THE NEVER ENDING STORY 2: THE NEXT CHAPTER

Germany, 1990, 89 minutes, Colour.
Jonathan Brandis.
Directed by George Miller.

A sequel, but perhaps something of a re-make of Wolfgang Petersen's original popular film. It is, according to the credits, based on the novel The Never-ending Story by Michael Ende.

The film is colourful, produced in Germany, as was the original, but with a change of director. This time it is Australian director George Miller (Man From Snowy River, Bushfire Moon).

The world of Fantasia is re-created, with echoes of characters from the original film. However, there is also a focus on Xayide, the sorceress, and her silver city with its carnival clothed inhabitants.

There is also a change of cast with Jonathon Branders (Stephen King's IT) acting as the young Bastian.

The film continues the themes of the importance of imagination, the lessening of imagination turning the universe into the capital Nothing. There is also a critique of parental expectations for sporting prowess and macho attitudes rather than the life of the imagination.

1. The impact of the original film? This film as sequel, re-make? A contemporary fairy tale? The life of the imagination?

2. The real realistic sequences: Bastian's home, the pool and the diving, the bookstore, the city?

3. The contrast with Fantasia, its landscapes and beauty, the Silver City, the world of the sorceress, the creatures? The musical score and the range of music?

4. The title and its meaning?

5. Bastian and his relationship with his father, his trying to dive, his fears? His father's expectations? His absent mother and the memories of her death? The bookstore, browsing, the bookstore manager? Taking The Never-ending Story home, the capital Orin, the coiled serpent? Moving into the world of the book, the imagination? The Silver City, his gondola? His delight? His wishes and using the Orin, the loss of his memories? Xayide and her relentless attitudes? Nimbly and his tricks? The vision of the child empress? The need for stories, to rescue her? The people of Silver City resisting him? The re-appearance of Falkor and his taking him through the skies? The past friendship with Atreyu? Going to the castle, Xayide deceiving him, Bastian continually losing his memories, especially of his mother? Atreyu's warning, the struggle, Atreyu falling over the cliff? Bastian seeing the machine, the draining of the truth, his escape, help, wishing to save Atreyu, wishing Xayide to have a heart - thus destroying her threats? His diving into the waterfall and being re-united with his father?

6. Bastian's father, hard attitudes and expectations? The memories of his mother dying? The father and his search for Bastian, going to the bookstore, reading the book, entering into the book, the bond with Bastian, urging him on, sharing, supporting him?

7. Nimbly as the minion of the sorceress, his calculations to get Bastian to make wishes? His eventual change of heart and helping Bastian? Falkor and his help? The characters of Fantasia - the Rock Eaters . . . ?

8. Xayide, the beautiful sorceress, her evil and control, the people of Silver City, Nimbly doing her will? The special effects for her City and her assistants, her oracles? The castle? Trying to get Bastian's wishes, to destroy the Child Empress? The final confrontation, Bastian wishing she had a heart and her change of heart? The picture of the people of Silver City, carnival regalia - yet unwilling to help? Destroyed by lack of imagination?

9. Atreyu, the boy warrior, meeting Bastian, helping, the journey, the struggle and his fall? His being wished alive?

10. The Child Empress as the symbol of imagination? The goal of the quest?

11. The importance of imagination and its destruction - and its consequences? A child and his imagination to the rescue of imagination and the world?