Young Bastian is a daydreamer whose mother has recently died. His father thinks he should keep his feet on the ground. The school bullies think he’s a weirdo.
But when Bastian runs into the bookstore to escape the bullies’ propensity to throw him in the nearest dumpster, he meets Carl Conrad Coreander.
Mr. Coreander is impressed that young Bastian likes to read. But he says the books Bastian reads are too “safe.” So when he leaves a supposedly “unsafe” book on his desk, Bastian leaves a note and takes the book.
And then the adventure really begins.
Similar to the narrative structure in The Princess Bride, Bastian (and viewers) are soon fully immersed in the book’s fantasy world (apart from scenes that picture the boy reading in the attic of his school, that is).
In the book, the realm of Fantasia is being overtaken by the dark, mysterious Nothing and his wicked, wolflike lieutenant, Gmork. It seems the young warrior Atreyu is the only hope to heal the ailing Empress and save Fantasia.
But their ultimate help comes from an unlikely source.
In the opening scene, Bastian’s dad sits down with his son over breakfast. He empathizes with his boy’s grief about losing his mother. But he also encourages Bastian to buckle down, to face his problems and to be a better student.
Back in Fantasia, Bastian learns lessons about courage, perseverance and friendship. Along the way, the story also encourages viewers to pursue their hopes and dreams, lest they be left with emptiness when those dreams go unchased and unrealized later in life.
The film also speaks volumes about the positive ways that reading can affect a young person’s actions and emotions, something we at Plugged In would certainly applaud.
As you’d probably expect in a fantasy story like this one, magical and mystical elements infuse the world of Fantasia (also known as Fantastica in the 1979 book the preceded the film).
The Auryn medallion “guides and protects” its steward. A foreboding swamp threatens to engulf unsuspecting victims in sadness.
Elsewhere in this magical realm, Falkor is a Luck Dragon who believes everything will work out in the end due to good luck. Meanwhile, the Southern Oracle is guarded by two mystical gates designed to test a person’s worthiness. And the empress of the land seems to be immortal and omniscient. Morla the Ancient One is another fantastical character here, an allegedly wise, turtle-like being whose counsel at times seems quite nihilistic.
The penultimate scene might be described as an ominous parallel to the biblical creation account. The empress says that “in the beginning, it is always dark,” before telling Bastian he can wish anything into existence.
Stationary, stone-carved sphynx gates and sphynx oracles are depicted with exposed breasts. Viewers see these images from several angles and multiple camera shots.
Atreyu is shown bare-chested in several scenes.
The Nothing, the mystical power making everything in Fantasia disappear, is represented by a huge wind and lightning storm, capable of ripping trees up from their roots. We hear that several characters are taken by the Nothing.
Atreyu faces the wolf-like monster, Gmork, and stabs it in the chest with a sharp stone. Gmork bleeds. Atreyu is cut on the arm and chest in the short scuffle.
The first gate to the Southern Oracle has laser-like weapons in the eyes of the sphynx that fry a knight (we see his burnt skull later).
A horse dies. Bastian is thrown into a dumpster by bullies pursuing and harassing him.
Bullies call Bastian a “weirdo,” a “jerk,” a “chicken” and a “wimp.” A man calls his wife a “wench” three times.
None.
Some scenes are intense and frightening. We see Bastian’s fear of the things he reads translate to his fear of the creepy school attic. When Bastian realizes the book is somehow talking to him, the idea is initially unnerving.
When Bastian learns he can get anything he wishes for, his second wish we see is getting revenge on his bullies. He makes them run and hide in the very same dumpster they put Bastian in earlier.
Bastian skips school to read the book. An old couple whom Atreyu meets is in a very argumentative and unhealthy relationship.
It’s been 40 years since The NeverEnding Story quietly became one of the classic fantasy films of the ‘80s—a status that’s been bolstered again recently by the theme song’s cameo in Stranger Things as well as a 40th-anniversary theatrical rerelease.
The film’s special effects admittedly haven’t aged very well. But the story’s themes of childlike wonder and holding on to hope amid the darkness remain timeless.
The NeverEnding Story also illustrates the power of immersing ourselves in a written tale. In some ways, we see how that can be a good thing. On the other hand, we also see how a book’s influence can affect someone’s real-world thoughts and actions, too.
Magic and mystical ideas abound here, of course. That worldview content is something each family will need to evaluate individually. But while some scenes might be too intense for sensitive viewers, The NeverEnding Story mostly steers clear of big content issues, potentially making it a fun movie-night choice for families and a wild, fantastical ride for kids.
Caleb Gottry is the Plugged In intern for Summer 2024. Caleb studies journalism with a minor in music at Texas Christian University, where he will be a junior in the fall. He loves playing with words, listening to and making music, and spending any spare time with friends or family.
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