THE NEVERENDING
STORY
Based on the book by
Michael Ende
Screenplay by Wolfgang
Peterson
1984
FADE
IN:
Limahl’s “The Neverending Story” plays as
the
CREDITS PLAY OVER a dazzling display of some
great clouded storm. THE NOTHING. Great masses
of
clouds swirl and churn and collide on the
screen.
As the FINAL CREDITS play we…
CUT TO: Bastian’s
bedroom
Our story begins
as our young friend awakes from a dream. Bastian quickly sits up as if
awakening from a nightmare. He looks at a picture of his mom with a sigh
and then he picks up the book beside him and marks his spot.
CUT TO:
Kitchen.
Bastians father
is working on some sort of concoction in the kitchen blender, while
Bastian sits at the dining table straining to open jelly for his toast.
They exchange a good morning between each other, but they are relatively
quiet.
Father:
Morning Bastian
Bastian:
Morning Dad
Bastian
continues to struggle with the jar until his hand hurts. His father turns
to him and gives him a hand. He seems to easily open the jar. As Bastians
father returns to his task of the morning drink concoction Bastian breaks
the silence.
Bastian:
I had another dream Dad, about
Mom.
His father pauses at the blender, but doesn't
look
at
him and then he continues creating his
drink.
Father:
I understand
son, but we have to get on with things, right? (Bastian looks dejected at
this answer.) Bastian we each have responsibilities. We can't let Mom's
death be an excuse
for not getting the old job done, right ?
Bastian
half-heartedly smears butter on his toast. His father approaches the table
and sits down. Time for a father to son talk.
Father:
Son, I think it's time
you and I had a little talk.
I got a call from your
math teacher yesterday.
She says you were
drawing horses in your math book.
Bastian:
Unicorns. They were unicorns.(mimics a
unicorn)
Father:
What ?
Bastian:
Nothing….
Father:
She also says that you haven't been turning your homework
in on
time. And I'm very disappointed you didn't even try out for
the
swim-team.
(
Pause )
As for
those riding lessons you've been wanting
you say you love horses yet you seem to be afraid to get on a real
one. Now, Bastian, you're old enough to get your head out of the
clouds and start keeping both feet on the ground. Alright ?
(he takes a sip of drink.)
Bastian:
Ok.
Father:
Stop daydreaming and
start facing your problems.
Ok ? (ruffles Bastians hair)
Bastian:
Ok (he says with a half hearted
smile)
Father:
Ok. Right I think we've had a nice little talk we should have more.
(he gulps down his drink and gets up to leave.) Have a nice day and don't
be late to school again.
Bastian:
(Bastian turns to him) But yesterday I
wasn't…
END
SCENE
FADE IN: City
street
Out on the street 3
bullies are laughing. As Bastian walks out, they stop.
Bully 1:
Hey look it's the weirdo.
Bully 2:
Hey weirdo, got any cash for us today
?
Bastian turns and runs.
Bully 1:
Hey follow! That's it
weirdo. You can't get away
you jerk ! You're dead chicken!
They yell
chasing after him. They chase him down an alley where they corner him and
catch him.
Bully 3:
Where's you're money man
?
Bastian:
I don't have any!
Bully 1:
No money? Momma's little boy is holding out
on
us. You ain't got any money on ya, you go
in the garbage can
All three bullies shove Bastian into a nearby
dumpster.
Bully 3:
Maybe chicken can lay an egg in there. (They laugh as they
return to the street.)
Bastian comes
out of the dumpster and enters the street brushing garbage off himself.
The bullies see him and stand up straight.
Bully 1:
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Hey man, who said you could get out of the garbage ?
Get back in there.
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(They smile at each
other and start towards him.)
Bastian:
Oh no
not again. No not again! (He starts running)
Bully
2:
Where do you think you're going wimp? (They chase after him,
He ducks into a bookstore and the boys run by. )
NEXT SCENE:
Coreander’s Book store
Bastian watches from inside the store as the
three bullies go running by. He sighs felling
relief,
but is suddenly startled by a ruff bulldog
voice
from somewhere in the
store.
Coreander:
Get outta here. I don't like
kids.
Bastian walks toward the area he heard to
voice from, and finds an old man siting in
a chair reading. He turns and looks at
him.
Coreander:
You still here boy? Didn't you hear what I
said?
Bastian:
Um, I was.. (he stutters motioning to the
door.)
Coreander:
You're hiding aren't you?
Bastian:
No I was just... (he stutters
more)
Coreander:
The video arcade is down the street . Here we just sell small
rectangular objects that are called books. Require a little effort on your
part and make no b..b..b..beeps. On your way please
Bastian:
I KNOW books. I have 186 of them at
home!
