The NeverEnding Story (1984) Die unendliche Geschichte (original title)

Director:

Wolfgang Petersen

Writers:

Wolfgang Petersen (screenplay) &
Herman Weigel (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

20 July 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | Family | Fantasy

Tagline:

A boy who needs a friend finds a world that needs a hero in a land beyond imagination!

Plot:

A troubled boy dives into a wonderous fantasy world through the pages of a mysterious book.

Plot Keywords:

Book | Boy | Bully | Attic | Empress

Awards:

5 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

Barret Oliver	...	Bastian
Gerald McRaney	...	Bastian's Father
Drum Garrett	...	1st Bully
Darryl Cooksey	...	2nd Bully
Nicholas Gilbert	...	3rd Bully
Thomas Hill	...	Carl Conrad Coreander
Deep Roy	...	Teeny Weeny
Tilo Prückner	...	Night Hob
Moses Gunn	...	Cairon
Noah Hathaway	...	Atreyu
Alan Oppenheimer	...	Rockbiter / Falkor / G'mork / Narrator (voice)
Sydney Bromley	...	Engywook
Patricia Hayes	...	Urgl
Tami Stronach	...	The Childlike Empress / Southern Oracle
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Beth Anderson	...	2nd Balladeer (voice) (uncredited)
Dee Harris	...	Balladeers' Lead Guitarist (uncredited)
Frank Lenart	...	Teeny Weeny (voice) (uncredited)
Limahl	...	Balladeer (voice) (uncredited)
Heinz Reincke	...	Fuchur (voice: German version) (uncredited)
Silvia Seidel	...	Fairy (uncredited)

Directed by
Wolfgang Petersen

Writing credits
Wolfgang Petersen		(screenplay) &
Herman Weigel		(screenplay)
Michael Ende		(novel)
Robert Easton		(additional dialogue)

Produced by
Mark Damon	....	executive producer
Bernd Eichinger	....	producer
Dieter Geissler	....	producer
John W. Hyde	....	executive producer (as John Hyde)
Klaus Kähler	....	associate producer
Günter Rohrbach	....	co-producer
Bernd Schaefers	....	producer

Original Music by
Klaus Doldinger

Cinematography by
Jost Vacano		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Jane Seitz

Casting by
Risa Kes
Penny Perry

Production Design by
Rolf Zehetbauer

Art Direction by
Johann Kott		(as Johann Iwan Kot)
Herbert Strabel
Götz Weidner

Set Decoration by
Rolf Zehetbauer

Costume Design by
Count Ul De Rico		(as Ul De Rico)
Diemut Remy

Makeup Department
Brigitta Ansary	....	makeup artist
Colin Arthur	....	special effects makeup supervisor
Georg Bestle	....	special effects makeup lab assistant
Dorothy Dealtry	....	makeup sculptor
Edwin Erfmann	....	makeup artist (as Eddy Erfmann)
Otto Fraunhofer	....	special effects makeup lab assistant
Horst Kirchberger	....	makeup artist
Heiner Niehues	....	makeup artist (as Heiner Niehaus)
Hedy Pollack	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Jürgen Bieske	....	first unit manager
Robert Gordon Edwards	....	executive in charge of production
Anna Gross	....	production manager
Thomas Jauch	....	second unit manager
Michael Naimer	....	second unit manager
Harry Nap	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Georg Borgel	....	first assistant director
Michael Boyadjiew	....	first assistant director
Don French	....	first assistant director
Marcia Gay	....	assistant director: second unit
Gordon Mark	....	first assistant director: location unit
Hannes Nikel	....	second unit director
Paula Swauger	....	second assistant director
Michael Waldleitner	....	assistant director: second unit
William W. Wilson III	....	second assistant director (as William Wilson)

Art Department
Peter Classey	....	storyboard artist
Count Ul De Rico	....	conceptual artist (as Ul De Rico)
Count Ul De Rico	....	creature designer (as Ul De Rico)
Count Ul De Rico	....	scenery designer (as Ul De Rico)
Richard Eglseder	....	property master
Juan Japl	....	illustrator
Juan Japl	....	storyboard artist
Earnie Kollar	....	production painter
Slavko Nikolic	....	chief construction grip
Werner Runge	....	property master
Jimmy Stepanoff	....	storyboard artist
Friedrich Thaler	....	scenic painter
Josip Trupinovic	....	storyboard artist
Wayne McLaughlin	....	property master: Canada (uncredited)

