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The NeverEnding Story

Original title: The Neverending Story
  • 1984
  • PG
  • 1h 42m
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
166K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,342
246
Noah Hathaway, Sydney Bromley, Tilo Prückner, and Deep Roy in The NeverEnding Story (1984)
Official Trailer 2
Play trailer1:22
13 Videos
99+ Photos
Adventure EpicFantasy EpicQuestSword & SorceryAdventureDramaFamilyFantasy

A troubled boy dives into a wondrous fantasy world through the pages of a mysterious book.A troubled boy dives into a wondrous fantasy world through the pages of a mysterious book.A troubled boy dives into a wondrous fantasy world through the pages of a mysterious book.

  • Director
    • Wolfgang Petersen
  • Writers
    • Wolfgang Petersen
    • Herman Weigel
    • Michael Ende
  • Stars
    • Noah Hathaway
    • Barret Oliver
    • Tami Stronach
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.3/10
    166K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    1,342
    246
    • Director
      • Wolfgang Petersen
    • Writers
      • Wolfgang Petersen
      • Herman Weigel
      • Michael Ende
    • Stars
      • Noah Hathaway
      • Barret Oliver
      • Tami Stronach
    • 440User reviews
    • 107Critic reviews
    • 49Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 6 wins & 9 nominations total

    Videos13

    The Neverending Story
    Trailer 1:22
    The Neverending Story
    The Neverending Story
    Trailer 1:23
    The Neverending Story
    The Neverending Story
    Trailer 1:23
    The Neverending Story
    What to Stream With Your Family Right Now
    Clip 3:57
    What to Stream With Your Family Right Now
    Neverending Story: Rock Eater (Blu-Ray)
    Clip 2:05
    Neverending Story: Rock Eater (Blu-Ray)
    Neverending Story: First Gate (Blu-Ray)
    Clip 1:59
    Neverending Story: First Gate (Blu-Ray)
    Neverending Story: Morla (Blu-Ray)
    Clip 2:05
    Neverending Story: Morla (Blu-Ray)

    Photos270

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    Top cast25

    Edit
    Noah Hathaway
    Noah Hathaway
    • Atreyu
    Barret Oliver
    Barret Oliver
    • Bastian
    Tami Stronach
    Tami Stronach
    • The Childlike Empress
    Gerald McRaney
    Gerald McRaney
    • Bastian's Father
    Chris Eastman
    Chris Eastman
    • 1st Bully
    • (as Drum Garrett)
    Darryl Cooksey
    • 2nd Bully
    Nicholas Gilbert
    • 3rd Bully
    Thomas Hill
    Thomas Hill
    • Carl Conrad Coreander
    Deep Roy
    Deep Roy
    • Teeny Weeny
    Tilo Prückner
    Tilo Prückner
    • Night Hob
    Moses Gunn
    Moses Gunn
    • Cairon
    Sydney Bromley
    Sydney Bromley
    • Engywook
    Patricia Hayes
    Patricia Hayes
    • Urgl
    Beth Anderson
    • The 2nd Balladeer
    • (voice)
    • (uncredited)
    Donald Arthur
    • School's Caretaker
    • (uncredited)
    Willie Coppen
    • Fantasia Inhabitant
    • (uncredited)
    Bernd Eichinger
    Bernd Eichinger
    • Man next to Man Who Drops Milk
    • (uncredited)
    Dee Harris
    • The Balladeers' Lead Guitarist
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Wolfgang Petersen
    • Writers
      • Wolfgang Petersen
      • Herman Weigel
      • Michael Ende
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews440

    7.3166K
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    Featured reviews

    9LebowskiT1000

    A Must See! Great Fantasy Film!!!

    I think most people that have seen this will agree that this is one of the best fantasy films ever made! I think I may have to agree with them!

    This film has a special place in my heart, cause I grew up with this film. I've probably seen this film more times than any other movie (although, it may be too close to call with "Labyrinth", "The Wizard of Oz" and "The Dark Crystal" in the running)! Isn't it funny how when you were young you could watch the same movie over and over and over and over and never get sick of it...not that a whole lot has changed since then, but it cracks me up how well I remember this film ever time I see it. I remember just about ever line, every scene, every nuance, every single little miniscule detail about this movie! Ok...I'm sounding a bit obsessed aren't I.

    Well, what I'm trying to say here is that this is a great film and with an excellent story. The acting, directing, special effects, and everything else is just excellent in this film! Wolfgang Petersen really out-did himself with this film! I would definitely recommend this film to anyone that likes fantasy films...what am I saying, I would (and do) recommend this film to EVERYONE! What are you reading this review for? Go see this movie!!! Thanks for reading,

    -Chris
    10TheLittleSongbird

    Drop Dead Gorgeous!

