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NEVERENDING STORY Fans... CLICK HERE!!
Hey, everyone. "Moriarty" here with some Rumblings From The Lab.
A few weeks back, I ran a story about a midnight screening of RED DAWN at the Nuart in Santa Monica. I ran a full list of the films in the current midnight series and said there might be more personal appearances at some of them in the near future. Last weekend, the Thor-loving little actress and the screenwriter from ADVENTURES IN BABYSITTING showed up at the Nuart, with no advance notice.
This weekend, you'll get a little more warning. If you're a fan of Germany's answer to LORD OF THE RINGS (so popular in the Fatherland that there are theme parks devoted to it) and you're in the greater Los Angeles area, then hop in a car and hoof it out to Pasadena on Saturday night. Atreyu... Noah Hathaway... the kid with the Daggit from BATTLESTAR GALACTICA... is going to show up to introduce the movie. What more do you want?
Oh... right... details. Well, the screening is going to be at Landmark's Rialto Theatre, which all good film geeks know is the theater where Griffin Mill strangled The Writer in Altman's THE PLAYER. That's Fair Oaks at Oxley in South Pasadena. You can call for more information at 626-799-9567.
When they showed a mint condition print of THE GOONIES here last year, the crowd was gargantuan. Suburban kids are almost distressingly in touch with nostalgia for their childhood, so expect another sizeable turnout for this one.
And if you can't go, then just consider this a Talk Back where you get to yak about a movie you grew up with. Or didn't, as the case may be. Hope I'll see some of you there. Until then, I've got to finish working on this ATTACK OF THE CLONES script review for my RUMBLINGS this weekend. Gotta go...
"Moriarty" out.
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I want Atack Of The Clones annything...Bring on the rumblings..First time I saw Neverending story I cryed like a baby...You Know speaking of crying like a baby...It your a sensitive gut and wanna take your chick to see a realy good movie this weekend...take here to see "A Walk To Rember". It was honestly a realy good movie. -Duty
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Nothing broke my Nintendo playing heart more than Atrayu trying in vaint to save his horse from the "Sadness" (or whatever that marshland was called). Many great creations in that film, I'm surprised it's not mentioned more often. Monstrous Wolves, Turtles, Rock Men, Dragons, Strange Old People, Oracles, Knights...this movie's packed. You people in CA are lucky bastards.
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...could've been first but couldn't bring myself to post it. It just felt overwhelmingly lame.
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Bah..at least I didnt say first.
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i have seen it again a few days ago, but i liked it more as a little child. for me, its not as good as the book by michael ende, who dissociated himself from the film, it left out a lot of things, its far too short. but it stil delivers a good story and the production values were enormously high for a german movie, with amazing special effects. i can recommend it to everyone, especially to children.
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Yes the right hand of Harry! has spoken. I think neverending story is cool. I hope that Harry would review more old classics like he did with Ghostbusters. I wanna see reviews of Goonies, Lost boys etc. Harry if you do it you are the legendary hero like Wyatt Earp and Eliot Ness! P.S. you talk backers are also cool especially when you argue
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You said it man. I remember crying like a little girl with a sprained ankle watching that. In fact, seeing Neverending story in the theater was one of the most intense movie experience of my life. God I love that flick! The Nothing is the scariest antagonist in film history, and it doesn't even have physical form! Too bad the sequels sucked like a crack in a space shuttle.
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Feb 23, 2002 6:09:49 AM CST
This is the most blatant case of fraudulent advertising since my
by keyser195
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then we could just forget about the 2nd one (like with the highlander series :-p). damn that kid was a great actor (no not the seaquest kid, a-tray-u, however you spell it)
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Feb 23, 2002 6:59:56 AM CST
The second greatest cinematic experience of my childhood/
by cash bailey
The first, of course, being E.T. Wish I was there with you, Professor. I love that movie sooo much.
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...was I believe the opening of "Scream 2."
Regardless, although it's been a while since I've seen it (never did see any of the sequels either), I remember digging "Neverending Story." Of only Wolfgang Petersen had kept making creative fantasy films like that and hadn't gone completely Hollywood with typical stuff like "The Perfect Storm."