Sound Department
Peter Bond	....	additional sound editor
Milan Bor	....	sound mixer
Heinz Borzaga	....	sound technician: German version
Werner Böhm	....	adr mixer
Eva Claudius	....	dialogue editor (as Eve Claudius)
Illo Endrulat	....	dialogue editor: German version
Manfred Gläser	....	sound technician: German version
Angelika Gruber	....	assistant sound effects editor
Günter Gubatz	....	sound technician: German version
Michaela Heinemann	....	assistant dialogue editor
Walter Hutterer	....	sound technician: German version
Hans-Walter Kramski	....	foley artist (as Hans Kramsky)
Bernd Kretzer	....	sound technician: German version
Mel Kutbay	....	foley artist
Mike Le Mare	....	supervising sound editor
Willy Leitenstorfer	....	sound technician: German version (as Wilhelm Leitenstorfer)
Norbert Lill	....	sound assistant
Evelyn Lukas	....	assistant sound effects editor
Ed Parente	....	production sound mixer
Ron Pender	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby
Angela Picker	....	assistant foley editor
Brigitte Platzer	....	assistant sound effects editor
Chris Price	....	production sound mixer
Trevor Pyke	....	sound mixer
Hans Rohm	....	sound technician: German version
Andreas Schneider	....	sound technician: German version
Christian Schubert	....	sound mixer: dialogue: German version
Heinz Schürer	....	foley mixer
Karola Storr	....	foley editor
Nicolette Toth	....	assistant dialogue editor: German version
Anja von Rüxleben	....	assistant dialogue editor: German version

Special Effects by
Colin Arthur	....	special effects sculpture supervisor
Robin Beers	....	special effects painter
Francis Coates	....	animatronics model maker
Steve Cullane	....	senior special effects engineer
Peter Dürst	....	special effects buyer
Ulrich Fickel	....	special effects electronic coordinator
Chris Gant	....	assistant special effects technician
John Gant	....	senior special effects technician
Karlheinz Ganzer	....	special effects buyer (as Karl Heinz Ganzer)
Maja Grassinger	....	creature operator coordinator (as Maia Grassinger)
Ernst Gschwind	....	special effects engineer (as Ernst Geschwind)
Jez Harris	....	animatronics engineer
Ken Herd	....	senior special effects engineer
Kevin Herd	....	special effects engineer
Ron Hone	....	special effects engineering supervisor
Guy Hudson	....	senior special effects technician
Brian Johnson	....	director of special effects
Bob Keen	....	animatronics engineer
Helmut Klee	....	senior special effects technician
Paul Knowles	....	senior special effects engineer
Phil Knowles	....	special effects supervisor: main unit (as Philip Knowles)
Herbert Labusga	....	sculptor and creature builder
Wolfgang Lempp	....	special effects electronic design engineer
Bodo Marquardt	....	special effects electronic engineer
Antonio Paramo	....	chief modeler
Maria Pino	....	latex specialist
Alan Poole	....	special effects technician
Hugo Reveley	....	assistant special effects technician
Carlos Rojo	....	molder (as Carlos Rojo Del Rey)
Michael Rotter	....	molder
Peter Rotter	....	special effects buyer
Vincent R. Rotter	....	special effects sculptor
Josef Schmid	....	special effects engineer
Fritz Segl	....	molder
Neil Swan	....	senior special effects technician
Giuseppe Tortora	....	chief animatronics engineer: mechanical special effects creatures
Nigel Trevessey	....	animatronics engineer
Jan Valach	....	sculptor and creature builder
Avril Vellacott	....	special effects sculptor
Richard Watkinson	....	special effects painter
Karl Weinert	....	molder
Twyla Weixl	....	assistant: Brian Johnson
Michael White	....	supervisor: cloud effects unit (as Mike White)
Barry Whitrod	....	special effects supervisor: second unit
Karin Hanson	....	special effects hair (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
David Adams	....	camera operator: motion control unit
Steven Archer	....	animator: motion control unit (as Steve Archer)
Bob Ballan	....	model maker: motion control unit
Rick Barham	....	gaffer: motion control unit
Craig Barron	....	supervising matte photographer: ILM
Dennis Bartlett	....	optical consultant: motion control unit (as Dennis C. Bartlett)
David Berry	....	line-up technician: ILM (as Dave Berry)
Patricia Blau	....	production coordinator: ILM
Donald Clark	....	optical printer operator: ILM (as Don Clark)
Jim Danforth	....	matte painter: ILM
Dorothy Dealtry	....	miniature sculptor
John Ellis	....	optical printer operator: ILM
Christopher Evans	....	matte painter: ILM (as Chris Evans)
David Fincher	....	matte photography assistant: ILM (as Dave Fincher)
Tony Fox	....	engineer: motion control unit
Martin Gant	....	senior model maker
Mark Gardiner	....	camera operator: motion control unit
Tim Geideman	....	processing technician: ILM
Ralph Gordon	....	line-up technician: ILM
Caroleen Green	....	matte painter: ILM
Keith Holland	....	optical cameraman: motion control unit
Peg Hunter	....	line-up technician: ILM
Brian Johnson	....	director of visual effects
Ed Jones	....	line-up technician: ILM
Rashid Khares	....	unit assistant: motion control unit
Dennis Lowe	....	supervisor: motion control unit
Michael Moore	....	editorial assistant: ILM
Deborah Morgan	....	matte photography assistant: ILM
Duncan Myers	....	processing technician: ILM
Bruce Nicholson	....	optical supervisor
Frank Ordaz	....	matte painter: ILM
Michael Pangrazio	....	matte painting supervisor
Nick Pollock	....	computer consultant: motion control unit
Thomas Rosseter	....	line-up technician: ILM (as Tom Rosseter)
Howard Stein	....	editorial supervisor: ILM
Peter Tyler	....	camera operator: motion control unit
Mat Beck	....	visual effects aerial camera operator: Apogee (uncredited)
Ned Gorman	....	production buyer: ILM (uncredited)

