A Dead Franchise? Hated by the Author?: The Story of The NeverEnding Story (1984)

Get NordVPN’s 2 year plan + 4 extra months for free here: www.nordvpn.com/toygalaxy. It’s risk free with NordVPN’s 30 day money back guarantee!
The NeverEnding Story (German: Die Unendliche Geschichte) is a 1984 fantasy film co-written and directed by Wolfgang Petersen, and based on the 1979 novel The Neverending Story by Michael Ende.
Michael Ende hated the movie The NeverEnding Story. He hated it so much he sued to get them to stop making it but we all know how that turned out.
Despite the popularity and the reignited interest, partly as a result of Stranger Things, The NeverEnding Story remains dead.
Why? How? And will we ever see a return to Fantasia? Do we need to?
To buy the shirt Dan is wearing in this video (use code "TOYGALAXY" for 30% off your order): www.80stees.com/collections/d...
SOURCES:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael...
people.com/archive/an-irate-m...
www.imdb.com/title/tt0088323/...
www.mentalfloss.com/article/6...
gamerant.com/neverending-stor...
nerdist.com/article/neverendi...
ew.com/movies/2019/12/18/the-...
• 60 Millionen für Phant...
Help the channel continue to grow by checking out our Patreon: / toygalaxy
Follow Us on Twitch for Hot Livestream Action:
/ toygalaxy
Second Channel:
/ @toygalaxy
Follow Dan on Instagram:
/ toygalaxy
Toy Galaxy
P.O. box 3976
Manchester, NH 03105-3976
Business Inquiries:
[e-mail]
/ toygalaxytv
teespring.com/stores/toy-galaxy

[@SecretGalaxyTV]

Get NordVPN’s 2 year plan + 4 extra months for free here: www.nordvpn.com/toygalaxy. It’s risk free with NordVPN’s 30 day money back guarantee!

[@venomtang]

LOL but the merch still say to Galaxy ..

[@calvinseabury]

@SecretGalaxy do spinjas. They were my favorite 80's toy.

[@snukastyle]

Did anyone else spend years not knowing what the heck Bastian's mother's name was due to how loud he yelled and the sound effects drowning him out? It was decades until I found out he was shouting Moonchild.

[@russellharrell2747]

There’s no way Franklin Hart would marry a woman named Moonchild.

[@maul42]

Very much so. I eventually turned on the subs to catch it. I also thought it implicated that Bastian's stuck-up father had been adventurous when he was younger and allowed himself to marry a hippy, and was crushed back into his business man shell after she died. It may just be my head-cannon, but I think its a nice touch.

[@Loremastrful]

@@russellharrell2747 Dharma & Greg could make you believe otherwise.

[@Novusod]

I thought it was Moonkind not Moonchild.

[@maxmiller5619]

In a word...YES!!!! I feel validated!

[@null_x9]

The never ending story is also Dan’s sentence structure 😂

[@anthonycerulli5524]

Haha shots fired lol

[@ShadeDraws]

Pausing and punctuation is for hippies.

[@Volyren]

Dan: Speech is not just for communication but also brings joy to the speaker by challenging himself to find new forms of expression. Everyone else: Words is fun.

[@ghostface3655]

@@Volyren 🤣

[@johnw2019]

Genuinely laughed out loud at this

[@bloodeagle6458]

The horse dieing was the first time my heart ever broke

[@skyden24195]

A few years ago, I showed my (then) elementary school aged niece "The NeverEnding Story" movie. She had built herself a bed/blankets fort from where she would watch the movie. After the part of the movie which shows the tragedy of the horse, Artax, my niece closed herself inside her fort and refused to come out to see any more of the movie until I had assured her about Artax's reemergence at the ending. Yeah, the "swamp of sadness" part was jacked-up. lol

[@taylortay7554]

You think that’s bad? Artax talks in the book 😭😭😭

[@skyden24195]

@@taylortay7554 if my niece heard Artax talking, she'd probably still be inside her fort. lol

[@givennorton]

This is the way

[@poolhall9632]

It’s a lesson. If you let the sadness of your mothers death overcome you - you’ll slowly die.

[@taylortay7554]

@@poolhall9632 yeah makes sense given that The Nothing represents depression

[@darktoylord]

I loved this movie but as a kid but it always made me question, why didn't my school have a super cool attic that I could sneak off to??

[@Jackalblade9]

Right?? My schools were entirely devoid of attics, cool or otherwise.