No matter. Perhaps we'll see some of you punks there... -
I remember seeing NEVERENDING STORY 2 in theaters when it came out and didn't much like it as I did the first film. The first film was one of my favorite films to watch when I was younger and every now and then when it's on cable, I check it out to re-experience memories of how good the movie's enchanting spell is.
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He was really cool as Atreyu in the first NEVERENDING film, but the role was recast in the 2nd film and Noah disappeared from filmdom. Where'd he go and why isn't he giving Pitt, Cruise and Crowe a run for their money now?
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Not to be nitpicky, but didn't Griffin Mills drown the screenwriter in a puddle? I don't recall any strangulation being involved. Sorry...I can't outrun my filmgeek nature. Oh, and I still remember seeing NeverEnding Story in the theater back when I was a wide-eyed lad. Good stuff.
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He was the first kid to play Harry Potter back in the 80's! Harry Potter Jr. to be exact in that stinker of a horror film "Trolls."
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The sequels were abysmal though. Good childhood memory.
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Great movie...I'm glad I live an hour from Pasadena!
But if anyone hasn't read the book...read that....not as corny as the movie, and you get to understand why its a neverending story...
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Part of the reason the second movie sucked is because the first movie ended. The book has both stories in a continiuous arc.
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...that there was a brand new NEVERENDING STORY mini-series, a Canadian-German co-production, I think, filmed here in Montreal, that aired in Canada over the Christmas holidays on the Movie Network. Unfortunately, I didn't see too much of it, but it definitely does not leave a bad taste in your mouth, unlike the NEVERENDING STORY sequels. I believe that this is a new adaption of the original book, and being a miniseries as opposed to a 90 minute to 2 hour movie movie they have the time to include a lot of elements from the book not included in the original 1984 film adaption.
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The scene where the Nothing is in the cave there... that used to scare the crap out of me as a kid.
And when the horse is drowning in the mud, I remember that.
Dammit, I want to see this movie on the big screen again. -
...that would fuck up all the bullies on my goddamn playground. I credit this movie for my serious love of musty old bookstores. I'll be there with bells on.
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You know, I'm in New York City and I always wanted to "stumble in from a storm" into a store like that...or one of those "Curiousity Shops" that fantasy writer Bruce Coville used to write about in the late eighties/early nineties, you know, where kids would find strange and mysterious wonders that'd fuck up their life! (I can't believe those books came out so long ago...they are the underappreciated precursors to Harry Potter)
If any of you know decreipt elders who own these type of stores, help a guy out! -
Had fallen off the face of the earth, actually barret has he's not been seen on film or tv since 1989.
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Feb 23, 2002 4:30:27 PM CST
i grew up with The Neverending Story. it still remains for me to
by a goonie
well, it is.
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My girlfriend has never seen this movie... she was deprived as a child, I think.
Just looked at my last post, realized it made no sense. That first line should read that the scene with Gamork in the cave scares the crap out of me. Barghle. -
First, lemme just say you LA types are lucky, lucky bastards right now cause being in NYC and the Jersey Shore counts me out of seeing one of my favorite movies, and the first movie I ever remember seeing (I was 4, I probably saw others but this one and Jedi stuck). As for the Bruce Coville novels, The Monster Ring book was the best. I also love the Goosebump series. Good solid stuff. I'm just glad that at least TNES was released on US DVD this year so I could see it without all that pan + scan cropped shaking like on the video version. Rad!
-Erik -
My attorney, Lionel Hutz, is looking for defendants to join his class action lawsuit against the fraudulently-named movie, the "Neverending" Story.
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whatever happened to this guy?
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...was "The Neverending Story". Well what can I tell you, my fam didn't buy a VCR until 1984 or '85, so go figure(It was a cheap Montgomery Ward model, just in case you were curious.) So this movie will always have a special place in my heart. Whatever happened to the chick that played the princess? I think it's kind of cool that the same kid from Battlestar Galactica (VERY fine show) was in this movie. Dammit, I wish I lived in LA right about now! You California guys don't know how good you have it!
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Apparently, Tami Stronach, who played the Childlike Princess (the only role listed for her in the IMDB), is now a professional dancer. Here's an article about her: http://www.danceinsider.com/f2001/f515_1.html
Here's a little bio: http://www.geocities.com/echoes_ca/geschichte/Tami.html -
The Neverending Story rules but I hav'nt seen it in ages.