Coreander:
Bah. Comic books.
Bastian:
No.
I've read Treasure Island, Last of the Mohicans, Wizard of Oz, Lord of the
Rings, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Tarzan…
Coreander:
Whoa whoa whoa. Who are you running away from? (he says with
new interest.)
Bastian:
Just some kids from
school.
Coreander:
Why ?
Bastian:
They wanna throw me in the
garbage.
Coreander:
Why don't you give them a good punch in the nose, eh?
Bastian:
Oh, I dunno.(he looks down at his
shoes)
The man turns away from
him again. Bastian looks at the book he has. His interest has been
aroused.
Bastian:
What's that book about?
Coreander:
Oh, this is something
special.
Bastian:
(Bastian moves in closer.) Well, what is it
?
Coreander:
Look. You're books are safe. While you're reading them you
get to become Tarzan or Robinson Crusoe.
Bastian:
But that's what I like about
them.
Coreander:
Yes, but afterwards you get to be a little boy again.
Bastian:
What do you mean?
Coreander:
Listen (he motions for him to come
nearer.)
Coreander:
Have
you ever been Captain Nemo, trapped inside your submarine while the giant
squid was attacking you ?
Bastian:
Yes.
Coreander:
Weren't you afraid you couldn't escape
?
Bastian:
But it's only a story.
Coreander:
That's what I'm talking about. The ones you
read are safe.
Bastian:
And that one isn't ?
Coreander:
Don't worry about it.
Bastian:
But,
but you just said it was.... (the phone rings and Coreander puts the book
under a newspaper to try and hide it.)
Coreander:
Forget
about it. This book is not for you. (he gets up and gets the phone.)
Bastian watches him. As he talks on
the phone Bastian uncovers the book. The title on the book reads, The
Neverending Story. above these words is a symbol on the cover. The symbol
is two snakes intertwined with each other and biting each other's tail. As
the old man hangs up the phone, Bastian grabs the book and runs out. The
old man smiles to himself and looks down at his desk proud to have finally
gotten rid of the annoying child.
ANGLE: Coreanders
desk
On his desk in
place of the book is a note pad barely legible writing on it, it reads:
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" Don't worry, I'll return your book."
END SCENE
NEXT SCENE: Bastians
school.
With the book
under his shirt Bastian runs through the hall of his school. He stops
outside his classroom, then cautiously looks through the small slit of a
window in the classroom door. What he sees is his class already started on
a very important math test.
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Bastian:
The Math test, oh no.
CUT TO: school
attic
Bastian runs up
the stairs leading to the
school's attic, finds the key and goes inside. There are all sorts
of old scholastic objects in the attic. He finds a stack of old gym mats
and pulls one out. He sits down and pulls out the book, then he begins
reading.
ANGLE- Bastian- CLOSE
UP:
Bastian:
It was midnight in the Howling forest. The wind whistled
through the tops of the ancient trees. Suddenly, something enormous
crashed and rumbled through the eerie woods.
FADE OUT TO:
Fantasia
WIDE SHOT: View of
small camp.
We see a snail look up and there's
a small man beside him. There is a Nighthob and his sleeping bat nearby.
Suddenly the calm of the camp is interrupted by a great rumbling similar
to an earthquake.
Nighthob:
What's that ? (the ground
shakes.)
ANGLE:
Rockbiter
A huge tricycle
comes to a stop in front of them. It is made entirely from stone, as is
the giant riding it. The Rockbiter speaks to them in a deep, friendly
voice.
Rockbiter:
Excuse me, would it be alright if I
joined you this evening?
Tiny:
Uh huh.
.
Rockbiter:
You see I've been traveling all
day.
(he climbs off
his tricycle.He rolls it backward and then sits down. The ground beneath
him shakes. He sniffs the air and then says, as if he has discovered a
secret of theirs)
Ah hah ! Now I see why you picked
this camp. "
He picks up a large rock and sniffs
it.
Rockbiter:
A delicious looking limestone rock.
Nice bouquet, must be a real vintage here.
Nighthob:
Yes,
you're right. Those delicious rocks are the reason we camped here alright.
Then he runs over to the little man.
Nighthob:
Psst. is he a nutcase?
Tiny:
No, he's a Rockbiter.
Nighthob:
Oh a Rockbiter.
A Rockbiter!?
The Rockbiter starts
eating the limestone he is holding. Pieces fall all over the place. One
piece falls on the snail.
Rockbiter:
Ooops, sorry.
Then he burps.
Oh, pardon me !
Nighthob:
Pardoned.