[@johnnyrepine937]

My barracks at Fort Wainwright, Fairbanks, Alaska, building 1001, had a cool attic, that I didn't find until I was about to transfer to California. Buildings 1001 and 1004 are two of the oldest buildings on post, from back when it still Ladd Army Airfield. The attics were gabled concrete running the length of the building, with at least one large room that had a tiny door that barred from the outside. Also, thanks to permafrost, one does not simply bury pipes. So there were maintenance tunnels connected to the basement that had the water pipes: cold, hot, and radiator heater hot water. While coal may not be the greenest of power plants, ours pulled triple duty providing post power, hot water and heating water. I don't know if that could also be accomplished with a nuclear power plant, but, if so, it seems like a good option. They both create power by heating water to spin turbines.

[@Lectrikfro]

Because of the asbestos... I mean, no sir... there is absolutely none of that on site at all

[@balgus82]

The middle school I went to had a 3 story auditorium building and no-one was ever allowed in the upper floors. It wasn't until my sister took theater in high school and I went to her practices that I learned they kept the props for plays on the top floor.

[@joshualoveless20]

They probably did, but you weren't lucky enough to discover it.

[@JanusKastin]

I had nightmare, literal actual nightmares, about the Sphinx Gate. The long buildup of suspense, the eerie music, and when the knight's helmet popped open...! They just didn't want any 6-year-olds to get any sleep after watching that scene.

[@anthonyd.1428]

Just watched the movie again. That part with Artax made me cry even now! The boy that played Atreyu really sold us on this was actually happening, from trying to reason with the horse, to begging for it to move, to lashing out in frustration. That is what made me see that scene as so moving.

[@Jambara]

Noah Hathaway is a good guy, he quit acting and is a tattoo artist. You can actually get a Auryn tattoo from the real Atreyu, kinda neat.

[@reiddutchess9955]

Noah Hathaway was a large part of what made that movie so great, he really nailed Atreyu.

@@Jambara That would be cool.

[@BigAL68xyz]

@@reiddutchess9955 His acting career was relatively short, but this scene was the high point of it. No question.

[@justicierodelaliga]

I read the book as an adult and it is AMAZING. Every chapter starts with a letter of the alphabet and the way the story is told truly makes you feel like you are part of it. It has to be experienced to be believed. More so, even if you don´t particularly like to read the story is very easy going.

[@clonedgoodness]

Oh, man, the chapter when Bastian's text changes color is such a gut punch, even later in life when you know it is coming.

[@brentsimard977]

thank you, I've been itching to read a book but I never know what to read. I'm looking forward to it :)

[@TheIronDuke9]

Every word in any book starts with a letter of the alphabet

[@justicierodelaliga]

@@TheIronDuke9 Each chapter starts with a different letter of the alphabet. From A to Z.

[@justicierodelaliga]

@@brentsimard977 You´ll love it. And wil be hooked from page one. Plus is such an easy read like The Little Prince or the Harry Potter books.

[@keithg1313]

I was told the movie was one huge metaphor for Depression. I watched it a few times as an adult with that in mind, and things made sense to me.

[@waltermh111]

I thought it was pretty obvious. The whole point is he is depressed about the loss of his mother and he has to learn to accept her loss and to keep her in his memories and move on. Something like that. Its about him getting through his depression to accept reality. To be fair, they seem to also try to play the show off as how a kid must stay a kid or the nothingness destroys his will to live or something like that. But I think thats more about how soul crushing tragedy can be and how you must be able to move on and find happiness again.

[@steveouk90126]

I saw it as a metaphor on the grieving process.

@@steveouk90126 After my wife died I watched it again, and yeah it really does.

[@grapeshot]

What I remember the most about the first movie is the song and when The Simpsons referenced it when Lionel Hunch said that this was the greatest case of fraud he had seen since his case against The NeverEnding Story.

[@Predaking4ever]

*Lionel Hutz

[@NebLleb]

@Pumpkin Spice Season 33 is also surprisingly good. Ditto for Season 34 (minus the "Love Hacktually" episode) apparently.

[@ryantwombly720]

Spectacular movie. The confrontation with Gmork still gives me chills.

[@parnash]

Y'know, I had blanked out the swamps and the horse from my memory, and here I am crying 25 years after seeing the movie over it....

[@charaznable9209]

That scene with the horse in the swamp was the saddest thing ever.

[@NeilBlumengarten]

This was my school's go-to "rainy day" recess movie in the 80s. I've seen it so many times, it feels neverending. We don't speak of the sequel.

[@NeilBlumengarten]

@Latest Obssesion I meant the quality of the movie.

[@NeilBlumengarten]

@Latest Obssesion It may be nostalgia goggles, but I remember being disappointed leaving the theater. The first one is a classic in my mind.