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the best fantasy movie of all time. Yes, of course, LOTR is the defining fantasy movie, but "The Neverending Story" is the greatest. I know that statement's a bit brash, but it's true.
Gosh, it's my favorite movie of all time.
I damn near cry everytime I see it.
There's no film I love more. -
... no, calm down. I did like Neverending Story. But for Petersen to do it after Das Boot... well, I was kind of disappointed. Still, a nice ride.
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Feb 24, 2002 10:34:56 AM CST
i don`t know any themeparks devoted to the neverending story in
by drjones
no matter...this movie is damn good and so is the book. i think it`s not as good as LOTR(as well as the movie) but it
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I'm not here to give you an inside scoop, but simply relay an experience I just had watching Wolfgang Petersen's THE NEVERENDING STORY for the first time in...God...twelve, thirteen years? (Is it possible that I'm getting old? Shit.) This will probably be of little importance in the scheme of things, but what the hell... I'll write to you for the first time about something trivial to probably everyone on the planet but me.
So I go to the midnight showing of NEVERENDING STORY at the Rialto in South Pasadena. (Thanks for posting the scoop from the L.A. TIMES.) And I go all by my lonesome, feeling rather depressed and discouraged by the way life (and recent romantic relationships) has been treating me. It's a midnight showing, and I wasn't in the mood to call anyone at a late hour to see if they'd join me. So, alas, I decide to go alone. Besides, I tell myself, better to go do something on a Saturday night than to stay at home again doing nothing...
I had only seen the film once before on the big screen -- way back when, in a weird year called 1984. I was 10 or 11 when I saw it, and it enchanted me. Thrilled me. It held my imagination in the only way a movie could in the mind of a child.
For a short, fleeting period during my youth -- before those teenage years which tragically force guys to act as macho and reckless as possible, before cynicism and insensitivity become every teenager's weapons to inflict upon even their best friends at the lunchtable or inside the school bus -- I wasn't afraid to love the film. And the movie's hero, Atreyu, was every bit as brave and heroic to me as Indiana Jones or Superman.
Then I grew older. And became miserable.
Teenage years are rough, because you somehow feel compelled to push the things you loved as a child aside, in a frantic rush to grow up. Life gets in the way of living.
I think that the biggest joy of being in my twenties has been the "rediscovery" of my outcast youth. Once you hit a certain age -- 22, 23 perhaps -- you realize that it can still be cool to love the things you once cherished as a child... the same things you had misguidedly, recklessly, desperately tried to forget when you became a teenager. Suddenly, it's cool to watch animated moives again...it's cool to collect action figures...
There was a time when being called a "nerd", "geek", or "weirdo" seemed impossible to tolerate. But when you grow into your twenties and begin living life on your own terms, such words can be taken with a sense of pride. Honor, even.
Why do I say all this? Because I left THE NEVERENDING STORY -- a film I had watched over and over as a kid, learned every frame, every line verbatim -- with a feeling I had never had before while watching it. I was no longer seeing it through a kid's eyes... I was seeing it through the eyes of an adult, yet an adult who was more in touch with his childhood feelings than when he even WAS a child.
(Though my adult cynicism did get the better of me during a few moments: The images of Falcor, the luckdragon, flying far into the skyscape made my mind draw comparisons to a tiny, swimming sperm cell... That was certainly NOT something I had imagined back when I was ten.)
The print was terribly scratched at the tail ends of each reel, but the rest of the film looked swell. It was surreal to see the film in widescreen, and on the BIG screen.
Most surreal of all was the appearance of Noah Hathaway. Though your website broke the scoop, I wasn't aware of it until a friend told me in the ticket line (and yes, it was a LONG ticket line) that Hathaway was going to be in the audience...
Whoa... I thought. Could it be? I'm gonna see Atreyu...
Like my parents told me stories of how they felt they grew up with Opie (aka that bald middle aged director of such forgettable hack B-films like A BEAUTIFUL MIND and APOLLO 13... Yes, I'm joking, in case you couldn't tell...), I felt like I grew up with Noah Hathaway. I was a huge fan of BATTLESTAR GALACTICA when I was really young... I asked my parents to get me one of those robotic panda bears and was crushed that they were not for sale... I remember episodes of LAVERNE & SHIRLEY, FAMILY TIES, even a Disney TV movie (called CASEBUSTERS, if memory serves...I'll need to check IMDB) all starring Atreyu... And yes, I even watched TROLL and TO DIE TO SLEEP...
