Product Description

A young boy named Bastian borrows a mysterious ornately-bound book that takes him into the fantastic world of Fantasia.
Genre: Feature Film Family
Rating: PG
Release Date: 3-FEB-2004
Media Type: DVD

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #448 in DVD
• Brand: HATHAWAY,NOAH
• Released on: 2001-09-04
• Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Formats: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, Full Screen, NTSC
• Original language: English, French, Spanish
• Subtitled in: English, Spanish, French
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .20 pounds
• Running time: 92 minutes

Amazon.com essential video
Wolfgang Petersen (In the Line of Fire) made his first English-language film with this 1984 fantasy about a boy (Barret Oliver) visualizing the stories of a book he's reading. The imagined tale involves another boy, a warrior (Noah Hathaway), and his efforts to save the empire of Fantasia from a nemesis called the Nothing. Whether or not the scenario sticks in the memory, what does linger are the unique effects, which are not quite like anything else. Plenty of good fairy-tale characters and memorable scenes, and the film even encourages kids to read. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews

We Are All Part of the NeverEnding Story
German director Wolfgang Petersen, the man responsible for the harrowing WWII epic Das Boot, may seem like an odd choice to direct a film adaptation of Michael Ende's children's book, The Neverending Story. However, his knowledge of technical filmmaking and his passion for adventure stories proved to be the perfect combination, as can be seen in this campy classic 1984 film.

The story concerns young Bastian, an imaginative boy who prefers to retreat into books rather than face the harsh truths of reality, as he borrows a magical book from a bookstore and reads it in the creepy attic of his school. All his life Bastian has been bullied by other kids at school and misunderstood by his overly practical widower of a father. But as Bastian's mind absorbs the details of the book, The NeverEnding Story, he finds both escapism and empowerment while reading of a heroic young hunter named Atreyu. Atreyu is a member of the Plainspeople and he was chosen to save his world, Fantasia (in the book the fantasy world is known as Fantastica), from the devastation of The Nothing, a living void which spreads across Fantasia devouring all in its path and leaving nothingness in its wake. As Bastian follows Atreyu's daring exploits, he becomes astonished to discover that Fantasia really exists and that he may be the only one who can save it from oblivion, so long as he finds the courage in himself to do as he dreams.

Since the film's release, it has become something of a family classic, but after almost twenty-five years it's hard to imagine this film having the longevity of the fantasy classics that preceded it. The film is charming and entertaining, but it lacks the heart of films like The Wizard of Oz and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and lacks the sophistication of a film like The Dark Crystal. The film does, however, have some ingenious special effects and some truly bizarre costumes and make-ups, which are at time reminiscent of the first Star Wars film.
The plot itself deviates from that of the book, but does so in order to make the film accessible to the average viewer.
With a wondrous array of characters and creatures including a Rock Biter, a racing snail, a fearsome wolf-like creature known as the Gmork, a Luck Dragon named Falkor, and the fragile and beautiful Childlike Empress, it's not hard to see why the film has such great appeal.

Also recommended:
Labyrinth
The Princess Bride
Willow
The Pagemaster

childhood memories
The NeverendingStory is a children's classic film. At least in my mind it is. I remember growing up watching this movie, and how science fiction movies today that has that same premise in mind wants to make magic just like the Neverending Story like the Spiderwick Chronicles. No movie can compare to children's novels like the Chronicles of Narnia, but there is something still magical of the Neverending Story, and how it can touch each and every one of us at some time in our lives. I just have fond memories of this movie.

Charming
This movie is charming. It has fantasy elements, real life childhood struggles and a real personable touch. If you are an avid reader you will relate to the lead character in this film. While I did not experience the bullying the lead character did as a child I definately related to his love of books and the escapism they represent. It's a thrill that this movie really puts you back in touch with, in only the way a child can experience. That is probably my favorite part of this film. Books were exciting worlds as a child, complete mysteries to be revealed; this movie captures that and brings it to life in a fantastic way. I thought it was clever and charming and very entertaining, fun for all. I still enjoy this film all these years later.