The Never Ending Story (1984) | First Time Reaction

Patreon for Early Access: / diegesischad
Step into the enchanting and timeless world of "The NeverEnding Story," a 1984 fantasy classic that has captivated audiences for generations. Join Arianna and Maple as they discover the magical journey of young Bastian, who finds solace in a mysterious book that introduces him to the troubled land of Fantasia. Watch their reactions unfold as Bastian reads about Atreyu's quest to save Fantasia from the consuming Nothing, encountering a variety of memorable and mystical creatures like Falkor the Luckdragon and the Rock Biter. From the Ivory Tower to the Swamp of Sadness, experience every breathtaking and heart-wrenching moment with our reactors. This film not only explores themes of bravery and loss but also the power of imagination and the impact of storytelling. Don't miss Arianna and Maple's awe-filled journey through this beloved cinematic adventure.
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Subscribe for fantasy-filled reactions: / @diegesis
00:00 - Intro
00:10 - Reaction
31:20 - Review

[@Diegesis]

The Movies are Back! ~ Trixie Mattel Saturday is gonna be movie day folks! We're back at it again and kicking off with The Never Ending Story. You know why ;)

[@jbwade5676]

😊😊😊😊😊❤

[@deonaustin9575]

You two have to watch The Neverending Story 2 And the Neverending Story 3

[@mitchand9]

Locked and loaded. My favorite movie ever.

[@nedzed3663]

How is it that you 2 weirdos, who love this stuff, have never watched this movie after all this time? I figured ya'll grew up with this like the rest of us fantasy nerds, Lol. The 80's was chock full of this type of stuff; Willow, Legend, The Dark Crystal, Return to Oz, whatever Labyrinth was supposed, Krull (anyone remembers Krull, awesome wasn't it) so many I can't think off the top of my head that's in this similar bizarre, kid friendly while having disturbing imagery via practical puppets. In fact, my one complaint about this movie is how dry the puppets were. I like my practical effects puppets to be moist, wet puppets!!!

[@Diegesis]

yeah i asked about some of those and i don't think they've seen any so i definitely am adding The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth to the roster

[@Renoistic]

People like to talk about how the horse scene traumatized them as a kid but I will personally NEVER forget the 'big strong hands' monologue.

[@JDP5127]

Seconding this. That is the most memorable moment for me.

[@maxdamagus]

Was worse back then because everyone used to say that one of the horses used actually died in the "swamp of sadness" due to the pulley or whatever breaking, during the scene. Believed that for years. Turned out to be bs.

[@maexpert11]

I'll never forget the deeper part of the Gmork's conversation with Atreyu before they fight that's eerie and has so much truth to it

[@declanflynn2580]

I think I was more upset from the horse than my actual animals dying lmao

[@kenjisparks]

YES! that was even more traumatic than losing Artax. That it happens in the same film...damn.

[@franksinatraiv2006]

I’m 44 years old, I still cry every time artex drowns in his own sadness

[@vincentvoillot6365]

Same age, same feeling...

[@poolhall9632]

Yep. '81 here. STUPID HORSE!!!😭

[@salvation122]

IIRC in the book Artax could *talk* and gave a monologue about how life wasn't worth living as he drowned, which is somehow *even more fucked*

[@harryballsak1123]

@@salvation122 Considering the awareness of youth suicide was growing at the time, it was wise to leave that monologue out

[@mathewnavarro1152]

One hundred percent. 💔😭

[@johnw8578]

Congratulations -- you are now part of The NeverEnding Story. You were with Bastian as he experienced Atreyu's adventures. And we, as channel watchers, were with YOU when you experienced the story. Others will join when they watch too.

[@andrewpyle4936]

My favorite part of this movie is towards the end when the Empress starts talking to Atreyu that he hadn't failed and that he had brought Sebastián with him. That was not the big twist though. The big twist was when she said that Sebastián "had brought others with him" and you realize the Empress is talking about you.

