The Neverending Story (1984)

Bastian's life is pretty bleak; his dad doesn't understand him and kids at school bully him. His favorite escape is his imagination, which is largely fueled by books. One day he finds a book that's more real than any other he's ever read. Sometimes we all need to get away from the problems that life throws at us. Let's face it, we'd go bonkers if we didn't have some kind of escape. There are many ways of going about this, but undoubtedly the best is reading a book.

It's fun to imagine yourself as a pirate, a knight, a space traveler and more. The number of books about magical places and people is astounding. One story that's a celebration both reading and the imagination is Michael Ende's The Neverending Story. This is also evident in this film adaptation made five years after it's publication. The fact that it was made in the 1980s was perfect since it was a great time for imaginative filmmaking. Despite the fact that technology has advanced, the film has held up beautifully.

Only a handful of actors make up the cast, with Barret Oliver and Noah Hathaway given the most screen time. Everyone does a great job, but these two are especially impressive and sympathetic. The score is fabulous and bound to make you feel a range of emotions. There's also a memorable theme song that plays over the opening and closing titles. Another important component of a fantasy film is the production design. A lot of the film was shot at a studio in Bavaria, but you wouldn't know it since it all looks so real.

Made well before the use of CGI, the film boasts many breathtaking effects. They range from prosthetics to some amazing animatronics. Non-human characters like Falcor and Rockbiter are really memorable, helped by the actors doing their voices. The visual effects, though somewhat dated, are also good in their own right. Speaking of visual, the cinematography by Jost Vacano is just beautiful. The good news though is that the film isn't just style over substance.

The film has it's share of darker moments, effective at that, but it's not all this way. There's also a fair amount of whimsy in the characters and situations. Seeing storybook characters come to life is one the greatest gifts film has to offer. In this film's case, we also get a message about the importance of imagination. It's not spread on too thick, but also isn't just brushed aside either. Those responsible had their hearts in this project and hopefully succeed in encouraging people to pick up a book.

A lot of time and effort obviously went into the special effects, but not all aged well. Pretty much all of the blue screen work looks dated now, like the wide shots of Falcor flying through clouds. Taking liberties when adapting a novel or short story to film isn't anything new. The trouble is that sometimes the filmmakers stray too far from the material. Granted the first sequel covers the second half of the novel, but it still feels like something's missing here. Fortunately the good far outweighs the bad, making this supreme entertainment.    
9/10