Rockbiter:
Mmm. That was
limestone, with a dash of quartz. Very tasty. Where I come from in the
north we used to have exquisite gourmet rocks, only now...now they're all
gone.
Nighthob:
Huh, I
know how it happened.
The Rockbiter makes a boyscouts honor sign.
Rockbiter:
I swear it wasn't me.
Nighthob:
Hah ! Heck no.
Tiny:
I think I know what it was, tell us
more.
Rockbiter:
Near my home there
used to be a beautiful lake, but then it was gone.
Tiny:
Did the lake dry up?
Rockbiter:
No, it just wasn't
there anymore. Nothing was there anymore. Not even a dried up lake.
Tiny:
A
hole ?
Rockbiter:
No, a hole would be something. Nah,
it was nothing. And it got bigger and bigger. First there was no lake
anymore and then finally, no rocks.
Nighthob:
Hah! If he keeps stuffing his face
like that, soon there won't be any rocks left here either!
(Nighthob complains to the little
man. As he starts to walk away, the little man grabs him.)
Tiny:
Nighthob, this
could be serious!
Rockbiter, what
you have told us is also occurring where I live in the west ! A strange
sort of Nothing is destroying everything.
Nighthob:
Yes, we Nighthobs
live in the south. And it's there too.
.
Rockbiter:
So, so it's not just
in our part of Fantasia?
Nighthob:
Maybe, it's already everywhere...
(Nighthob hisses
looking around suspiciously smelling the air.)
Maybe our whole land
is in danger. What can we do?
Rockbiter:
My people are sending me to the
Ivory Tower, to the Empress for help
Nighthob and Tiny:
We are..
Tiny:
We are on the same mission. After
all, if the Empress can't save us, who could?
Nighthob:
Then why are we all just standing
around here instead of taking off for the Ivory Tower?
Tiny:
Right, what are we waiting for
?
The little man climbs on
his snail while the Nighthob tries to wake up his bat.
Nighthob:
Hey wake up! We
can't just hang around here. Prepare for take off! Stupid bat!
Rockbiter:
We, we can't wait for a snail. Can
I carry you?
Tiny:
Don't worry, it's a racing
snail.
Rockbiter:
Oh, but we can't even wait for a racing
snail.
The little man
goes peddling off on the snail. Nighthob finally wakes up his bat and
climbs on as
Rockbiter:
It really is a racing snail.
Nighthob:
And nobody gives a
hoot about me and my stupid bat.
CLOSE UP:
Rockbiter
Rockbiter:
Maybe I'll take
a few of these yummy gourmet rocks, eh.. for the road.
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As he bends down to pick
some up, he stands straight up again and realizes he hears the nothing
coming.
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Rockbiter:
Oh no. The nothing!
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CUT TO: A golden sunset
View of the sky and Nighthob on his
bat.
Nighthob:
Look there it is. The heart of
Fantasia.
View of Rockbiter and
little man. They stop as they see the Ivory Tower.
Rockbiter:
I never knew it
was that beautiful. Oh.
EXT. VIEW-Ivory Tower
Wide angled view
of the nearing Ivory Tower. It shimmers in its only light as the sun sets
behind it.
class=MsoBodyText2>
Nighthob:
Stay awake. I told you to stay
awake.
We span the
whole length of this Ivory Tower. It is said to be as big as a city. We
pass over the base of the tower, then it’s mid section, and finally we
near the very top of the structure. It is very intricate here. We begin to
zoom in on the Magnolia pavilion. The very tip of the Ivory Tower, the
place that the Empress lives.
Nighthob:
The home of the
Empress. She's our only hope.
FADE
OUT:
INT. VIEW- Ivory
Tower- The Empresses court
The door to the Empress's room opens into the
courtyard. Lots of creatures from Fantasia await help from the Empress.
The Empress's head servant comes out of her room and speaks to them all.
Carion:
Friends, I know why you are all
here. The nothing is destroying our world. I also know that you have come
to beseech the Empress for help. But I, I have terrible news. The Empress
herself has become deathly ill. There seems to be a mysterious link
between her illness and the nothing. She is dying. So she cannot save
us...
There is much commotion among the creatures
gathered there, but he continues.
But there just might be one chance. The plains people
who
hunt the purple buffalo have among
them a great warrior and
he alone has a chance to fight the nothing and
save us. He is
our only hope. His name is
Atreyu.
CUT TO: School attic-
Bastian
View of Bastian. He looks up from the
book and grabs his school bag. He looks
at the Indians on the front.
Bastian:
Atreyu..
Bastian:
The Empress had already sent for the great
warrior. When he finally
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appeared on the terrace of the Ivory Tower, he carried with him the
hopes of all
Fantasia."