Hathaway was something of a childhood hero to me. He was a contemporary. And he rocked as Atreyu.
So: back to the screening. Hathaway came running down the aisle, and gave a brief introduction to the film... And I mean brief. His arrival drew a huge round of applause and cheers, but even from the third or fourth row back, I could hardly see him. Damn the theater management; they didn't brighten the lights at all.
So anyway, the manager/theater director asks the audience if they have any questions. People are too busy cheering to really hear him. The manager then, on his own, asked Noah what was it like working with all the animatronics in the film -- and before Hathaway could even answer, someone shouted, "Hey, man! Those things were REAL!"
The second -- and FINAL -- question IMMEDIATELY following was actually a request. Someone asked Hathaway to say a line from the film. "ARTAX!" Noah cried, to even more cheers from the audience.
And that was it: The lights dimmed and the film started. Hardly any time for a Q&A... Shit, I thought. It's over before it begun.
But after the end title crawl, something unexpected happened: Hathaway stood in the lobby, patiently signing autographs and talking to people. I mean, EVERYONE.
And this was the really awkward point for me. Here I am, now in my late 20s, at a midnight screening all by myself. Part of me just wants to get the fuck home and sleep until 11AM Sunday morning... The same part of me that feels absolutely foolish and rediculous for simply being there, much less waiting in a line to get an autograph from a childhood hero.
Then it kinda hit me: Fuck it. Go ahead -- shake hands with Atreyu. Risk looking like a dork for a few minutes, or sulk about a lost opportunity for the rest of my life.
Hathaway seemed totally gracious and at ease with everyone. A girl came dressed as the young Empress, and Noah didn't seem to mind offering her a hug as well as a signature. Watching him while in line, he took the time to talk to people, answering their questions with good humor.
I was surprised by the way he looked. Not that he didn't look good -- in fact, he looked great. His hair was cut very short, like a buzz cut, but other than that, he still was totally recognizable. (I was struck, however, that he was much shorter than I imagined him to be -- he couldn't have been any taller than, say, 5' 7" or 5' 8". For some reason, I was expecting 6' 1". Of course, when you're 10 years old, everyone around you seems a lot taller.)
While in line, a friend told me Hathaway was now working as a broker in real estate. I don't know if this is true -- I heard rumors Hathaway built a solid credit list as a production coordinator for several films -- but, God bless 'em, the guy's probably making more money than all of us.
It's funny how we, the audience, view former childhood actors with a certain amount of gross presumption. When we look back on the usual child star who is no longer in the spotlight, we immediately assume at least one of several things:
1. The child star grew up and became a drug addict,
2. An alcoholic,
3. A gambler,
4. Was thrown in jail,
5. Did porno movies,
6. Has died,
and, best of all...
7. Has led a life of homeless obscurity, having declared bankruptcy, sued his parents, and still, somehow, longs for the day of a great, supreme "comeback" film that will win him an Oscar and enough cash to buy back the Porsche that had been reclaimed by the IRS back in 1988.
Now I don't know for sure what Hathaway has been up to these last few years, but judging by his attitude and demeanor, I sincerely doubt he's befallen any of these 7 possibilities. More power to him. He seemed geniunely thrilled by the audience response.
Some child actors probably look back upon their previous successes with regret -- a resentment in knowing that their acting careers will probably never reach the heights of their former selves. It's as if the films that made them have only added to their venom.
Other former child stars, the ones with their feet -- and their lives -- firmly on the ground, can probably look back at what they had done with a sense of gratitude and pride instead of contempt and melancholy.
I suspect Hathaway is the latter.
So, being my dorky, nerdish self, I walked up to the actor who was Atreyu and asked him what I thought was a somewhat intelligent question: What was it like working with Wolfgang Petersen? "He was strict, a perfectionist," Hathaway answered (I'm paraphrasing now from memory). "We'd often do about thirty takes. He worked so hard, wanted to get everything right. We spent a whole year shooting the film. He was incredible to work with -- absolutely incredible."
And then, being my dorky, nerdish self, I asked for his autograph. And shook his hand.
This probably seems like just a silly, fleeting moment to you all. But to me, I got to meet a childhood hero. And for once, thank Christ, I wasn't disappointed.
