The NeverEnding Story(1984)
Warner Bros. Jul 20, 1984
Bastian finds a magical book in an old bookstore that takes him on an adventure into the land of Fantasia.
Release Details
Original Release | Jul 20, 1984 | Moderate
2024 Re-release (40th Anniversary) | Jul 21, 2024 | Limited (Fathom Events)
Box Office Results
2025-01-07T06:46:54.060Z
All Releases (2)
$20,192,381
$92,603
$20,288,595
$20,158,808
$20,162,419
Current Showtimes
orround
- Tue Sep 22
- Wed Sep 23
- Thu Sep 24
- Fri Sep 25
- Sat Sep 26
- Sun Sep 27
- Mon Sep 28
Technical Specifications
Aspect Ratio: 2.35 : 1
Other Details
Country of Origin: West Germany, United States
Language: English
Summaries
Plot Summary
- Bastian Balthazar Bux (Barret Oliver), a quiet boy who loves to read. One morning, Bastian's father tells his son of his concern after hearing he daydreams in school and tells Bastian he needs to stop. Bastian shares a tense conversation with his father (Gerald McRaney) about how he dreamed of his mother (assumed to have passed away due to illness). His father continues, noting that Bastian did not try out for the swim team. Bastian tries to explain that he wanted horseback riding lessons instead but his father retorts that Bastian is too afraid to even get on one, much less ride it. His father then leaves for work, telling his son that he needs to 'keep his feet on the ground' and pay attention at school more.Bastian is accosted by bullies on his way to school, who demand that he hand over his money. When Bastian produces none, they throw him into a garbage dumpster and follow him when he gets out. He hides in a bookstore, interrupting the grumpy bookseller, Carl Conrad Coreander (Thomas Hill). Coreander scoffs at Bastian, thinking him to be another child interested only in arcade games and comic books but Bastian names all the real books he has read, including Treasure Island and The Lord of the Rings.Bastian's interest in books leads him to ask about the one Mr. Coreander is reading, The Neverending Story, but he advises against reading it and warns Bastian that it is not safe. He alludes to the fact that, while reading, a person may become immersed in the story to the point where he or she feels like they're living the tale, but there is always the guarantee that they can put the book down and return to reality. He informs Bastian that the book is not for him and sets it down before returning to his duties.With his curiosity piqued, Bastian secretly takes the book. Arriving at school late, Bastian hides in the building's attic to read.The book describes the fantasy world of Fantasia which is being threatened by a force called "The Nothing," a void of darkness that consumes everything. In a dark wooded area, two creatures known as Night Hob (Tilo Prückner) and Teeny Weeny (Deep Roy) have stopped to rest during an apparent journey. Suddenly, the sound of loud crashing is heard and a giant Rock Biter (Alan Oppenheimer) arrives on a rock-cycle. He tells the others about something indescribable that is destroying the realm where he comes from in the North. Night Hob and Teeny Weeny explain that they have both seen the effects of this strange 'Nothing' in their parts of Fantasia. Messengers are heading to the Ivory Tower to seek help from The Childlike Empress. Night Hob makes his way to the main floor of the structure where a man named Cairon (Moses Gunn) addresses the crowd who have come for answers as well. Cairon explains that the Empress is ill and that the Nothing, the force behind all the disturbances, may be responsible.The Childlike Empress (Tami Stronach), who rules over Fantasia from the Ivory Tower, has fallen ill due to the Nothing, and she has summoned Atreyu (Noah Hathaway), a young warrior from the Plains People, to discover the means to end the Nothing. Atreyu is given AURYN, a medallion comprised of two intertwining snakes to protect and guide him. As Atreyu sets out, the Nothing summons Gmork (Alan Oppenheimer), a vicious, but highly intelligent werewolf, to kill Atreyu.Atreyu sets out across Fantasia on the back of his horse Artax. Atreyu and Artax search through a number of places but find no cure for the Empress.Atreyu's quest directs him to an ancient being called Morla that resides in the Swamps of Sadness, which are swamps where if you get sad in them, the mud sucks you under and you drown. Though AURYN protects Atreyu from its effects, his beloved horse Artax drowns in the swamp. Atreyu continues through the swamp, and since he is sad from Artax dying, he is nearly sucked under in the swamp but is rescued by a creature named Morla and is surprised when Morla reveals itself as a giant tortoise-like being. Bastian, reading, is also surprised and lets out a scream. When he continues reading, Bastian is curious that Atreyu and Morla appeared to have heard his scream. Morla, being a prisoner in the swamp, can't assist Atreyu and doesn't have the answers he seeks, but directs Atreyu to the Southern Oracle, ten thousand miles distant.Atreyu attempts to trek through the Swamps but even AURYN cannot protect him indefinitely as the wolf-creature closes in on him. Then, a cloud-burst appears in the sky and a slim figure flies down and plucks Atreyu from the swamps just as he wolf-creature lunges forward. Atreyu blacks out, but awakens, clean and restored, next to the luck-dragon Falkor (Alan Oppenheimer), who had rescued Atreyu