View of a young Indian boy
walking up the stairs to the old man.
Bastian:
A
little boy
Close up of Atreyu as the old man speaks to
him.
Carion:
I'm sorry, but this is not the time nor place
for children.
I must ask you to leave.
Atreyu:
If
you don't want me here,
you shouldn't have sent for
me.
Carion:
It
was not you we sent for. We wanted Atreyu.
Atreyu:
I
am Atreyu.
Carion
Not Atreyu the child, Atreyu the
warrior.
Atreyu:
I
am the only Atreyu with the plains people, but I'll be happy to
go
back to hunting the purple buffalo.
Carion:
No
wait !
Atreyu pauses as the old man
continues..
Come back
please.
Atreyu walks back up the stairs. The old man
looks at him more urgently now.
Carion:
If
you truly are the Atreyu we sent for, you
would be willing to go on a quest?
Atreyu:
Yes of course, what kind of a
quest?
Carion:
To
find a cure for the Empress .....and to save our
world.
No one can give you any advice except this, you
must go
alone and you must leave all your weapons
behind.
It will be very
dangerous.
Atreyu:
Is
there any chance of success?
Carion:
I
do not know, but if you fail the Empress will surely
die
and our whole world will be
destroyed.
Atreyu's eyes grow large and he closes them
and hangs his head down. Then he opens
them back up and looks at the old man
determinedly. He takes off his bow and
quiver of arrows.
Atreyu:
When do I begin ?
Carion:
Now and you must hurry
Atreyu,
the nothing grows stronger
everyday.
He motions him to come nearer.
Carion:
Take this. (He holds up a necklace
that has the same
symbol as the front of the book. He fastens it
on Atreyu.)
" The Auryn" Could be heard whispered
throughout the court filled with
creatures.
Carion:
He
who wears the Auryn speaks for the Empress.
It will guide and protect
you.
END SCENE: view of
Atreyu and his horse galloping away from the ivory tower. –Fade
out
FADE IN: Dark
cave
View of a dark cave and we hear
Bastian:
At
the same time, elsewhere in Fantasia, a creature
of darkness also began his
quest.
We see two evil eyes open abruptly followed by
a horrid howl in the cave and then a wolf as black as night runs
out.
CUT TO: Atreyu &
Artax
View of Atreyu and Artax near a
stream.
Atreyu is sleeping and we hear
Bastian:
They had been traveling aimlessly for almost a
week,
but they could not find a cure for the Empress.
Neither
Atreyu or his horse, Artax, had the vaguest
suspicion
that the creature of darkness, the G'mork, was
already
tracking them down.
Artax crosses the small stream and wakes up
Atreyu by nuzzling him.
Atreyu:
Wha ? What is it Artax. Is it time
to go already
Oh, I know what you want. It's time
to eat,
huh? Good idea.
Bastian:
No, it's a great idea!
Bastian looks up from the book with a smile
and grabbs his lunch from his back pack
and begins to devour it.
VIEW of Bastian
holding half the sandwich. He looks at it.
Bastian:
No, not too much. We still have a long way to
go.
VIEW of Atreyu and
Artax traveling again.
G'mork arrives were they had been and catches
their scent, and takes off following their
trail.
CUT TO: Swamps of
Sadness
Bastian:
Atreyu and Artax had searched the Silver
Mountains,
the Desert of Shattered Hopes, and the Crystal
Towers
without success. And so, there was only one
chance left.
To find Morla, the ancient one, the wisest
being in
Fantasia who’s home was the Shell
Mountain
somewhere in the deadly Swamps of
Sadness.
Atreyu jumps off Artax and pulls him along
through the swamp.
Bastian:
Everyone knew that whoever let the
sadness
overtake him would sink into the
swamp.
Atreyu pulls his horse along saying reassuring
things the whole time.
Atreyu:
That's it. You’re doing fine
Artax.
Suddenly Artax stops and Atreyu pulls on the
reigns. Artax doesn't budge
Atreyu:
Come on Artax, what's the matter? What's wrong?
Come on boy!
I understand, it's too difficult for you. (He
tries pulling him in a
different direction and steps into a puddle up
to his waist.
Suddenly he notices that Artax is
sinking)
Atreyu:
Artax you're sinking! Come on turn around, you
have to!
Now ! Come on! Artax !
He goes closer to him and hugs him.
Atreyu:
Fight against the sadness Artax.
Artax, please.
You're letting the sadness of the swamps get to
you.
You have to try, you have to care. For me, I'm
your
friend, I love you.
(Artax doesn't move and
Atreyu
slaps the puddle sending water flying toward
the