[@chriskelly3481]

SOOOO meta! WAAAY before I knew that was a thing. ❤

[@ericjette2435]

@@chriskelly3481 I was thinking the same thing!

[@theshakyproject2971]

The dad is mixing raw egg with orange juice, a common hangover cure in the 80s. The movie doesn't come out and say it, but he's likely an alcoholic struggling with depression of his own at the loss of his wife.

[@tarlane]

People drank Orange Julius all the time without realizing that was what it was too.

[@KublaVeruca]

I never noticed that, but ya... And I never new the mom's name until this video... "Moonchild"?? Parents must have been Hippies.... Though many hippies did become yuppies....

[@M4EOzzy]

Orange Julius! Had it all the time as a kid. :D

[@fullmoonprepping4024]

Orange Julius requires ice.

[@Sairin13]

​@@KublaVerucaA straight laced business man married a free spirit child of hippie parents, I can see it

[@moonlitegram]

24:50 lol yup. That "they look like good strong hands, don't they?" line has stuck with me over the past 40 years. The notion of these giant, strong, rock hands and the realization that they wind up being powerless to the forces of the world around him hit me like a ton of bricks too. And has stuck with me ever since my childhood.

[@pepsiman990]

The Never Ending Story is an allegory of Bastian’s journey through his grief over the loss of his mother. He is warned by the bookstore owner that book is dangerous; it is beyond his ability. Which is how grief feels, doesn’t it? Then we have Artreyu loosing Artax in the Swamps of Sadness as he sinks in his own despair. Then Artreyu is rescued by the luck dragon, and sometimes it feels like the only way out of your own despair is luck. All of it, everything, the whole Never Ending Story is Bastian’s journey through his grief, sadness and despair.

[@tonyb7615]

Don't forget, that sometimes in the end, to rebuild, you have to destroy the past. It applies universally but is easier for a kid. The movie reminds me of an old saying my uncle would say. Youth is wasted on the young. That's it's strength. The moral is to not let experience get in the way. But old grizzled experience tends to always beat youthful exuberance and it's a shame it always ends up that way.

[@GordoFunk555]

The Gnome tells Atreyu, “it has to hurt if its to heal”. That line never really jumped out at me until recently and I finally equated it to Bastian’s grief. Gmork represents the fear and loss of control when we grieve. Morla represents those around you who just don’t understand or care about what you’re going through during depression. There are so many metaphors in the movie, it’s quite fascinating.

[@jxchamb]

This movie is one of the reasons why we call Stranger Things a feel good experience.

[@bowi1332]

This deserves more likes.

[@poolhall9632]

Yeah, I love to casually mention that Stranger Things it's just a combination of childhood 80s films.

[@mattgarfinkle978]

🧑🏻‍🍳😘

[@freeheeler00]

I'm glad they got to this before season three!

[@ryanakers1372]

LOL, sooo true!

[@Luciphell]

29:42 An entire generation (that never read the book) had to wait decades until DVD and subtitles became a thing to know what her name is.

[@mindime1499]

OmG, yes! For decades I never knew what his mom's name was!

[@MrDrokkul]

Some sadistic part of me enjoys new audiences getting exposed to the same Artax trauma I had to experience as a child.

[@morbidangel2424]

Yea I chuckle a bit when any reactions channel watch this movie and this part comes up,these lady's were smiling and laughing then bam tears

[@joshfacio9379]

its the joy of shared trauma. lol

[@ericjette2435]

I think that applies to most people who watch reaction videos, especially for a handful of movies like this.

[@JohnnyBNerdy]

Rockbiter's last words live rent free in my head

[@kingscorpion7346]

Noah Hathaway, who played Atreyu, was 12 years old when they started filming. now, he's in his early 50's, and to this day, when he goes to Comic-con and he's asked about making this movie, he still talks about how Wolfgang Peterson, the director, tried to kill him every week in different ways while filming! Starting with how he broke his back while learning how to ride a horse for the movie before they even started filming and was in the hospital for a few months.

