, and Bastian pulls a mattress out. Bastian opens the forbidden book, closeup on his eyes, and starts reading about the Howling Forest. We see the pov shot of something massive moving through the forest. A giant snail looks up while chomping on some leaves. The creatures of Fantasia (called Fantastica in the novel) are realized by creature designer, Ul De Rico, and special effects director, Brian Johnson. It is also noticed by Teeny Weeny (Deep Roy) dressed in formal suit and top hat. Snoring is the bat and his rider, the Night Hob (Tilo Prückner) pops up his head to see. He has wild hair with a goblin nose and ears. The camp is disturbed by the rolling sounds. It is the arrival of the Rockbiter (also voiced by Oppenheimer), a giant made of rocks 33 years before Korg, whose stone bicycle comes to a stop in time. He joins their camp and snacks on a limestone, his crumbs pelt the others.
Rockbiter tells about the Nothing which has been taking away the North, it has also taken away other parts of Fantasia, Teeny Weeny’s land in the West, and the South of the Night Hobs. They are all on the mission to tell the Childlike Empress at the Ivory Tower. Teeny Weeny explains that he is riding a Racing Snail that zips through the forest. The dark clouds gather as the Fantasia is wracked with the Nothing. They reach an outlook to see the Ivory Tower, it has three parts of mountains parting like flower petals, a single, long white tower holds up the top part, a stigma on a flower. One of the most beautiful visions in fantasy. It has a bulb and three platforms that leads to the palace. The Empress (Tami Stronach) is not seen because she is dying from Fantasia’s destruction. Stronach has mostly worked in theatre. Instead, there is the bearded official in robes, Cairon (Moses Gunn). Looking through windows are the Night Hob and his bat. There is wide variety of Fantasia citizens; giant heads of stone, a humanoid with an elephant’s head, and a mushroom person!
Cairon knows about the threat of the Nothing and their only hope is a warrior from the Plains people. His name is Atreyu. This fascinates Bastian who looks at book of Native American hunters. Atreyu (Noah Hathaway) appears and everyone including Bastian is stunned he is a boy. Hathaway is also known for playing Boxey in the original Battlestar Galactica. Cairon has a quest for him to save the Empress and Fantasia. Atreyu accpets and is given an Auryn necklace, a symbol of the Empress. He rides from the tower on his horse, Artax, and the others wish him well. Storm clouds send lightning bolts, Bastian narrates that there was another quest, one for the giant wolf-creature, G’mork (another Oppenheimer voice!). Artreyu and Artax have been traveling for a week and go to eat. Bastian takes out a sandwhich and joins them. They continue riding, G’mork has reached their last camp site, and then Bastian explains Bastian’s quest takes him to the Swamps of Sadness. The name is literal name since this is traumatizing for kids, not for me at the time.
The swamp’s deadly mud would swallow anyone who has despair including Artax! Great acting by Hathaway! Bastian also cries. Atreyu continues on, I wonder if he is saved by the Auryn, and finds Shell Mountain. He climbs up it and calls for Morla, the Ancient One. It starts to rise up and Bastian slips down its muddy side. A massive, tortoise head appears and Bastian shouts in fear, this is heard by Morla and Bastian! He shows her the Auryn. She sneezes which is a wind blast that knocks Bastian in a tree to the mud! Morla says she is allergic to youth! She tells him about the Southern Oracle, 10,000 miles away! Bastian is startled by the school’s bell sending students home. At the attic, the lighning scares him, he is inspired by Artreyu’s courage, but a stuffed wolf’s head almost falls on him! G’mork hunts Artreyu, he slogs along, and then we have from the skies a long, furry white shape. As Bastian sinks in the mud, G’mork is about to close on him, and he is pulled away! After days of sleep, Artreyu wakes up in the paws of the pearl white pebbled skin, and a furry, golden retriever head of one of the best dragons, a luck dragon named Falkor (his kind and humorous voice is provided by Oppenheimer)! The Neverending Story is about imagination and hope, filled with fantastic lands and creatures, plus what happens when the dreams ends!
Five Auryns out of Five!
#NeverendingStory, #WolfgangPetersen, #BarretOliver, #NoahHathaway, #TamiStronach, #DeepRoy, #TiloPruckner, #ThomasHill
No comments:
Post a Comment