Epic Win: The NeverEnding Story
Submitted by S Fields
If you liked “Labyrinth,” it’s not a stretch to say you liked this movie too. Fun facts time: when this movie came out, it was considered the most expensive film made outside of the U.S. or former Soviet Union at the time. It had a budget of $27,000,000 and was considered a flop when it was released in 1984.
The theme (the chorus is the earwormiest earworm that ever lodged in your brainmeats), was done by Limahl, who was the lead singer of this band:
Photo via retrosellers
That band would be Kajagoogoo, whose single “Too Shy” was an 80’s one-hit-wonder.
The NeverEnding Story theme:
Final fun fact: Posh Spice totally looks like Falcor the Luck Dragon!
Do not watch this movie as an adult. It’s not quite as awesome as you may recall. Oddly enough, my husband and I did watch it as adults after deciding to name our son Atreyu, realized it was awful and still named him Atreyu anyways. He’s gonna’ thank us, right?
LOL just remember, he gets to pick out your Nursing Home…..
Well, it could be worse. They could have named him like this kid.
http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/Adolf-Hitler-Sisters-Taken-from-Parents-Home.html
I think, in comparison, that Atreyu is gorgeous. Actually, I still like Atreyu, period. I think that’s a great name! (I may steal your idea.)
The first few times I watched this when I was really little, I thought Atreyu was a girl. It wasn’t until I got a little older that I realized he was a boy. They either needed to pick a more manly boy to play the role, or at least give him a less-androgynous name.
Of course now, after the movie was so popular, it totally sounds like a boy’s name, but back then, not so much…….
I always thought the singer was a female… And the backup female singer doesn’t get nearly enough credit. She was a big part of the song (Beth Anderson).
I’m an adult who just watched this over the weekend and it was AWESOME !
Too short though
Do any of our childhood favorites reeeaaaallly stack up as adults?
Count Duckula still makes me roar with laughter… Labyrinth still rocks!
I have never seen the film but I love the song, though I never realised it was a man singing it!
I second that! I totally thought it was a chick!
Neither did I! I totally thought it was a lady.
With that hair in the video he still looks like a lady!
AND he came up with the name “Limahl” by taking his real last name (Hamill), reversing it and then moving the extra “L” from the front to the end.
Please don’t ask me why I remember this tasty tidbit, please don’t. It’s one of the reasons why I regularly can’t remember where I put my car keys (that brain cell is being used by 80s trivia).
The score to this film ROOLZ! The scoring duties were split between a German composer and the King of 80’s synth pop and soundtracks Giorgio Moroder!! Woo hoo!
Not too bad for a movie *made in Germany*
Oh, stop dissing this movie! We all loved it! We all wished that Falcor was real!
So just enjoy the memories!
Yes. A thousand times yes.
Amen to that.
Falcor IS real… he just refuses to visit my house anymore…
cause the tacos i made last time gave him gas.
Or maybe it’s because you keep calling him Falkor? :p
The name is Fuchur. Why the hell they changed that in the English translation, I will never understand.
Because Fuchur, pronounced in English, would sound like “F*ck her”?
Interesting tidbit about Limahl. I never would have made the connection between him in Kajagoogoo and singing the NeverEnding Story. I always thought it was a chick.
No. Absolutely, no. Screw the movie. The book is amazing, but the movie tears out all of the pages and uses them to wipe its ass. Seriously, if you liked the movie, the book is even better. If you haven’t seen the movie, read the book instead.
I’ve read the book and I still love the first movie. The second movie sucked.
yeah.. I think the book is fantastic and I still love the movie, too. And a sequel was just not needed, either.
Agreed – I loved the first movie, and the book is awesome too. They have the same concept, but very different execution, each suitable for their respective mediums.
MEDIA
there was a second movie? or even a third?
seriously where i live they made the one movie and stopped.
there’s an animated series as well, IIRC.
I seem to remember an animated series or miniseries as well.
yeah, there was an animated series back in the day
and YES there was a sucky sequel and an even suckier sequel to the sequel
I half agree with you.