[@jessquinn6106]

And played Boxy in the original Battlestar Galactica series: Apollo's step son

[@numbersasaname2291]

This is a German story. This is Michael Ende's 1979 metaphoric description about the journey amd reality of depression. Artex's "drowning" is a methpor for sinking into depression - Atreu could not get through to Artex to fight for his life because Artex was too far gone. This becomes obvious after you have found yourself in such a situation with someone you care about. The end scene is the boy's imagination. His father (as adults do) was taking away the boy's imagination (something most of us can admit we left it or at least a lot of its vividness somewhere in our past). The father represents society at large to Ende. The missing mother represents our youth to Ende. And the boy is of course each of us, but the boy found that his world improved and his trauma began to heal when he embraced his imagination. There is quite a bit more to this story, but the movie does do a good job of capturing most of Ende's original.

[@harryballsak1123]

The German's penchant for telling really dark children's stories goes back centuries

[@farrelfoster-lynam6683]

Hard to overstate how this movie lightly traumatized a generation of kids, back in the day. We had never seen anything as sad as the death of Artax

[@mnomadvfx]

Laughs in Watership Down. Or rather I should say SHUDDERS in Watership Down.

[@jxchamb]

​@@mnomadvfx😂😂😂 After 40 years, I still haven't gotten the courage to rewatch Watership Down. That movie crushed my 7 year old soul.

[@KayinAngel]

There is a very specific time in the 80's that if you were a kid of a certain age, you are part of a very special post-gen-x and pre-millennial generation.

[@RicoRaynn]

This film is still incredible. But if you want to understand why Gen X are the way they are, just look at what our 'kids' entertainment' was. Never Ending Story Dark Crystal Watership Down Return to Oz Secret of NIHM The Witches Legend The Last Unicorn And that's not counting the things our parents exposed us to or watching HBO when they weren't home. I saw Aliens when I was 8 years old and T2 at 11.

[@jlilley73]

Come on, this started way WAY back with Bambi 😆

[@DigitalJediMaster]

"It has to hurt if it's to heal." What's funny is my generation talks about being traumatized. But what we really mean is this is one of the first films to make us feel real emotion, even if we didn't consciously understand the subtext. I think this movie actually taught us to deal with trauma better, if even only a little bit and only on a subconscious level. Right around this era when the book was written, the hippies of the 60s were having kids and starting to have grandkids. So many of them were now driving family vehicles and working corporate jobs, it was an interesting contrast. So Moonchild, at least as I always saw it, was just an interesting reference to that. As well as a contrast to his stuffy, suit wearing father.

[@joshfacio9379]

i always took that hurt to heal literally, as bones hurt when theyre healing and when somethings healing its usually achy and itchy.

[@DigitalJediMaster]

@@joshfacio9379 That too. Both physical and emotional trauma share a lot of attributes. Hence why so many descriptors of emotional trauma use physical descriptors as an allegory. Of course, the themes of the film were very much loss, despair, succumbing to sadness, not being strong enough, being taken by the nothing. So you can see why that was probably hinting more at the healing emotionally.

[@crpgdungeonsdragonsnight]

The Artex scene still gets me. Just be glad they didn't use the book version of Artex. in the book he talks and has a personality like an older brother to Atreyu, when it comes to this scene, Artex actually describes the sadness as it's taking hold of him.

[@ericjette2435]

Egads!

[@katiebishop7773]

My parents used an old tow truck for their work and it was called "the winch truck". My dad's favorite thing to say to my mom was, "to the winch,wench!"

[@shauntempley9757]

To this day, those two are funny as heck!! They help balance the Artax scene and the harder later ones.