[@NeilBlumengarten]

@Latest Obssesion I never bothered with the third. I do remember being really excited to see the Flash, John Wesley Shipp, as the father. No offense to Major Dad, just wasn't into that show. I do also like Jonathan Brandis, though it would be a few years until that solidified with his role on the critically underrated seaQuest DSV.

[@Parocha]

@@NeilBlumengarten a man of culture

[@cheezemonkeyeater]

@Latest Obssesion What third part? There was no third part and Jack Black certainly didn't play a crappy villain in it.

[@PuertoGeekan]

The Folio Society just published their definitive version of The Neverending Story. It was selected for publishing due to overwhelming customer demand. A wonderful book that I treasure to this day, having read it for the first time almost 40 years ago.

[@applesushi]

Growing up in Germany, this was (and still is) one of my favorite books. I really wish there was a more faithful adaptation of both halves of it.

[@notsyzagts7967]

True enough. But as with The Shining, sometimes the spirit of the material is impactful enough for most people. Sure you can always have a more accurate movie adaption but that would not automatically be "better" just more faithful. Eye of the beholder and all that.

[@tasosalexiadis7748]

@@notsyzagts7967 No the spirit of the material is not represented by the movie, only the spirit of the first half of the story is represented. That is why Ende took the movie producers to court. The best part of the novel, the part that made me regard it as a masterpiece is the second half which we haven't seen on screen yet.

[@Parocha]

@@tasosalexiadis7748 wasn’t the sequel actually the second half of the novel? I recall the “ losing a memory every time Bastian made a wish” thing on the sequel

[@tasosalexiadis7748]

@@Parocha No, it had some plot points from the second half of the novel but it was not the same story. In contrast, the first movie was very close to the first half of the book.

[@Parocha]

@@tasosalexiadis7748 ok, just asking. I believe I only saw the first sequel once, and have never read the book

[@comix1017]

This movie freaked me the heck out as a kid, normally I liked werewolves and wolf creatures but something about Gmork really scared me. And Artax... the word traumatizing doesn't even begin the describe it, I remember watching that scene and feeling like my heart got ripped out of my chest. Atreyu was the realest one, he was so brave, I always thought Bastian was a little brat

[@mattstuder3160]

Enjoyed this one I must of been on the older side was not aware of part2 and 3 might have to watch

[@dwren365]

They were the same. Remember the mirror gate? They saw their true selves. Atreyu was the version of himself Bastian wanted to be.

[@hgc7000]

My babysitter taped Neverending Story off HBO back in the day, so we had that amazing OG HBO movie theme to lead off the movie BEFORE going to the intro song…. “Turn around….” Moving on, for little kid me the visuals were amazing to soak in, LOVED Falcor the luck dragon-doggo, and as others said, The Nothing dismantling Fantasia freaked me out more than Artax’s wetland demise. McConnell the Giant Turtle always pissed me off since he was such a nothing -master and couldn’t be bothered to help Atreus. Just the absolute worst. What still stands out to me is that long lingering shot of the tower where Atreyu goes to meet the Child Like Emprss. That score piece. Holy shit, still sticks with me today. And at the end when They are flying through the wreckage of Fantasia, and finally spot that the tower is still there. That track still gives me chills. Finally, Yep Major Dad before he was Major Dad. Just one of the Simons.

[@Stratelier]

Alongside _Who Framed Roger Rabbit,_ Neverending Story the film seems to be a good example of why an adaptation should not be judged solely by comparison to its source material. Especially when the formats (book vs. 90-minute film) are so fundamentally different.

[@andrewgwilliam4831]

The author of Roger Rabbit is apparently on record as thinking the adaptation was better than his original book, which he subsequently rewrote.

[@Stratelier]

@@andrewgwilliam4831 Not "rewrite" so much as "retcon", in that he wrote a sequel book based on the film.

[@Charles12]

I think Roger Rabbit gets a pass though because it actually improves on the source material, whereas TNS completely removes the necessary parts of the original that gives it it's purpose. But it still works as a standalone.

[@edredwhittingham4417]

Absolutely! I had such an extraordinary experience watching The NeverEnding Story for the first time (at 23!) and it frustrates me that Michael Ende was so hostile towards it, even if he felt it didn’t capture the spirit of the book.

[@Stratelier]

@@edredwhittingham4417 The original creator of a work is, almost _by necessity,_ biased towards their own creation over adaptations by other people.

[@luiszuniga2859]

Lionel Hutz : This is the most blatant case of false advertising since my suit against the movie The Neverending Story...

[@leadbones]

I've had the book since before the movie was made. I was always a little saddened that more people hadn't read it. I mean, I love that first movie. But the book is where it's at. It is well worth a read at any age, and will not disappoint.

