Barnes & Noble

In 1984, German director Wolfgang Petersen, fresh off his international hit Das Boot, made the leap to English-language features with this fantasy adventure that redefined the genre for the rest of the decade. The Neverending Story, based on Michael Ende's classic novel, appeals to children and adults alike, especially those who believe in dreaming, or dream of believing. Imaginative child hero Bastian (Barret Oliver) can barely keep his feet on the ground in the concrete world of bullies and math tests. One day, he stumbles across a mysterious storybook that literally sucks him in: Within the book's magical land of Fantasia, Bastian takes flight, assuming the role of the young warrior Atreyu (Noah Hathaway) and fighting to save the child empress (Tami Stronach) from an ominous "nothing" that destroys all that is good. Bringing Fantasia's world to life may seem an impossible dream, but Petersen and character designer Count Ul De Rico make movie magic with sumptuous design and fantastic predigital special effects -- from the doglike dragon Falcor to immense racing snails and rock-eating monsters. The world of Fantasia is dynamically presented against landscapes that range from the lotus-shaped Ivory Tower to the murky Swamps of Sadness. A positive allegory, The Neverending Story urges children of all ages to overcome the "nothingness" of banal reality and hold true to the magic of the mind. Jennifer McCreery

All Movie Guide

Wolfgang Petersen adapted Michael Ende's children's story for this charming fantasy film that spawned several sequels. Bastian (Barret Oliver) is dealing with his mother's recent death. His father (Gerald McRaney) is an imperious sort who continually lambastes Bastian for daydreaming and falling behind in school. On top of his father's badgering, he has to contend with a bunch of school bullies waiting for him in the schoolyard. One day he decides to play hooky and walks into a strange bookstore, where in the attic, he discovers a book called "The Neverending Story." As Bastian reads the book, he's enveloped in the unfolding tale. A sickly child-like empress (Tami Stronach) from a land called Fantasia is concerned about who will take over the land if she dies. She decides it is best for Fantasia if she remains alive, so she dispatches a young warrior named Atreju (Noah Hathaway) to find a cure for the empress's malady. It turns out the land is consumed with a plague called The Nothing, generated by blighted dreams and hopeless fantasies. As Atreju continues onward to search for a cure for The Nothing, he encounters an assortment of strange creatures. Bastian is so consumed with the tale that he finds himself catapulted into the land of Fantasia himself. Atreju realizes that the only way to save the land from its blight is with the help of this strange earth boy, Bastian. Paul Brenner

Product Details

• UPC: 883929090655
• Source: WARNER HOME VIDEO
• Region Code: 1
• Presentation: Wide Screen
• Language: English
• Editions: Repackaged
• Time: 1:32:00
• Sales Rank: 10,218

This DVD is also available as part of a box set:

• The Neverending Story 1 & 2
• Children's Fantasy: 4 Film Favorites

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