[@ericjette2435]

@@shauntempley9757 And I agree with Diegesis that they remind me of the couple in "The Princess Bride" (i.e., "I'm not a witch, I'm your wife" vs. winch/wench).

[@richardsanchez9073]

It took decades for me to find out the name was Moonchild. Thanks so much.

[@treadstone1138]

Right?!??? I found out when I finally read the book.

[@TheWindcrow]

It's also in another 80s movie. I forget which one (i think a war movie). Guy asks if his girls name is Moonchild or something.

[@chrischampagne9469]

Yeah. Internet hadn't been invented when this movie came out.

[@johnw8578]

When we first saw the movie, my friends and I were betting the mom's name would be HOPE. I didn't know the name until I read the book. Even having subtitles on the video didn't help. I think it was made ambiguous in the movie on purpose.

[@ericjette2435]

@@johnw8578 Well, it's interesting that many of us (including Diegesis) thought that Bastian would give the Empress his mom's name. I haven't read the book (yet), so I don't know if he actually did. Anyway, I couldn't hear what he said well enough to know what Bastian shouted in the rain, and I'm glad to know that I'm not the only one. I wonder if it was intentional on the part of the director...

[@stellasol5265]

I remember reading the book. When it was Bastian's side, the print was in red(?) and Atreyu's story was in green. It was such a clever way to separate his reality from the reality he was peeking into.

[@judeless77]

I watched this EVERY SINGLE DAY when I was a child and have since apologized to my mother for putting her through it. She said it was great because she at least knew where I was for two hours.

[@bowi1332]

I broke the VHS tape of this movie... Or was it Labyrinth? You get the point... It was a live TV recording, so I guess I those tapes were cheaper... 🤷‍♂️

[@JohnSmith-ys4nl]

Me too. I watched it constantly. I am mid 40's now.

[@RX-12]

Atreyu killing Gmork is one of the most badass moments in a kids film.

[@tarlane]

I was a child of the 80s who had depression from a pretty early age. This movie meant a lot to me on ways of processing that. Well into my teens when I was spiraling my dad would ask me 'How do we fight the nothing?' as a way of helping me find some ways to ground myself again.

[@theshakyproject2971]

I'm upset we never got to see the purple buffalo. :)

[@LordVolkov]

Buffalo don't tame well... Painting one purple in the 80s would have gotten someone 😵

[@Skillionaire9]

Its an allegory about grief. The attic, the Fantasia characters, the shopkeeper and the dad... Bastion is in a dark mental place.

[@borntogazeintonightskies]

Oooooohhhhh shit, y'all. They're about to react to the "Artax! You're sinking!" Scene. Fuck.

[@MasterAndreRaven]

You're sinking! Turn around! Come on! *_AAAAR-TAAAAAAAAAAAAX!!!_*

[@RicoRaynn]

Still emotionally devastating.

[@carlalussini]

Their surprise at the level of trauma was so funny though.

[@My-Name-Isnt-Important]

11:44 Welcome to 80's children's films, Maple. Where you will witness dark, scary, and sad stuff, and you'll like it, because you will cry your eyes out and be terrified, but everything is made right in the end. Another film Maple and Arianna should see, is the 80's film, *"Enemy Mine" from 1985.*

[@keithmays8076]

That's one movie I haven't seen in a long while.

[@My-Name-Isnt-Important]

@@keithmays8076 I haven't seen it in a very long time too. It use to be on almost every Sunday when I was a kid. Either that, Last Starfighter or Beastmaster.

[@kenmurray25]

They talked through my favorite part and missed it! Not only was Bastian with Atreyu throughout his entire journey, but we were there with Bastian the whole time too. The movie talks directly to the viewer without actually breaking the fourth wall. It is one of the most amazing things I have ever seen a movie do.

[@ericjette2435]

I've seen other reactors mildly "freak out" at that point because of how it seems to especially apply to them.

