Things that connect

He whispers:"Why is it so dark?" She replies "In the beginning it is always dark." He looks at a tiny light that glows in the palm of her hand. He asks again:"What is that?" She whispers:"One grain of sand, that is all that remains of my vast empire." She looks up at him and sees him frown. "Everything has totally disappeared?" He asks her defeated. She sighs:"Yes". He continues:"Then everything has been in vain." Her face lights up as she says:"No, it hasn't. Fantasia can arise in you. In your dreams and wishes Bastian." He looks up at her in amazement and wonders "How?" She continues:"Open your hand" and she glides the glowing grain of sand into his palm. He looks bewildered into her eyes and she gently smiles while she says:"What are you going to wish for?" He stutters "I don't know." Her face turns sad and she says:"Than there will be no Fantasia, anymore." He frowns and wonders aloud:"How many wishes do I get?" With great pleasure she replies:"As many as you want, and the more wishes you make the more magnificent Fantasia will become." His eyes open wide:"REALLY?" She smiles and says:"Try it..." He takes a pause, looks at the glowing light and says:"Then my first wish is............"


Directed and co-written by Wolfgan Petersen the movie 'The Never Ending Story' was released in the Netherlands on 6 December 1984. Although I was 8 years old at the time I don't remember seeing the movie at the cinemas so I must have watched it a year later on television. And it still left a huge impression. I have returned to the film several times after that. Each time appreciating different aspects of it, like the fact that it's live action with (at the time) visually stunning imagery. The paste of the film is easy and characters get enough chance to develop a relation with the viewer. The story comes down to a boy who needs a friend but finds a world that needs a hero in a land beyond imagination. Viewing the movie in this age would be a very different experience. Early 80's fantasy films were dealing with myths and mystery much more than the current generation is served with. Films like 'The Dark Crystal' and "The Secret Of NIMH' and even "Xanadu" or "Brazil" all invite the viewer to explore vast amounts of landscapes within themselves. Never are they visually overruling the storyline. And whenever you return to these classics you will be given something new. So it was on my couch sunday night where I felt parts of my life that came crumbling down. Like a big earthquake that hit me straight in my stomach. All this change, these emotions, this pressure became a terrible Danse Du Macabre. And suddenly there was this single grain of light. At first I found it quite original, I thought I had invented it myself. But only today I realized that the image came from 26 years ago. So here it is. A very comforting, soothing scene from a lovely childhood memory.