[@brandonspain12345]

Of course, a reboot is bound to happen sooner or later, but I think if they are gonna reboot the franchise, just make it into a series on HBO Max or something.

[@mcurran6505]

"Having a luckdragon with you is the only way to go on a quest. Things will work out fine, Atreyu. Never give up, and good luck will find you."

[@drewlovelyhell4892]

I rewatched this film recently and was struck by how amazing the young actress who played "The Childlike Empress" was, and was upset to discover that she quit acting because of obsessive fans. What an amazing career she would have had!

[@creatrixZBD]

Maybe not, if she was already having issues with fans. It doesn’t seem to happen so much now, but the late 20th C is littered with famous people being stalked and/or killed by crazed “fans.” She probably made the smarter choice, nobody really needs actors.

[@swanofnutella4734]

The movie is about Bastion battling the endangered status of imagination as a whole. The book is a prolonged therapy session. Bastion processes his grief AND the dangers of indulging in escapism, to gain acceptance of the good things in his life, as it exists. The book's structure and themes were never realistic aims of cinematic adaptation and it was mind bogglingly naive of the author to expect differently. As is, the movie actually IS faithful in as many ways as would be reasonable for a cinematic venture with returns on investment in mind.

[@lamartherevenger]

1986. School just ended (I flunked fifth grade) and was sent to 4-H Camp in Adams County, PA. For 3 nights, the counselors would show this movie, then we would have a dance for about an hour. It was the first time I ever danced with a girl. Makes me feel old..

[@Jtr_ceral_killer]

Artax and optimus prime. The 2 deaths that defined many 80s childhood memories

[@btetschner]

There is no forgettting this franchise, it is very unique and memorable. Another amazing video. This channel is KILLING IT!

[@maguffle]

The death of Artax the horse is one of the saddest moment in all of movie history!

[@missiletoad7015]

My absolute favorite as a child. It was so impactful that I kind of consider it sacred to me. I have declined to even read the book so as to keep the movie itself intact in my mind. Never bothered with any of the sequels either, I'm happy with where the movie left off, my own imagination and my own dreams will take it from there.

[@lutherheggs451]

The movie was literally like half the story and even then leaves or skips out ALOT of things....The book was great, the movie not so much....The worst book adaptation next to The Half Blood Prince

[@ajoajoajoaj]

@@LatestObssesion I couldn't disagree more. Reading the book as a child, and realising that the movie was just a mere window into an unfathomably larger world, made me appreciate both ever so much more.

[@orangeslash1667]

@@lutherheggs451 I'm disappointed Professor Lupin's back story was cut from the Harry Potter films.

[@mossena]

Spoiler: The story actually ends

[@CobrazFinest]

Damnit dude! I was gonna watch it today! 🤣

[@ShadeDraws]

There's no way you can prove that.

[@blazr1976]

That's quitter talk

[@kenisu3000]

When my parents first introduced me to the movie as a kid, I took the title literally and thought it wasn't going to end. The thought scared me so bad I didn't watch it with them, and didn't see it for myself until years later. You'd think the fact that my parents weren't still in the living room watching it the next day would have clued me in.

[@deathsnitemaresinfullust2269]

Nah uh. It's The Never Ending Story, it never ends.... Says so in the title. 😄👍

[@pawned79]

Dan: “… the part with the horse…” Me (43yo man): {immediately starts crying} Rewatching NS as an adult, I’m surprised at how early that scene is. The audience hasn’t even had a chance to get to know those characters. I’m literally still crying while typing this; childhood trauma.

[@cmstar0]

I'm not crying, you're crying *cries in childhood*

[@markrothenbuhler6232]

I saw this on video dozens and dozens of times in the 80s. I have to say Artax dying was never a big deal to me. I was more horrified by the Nothing that ate up an entire universe and the turtle Morla not caring about anything: "Nothing matters" and "Dying at least would be something!" Those were the unknowable existential questions a child should fear! And I did and still do.

[@vanillajack5925]

Who knew I would grow up to completely agree with Morla 🤷‍♂️

[@DeathClonic]

The funny thing about death is that you won't care that you're dead, because you couldn't comprehend it, or anything else for that matter. So it's best to not worry about it.

[@JDMunoz-ct9xn]

Artax dying is the sort of thing we all have to experience while we exist. Our non-existence is something we won't experience, so it's literally nothing to worry about.

[@moragmckay3779]

I love a 1960s book called The White Colt, by David Rook, later filmed as Run Wild Run Free (with some changes, but it captured the essence), so the book is now sometimes printed with that title. Anyone who has seen that film or read the book would be, like me and my daughter, in pieces at the Artax scene. It took a few viewings before the imposed "comedy" of the Morla scene stopped almost ruining the film for me and I could appreciate the serious aspects.

