If you aren’t familiar with the book the film would be quite enjoyable, though perhaps a little dated now. It is full of adventure, adversity and incredible, varied and amazing creatures, (who wouldn’t want a Luck Dragon of their own).
It had a wonderful and creative innocence that didn’t shy away from some tougher topics. The characters were relatable and the story appealing, both in action and visually. Like a lot of films from the 80’s there is nostalgia in the watching and sharing with another generation.
I remember being so excited when this film came out, at the time it was one of my favourite books. It totally engrossed me, made me laugh and made me cry. The movie though mostly just made me mad. I was so looking forward to seeing it, movies were a huge treat for us (this was pre-dvd days).
I sat in the darkened cinema, full of excited anticipation, waiting for the story to come to life in front of me. Only to be bitterly disappointed.
Bastian wasn’t close to being right, the actor didn’t do a bad job he just wasn’t ‘a fat little boy of about ten or twelve…his round face was a little paler than before’. Though some bits were awesome, particularly the creatures, the interpretation of the nothing really bothered me. I couldn’t understand back then why it was so different to the description in the book. ‘Maybe,’ the tiny suggested, ‘when you look at the place it’s as if you were blind.’
As an adult looking back on it I understand how difficult it would be to portray it like it was described, back then I didn’t.
I also did not understand the ending. The film ended half way through the story as far as I was concerned and in doing so they totally changed some things. Bastian never took Falkor back to where he was from.
It was so long ago but I seem to remember walking out of the cinema complaining to Mum about how it wasn’t like the book.
I was so much older when the second film came out. I went to see it because I was bored and I spent the whole time picking on it.
Sometimes the source material leaves such a mark on you that other people’s interpretations are nothing but a let down.
For me one of the most memorable things about the film was the title song from the soundtrack, in fact hearing now still makes me smile, oh and I had a crush on Atreyu for a while.
TheKylieVerse 
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