Stunts
Mario Behr	....	stunts
Les Maryon	....	assistant stunt coordinator
Martin Maryon	....	assistant stunt coordinator
Bobby Porter	....	stunts
Tony Smart	....	stunt coordinator
Sebastian Fischer	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jacob Rupp	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Moshe Asher	....	first assistant camera: cloud effects unit
Uwe Bendixen	....	video supervisor
Gaby Bzdega	....	second assistant camera
Werner Deml	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Anton Egerer	....	key grip
Albert Frische	....	video assistant
Jair Ganor	....	camera operator: cloud effects unit
Anette Haellmigk	....	first assistant camera
Frank Heinig	....	camera assistant: cloud effects unit
Eduard Kagermeier	....	gaffer: second unit
Dieter König	....	second assistant camera: second unit
Peter Maiwald	....	camera operator
Gerhard Neumeier	....	key grip: second unit
Franz Rath	....	director of photography: second unit
Eddy Saller	....	head gaffer (as Edi Saller)
Karl-Heinz Vogelmann	....	still photographer (as Karl Heinz Vogelmann)
Achim Wagner	....	grip: second unit
Robert Wiesmann	....	camera maintenance technician
Steve Wright	....	aerial photographer (as Steven J. Wright)
Markus Blunder	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Joseph Lederer	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sebastian Bulst	....	assistant creature costumer
Hasan Dogan	....	assistant creature costumer
Gwendolin Hallhuber	....	assistant creature costumer
Reinhard Hellmann	....	assistant costume designer
Bernhard Kleber	....	wardrobe
Gaby Klimek	....	wardrobe
Katharina Litzinger	....	wardrobe mistress
Jörg Trees	....	creature costumer
Uta Trinks	....	assistant creature costumer

Editorial Department
Marie-Louise Beutner	....	editorial assistant (as Marie Luise Beutner)
Elfriede Eitermoser	....	negative cutter
Robert Gavin	....	first assistant editor
Christoph Hof	....	editorial librarian
Christine Jahn	....	editorial assistant (as Christiane Jahn)
Peter Kahle	....	negative cutter
Carola Mai	....	editorial assistant
Helga Mensfeld	....	color grader
Claudia Remak	....	editorial assistant
Gordon Stainforth	....	editorial assistant
Steven Spielberg	....	editorial consultant (uncredited)