[@cmo6055]

"MOOCHIAIAHHAHHH". 😅That was his mothers name for me, watching the VHS for years as a child😂

[@lvfd6117]

as a kid, this movie came with trauma of artax and the fear of the wolf monster coming out of my closet at night, but it also had such a profound effect on a kid like me who loved to read, a story where you WERE part of the story, where it could become real if you believed enough, it was everything to me, it stoked my imagination and wonder in so many ways

[@leffew2000]

I always felt that "Moonchild" may have just been a nickname that Bastian called his mom when they played make believe. His spirit of adventure and imagination obviously came from her and not the father.

[@SpackleMcCrackle]

There’s a fun bit of lore in my family: Ghostbusters came out when I was one year old and my parents worried it’d be too scary for my older siblings so my mom took me to that while my dad took bro & sis to the nice, kid-friendly Neverending Story. They were traumatized forever while I got to party with Slimer, Lewis Tully, and Pete Venkman.

[@ToABrighterFuture]

Barrett Oliver (Bastian) is also a published author. Did an entire book on an old photography technique. Something like, the woodburytype, I think?

[@JoeXTheXJuggalo1]

What makes th scene of Artax in the Swamp of Sadness even sadder is if you've read the book. In the book Artax actually talked. So when Artax was sinking he was a basically telling Atreyu whats the point in going on an literally telling Atreyu to just let him die.

[@JoeXTheXJuggalo1]

Favorite kind of the movie has always been "To the winch, wench". I've used that line so many times in my life.

[@Hawksmoor42]

I originally didn't understand the name Bastian yells into the storm either, until decades later reading about the movie online. Until then, I'd assumed the makers of the film had intentionally made it unintelligible so that each person could imagine their own perfect name in that place.

[@jamesleblanc7437]

That’s exactly what I thought too. We are imagining what he said naming the Empress, watching Bastion, just as he is reading Atreyu.

[@JohnSmith-ys4nl]

I'm 45 years old and watched this movie 100 times as a kid. The Artax scene still gets me.

[@snakeeyes5638]

Yup. Everyone's faces were streaked with tears in the movie theater when Artex died.

[@stephenniehaus8635]

You two made this a really fun watch. Thank you

[@irishinnj72]

Actor Noah Hathaway who played Atreyu was badly injured making this movie. A horse he was riding got spooked and took off. It tried to jump a fence, but failed and the horse fell backwards, landing on top of him. Hathaway suffered several broken vertebrae in his back requiring several surgeries over the years with spinal fusions and screws inserted into his spine. He still suffers significant back issues to this day.

[@carlotta4th]

That is not a fun fact. That's a bummer.

[@candicelitrenta8890]

I always took this story as a warning to not bow to tyranny and to keep hope alive. Especially in these uncertain days

[@christiannafziger7427]

Amen

[@cullencase3114]

If the Swamps of Sadness scene hurts you to watch, the DO NOT READ THE BOOK. In the book, Artax can speak, and he tells Atreyu what despair and hopelessness he is feeling as he slowly sinks and drowns.

[@ToABrighterFuture]

Not to be lost among all this, is Gmork's speech toward the end. The part about how people who have no hopes, are easier to control, hits harder in 2024, than it ever possibly could have 40 years ago.

[@ericjette2435]

All too true.

[@TheWindcrow]

11:45 When 90s babies watch 80s movies. We are Trauma Maple, there is no heartache 80s movies didn't show us first =P

[@davidbeyerle6996]

I bet Maple would like Pan's Labyrinth.

[@sammarithinang_pannarith]

Legend with Tom Cruise forreals 🤷🏽‍♂

[@christophervillalba4139]

Sees video title... immediately waits for the swamp tears.

[@LordVolkov]

Watching Arianna go from shock to tears over Artax was very entertaining 😅 The schadenfreude is strong with The Neverending Story

[@albertmassingo4249]

Young kids think everything's brand new. My junior high had three floors. My high school the pool is in the basement.