The book is one of the best fantasy books ever; but I’d say the first movie was not so bad. Consider when it was made too.
All the spin offs made later were garbage.
And yet, according to IMDB, Michael Ende didn’t like the movie. (See the url posted). How come he allowed the other movies and series is a mistery.
Now if someone like Peter Jackson were to remake the movie, but this time the complete book, that would be awesome!
What Jake said in spades. The movie was dreck, I don’t care how young or old you were when you first saw it, it was dreck when I was 14 and it’s dreck when I’m… the age I am now. A load of bollocks that sounded like it was written by a 7-year-old.
Concur. Saw this first in middle school and found it juvenile and dull. But it did make me seek out the book, which was worth a read, but overlong.
I just ordered this on DVD 2 days ago. I loved this and want to watch it with my kids. I’ve read the book, too, as a kid and with my daughter. I’m wondering if my older son is ready for it. Definite Epic Win!
loved the movie, all time favourite. the second one was a bit sucky tho
Somehow, I made it through my childhood in the eighties without ever seeing Labyrinth or The Dark Crystal. Never Ending Story, though…
This was one of my two favorite movies until I was about ten (The Princess Bride being the other) I still dream about my own racing snail.
The book is about ten million times better than the movie but then again, books always are.
Loved it! Named my Dobie puppy Rockbiter. One of the best dogs I have ever had. I miss him!
But yet it still get homages made from the likes of Venture Brothers and Family Guy.
Call my name, Sebastian! Call my name!
What WAS her name, anyway? It always made me nuts that you couldn’t understand what the hell he said. Giving her a name is the KEY to saving their world, and he can’t even be bothered to *enunciate*? Sheesh.
I can only assume the poor girl spent the rest of her life saying, “Hi, my name is Ughghaahahamffph.” Which is just sad.
I always thought her name was Child-Like Empress. Which I got from DVD packages and fandoms.
I liked the movie decently enough, but it was one of those see-once movies…Atreyu spent most of his screen time screeching about how could the kid
*..kid be watching him…oh, and the scene with the horse. It seems like he did more crying and yanking on the bridle than thinking! That always annoyed me! But I did like the Luck-Dragon and the Empress and the ending scenes…
Her name was Moonchild (if you read the book)…and no, that was not Bastian’s mother’s name. I never understood why they added that line to the movie.
Was Sebastian’s mom dead? For some reason I thought she was. So I always thought that he named the Princess after his mom’s name. Am I wrong?
I remember watching the movie and believing his mom was dead. I’m not sure why they said he named the Empress after his mom though. I guess to add a little more emotion to the ending, not that it needed it.
No, it is Moonchild, which was Bastian’s mother’s name.
I never knew that until last week, and I watched it over the weekend and it is MOST DEFINITELY MOONCHILD.
Greeeeat. The princess’s parents were hippies! Yikes!
Bastian’s mother had died and he lived alone with his father. But Moonchild was NOT his mother’s name. Where the hell did you get that idea???
Oracle:
The Empress needs…. a new name.
Atreyu:
A new name. Is that all ? But that’s easy ! I can give her any name she wants.
Oracle:
No one from Fantasia can do it, only a human child.
Bastian:
What a shame they don’t ask me. My mother, she had such a wonderful name.
and then later, the Empress says:
Childlike Empress:
He has to give me a new name. He’s already chosen it, he just has to call it out.
So I guess it’s kinda implied that the name that he chose it his mother’s name.
And when he screams out the window in the movie, he says
MOOOOOOOOOOOOOONCHIIIIIIIIIIIIYAALLLLD !!!!!!
But only in the movie, never in the book!
It really pisses me off when they write such pseudo-Freudian crap into movies.
His name was Bastian, though, right? Hang on I’ll check IMDb….. Yup, it’s Bastian.