Music Department
Robert Hathaway	....	music editor (as Bob Hathaway)
Tommy Klemt	....	music sound engineer
Peter Kramper	....	music sound engineer
Beth Anderson	....	singer (uncredited)
Dee Harris	....	musician: guitar (uncredited)

Other crew
Jean Bereziuk	....	continuity coordinator
Renate Berger	....	production secretary
Kristina Brandner	....	continuity coordinator: second unit
Lothar Ciachowski	....	unit manager: location unit
Josef Danzer	....	production assistant (as Sepp Danzer)
Robert Easton	....	dialogue coach
Mary Eilts	....	unit manager: location unit
Sharron Gold	....	continuity coordinator: second unit
Anna Gross	....	production executive
Kirsten Hager	....	assistant: Bernd Eichinger
Josef Hainer	....	production assistant
Robert Hottarex	....	unit assistant: cloud effects unit
Martin Kayser-Landwehr	....	unit assistant: cloud effects unit (as Martin Landwehr)
Raoul Leindecker	....	production assistant
Petra Lex	....	production assistant
Annie Nap-Oleon	....	production coordinator
Norbert Noll	....	production assistant
José María Ramos	....	production manager: location unit (as Jose Maria Ramos)
Philip Remy	....	production assistant
Gaby Richter	....	groom
Ottokar Runze	....	dialogue director: German version
Ilse Schwarzwald	....	production secretary
Sigi Steiner	....	production accountant
Duncan Stewart	....	production accountant
Harold Tichenor	....	production manager: location unit
Thomas Holtzmann	....	voice dubbing (uncredited)
Quentin Jones	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Connie Oettl	....	puppeteer (uncredited)
Adam Samuelson	....	louma crane technician (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Neue Constantin Film
• Bavaria Studios (in collaboration with)
• Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR) (in collaboration with) (as WDR)
• Warner Bros (as Warner Bros.) (presents)
• Producers Sales Organization (presents)
• Bavaria Film

Distributors

• Neue Constantin Film (1984) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros (1984) (USA) (theatrical)
• Constantin Video (1994) (Germany) (video) (laserdisc)
• Universum Film (UFA) (2002) (Germany) (VHS)
• Universum Film (UFA) (2002) (Germany) (DVD)
• Universum Film (UFA) (2003) (Germany) (DVD) (special edition)
• Universum Film (UFA) (2009) (Germany) (DVD) (special edition)
• Universum Film (UFA) (2010) (Germany) (DVD) (KulturSPIEGEL Edition Play)
• Warner-Columbia Films (1985) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (19??) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Dutch FilmWorks (DFW) (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Dutch FilmWorks (DFW) (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Empire (2008) (Romania) (DVD)
• Home Video Hellas (HVH) (1987) (Greece) (VHS)
• Suevia Films (2004) (Spain) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1985) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Warner Home Video (1991) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Warner Home Video (1992) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1995) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Warner Home Vídeo (2001) (Brazil) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Effects Associates (matte paintings) (uncredited)
• Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) (optical and matte painting unit) (uncredited)

Other Companies

• B.C.I. Casting  additional casting: U.S. (as B.C.I., Inc.)
• Soundport Studio  music recorded at
• Bavaria Musik-Studios  music recorded at (as Bavaria Music Studios)
• Clay Lacy Aviation  aerial photography
• Apogee Productions  aerial photography (as Apogee Inc.)
• Continental Camera Systems  aerial photography
• Arkadon  motion control equipment
• VISA  VistaVision camera equipment

Also Known As:

"Die unendliche Geschichte" - West Germany (original title)

Runtime:

102 min | 94 min (international version)

Country:

West Germany | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Canada:F (Ontario) | Finland:K-8 | Singapore:PG | Spain:T | Sweden:7 | UK:U | USA:PG (#27364) | West Germany:6 (w) | Canada:PG (Manitoba) | Canada:G (Nova Scotia/Quebec) | Iceland:L | South Korea:All | New Zealand:G | Netherlands:MG6 (DVD rating) | Germany:6 (DVD rating) | Portugal:M/6 | Peru:PT

Filming Locations:

Bavaria Filmstudios, Geiselgasteig, Grünwald, Bavaria, Germany

Company:

Neue Constantin Film

Trivia:

You can "ride" on Falcor's back on location at the Bavaria Filmplatz Munich, Germany.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Support stick for asteroid masks verticals section (at around 1h 17 mins).

