The NeverEnding Story (1984)

Some of my fondest childhood memories are from watching this movie. It's magical and even somewhat philosophical(for a kid's movie). Characters like the Rockbiter and Falkor the Luck Dragon are unforgettable, same goes for many of the locations. Truly wonderful story brought to life almost flawlessly. Also the theme song is so freaking catchy..

Movie Review: "The NeverEnding Story" (1984)From director Wolfgang Petersen and cinematographer Jost Vacano, who realized the exceptional World-War-II drama "Das Boot" in season 1980/1981, get engaged by supreme producer Bernd Eichinger (1949-2011) to bring a beloved children-fantasy-book from 1979 written by author Michael Ende (1929-1995) and later in 1983 in splendid English-translations by Ralph Manheim (1907-1992) to the screen under Hollywood-like production values produced at the Bavaria Film Studios, Munich."The NeverEnding Story" tells the story a troublesome as bullied minor Bastian, who lost his mother to death, in high convictions because directed portrayals by Barret Olivier, who escapes to remotely attic in a library to enter the world of "Fantasia" where he meets fantastic creature and beasts as the roaming stone giant "Rockbiter", "Falkor" the flying dog-head-shaped white dragon and a terrifying black-animatronics-indulging "Black Wolf" along the way to rescue the dying world of "Fantasia" and his beautiful fairy tale princess of a secret high counsel, when "Altreyu" the child readers' alterego hero embarks on fighting for the liberation of an extraordinary imaginarium beyond.Director Wolfgang Petersen classifies as formidable ascending filmmaker in productions of the mid-1980s, when "The NeverEnding Story" deserved a higher-seeking attendance on the U.S. domestic market of Summer 1984.© 2018 Felix Alexander Dausend (Cinemajesty Entertainments LLC)

Barret Oliver plays Bastian Balthazar Bux - a proud name, if there ever was one - a studious little boy, who's quite fascinated with books and stories as means to escape his less than ideal life as a child, who has lost his mother and is bullied at school. After dodging said bullies into a bookstore, he happens upon a book called The NeverEnding Story. Taking the book to school with him he ends up lost in its pages, reading about a world being taken over by The Nothing and about the Childlike Empress and Atreyu of the Plains People, who hunt the purple buffalo.The NeverEnding is one of the most beloved classics of the fantasy genre for a reason. Partly this is because of how the film looks. The beautifully made and animated puppets are still a sight to behold and give the whole film amazing authenticity. Rock Biter, Falkor, Morla and so many more fantastic creatures, who despite clearly being puppets, feel amazingly alive and alert in every scene they're in.But the other and most important part is the story itself. The barebone plot itself is more than decent fantasy adventure, but its the subtext, to which I keep returning. This film and the original book take a step backwards and decide to examine the very act of experiencing a story, be it through the act of reading a book, seeing a film or even listening to a song. We get lost in this experience. The surrounding real world shuts down and suddenly we're there, struggling across the Swamp of Sadness or peering through the telescope of old Engywook. It's an amazing thing, but quite often it's taken for granted.Not with this story, though. And for that, if for nothing else, this is a great film.

This is my favorite film of all times. Bastian reads a book called The Neverending Story and finds out that only Atreyu can stop the Nothing from destroying Fantasia and has to save the Childlike Empress! When Bastian realizes that he is part of the story, he calls the Childlike Empress' new name. Then he rides on Falcor and gets revenge for getting bullied. The only thing I hate is when Artax sinks into the Swamps of Sadness.