Call me "a neverending fan"... -
at least that's how it turned out in "Galactica 1980."
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i especially liked how you described how things change for many of us, how certain things we loved as children suddenly become un-cool in teenage days and how we rediscover them as "adults". i like to hear that noah hathaway didnt end like other stars, like robert downey (the only person i know that embodies all the seven possibilities you described), i didnt hear anything about him recently. but the way he describes wolfgang petersen, as a perfectionist, makes me feel sad that petersen didnt continue his excellent work in germany. but i dont blame him for making crap like air force one, its probably not his fault. hollywood may be a good place for roland emmerich and his fx orgies but not for a talented man like petersen (and i think hollywood has already found its next german victim: adieu, tom tykwer. but i still hope that they wont get you. run, tom, run!!!). i would love to see the neverending story on the big screen but i doubt that will ever happen, at least not here in austria. i adored this movie as a child and i still like it today despite some flaws i didnt recognize 10 years ago, its easily one of the best fantasy movies ever, much better than the overrated LOTR (how someone can claim that this movie is the star wars of our generation is beyond me. sorry, i had to say that).
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Was supposed to last night, but I ended up watching Moulin Rogue with the ladyfriend. She didn't seem to care that watching The Neverending Story was a defining moment of my childhood. Had some NES loving friends over today and they both admitted to crying when Artex died. Then again, they're both gay, so what does that say... I have to say, the scene with the two Sphinx's has always filled me with a great deal of suspense. There was always a part of me thinking that Atreyu really might get fried like the knight before him did. Very well done scene. And Gamork is still a great villian. Perhaps watching that movie as a child is what instilled my fear of dogs. The scene where he speaks to Atreyu in the ruins still gives me the chills. It's just a great movie, even with the sometimes hokey effects. My friend Jeremy is having a 24 hour movie marathon at his house during March Break and I already ensured that this movie gets added to the lineup of movies.
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you think the rest of the band was pissed off that LiMahl went away and recorded the Neverending Story theme on his own?
consider me too shy....(hush hush, eye to eye)..
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Executive producers Johnny Devo and Stephen J. Cannell, the creative team of "Rocco, New Jersey State Trooper", bring us this delightful and bubbly new series based on the 1984 fantasy adventure film. Starring Jason Priestly as the adult Bastian and Stephen Baldwin as the adult Atreyo.In the pilot episode, friction develops between friends Bastian and Atreyo when they get a load of the Empress [guest star Alyssa Milano]. Unfortunately the Empress is already betrothed to the very blue and fuzzy Prince Hogarth [voice of Frank Oz].
Adrian Zmed and Paula Abdul sing the series theme. -
Feb 26, 2002 12:41:29 AM CST
The NeverEnding Story II : To Live and Die in Fantasia Sat.@9:00
by travisbickleny
NeverEnding Story 2 : To Live and Die in Fantasia -Dir:William Friedkin. (2001) Starring: Limal, William Devane, Jonathan Lipnicki, Rob Zombie, Diahnne Carol, George "The Animal" Steele, Kathleen Keegan, George Hamilton and Jaqueline Olmsommer as Queen Madelline. The world of Fantasia is in trouble as the evil forces of the Octagon and their leader Cyrus (Rob Zombie) try to destroy all that is good in the world. Queen Madelline and the Nothing team up to take them on, with Shakara the Flyer (Kathleen Keegan reprising her role) and an unbilled Adrian Zmed as the Cool Rider. Puppets made of Jim Henson's CREATURE SHOP, with dazzling animated opening by German Animator Baron Guy Von Donovann. Title song, "Tube Shake Boogie" sung by ZZ Top. Winner of 3 Oscars, one for Best Screenplay by Joe Eszterhas. ***1/2 Color Mandarin W/English subtitles.
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Am I going blind?
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... a week after the South Pasadena screening, Noah sent me a very simple email from his real estate company -- his private email addy. I soon learned the following:
It resulted in a periodic update (continuing) of what he did over the years.
Wanna learn more? Goto:
http://artifact1066.tripod.com/noahsclubhouse -
Well, we've had a falling out: he's no longer communicating with me. Seems I asked the wrong person to verify his identity, and besides, I had asked him a few times already to prove himself.
Dunno if he'll talk to me again.
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