[@seanabsher5577]

Tbh I always felt like artax dying was just a step toward the rebuilding of the world and thus the reincarnation / un killing of artax, making "death" no more valid for the horse than for any of the characters who died only to come back. It was not something that ever hurt me because by the time I was about to feel upset about the horse, he was being brought back to existence in the movie...

[@lindildeev5721]

I watched this movie for the first time when I was 7 and it was splendid. Atreyu even became my childhood hero. Now, I'm a young adult but I rewatched it the last month and it was still as magical as the first time. A magic I only found in four other movies : The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, The Return of the King and Excalibur.

[@blacknapalm2131]

Try 'Legend' as well

[@lindildeev5721]

@@blacknapalm2131 Done. Great visual effects but stupid story.

[@SchlossRitter]

The title of this movie is probably why I never questioned that Final Fantasy has sequels.

[@michaelthethird702]

I didn't see the movie in theaters, but I definitely saw it when it went to home video. I remember crying when Artax gives up in the Swamps of Sadness. And I remember thinking that Gmork was the scariest thing ever. I rewatched it a few years back and still enjoyed it. The practical effects, for the most part, still hold up. It might be time for a rewatch.

[@Supermuttt]

This was a staple in our house for movie night. We joked for years never being able to understand the name he yells at the end. Long before the time you can look things up on the internet or just put on closed captions.

[@GoodYegg]

saw this in theatres as a kid...Artax didn't scar me but the rock biter freaked the hell out of me when he was overcome with despair

[@thegrandbeef]

This was my favorite movie as a kid. Along with Willie Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, Return to Oz and The Black Crystal. The 80's was goddamn bizarre but it was a great time to be a little kid with an active imagination.

[@scottmiller3240]

“Fight against the Sadness, Artax. Please, you’re letting the Sadness of the Swamps get to you. You have to try. You have to care. For me. You’re my friend. I love you.” I’m not crying. I just have something in my eye…

[@ghostface3655]

I had no idea the film was originally shot in Germany...thanks for the info! I always appreciate the fun content and, the great videos sir! 🙏

[@deatherutts]

I think the never ending story should have been made into a cartoon series after the movie came out

[@Jamie_Dodger]

There was a cartoon series

[@brodriguez11000]

@@Jamie_Dodger Both of us surprised. Maybe the author knew what was going to happen to his baby?

[@TheDutchessOfCornville]

I was about 5 or 6 when I first saw this movie. I was OBSESSED and I wanted nothing more than to be the Childlike Empress was about the most beautiful girl I’d ever seen and I wanted to be like her SO badly.

[@JacobsenBros]

Well I didn't want to be the empress but I certainly had a huge crush on her.

[@StarryStarryNocturne]

@@JacobsenBros Apparently so many others did, but were so obsessive about it to the point that it made her quit acting.

I got this movie on VHS a few years back, but it took me a while to get around to it due to.. well, you know which scene. When I finally sat down and watched it I was faced with a completely fantastic world, which at the same time was surprisingly abstract and even a bit surreal. Even though the story feels a bit lacking, and now that you mention it, makes sense that it was only one half of a book, the character design is incredible, and the special effects and animatronics are almost flawless. Truly one of the best fantasy movies of all time.

[@SomeRPGFan]

There are other adaptations of Michael Ende's work that he seems to have liked it much better, such as the adaptation of Momo. He even had a cameo in it. His books are still being adapted today, one movie adaptation of Jim Button and Lukas came out only a few years ago.

[@irvyne6111]

I didn’t realise that Ende was so opposed to the movie. As a kid who grew up absolutely adoring both the book and film, I thought they’d made a wonderfully faithful adaptation of the book’s first half. 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@karldomogalla2058]

I still think/hope this book can be done justice on the big screen. I love the original movie, but the book is super good. Do a two parter, with the mid point of the book being the end of part one. Jack Black’s presence was hilarious.

[@ROMANTIKILLER2]

The issue is that considering current approach of production studios, a new movie would almost surely be butchered and the spirit of the book completely betrayed to push some agenda dressed up in ugly CGI.

[@DaRealCheeseboy]

@@ROMANTIKILLER2 What sort of agenda do you suppose they would try to push alongside the ugly CGI?

[@DaRealCheeseboy]

An on purpose two part movie series would be ideal for a modern adaptation. I didn’t even know the 2nd movie was an adaptation of everything they left out of the first movie.