[@ricomakeda]

Yeah this was the 80’s back when it didn’t occur to parents that that kids are human beings and may be having through some mental health issues. Better just to make the kid feel bad abt it.

[@jlilley73]

To be fair, it must have been Moonchild's PARENTS who were the crystal hippies. Maybe Moonchild hated that name and grew up to become someone like Miranda Priestley or anyone in Succession 😆

[@tonyb7615]

The movie came out in early 80's. Unless the mom was half the fathers age, it wasn't her parents. And it was a bit more common in the early hippie movement when it was counter culture. By the mid way through it was co opted by the normies for the lack of inhibitions and being an excuse for sex and drugs. It became regular culture. Then no one would have dared to name their kid that because they didn't want the counter culture stigma of being raised on a commune. They wanted to project an image of sophistication and enlightenment that was political and not be confused with the drugged out people using spirituality as an excuse to chase the dragon.

[@annajordan243]

fun fact .......THEY trained the horse to be calm while sinking . Which is really hard

[@StCerberusEngel]

Since you brought up The Land Before Time, I'll just give you the explanation Don Bluth gave: "[If] you don't show the darkness, you can't appreciate the light. If it weren't for December, no one would appreciate May. It's just important that you see both sides of that." Family and Kids' movies of the 80s didn't hold back because they respected their audience. The absolute best way to see this is as a child, and again as an adult. Just as Bastian shared Atreyu's journey, we shared his. This movie is riddled with allegory, and seeing it as a kid, then as an adult are two very different experiences. As a kid you take things at face value, and you might understand the themes in a rudimentary way, but as an adult...It's a story that grows with its audience. "You have to try. You have to care." "It has to hurt if it's to heal." "Confronted by their true selves, most men run away screaming!" "I couldn't hold onto them. The Nothing pulled them right out of my hands. I failed." "People who have no hopes are easy to control." It's scary how relevant these lines and others become when you grow up. And just a bit of fun trivia: The novel this is based on (Die unendliche Geschichte) is written by Michael Ende. The author of The Neverending Story's last name literally means End in German.

[@TheNeonRabbit]

The dad wasn't the way he is now until he lost his beloved Moonchild

[@robertnichol3669]

am sure somebody mentioned already...from what I've read its "MoonChild" that he yelled for the Empresses name, am guessing his Mom was a hippie from the 70's....but just a guess..lol

[@thedink5]

Tami Stronach is half-Scottish (father) and half-Israeli (mother). Her father, Professor David Stronach, was a notable expert on Persian antiquities. The family had to flee Persia/Iran during the Revolution. They went to Israel, then to America where Tami is still based. She was studying acting in California...

[@Compuman202]

Yeah this is why at 45 I have always been screwed up. This was a children’s movie. I saw this at 6-7 years old and have been scared by that horse for 39 years. Oh and we had Old Yeller too lol. Emotional Damage for life before the age of 10

[@ssrmy1782]

I honestly credit the Artex scene with awakening my sense of empathy. Can't remember when I first watched this, but I was born in 85, and that scene had a great impact on me as a young man

[@drogynbattlebrand5229]

Every one of your viewers from Colorado (me included) just burst out laughing at Maple's random "Have you ever been Casa Bonita?"

[@christiannafziger7427]

black barts cave

[@ArtbyamaranthwiseBlogspot15]

I think the reason this movie scarred us all so much is that it deals so much with subjects that kids need to be prepared for but don't always have the experience yet to handle which is a terrible spot to be in. But being introduced to depression, apathy, grief, regret...... Those are all really important things that are going to hit us at various times in our life and learning about them early on I think is a good thing.