Oh, and here’s more info from there;
The name that Bastian screams almost indecipherable into the night is “Moonchild”.
ok duh I should’ve read the rest of the comments, sorry!
I always thought you were not supposed to understand the name he calls out because, you are supposed to be so into the movie and identifying with the character that if youheard the name it would take you out of the moment because it was not the name YOU wanted to say. It was supposed to leave it open for each watcher to insert his/her own name they wanted to call.
Or something. I only saw it once when it came out. So it has been a while and I was like so deeply in love with my 1st true love that I loved EVERYTHING. I am older and snarkier now.
That totally makes sense. Maybe that’s why Bastian screamed like that…..
Oh man…this movie is incredibly nostalgic for me. This movie made me cry at some parts, scared me at some parts, and I still love it! And my younger sister also loves it!
By God, I love this movie. I saw it recently and realised how terrible some of the anamatronics are (I looooove Henson and this is no comparison) but I still loved it.
The rockbiter sure did make those rocks look tasty.
bit of triva the same actor who played Atreyu played Boxxy on the original Battlestar Galatica …Noah Hathaway
I always cried (ok I still do) when Atreyu sinks in the swamp! And again at the end…..
Loved this movie.
Earworm? This is the mental floss I use to get reality out of my head!
I never knew anything about the singer of this song until now – thank you Once Upon A Win!
awesome movie one of the best the sequel is good as well but as good as the first
Nope, sorry, I agree with 99.99% of the Nostalgic Wins, but this one…eveyone I knew called it “The Neverending Movie”…sorry….
Don’t forget the EPIC FAIL of the sequels *vomits*
I liked the book and the 1st movie though.
OMG, just look at Limahl around 2:00. wtf?
I made the mistake of waiting until adulthood to see this movie. My wife and I gaped at one another at least 30 or 40 times in bewilderment, trying to figure out why this film still gets people so excited. It’s utterly horrid. The cheesy music, embarrassing effects, and lame acting all stood in the way of an otherwise cute fantasy story.
And I don’t buy this “early 80s technology” garbage. Star Wars was released in 1977, had less than half the budget of NES, and still looks decent, even without the digital remastering.
i did love this movie but falcor’s back grossed me out…looked like corn..i couldn’t even look at it…
i didn’t listen to the song cause all want to know is what i remember…
the neverennndddingggg storyyyyyyy…dididadadadaaaaaa
OMG! I thought I was the only one who noticed his icky back! Corn! Yes! That’s what it looked like!!
I used to wish I had Falco as a pet, and then I changed my mind when I saw his scaly back!!!
Yeah, I still have it recorded in a veery old VHS tape…man, how times flies…I need to pass that movie into a DVD. =O
I used to love this movie when I was a kid, until I read the book…then I just couldn’t enjoy it anymore.
It’s like they stripped the book down to its skeleton, chopped it in half, and covered it with glitter.
It really is an amazing book.
I always wondered how “neverending story 2″ was possible… I mean… if the story doesn’t end, how could there be more after it.
Neverending Story 2: The Big Lie
It has to do wit the fact that at the end of the movie, the Child-like Empress tells Atreyu that Bastian has been following his adventures all along, just like other people are following Bastian’s adventures (this is a fourth wall reference). In that case, the audience & reality become a part of the Neverending Story, implying infinite continuity.
opinions & comments?
hahahahaha…as lame as this sounds i totally thought it was a chick singing the theme song…i was born in 88, a time when vocals where a tad misleading….ahhh memories
Saw the movie. Meh. Read the book. Meh. Glad I didn’t pay for either experience. Still don’t understand the hype. That and “Goonies”. Double meh.
I TOOL’d myself for not using the Reply button
What? Goonies rocks. Every kids wishes they could go on a sweet adventure like that, and team up with a Sloth, and find treasure, and save the day, and, and, and…
Did you like it as a kid, or did you not see it until adulthood? Just asking because I have a friend who thought it sucked, but she only watched it for the first time last month. My kids and her kids loved it though.