[@Danko_Sekulic]

​@@ROMANTIKILLER2 This book cannot be faithfully adapted without CGI ! End of story (pun intended) !

[@StarryStarryNocturne]

@@DaRealCheeseboy The Empress would be gender neutral called Emperor, but still played by a "female looking" actor, but one who isn't so "classically" beautiful and is more "strong" by being less feminine just because, Atreyu would be black just because and some members that aren't aware that the wool is being pulled over their heads in the guise of "inclusivity" will argue that somewhere, some point in history, there were indigenous black people that hunted buffalo and of course were part Native American so it's perfectly fine. Bastian will be homosexual just because and will be mourning the loss of his 2nd mother and also struggling coming to terms with the cruel social injustices of the world, oh and of course develop a crush on Atreyu. I mean, it's modern day Hollywood, there's nothing they wouldn't or couldn't use to push their own agendas on to the point of undermining or eclipsing the original sentiment or point of a previously popular IP.

[@Sci-Fi-Mike]

The Neverending Story will always be a favorite for me. I was watching it at home on HBO with my dad when my first tooth fell out.

[@MatthiasPowerbomb]

Despite the original author not liking the film, I LOVED it growing up. It had a huge impact on me.

[@LanEXHikari]

Wow, I completely forgot it was a franchise! Thanks again for another trip through memory lane ✌🏼

[@rubaiyat300]

This is the most blatant case of false advertising since my suit against the movie The Neverending Story - Lionel Hutz

[@NatetheNerdy]

I love how quickly we go from Dan crying about the horse to him holding a plush.

[@r.a.w.talentart]

I first watched this when I was 7 (88) and I was immediately hooked. My dad taped it off the TV and I'd watch it over and over. It wasn't until years later when I re-watched it that I discovered my dad missed the first 20 mins of the film.... I now own it on Blu-ray special anniversary edition and play it to my young kids. Oh btw, I used to hide behind the sofa when Artax drowned in the swamp....

[@blahlbinoa]

This and Legend where movies that I watched way too many times growing up, but it also helped solidify my love for all things Fantasy!

[@PrinceSaschaVykos]

And Labyrinth and the Dark Crystal for me, too!

[@EricGranata]

Legend has my absolute favorite cinematic version of the Devil. So metal. 🤘

[@BatmanPops]

Turn around 🎶 Look at what you see In her face The mirror of your dreams Make believe I'm everywhere Given in the light Written on the pages Is the answer to a never ending story Ahahah ahahah ahahah... Reach the stars 🎵 Fly a fantasy Dream a dream And what you see will be Rhymes that keep their secrets Will unfold behind the clouds And there upon the rainbow Is the answer to a never ending story Ahahah ahahah ahahah... Story 🎶 Ahahah ahahah ahahah... Show no fear For she may fade away In your hand The birth of a new day Rhymes that keep their secrets Will unfold behind the clouds And there upon the rainbow Is the answer to a never ending story Ahahah ahahah ahahah... Never ending story Ahahah ahahah ahahah... Never ending story Ahahah ahahah ahahah... Never ending story Ahahah ahahah ahahah... 🎸👩🏼‍🎤👨🏾‍🎤🎵🌄⛰️🏔🌈

[@igodreamer7096]

Beautiful!

[@kubrickenigma7977]

This is a film, not a movie. It is a deeply moving piece of work, hitting the bottom of the abyss and touching the peaks of mountains.

[@Aikurisu]

So many great, haunting memories of this film. As a child I was in awe and frankly scared out of my mind. From the Sphinx Gate to G'mork. The all devouring NOTHING--all memorable. ... and of course the fate of Artax. RIP you magnificent stallion...

[@crazycritick]

I literally dreamt about you guys doing this video months ago and was so convinced it was real that I searched all of youtubedom to find it with no success

[@crazycritick]

@Latest Obssesion Nowhere near as sad as this, but loved it either way

[@JasonWardStudios]

I was 10 years old, recovering from a major surgery in the Children's Hospital in Vancouver, BC when this movie came out. One night the staff wanted to keep me up late and get me tired for an EKG, so they asked me what movie I wanted to watch, and this was the one I chose. It was funny to me, being a kid that grew up in Gibsons BC, and was frequently in Vancouver, to see the scenes from the movie that were filmed on the streets of Vancouver, and recognizing land marks. The movie made a profound and lasting impression on me, as I was sort of in Bastion's position in my life. My mother had left my father, and I was left with a father that spent long hours working, so I bounced from baby sitter to baby sitter, and had no core life structure. My head was always in the clouds, as they say. The journey the movie sent me on was amazing and fantastic. Of course I cried when Artax fell to the swamps of sadness. Who didn't? (You monsters). I read the book years later and really enjoyed it. It was so descriptive that I was able to visualize the characters completely differently than how they appeared in the movie. 2 things helped shape my younger years: The NeverEnding Story, and Ray Lynch.