[@frmthefuture]

there's a theory about the man in the bookstore: he's one of the first fantasian heroes the empress sent to find her new name. she knew the name needed to be given by a human child, so she used her power [was was keeping the nothing at bay] to send him to earth- this happens WAY before the movie's events. knowing this was a one way trip, the hero set up the book shop and waited. over the decades, he would test children by hiding the book and seeing if they would find it. this is why he immediately knew [the quick surprised look on his face] that bastian was the "right" child. this is because, out of ALL the books in the store, bastian almost instantly found it- as if the book wanted to be found. so when bastian took the book anyway [after being warned not to], the hero knew his mission was finally complete- hence the smile.

[@ericjette2435]

I like that theory. The book shop owner also reminds me of Professor Kirke from the Chronicles of Narnia.

[@mattsmyth4675]

I was 6 when this came out…we would watch it in class on a rainy day when there was no recess

[@coffeefan]

I was around 8 when I first watched this movie. Swamp of Sadness made an impression.

[@Frank-Voight-Kampff]

I just love how ALL American reactors wonder about the attic in the school. The first school I visited in Germany that DIDN'T have an attic was when I was 17. And since this is based on a German book, that tracks. 😅

[@Diegesis]

but it doesnt take place in germany which make it look weird. they coulda just made it a basement i don't mind though

[@El-Toro-Nica]

“ they look like good strong hands, don’t they?” I’m 43 and I still cry at that scene.

[@joegarcia3214]

The whole moon child rant had us in tears 😂. I saw this by myself when I was younger than the Artreyu actor and I wanted to be just like Artreyu

[@OlmanWillo]

This movie was my childhood!!! It gives alllll the feelings and gave me a love of reading I probably otherwise wouldn't have had.

[@ofthenearfuture]

RIP Artax :( But hey now they'll get the reference next season 😉

[@djkoch65]

The look of wonder on Maple’s face is priceless.

[@ThunderForce2000]

“To the winch wench!” Best line ever.

[@jxchamb]

We used to watch this in school back in the 5th or 6rh grade. One of those movies that defined my childhood in the 80's.

[@RonnieG]

My neice spent the night when she was around 5 or 6 & I put this on for us. When artex died in the swamp she got really emotional but said she wanted to finish the movie when I asked her. After the movie I was asleep on the floor next to her sleeping on my couch. She woke up crying (but not fully awake, she still does this) and when I asked what was wrong she said artex, he died in the swamp of sadness. I said yeah, but remember bastian brought him back with his first wish! Still a fond memory to this day, about 4 years later.

[@AutomanicJack]

the setdesign from the swamp of sadness is absolutely stunning.feels like real fantasy

[@joshfacio9379]

yeah, the actors recalled how they showed up to set and it was a huge canvas type tent area which they had brought in literally tons of mud and trees etc and has a smoky atmosphere which also helped hide the background areas so it looked like it went on for miles. nowadays theyd just green screen it. ;-(

[@tiarnanquinn5403]

That kid coulda been conceived at Woodstock based on when the movie came out in early 1980s and hes like 12. Of course his mom was named MoonChild.

[@Jzscrstsprstr]

You would probably like Pan's Labyrinth and The Fall (2006)

[@doctorteethomega]

I was born at the exact right time to see MTV come on air. To watch Taxi on a 12 inch tv. To love this the most. Goonies and Labyrinth and Gremlins and Raiders of the Lost Ark as a little kid.

[@pandyne]

I grew up with this movie. this movie prepared me to lose everything that mattered to me and told me to still have the strength to carry on to save every thing that mattered to everyone else.

[@Monteath777]

Imagine watching this as a child in the 80s. It's like many 80s movies for kids all competed for which scene would kill a part of their childhood innocence - and the horse in the swamp and "Strong Hands' dialogue from the big rock man still crush me 40+ years later.

[@Raven5150]

Fantasia has no borders every story takes place in the never ending story

[@jason42080]

The Name Bastian yells out to name the Empress is "Moon Child"....so i take it Bastian's late Mom's parents were about the Flower Child lifestyle.

[@jcg1576]

The name Bastion calls out when giving the empress her new name is apparently, “Moon Child”, which I did know for the longest time.

