In one of Wolfgang Peterson's better movies (maybe one of his best), The Neverending Story is the kind of 1980's kids movie that isn't made anymore, one that lacks over-extending cynicism and unnecessary humor dumbed down in favor of the kind of ambitious imagination of Jim Henson's more serious fantasies. While I don't remember it completely, as a younger kid some of the imagery was almost too terrifying, and almost had me crying (a softy and gullible back then perhaps, but it being all in three-dimensions and not computer animated). One such scene was the sort of quicksand scene in the story, where the main protagonist of the story within the story Atreyu can't help but watch as a girl slips down into her demise. It's a credit to the filmmakers that this and many other scenes work so well, and in retrospect isn't as dated as one might expect. There's also a lot of imagery at work here that is, while for kids, very expressive of the special effects, make-up, production design, costumes, and technical aspects that could serve the story.
The premise is one most kids can relate to, about the need of escapism in the sometimes cruel and tired day-to-day life of being a kid. The story within the story, on boy Atreyu in Fantasia must stop the 'nothingness', which will engulf the world unless something- or someone- can stop it. What's interesting first looking back is this challenge of a 'nothingness' being the main antagonist ( maybe Sartre had a hand in the script somewhere), and how it does work by becoming in different permutations (like the wolf towards the end with a heap of exposition). Another thing is how earnest the characters are while still working in their archetypal forms- the boy hero(s), the endangered princess, the many side-characters. It's really a kind of cult treat that kids who were born and raised in the 80's went to with the purity (if not the greatness) of other fantasy counterparts. And if it still works today for kids possibly jaded by animated overload and below sophomoric humor, more power to them and their parents.
The premise is one most kids can relate to, about the need of escapism in the sometimes cruel and tired day-to-day life of being a kid. The story within the story, on boy Atreyu in Fantasia must stop the 'nothingness', which will engulf the world unless something- or someone- can stop it. What's interesting first looking back is this challenge of a 'nothingness' being the main antagonist ( maybe Sartre had a hand in the script somewhere), and how it does work by becoming in different permutations (like the wolf towards the end with a heap of exposition). Another thing is how earnest the characters are while still working in their archetypal forms- the boy hero(s), the endangered princess, the many side-characters. It's really a kind of cult treat that kids who were born and raised in the 80's went to with the purity (if not the greatness) of other fantasy counterparts. And if it still works today for kids possibly jaded by animated overload and below sophomoric humor, more power to them and their parents.