[@CEOdawg]

You are SO right about Artax!!! It was definitely a trauma moment, but it pales to the death of Optimus Prime in Transformers the Movie. That is one of two times I definitely cried in the theaters.

[@ShadeDraws]

The author of the "Neverending Story" has a last name of Ende. lol

[@frankb3347]

Not everything needs to be a franchise. Having just one movie is perfectly fine.

[@Veany]

Before I start this video, I wanna say that I actually just watched both of the films a few days ago. I’ve always thought that the nothing was the end of the book and that Atreyu needed to find someone(the reader) to help by continuously read the book by never stopping or the characters in the book will no longer exist.

[@v_zach]

Technically the movie covers the second half of the book with "Bastian made many other wishes and had many other amazing adventures before he finally returned to the ordinary world."

[@nine_tails137]

I recall my sister reading the books, watching the movies. She liked the first 2 movies, but hated the 3rd one. And I can definitely relate, since I watched those movies with her.

[@mbern4530]

Wait, there was a third movie? I have never heard of this.

[@nine_tails137]

@@mbern4530 Yeah, and trust me, it's not good. My sister bought a VHS copy of it years ago, and she hated it. Also, the Nostalgia Critic did a review of the 3rd movie, and he despised it.

[@PrincessOzaline]

You know I actually like the second movie, I know it gets a bad wrap.. Now-a-days it'd be interesting seeing it adapted to a format where they could cover the whole of the book in two films.

[@erichurd7605]

No, that time has passed. No modern 'creative' could adapt this with any charm or respect and it would be more godawful than part 3 and the miniseries combined.

[@Danko_Sekulic]

Artax's death is even more tragic and gut-wrenching in the book because: - he TALKS - he DOES NOT come back to life after Fantastica is saved ....after all, he was not consumed by the Nothing but drowned

[@angbald]

"Artax PLEASE!!!!" Was how as a kid I learned the meaning of desperation and what it sounded like. Those 2 word delivered the way Noah did..... chef's kiss.

[@darke2099]

I once read the description of the Artax scene, as " The Horse is Sadded to death" and i have never been able to refer to it any other way. I adore this film and like most kids of the age, just ate it up, i read the book over 20 times after seeing the film, and have always been confused why the franchise has languished in such shitty spin-offs and sequels. I would love to see a Big TV adaptation Sandman Style. Get Netflix or someone onto it and faithfully adapt the book with the visual style and charm of the film. MONEY.

[@mattr75]

I only got to see the movie for the first time about a decade ago. I found it very enjoyable, and the theme song is excellent

[@HarryBuddhaPalm]

It was my sister's favorite movie when we were kids. She watched it about 8.2 million times and since we only had one TV at the time, the rest of us had to endure the horror until she finally grew out of it.

[@b3films]

If you find yourself in Munich Germany, check out the film studio there for a tour. They have Falcor and some of the matte paintings on display. Kids can even sit on Falcor in front of a blue screen.

[@Summertimeblues28]

I saw part 2 in the theatre and I’m still disappointed

[@stevenvaleriojr1177]

Same. I was so excited, too. I was ready for the greatest cinematic experience of my entire 10 years of life. It was........ Not that.

[@Raindancerzero]

I want to show my daughter the first one, but I’m still recovering from the horse in the swamp scene 38 years later

[@leprechaunfarmer4081]

The very first time I saw the film was at a Fathom Events screening with a friend as an ADULT…and I bawled my f**king eyes out because I related so much to Bastian’s love of books and the overall message of the story. It’s been my favorite film ever since and it sucks that we never got a proper sequel with the original cast.

[@v_zach]

Another fond memory was trying to figure out the city where the real-world scenes were filmed. In the pre-internet days I poured through pictures of city skylines in books, but to no avail. Then the answer, Vancouver, came easily with the internet. You can clearly see the Harbour Centre and BC Place.

[@Volyren]

This entire franchise is a metaphor for kids finding dirty mags. "No, no. This book isnt for you.... " *Smiles when kid takes it* Then kid becomes lost in the new world he just discovered. Hides in an attic, under blankets, with tissues. Say my name, indeed. 😏

[@wstine79]

I love The Never Ending Story. The sets, characters, and effects were fantastic. Artok's death was traumatic. NE 2 was just as good. Especially the villains. NE 3 was awful, but fun to riff.

