Michael Ende - The Neverending Story, etc.

[db105]

Speaking of the movie and its famous song... Any Stranger Things fans here? The Neverending Story song became popular again a few months ago thanks to its being featured in the Netflix TV show Stranger Things:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5HQ1sZseKg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Here's a funny article about how the creator of the song found out, since he wasn't familiar with Stranger Things:
https://www.bustle.com/p/the-neverendin ... o-18184143" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Courtenay]

Hmmm, no, I've never seen Stranger Things, but it sounds like it's well named...

Incidentally, I was just remembering that in the first post on this thread, I shared some images of the illustrations from the original book of The Neverending Story and lamented the fact that they were printed in red and green in most of the German editions (the original language it was written in), but all the English editions (including the copies I'd owned) seemed to only have them in black and white:

Last year, I think it was, I was browsing in (the legendary) Alton Secondhand Books and found an English-language edition, quite recently published and in perfect condition, with the illustrations (and the text) in red and green! So that's now a proud addition to my bookshelf.

[Anita Bensoussane]

I watched The Neverending Story yesterday and really liked the idea of a boy reading a book and finding himself becoming part of the narrative. The various creatures were convincing and cleverly constructed, I thought. I was particularly fascinated by Rockbiter, made of rocks, who added both humour and pathos to the story. The whole thing was extremely appealing visually, though not very compex in terms of plot, and I've always been a fan of the theme tune. I've seen Barret Oliver (who played Bastian) in other things, including D.A.R.Y.L., Cocoon and The Secret Garden.

[Courtenay]

Glad you enjoyed the film, Anita — so did I when I re-watched it last year for the first time in a long time!

Have you ever tried the original book? It's still in print and is well worth reading, in my opinion. I first read it aged 7 and was really surprised that the film only dramatises the first half of the book (and follows it quite faithfully, too). The second half deals with Bastian's own adventures in Fantastica (as it's called in the book; I guess Fantasia sounded better for the film), which are if anything even more exciting than Atreyu's in the first part. But from that point onwards the book also brings in some deeper themes, as Bastian is essentially given the power to wish for anything he wants, with which he starts out doing amazing things, but gradually... well, I won't give too much away! But the ending is wonderful and ties up something that's left as a loose end in the film — Bastian's strained relationship with his father, which we glimpse at the start of the film but never see it resolved.

[Anita Bensoussane]

I haven't read the book, Courtenay, but I was certainly left wondering about Bastian's father when I watched the film.

[Courtenay]

Well, if you read the book you'll find out what happens when Bastian finally comes home!

[Wolfgang]

The second part of the book was also made into a film, though years later: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Never ... xt_Chapter

[Courtenay]

Oh yes, I remember that one too, but I was really disappointed with it — it just wasn't nearly as good as the first film. The book still beats them all!

[Anita Bensoussane]

I've now watched the second film and I agree with you completely, Courtenay. It's uninspired and uninspiring compared to the first film, having a thin plot and being much cheaper-looking with unconvincing characters/creatures. Bastian is ridiculously lacking in sense when it comes to using his wishes, but then the story would have been over before it had begun if he had given more thought to them! Disappointingly unengaging.

[Courtenay]

I can assure you that the book is a lot better! Bastian also gains the power of having his wishes come true in the book, but it's a lot more interesting how he uses them — not unwisely, at least not to begin with, but gradually he gets more ambitious and his power starts to go to his head (especially under the influence of the sorceress Xayide, who is also a more interesting character in the book than I remember her being in the film) and the question arises of whether Bastian will ever go back to his own world at all — but what may happen to him if he doesn't...?

Honestly, I would highly recommend reading it — I first did when I was still in primary school and loved it, but it was only when I re-read it as an adult that I found myself constantly thinking "Wow, this whole story goes a lot deeper than I remembered!!"

[Anita Bensoussane]

It's good to know that the book deals with things at a deeper level, Courtenay.