Quotes:

Engywook:To the winch, wench.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Simpsons: New Kid on the Block (#4.8)" (1992)

Soundtrack:

The Neverending Story

"The NeverEnding Story" is magical

This is something special. "The NeverEnding Story" is a truly remarkable movie experience. A stunning and unique movie with this fantastic feeling and the feeling of being something "out-of-this-world". The finest fantasy movie of all time. A timeless and nostalgic classic.

The rich production is notorious in so many ways: the gorgeous settings and landscapes/sceneries; the amazing special effects, visual effects and blue-screen effects; the magic; the spectacular combination of sounds, which impress even more if heard loud; the music...

Another major strength is the wonderful soundtrack, work of Giorgio Moroder and Klaus Doldinger, with that genial synthpop orientation. It's so 80's and I very much welcome that. The songs are all beautiful. Another great song is Limahl's "Never Ending Story", as well as the two lovely Tami Stronach's singles "Fairy Queen" and "Riding on a Rainbow". It's impressing how she sings so well.

The movie is thrilling, very involving, exciting, great fun, contains lots of adventure, danger, strong suspense, darkness, drama, strong emotions, fantastic and strange creatures, interesting and well developed characters and a great cast.

There are strange and fantastic creatures such as the Racing Snail, the creepy Gmork, Morla the ancient one, the friendly Rockbiter (a gentle giant), the Sleepy Bat and Falkor the luckdragon. I like Falkor very much: he's so big, so cool, so fluffy, so cute and so friendly. He also has a great sense of humor and his dog-like appearance makes him irresistible.

Other interesting characters are the somewhat rude Nighthob, Teeny Weeny, the hilariously typically grumpy old man Mr. Koreander, the eccentric and amusing gnomes Engywook and Urgl, Cairon and especially Atreyu (and his horse Artax), Bastian and the Childlike Empress. Atreyu, Bastian and the Childlike Empress are all terrific kids. Atreyu is a different kind of hero: a true hero child, which is unusual and amazing. Bastian himself is another hero child.

The movie is promising since the very beginning, with those stunning, dazzling and colorful clouds, which bring it a magical touch. The beauty of the Ivory Tower palace, the golden of the Sphinxes and the blue of the Southern Oracle are also magical details about this movie, among many others. On the other hand, the storm called "The Nothing" is spectacular but slightly creepy. Nevertheless, it is another precious help to give magic and beauty to the film. Not to mention details like the sky full of stars and no clouds and when the sky has clouds...

It's amazing how one gets involved into the story. While watching the movie, one can feel deeply involved in the story as much as Bastian does. It's impossible to ignore it because it captures one's attention and heart. Also, one can't help but get deeply involved in Atreyu's quest and everything he confronts to save Fantasia, including his emotions and despair.

The actors are all wonderful. Barret Oliver is amazing as the shy and imaginative Bastian, Noah Hathaway is awesome in the role of the young warrior Atreyu and Tami Stronach is terrific as the Childlike Empress. Her role is minor but very relevant and significant. She really looked like a little princess by portraying the Childlike Empress. It's kinda surprising that this was her only movie role ever. Noah Hathaway... that long hair really fitted very well on him and his character Atreyu resembles an Indian, but only a little bit.

"The NeverEnding Story" is more than one of the greatest movies from the 80's. It is one of the best, most beautiful, magical and distinguish movies ever. A fine movie with a very good message as well. I can positively say that Mr. Wolfgang Petersen knew what he was doing. This is his masterpiece.

The movie is a German production filmed in English with mostly American and English actors. The majority of the film takes place in Germany. And it was officially launched under its original title, "Die Unendliche Geschichte", despite being filmed in English. By the way, I was born in 1984 and I'm very proud that this movie is from that year. After all, it's a movie that I love.

This should definitely be on Top 250.