[@tomaO2]

I thought the ending of this movie was amazing. I actually memorized every line from the Childlike Empress reveal to the ending. The entire thing just spoke to me. The girl was just like a fairy. I loved the slow reveal that Bastian was actually part of the story, to the final push he was given to say her name and then darkness, with one grain of sand being all that is left of her empire. Music was appropriately somber at that point and... Just I really love this movie, such a shame the author didn't like it. It was very faithful to the first half of his book, and if he had played ball a bit better he could have had some influence so that the sequel was better, and maybe stopped that travesty of the third movie from happening.

[@toddhollen]

This is one of those movies from my childhood that if you put all of the pieces that I watched over the years together I've probably seen it multiple times, but I don't remember ever actually watching it from start to finish. I'm also shocked that it was only 94 minutes. If you told me it was 2.5 hours I would have believed you and not just because of the title.

[@asmith9554]

90 minutes plus commercials from the 90s = 2.5 hours

[@geardog24]

"Americans are notorious for having cartoonishly short attention spans." Damn, is that why most of our movies suck?

[@thehaereticus3686]

Seeing Patrick from Funhaus increased my enjoyment 10x more. Loved the video!

[@Powherkrangunch]

Exactly like you said this movie was made for kids and for the young at heart! I've seen it 5 times. It has so many deep intense moments and so many great characters. I also really like your moment with Falcore. That was so sweet! and I'm so glad that "Bootleg hobbs" now has a buddy. Throwback to the Calvin and hobbs video!

[@nicksavia3581]

Wow, two weeks in a row delving deep into MASSIVE parts of my childhood! Thank you so much for being you and doing what you do! I watched this movie endlessly, even though I always cried during the swamps of sadness until I was in 4th grade. I was lucky enough to read the book as an adult (sadly, not with the different colored ink, that would have been spectacular! (Sorry Dan) and was floored that the movie was just the first half.

[@RalphBarbagallo]

I got yelled at in the 6th grade by my English teacher for having a "SICK SENSE OF HUMOR!" during the horse sequence when she played the movie for the class. I just thought at the time it was ridiculous that this horse was sinking into the muck without a struggle.

[@rouenrobinson]

I read the book after watching the movies so I was pleasantly surprised that the the first two films had elements of it.

[@Halbared]

"Most despised film of all time?" I like that t-shirt. I have this book, never read it. It's an old copy.

[@fuhq9695]

What is the Nothing? - It's the emptiness that's left. It is like a despair destroying this world. - And I have been trying to help it. - But why? - People who have no hopes are easy to control. And whoever has the control, has the power.

[@Fenris77]

Yep I bawled at the scene in the swamp... You know, I think I may have played the game even on my C64 during the 80s...

[@marcusmusings]

I read the book roughly ten years ago and loved it. The movie was one of my favorites from my childhood, even though Gmork scared the crap out of me. Didn't know that was Oppenheimer. Very cool

[@swashbucklr]

The last time I saw the Neverending Story was on a hillside in college. Nothing is as traumatic as watching Artax sink while surrounded by a hundred drunk and stoned college students. If the Swamps of Sadness were real, we all would have drowned.

[@derheadbanger9039]

As a german, I've seen the movies countless times as a kid and have seen the sets and props several times at the Bavaria Film Studios, riding Fuchur (before he lost all his fur and scales).😊

[@ThomasMHead]

I loved this movie as a kid (and still do). Watched it whenever it came on TV. It inspired a lot of my own imagination early on. Loved the adventure of it, the scope, the creatures. Especially Gmork and Falcor: their expressiveness. A virtually perfect kid's fantasy film.

[@andrewjamieson7178]

Brilliant video, I saw this at the cinema as a kid. Still stands up. Off to dig out my old dvd copy... oh, and that theme tune!

[@maxordman4100]

Dang I have seen this movie many times. It’s truly thrilling and dramatic. Thank you for recounting the wonderful history of this franchise. Terrific video as usual. This is a super amazing stunning film. The first movie is truly the best. You continue to deliver incredible recaps and fun surprises in each video!

[@professorbaxtercarelessdre1075]

i remember watching this movie as a kid and enjoying it, i'm actually surprised it hasn't been remade or turned into a series at some point

[@EvaFull]

Watched this movie so many times on HBO & Showtime as a kid in the ‘80’s.

[@mjjpeluso]

Love the channel. The new name thru me for a loop, but the rebrand makes sense.

[@michaellilly965]

Even as an adult, I still love all 3 Neverending Story movies.

[@sidnew2739]

What is there to love about 2 and especially the abomination that is 3?

[@1AtomicRanger]

Great channel. I love the retro intro to your programs. It takes me right back to the 80s.