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Has anyone seen the movie and/or read the book? If so, what were your thoughts on it? I just saw the movie yesterday for the umpteenth time (though it was my first time in six or more years), and I realized how awesome it is. It's got some strong messages, even through the severely childish story.

For those of you unfamiliar with the story, it's about a boy named Bastian who takes this book called "The Neverending Story" from a bookstore and starts reading it in school. He gets so caught up in the story that he himself eventually becomes a part of it.

The story itself is about a boy-warrior named Atreyu who is called by the Childlike Empress of the world of Fantasia to save the world from a mysterious force called The Nothing.

This movie was made in the mid-eighties, so there are fewer cool-looking graphics (besides the cloud effects, which do look pretty sweet), and more puppets and weird electronic eighties music. Even with all that, however, the world of Fantasia (Fantastica in the book. Why they changed it, I don't know) is very believeable and beautiful. Everything from the characters to the world itself to even the music, just works. The messages that this sends (don't grow out of your imagination, be humble, etc.) enhance this movie to make it good for adults, and to a certain extent, teen-agers like myself.

This is a great movie to rent if you have little kids, because it was made for them. Adults will cherish the movie for its lovely setting and deeper messages. There is no (repeat, NO) magic in the movie, for you out there who seem to be so opposed to it, very, very little violence (and nothing at all that's very graphic), no sex, no nothing that many people here would be morally opposed to. It's just a really neat movie that every fantasy fan should watch.

Retro review: 4 out of 4 stars.

Note: I have never read the book, as my dad says that the movie is better. I believe him.

It is a good movie, for any age group.

I enjoy some of the older movie special effects because they were more works of art than just punching binary info into a computor to achieve the same.
 How ever the binary work perhaps could be classified into a different genre of art. That old computer put a lot of FX artists out of work and put it in the hands of the computor geeks.
 They are all good to watch though for the artistic merit. providing they do not violate faith in Christ.

I agree with your dad; it isn't often that a book is drastically warped by some film-maker, and actually comes out better. The book is okay for some interesting info; like, Atreyu actually had green skin, and Bastian was a fat tanless wimp until he caught hold of everlasting wishes. (By the way, if you're wondering what the empress's new name was - Moonchild!)

By the way, if you're wondering what the empress's new name was - Moonchild!

Yeah...I kinda was. I was reading some other reviews of the movie on another site, and I read that, but earlier today (I think it was today) I was wondering what the name he shouted was because I'd forgotten. Dunno why.

Yeah a great movie for kids especially.

My question is - if it is a never ending story how did they come up with a Part 2?   ;D

Serious answer to your silly question: The first movie was only the first half of the book. The second one ends the book, and the third one is just stupid.