[@bowi1332]

I'll watch this after work. 🙌🏻 This movie scarred me for life.

[@joelwillis2043]

My generation's Wizard of Oz. The allegory for grief and mental health was completely lost on me as a kid.

[@garycollins3379]

As a kid of the eighties and saw this in the theater, Artax dying was awful, but we did survive. Good point about the mom’s name and the dad.

[@AnthonyLaMastra]

I had the pleasure of meeting Tami Stronach at a comic con. I could not adequately express enough to her how much this movie meant to me. I was 10 years old when it came out while my parents were divorcing. This death of Artex was the most traumatic thing I had ever seen, but I survived it, like I made it through my parents divorce.

[@ericjette2435]

I know very little about Tami Stronach, other than that she gave an amazing performance in this movie and seems to have played her part perfectly.

[@cohrindrake]

The author of the book had them remove his name from the movie and all promotional material because he dislikes it so much. I personally loved it as a kid, but the book is, of course, much better. Really hope they’ll eventually make a faithful adaptation. 😊

[@shotokanjav]

A new adaptation of TNS was announced several weeks ago. Hopefully both halves of the novel are faithfully adapted this time.

[@marcwright8395]

One of my favorites of all time!

[@averagehuman6979]

This is definitely a childhood classic

[@TheBoglin]

11:41 Annnnd right there a generation of kids back in the 80's were scarred for life.

[@TheHulk2008]

This movie is 40 this year and I'll tell you what the practical effects still hold up 😮

[@ThefetchNZ]

I do think kids these days need movies like this. Watching this as a child made me understand myself. Also RIP Artex never forget

[@QuayNemSorr]

The movie is only the first half of the book. It's really worth a read. Can be read as a standard fantasy tale but there's a lot of hidden meanings and metaphors if you read between the lines. But that's another story...

[@poe_eezy]

This movie is so experimental for children's content. How some of the shots executed remind me of how the filmmakers came about their scenes for Everything, Everywhere, all at once with a tight budget and an incredulous vision.

[@deminicus9345]

these were the kid movies when i was growing up

[@chriswilson8744]

I have been watching this movie in my whole life. I have never known his mother's name was moonchild. Never even thought to look it up. The internet is amazing.

[@ryanakers1372]

This was an awesome surprise!!! So glad you two got to experience it. Gmork was nightmare fuel for me as a kid and of course Artex and "These strong hands" just 😭😭😭 everytime.

[@JeffreyBoser]

For the curious, this is the first part of the book. When Bastian starts wishing, Auryn takes away his memories related to the wish. He has to progress to find what matters to him, leaving behind one thing after another. He wishes to be strong, he forgets he was weak and fat. He wishes for attention, he forgets the stories he and his mom made up. He wishes for control, to love, to be loved, and to be worthy of love. He has to go through all his greif and insecuriity, in a never-ending loop as his book keeps getting flipped back to the beginning over and over. And his friend Atreyu saves him so he could go home to his dad.

[@ericjette2435]

I really need to read this book.

[@G02372]

Being a kid in the 80’s was fantastic for movies and TV shows. We also had a great balance of outside life and indoor TV time. Remember, the whole family (unless you were rich) had one or maybe two TVs 📺 Your Dad would watch the news etc. and your Mum would watch the soaps so you were excited when your film or TV show was on. Good times

[@Tommy-xq5jw]

I remember this opening in the cinema! x) The 80's, that mythical time when you wept because you lost your horse and giggled at a luck dragon. A time of deep story telling that stirred emotion... x) The horse; It's part of the 'hero journey', loss, sadness, the abyss (death & rebirth), return (gift of the goddess).

[@DaneofHalves]

I used to say that to my friends when they started saying dumb things. "Artax, you're sinking!"

[@marcushart3360]

Every 80s girl was traumatized by the swamp scene 😂