The NeverEnding Story: Masterpiece or Misfire?

Many people know the beloved 1980's classic movie 'The NeverEnding Story'. Bastian Balthazar Bux, a young boy who has a miserable life finds comfort, adventure and purpose after reading a miraculous book called The NeverEnding Story. Bastian follows the adventure of Atreyu, a boy warrior, who has been chosen by the Child-like Empress to seek out a cure for the Empress's deathly illness which is linked to a mysterious and destructive force called 'The Nothing'.

The beloved movie is considered a fantasy cult-classic along with, Jim Henson's Labyrinth and Dark Crystal, Princess Bride, Willow and many others. Now what many don't actually know is that The NeverEnding Story is actually based off a book written by German author Michael Ende. It was published in 1979 and translated into English by Ralph Manhiem. It was then re-released in English in 1983. Soon after the novel was adapted into a several live action films. The NeverEnding Story (1984), The NeverEnding Story II: The Next Chapter (1990), The NeverEnding Story III (1994). 

Though this may be a beloved classic, it is actually still in some respect, far from the vision the author originally had. Like most film adaptations there are many details that have been left out or changed. Luckily for us, most of the significant story line was unaltered. However there are many differences, most of which I will go through with you. So, let's start.

Bastian 

The Bastian we see in the film is played by Barret Oliver. Though his portrayal of Bastian is one we will never forget, it is not entirely accurate. Bastian is a fat and lonely boy. He is very self conscious about his weight and is constantly mocked and ridiculed because of it. He has a very distant relationship with is father, almost as if his father doesn't seem to care for him at all. This is due to the fact that Bastian's mother had past away some years earlier. 

Atreyu

Even though Bastain was the technical main character of the novel and film, Atreyu was everyone's favorite character. Sadly though, Noah Hathaway's portrayal was not nearly what Michael Ende had envisioned. Atreyu's personality was spot on in the film adaptation. However his look was completely off. Atreyu is shown as a human boy, when in reality he is far from that.

Atreyu originally had green skin with blue and black hair. His horse Atrax also had the ability to speak. If the ability were to have been kept, Artax's death in the Swamp of Sadness that much more hard to watch.

Falkor

Falkor is portrayed similarly to a dog in the film, where as in the novel he had the head and mane of a lion. Other than that detail, everything is perfect. 

Child-Like Empress

The Child-Like Empress is also not portrayed as a human in the original story. As well she is not of Fantasia. She is from beyond Fantasia's borders. The Empress has been there since the world's creation and will be there until it's end. There is another of her race that live's in Fantasia. The Old-man of Wandering Mountain. He is in every way her opposite, and like her he has been with Fantasia since its beginning and will be until its end. 

Other Differences

-Fantasia is not the name of the fantastic world in The NeverEnding Story. It's actually called Fantastica

-The Rockbiter was originally called a Rockchewer. Most of his lines came from another character in the book, a Willow the Wisp.

-Night Hob was originally portrayed as a hairy black caterpillar-like creature with arms and legs.

-The Southern Oracle was called Uyalala. There were three gates one had to pass before one could speak with Uyalala. The Sphinx gate, the Mirror Gate, and the No Key gate. Uyalala is a being that is not seen but heard. She lives within her songs and rhymes. Once her song ends she ceases to exist. Atreyu was the last to hear her song.

-G'Mork, like the Empress, is not of Fantasia. He is from another world. G'Mork specifically says that he is not from the Human realm. He states that he is from another world altogether. He has visited the Human world, and when he does his form is that of a human. When in Fantasia, his form is a werewolf.

-'Moon Child' is the name Bastian gives the Empress. (It was hard to hear what Bastian had said in the film)

-Once Bastian gives the Empress her name he he meets her face to face as is the film. What the film doesn't tell you however is that Bastian was given the Auryn. On the back was an inscription "Do What You Wish"; Bastian was given unlimited wishes. He ends up wishing himself a new body, making him look like a handsome prince. Not only that, with his wishes, Bastian literally recreates Fantasia with his own imagination. There is a catch when using the power of the Auryn. For every wish Bastian makes he loses a memory. His last memory is that of his mother and father. 

-Mr. Coreander (shopkeeper) has actually been to Fantasia.

-The NeverEnding Story book disappears and reappears to those who need it most. Which is where the title 'NeverEnding Story' comes in.

There are rumors that there is a reboot coming. I know fans of novels and series are very particular about details that are left out or added into the films. My question is this, would you rather them remake the film more accurate according to the book, or would you rather the new film be closer to the original? As well, would you be open to continuations not surrounding Bastian or any of the original characters aside from the Empress? Like the original novel said "The book has likely moved into the hands of someone else. This in the book concludes, 'is another story and shall be told another time'". 

Please tell us your thoughts on The NeverEnding Story.