at the last minute and brought him to the Southern Oracle. Falkor has brought him 9,891 miles along his 10,000-mile journey to the Southern Oracle. Not far away is a small hovel where Atreyu is introduced to Engywook (Sydney Bromley) and Urgl (Patricia Hayes). Engywook has been studying the Southern Oracle for some time through a telescope and shows Atreyu the path through two gateways which will lead him there.The first gate is comprised of two giant sphinx statues. Atreyu learns that any man who feels his worth is permitted passage, but the sphinxes judge whomever comes before them and destroy any who feels a tinge of doubt. Atreyu watches as a mounted rider attempts to pass, but he is shot down by beams of fire shot from the sphinx's eyes. Atreyu goes forth to test his merit but becomes fearful when he sees the body of the rider. As the sphinx's eyes begin to open, Atreyu dodges forward, just missing the beams.Engywook is ecstatic that Atreyu has made it through but tells the others with warning that he must now pass through the Magic Mirrorgate, a large reflective gateway that shows a person what they truly are inside. Men have fled screaming from the sight of their inner selves.Atreyu is perplexed when the second trial, a mirror that shows the viewer's true self, reveals a boy matching Bastian's description sitting in an attic reading a book. Bastian recoils in shock and throws the book aside but cautiously continues reading after setting up candles in the darkened attic. Atreyu, past the trials, stands before the Oracle an object resembling the sphinxes with wings, who tells him the only way to save the Princess is to find a human child to give her a new name, but such a child can only be obtained beyond the boundaries of Fantasia. Atreyu and Falkor flee before the Nothing consumes the Oracle.The two try to locate the boundary of Fantasia, but the power of the Nothing has grown, and Atreyu is knocked from Falkor's back into the Sea of Possibilities, losing AURYN in the process. He wakes up on the shore of an abandoned town, and as he explores, he finds a series of wall paintings describing his quest to the present, including one of him facing against Gmork.Gmork reveals himself before promising to make Atreyu its last victim. Atreyu promises not to be defeated as he is a warrior but Gmork scoffs when Atreyu admits he's not able to fight the Nothing since he can't find Fantasia's boundaries. Gmork reveals that Fantasia has no boundaries since its existence is shaped by the imagination of humans. Since humans have slowly given up on their imaginations and dreams, the Nothing has been consuming Fantasia. It admits that it is a servant of the Nothing, bent on gaining power and control, and was sent to kill the only person capable of stopping it.The beast then attacks as the Nothing starts to consume the town. Atreyu kills Gmork with a sharp rock. Atreyu fights against the pull of the Nothing, but as he gives out, Falkor arrives to save him, having found AURYN earlier.When Atreyu recovers, he finds they are flying in a black void with the only remnants of Fantasia floating around. Fearing his quest has failed, Atreyu is elated when the Ivory Tower appears. After landing, Atreyu races to see the Empress and apologizes for his failure. To his surprise, the Empress declares that he was successful, as he has brought the human child, Bastian, with him through his adventure. The empress claims that Atreyu's journey was necessary for the human child to follow along with their adventures. He has become a part of the story they are all sharing in. As the Nothing begins to destroy the Tower, Atreyu is knocked unconscious.As the Nothing starts to consume the Ivory Tower, the Princess pleas directly to Bastian to give her new name before it is too late. Filled with doubt, Bastian declines to believe any of it could be happening. After she implores him directly to call out her new name, Bastian races to the attic windows and shouts the name "Moonchild" (his deceased mother's name) before the wind outside extinguishes the candles and sends the room into darkness.Bastian finds himself in a black void with the Empress. She shows him a single grain of sand, the last remaining part of Fantasia, but insists that Bastian's imagination, through the power of wishing, can restore Fantasia from it. After a moment's thought, Bastian wishes for the restoration of the land, and finds himself riding Falkor over the restored Fantasia, including Atreyu reunited with Artax.Bastian whispers into Falkor's ear. In the real world, the bullies that had chased down Bastian at the start suddenly find themselves being chased by Bastian and Falkor. One of the bullies falls into a clump of garbage, while the others jump into the same dumpster that they had put Bastian in. Falkor swoops upwards, laughing victoriously.A narrator states that Bastian had many more wishes and adventures, "but that's another story".
Storyline
- Bastian is a young boy who lives a dreary life being tormented by school bullies. On one such occasion he escapes into a book shop where the old proprieter reveals an ancient story-book to him, which he is warned can be dangerous. Shortly after, he "borrows" the book and begins to read it in the school attic where he is drawn into the mythical land of Fantasia, which desperately needs a hero to save it from destruction. — Graeme Roy
