The Neverending Story
Director: Wolfgang Petersen
Cast: Noah Hathaway, Barret Oliver, Tami Stronach, Thomas Hill
The Neverending Story is the very essence of pure imagination. When Bastian (Barret Oliver) discovers the magical world of Fantasia in the pages of The Neverending Story, he goes on an adventure beyond his wildest dreams. When the ruler of Fantasia, the Child-Like Empress (Tami Stronach), falls victim to a dark entity known only as “the Nothing”, a young warrior named Atreyu must embark on a quest to not only save the life of the Empress, but the existence of Fantasia, itself.
Atreyu (Noah Hathaway) is the hero of the story. What makes this young warrior worthy of being called a hero, however, is not his courage nor his physical prowess, but his heart. Throughout the course of his journey, Atreyu faces overwhelming physical and emotional pain, but in the darkest moments of his journey, he finds comfort in unexpected comrades and hope in unexpected places. At one point in his journey, Atreyu is advised by Morla, a wise and ancient turtle, to seek the Southern Oracle, a powerful entity that will aid Atreyu in finding the solution to his endeavor.
As he journeys to find the Oracle, Atreyu must pass through two gates to prove his worth. When Atreyu passes through the Spynx Gate, his resolve is tested by the Spinx whose eyes see past Atreyu and into his heart. At the Magic Mirror gate, Atreyu must encounter his true self. When he looks in the mirror, Atreyu sees Bastian gazing back at him in his reflection. Atreyu’s vision of Bastian illustrates his connection with the human child. He is, in a sense, a personification of Bastian’s imagination, and both have their own unique roles in defeating the darkness in Fantasia.
Fantasia is a physical manifestation of dreams and imagination. As the dreams of humanity slowly diminish, the Nothing – the embodiment of the residual emptiness left in the absence of dreams – grows stronger. Atreyu restores the balance of life in Fantasia by finding Bastian: the symbolic catalyst that holds fast to imagination and stories. Bastian is the one person who can bring healing to Fantasia and save the Child-Like Empress.
I have grown up watching The Neverending Story, and even as I see it through the eyes of an adult, I am still amazed by the unique quality of this film. The story is truly a testament of creative imagination. It is almost a metaphor for a child becoming an adult. The imagination – like Fantasia – is slowly extinguished as the reality of adulthood grows stronger. As we grow into our adult selves, the whimsical dreams of childhood are all but forgotten. What is comforting is, even as an adult, I can still enjoy The Neverending Story, and other films like it, because I have never truly relinquished that comfortable, nostalgic friend that is imagination.
© 2013 – 2016 Keriane Kellogg. All rights reserved.
Director: Wolfgang Petersen
Cast: Noah Hathaway, Barret Oliver, Tami Stronach, Thomas Hill
The Neverending Story is the very essence of pure imagination. When Bastian (Barret Oliver) discovers the magical world of Fantasia in the pages of The Neverending Story, he goes on an adventure beyond his wildest dreams. When the ruler of Fantasia, the Child-Like Empress (Tami Stronach), falls victim to a dark entity known only as “the Nothing”, a young warrior named Atreyu must embark on a quest to not only save the life of the Empress, but the existence of Fantasia, itself.
Atreyu (Noah Hathaway) is the hero of the story. What makes this young warrior worthy of being called a hero, however, is not his courage nor his physical prowess, but his heart. Throughout the course of his journey, Atreyu faces overwhelming physical and emotional pain, but in the darkest moments of his journey, he finds comfort in unexpected comrades and hope in unexpected places. At one point in his journey, Atreyu is advised by Morla, a wise and ancient turtle, to seek the Southern Oracle, a powerful entity that will aid Atreyu in finding the solution to his endeavor.
As he journeys to find the Oracle, Atreyu must pass through two gates to prove his worth. When Atreyu passes through the Spynx Gate, his resolve is tested by the Spinx whose eyes see past Atreyu and into his heart. At the Magic Mirror gate, Atreyu must encounter his true self. When he looks in the mirror, Atreyu sees Bastian gazing back at him in his reflection. Atreyu’s vision of Bastian illustrates his connection with the human child. He is, in a sense, a personification of Bastian’s imagination, and both have their own unique roles in defeating the darkness in Fantasia.
Fantasia is a physical manifestation of dreams and imagination. As the dreams of humanity slowly diminish, the Nothing – the embodiment of the residual emptiness left in the absence of dreams – grows stronger. Atreyu restores the balance of life in Fantasia by finding Bastian: the symbolic catalyst that holds fast to imagination and stories. Bastian is the one person who can bring healing to Fantasia and save the Child-Like Empress.
I have grown up watching The Neverending Story, and even as I see it through the eyes of an adult, I am still amazed by the unique quality of this film. The story is truly a testament of creative imagination. It is almost a metaphor for a child becoming an adult. The imagination – like Fantasia – is slowly extinguished as the reality of adulthood grows stronger. As we grow into our adult selves, the whimsical dreams of childhood are all but forgotten. What is comforting is, even as an adult, I can still enjoy The Neverending Story, and other films like it, because I have never truly relinquished that comfortable, nostalgic friend that is imagination.
© 2013 – 2016 Keriane Kellogg. All rights reserved.