    The NeverEnding Story is one of my all time favourite movies, it is just so magical. The music is brilliant, and the story is a magical, simple and effective one. The scenery, sets and costumes were visually a feast to the eyes, just gorgeous to look at, and if it didn't get any awards for best art direction, then that is a massive shame, because it was so beautiful to watch. Falcor was a fantastic character, a very warm and loving character, that you just have to love. I have to admit though, Gmork is very scary. The acting is fantastic, Barret Oliver very spirited as Bastian, and Noah Hathaway born to play Atreyu. And Tami Stromach as the Childlike Empress has a small but wholly relevant role in the film. This film is practically perfect in every way and has a wonderful message, don't miss it! The second film's okay, but the third one is god awful and should be in the bottom 100. 10/10 for this though. Bethany Cox
    9supertom-3

    Great fantasy film!

    One of the best kids fantasy films of the 80's. This is a great films about troubled young boy Bastien who escapes some pursuing bullies in an old book shop finding a story. As he reads this story alone, in hiding, he becomes enraptured in it and soon begins to feel more than a reader but involved in the story and is sucked into the world of Fantasia.

    Now, does the film have the important elements of a fantasy yarn? Yep it sure does. It looks great it has strange creatures and wonderful landscapes and it's fair share of adventure. The book bastien read centres around Artreyu a young warrior who is the only hope of saving Fantasia from the evil that is "the Nothing" which is what it's name suggest and will turn Fantasia into nothing.

    I had never watched this until recently when purely by chance it was on TV and had a good write up (ah the power of movie critics!) so I thought that as a lover of fantasy, I would watch it. Glad I did people, glad I did. It takes you back to feelings of childhood and captures the imagination. Wolfgang Peterson, who didn't particularly impress me in recent flop Troy, directs preceedings with class and control. There are some good young actors too. ****
    shadowmonkey

    Who didn't want to ride a luck Dragon?

    ‘Turn around, tell me what you seeeee', flying through the clouds as the titles roll. It is on every Christmas, I own it and I simply love it. The Neverending Story is one of the least offensive and nicest family films out there. It has numerous sequels, but it is the first one directed by Wolfgang Peterson that is the best of the three.

    Bastian, a young boy lives in a dream world, his father wants him to grow up his school would like him to get his head out of the clouds and is tormented by bullies. On his way into school while trying get away from the bullies he runs into an old book shop. While hiding inside the owner shows him ‘The Neverending Story' a huge volume decorated with the Orin the symbol of the child like emprise of the Land Fantasia. When the owner isn't look Bastian takes the book.

    This is a beautiful film; it enthralled me as a child and still does as an adult. I have watched over and over again, never tiring of it and always enjoying it. If you have young children or are an old child it doesn't matter this is pure a adventure fantasy for all ages, with colourful characters.
    7elisa-grant

    Magical and sweet

    Just rewatched with my 9yr and she loved it! Saw it accepted by her with the same enthusiasm I had as a kid!

    Yes, it's dated. Yes, the acting isn't the best. But... it is so magical and super sweet. Also very telling... in 1984 they told us that hope was disappearing and despair was setting in. A prediction of things to come - at least from 2020 to now in 2022!

    Best Emmys Moments

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    Peter O'Toole and Omar Sharif in Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
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    Quest
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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      With a budget of 50 million Deutsche Mark (about $27,000,000), this was the most expensive film ever produced in Germany at the time.
    • Goofs
      When Atreyu is in the Swamps of Sadness with his horse, the horse sinks because it gives into the sadness, but Atreyu doesn't sink, even though he is crying and sad that his friend has died. Though not properly shown in the movie, the book explains how AURYN is protecting him. (His eventual near-sinking at the end of the scene, which never occurred in the book, is due to the plot changes that were made for the movie.)
    • Quotes

      Rock Biter: They look like big, good, strong hands, don't they? I always thought that's what they were.

    • Alternate versions
      The Warner Bros. Pictures logo and it's closing Saul Bass variant are both plastered with the 1992 variant in the DVD version, and 2003 variant in the Blu-ray version.
    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: The Neverending Story/The Last Starfighter/Electric Dreams/That Sinking Feeling (1984)
    • Soundtracks
      The Neverending Story
      Music by Giorgio Moroder

      Lyrics by Keith Forsey

      Performed by Limahl Feat. Beth Anderson (uncredited)

      Guitar solo Dee Harris (uncredited)

      Courtesy of EMI Records, Ltd.

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    FAQ23

    • How long is The NeverEnding Story?Powered by Alexa
    • Why does Atreyu have to go alone and leave behind his weapons when he goes out on his journey to save the world?
    • What name does Bastian scream out the window towards the end of the movie?
    • What are the differences between the US theatrical cut and the German theatrical cut?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • July 20, 1984 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • West Germany
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • La historia sin fin
    • Filming locations
      • Blood Alley, Gastown, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada(alley that Bastian is chased into)
    • Production companies
      • Constantin Film
      • Bavaria Studios
      • Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $27,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $20,192,381
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $4,325,823
      • Jul 22, 1984
    • Gross worldwide
      • $20,292,317
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 42m(102 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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