I was a teenager by the time these came out, so I wasn’t exactly part of the target audience. I was further removed by the fact that I had several years of reading Robert E. Howard, Edgar Rice Burroughs, and Tolkien affecting my ideas of cool adventure. If there were no broadswords and gratuitous female nudity, I wasn’t interested.
OK, I understand. Well, thanks for your opinion.
My sister and brother were into Hobbits and Elves and such. Didn’t interest me, though.
^^ That wasn’t meant to come across bitchy or have a “tone” to it.
It’s OK. Hobbits and elves and gratuitous nudity aren’t for everyone.
^^ TOOL
CANNOT BELIEVE THERE ARE ADULTS WHO ACTUALLY LIKE THIS MOVIE
Wow…what kind of unhappy childhood did you have? Did someone touch you in a bad place? geeeeez lighten up.
Read the book. The first movie only (badly) covers the first half of the book.
Of course, the second movie even more royally screws up the second half, but there you go…
The craptacular theme song alone makes this a fail. Nowhere near on par with Dark Crystal, or even Legend for that matter (and boy did Legend suck)…
Nothing like the book, and believe me, the book is definitely better.
Awww Why The Hate People? I guess you had to watch it as a child to know the love (Which is why I will never be one who understands Power Rangers). This movie rawwwked. You can’t compare it to Labyrinth or Dark Crystal or Goonies (All childhood favourites also) They all stand alone as wonderful wonderful experiences.
The book does definately beat the movie. I was fortunate enough to discover a copy in my local 2nd book shoop when I was a teen. No I’m not leet enough to have read it in it’s native german.
Awww sweet memories of more innocent times.
The reason my husband and I chose to name our son Atreyu even after we watched it again as adults, was because the book is so wonderful and the whole sentiment we remembered from the movie as kids was the importance of imagination and reading. Characteristics we still feel are important. My son is 4 now and I have to say he LOVES books and has a most amazing imagination, so all in all I think it was a good name for him. Sure hope he gets it : )
Fight against the sadness, Artex!
I’ve loved this movie since the very first time I saw it. Yes, it’s cheesy, and yes, the graphics and fx could be better. But the message behind the movie and the book are amazing, at least to me. I’m a writer and the idea that people need to keep using their imaginations strikes home to me.
When I was 19, I got Auryn (the symbol from the cover of the book) tattooed on my arm.
This movie sucked when I was a kid just as much as it sucks now. I hate Wolfgang Petersen for screwing up that unbelievable good book, just as he seems to screw up every other book he gets his hands on.
Michael Ende, the author of “The Neverending Story”, even refused to be credited with this movie although this was one of his most successful books.
The only cool thing is that you can still see all the props of this film in the bavaria studios in Munich and kids can even ride Falcor (is that the english name?) and watch themselves on a screen flying through the sky. That and Morla the Ancient One were my fondest memories of that film…
i love this movie…i miss it and have been wanting to watch it again
I can’t believe that people mention this movie in the same breath as Labrynth.
I haven’t seen the movie,but the books is amazing. I haven’t finished it, but the story’s AWESOME.
When I was younger, I really enjoyed this movie, but now that I’m older, I can’t help but be…disappointed. True–this movie is still a WIN (And no other Neverending Story movie compares to it) But…I dunno, something about it… :/ Hmm.
Anyway–win!!
i never was into this movie, it always had a strange feeling about it.
I LOVE THE NEVER ENDING STORY MOVIES!!!
STILL!
Though I wouldn’t know about the labyrinth, haven’t seen it yet
I’m 31, and just watched this movie with my wife and kids the other day. My wife talked them into watching, and I was there for the ride. When it was over, I don’t think either of my kids were really all that impressed and pretty much just went on with their day afterward. For me, it was really, really, really bad. I actually fell asleep at one point, but don’t think I missed much. When the princess or whatever she was tried explaining everything at the end, it made as much sense as the scene from the final Matrix where the old dude is explaining the Matrix to Neo. It was gibberish.
Bleh.