There is a rumor going around that Peter Jackson wants to remake the Neverending Story, and some of us couldn’t be happier, while some of us are a bit leery of the fact that it could possibly happen and very well COULD destroy a childhood fantasy that was something we clung to when we were younger. Go on and admit it that a lot of us were fantasy nuts when we were children since the magic and majesty of such films as these was something that we could easily latch onto and saw as something that was inherently great. There’s no shame in stating that it could use a remake but it would need to target more than the kids of today. There are many ways that Jackson, who is a proven director, could bring this epic back to life and create something that might appeal to everyone. Whether a script has started or not it’s kind of irrelevant since the whole Jackson rumor was a bit of humor to get people riled up. Some people might have thought it was funny, others not so much, but if there was a guy that could get it done then Jackson would be high on the list.
Now getting down to it, there really hasn’t been a lot of talk on the Neverending Story since the trick of it is how to write a story that supposedly never ends. Well that’s simple, you tell a chapter of it, right? That’s basically what the entire movie was, one big chapter out of a story that has no end in sight, much as the human imagination has no end, get it? Now with that in mind, if the remake were to go off there would have to be some changes to the cast unless it turned into a sequel or a prequel, which let’s hope isn’t the case. Bringing this classic back would be awesome to be realistic, but it would also be something that needs to cater to the people that watched it as kids and the children of today, and there is such a thing as a happy medium.
Falkor could use a little work.
Kids of today aren’t quite as impressed by anything that’s not animated or CGI and in some cases they’re not even impressed by CGI. Given that shows like Game of Thrones and others have brought dragons to life in a very realistic way, it stands to reason that Falkor could be given an upgrade into something that truly resembles a dragon instead of a hairy, long-necked dog with a bad case of psoriasis. Hey, I loved the movie and the Luck Dragon too, but the scales and the fur looked a bit strange, it made him look like the inside of a Tauntaun from The Empire Strikes Back. There’d be no shame in keeping the canine appearance to his face, but it would almost need a leaner, more direct edge to it hat wouldn’t come off as quite so cuddly no matter that this is a kids story. Dragons these days are thought to be huge, reptilian death machines that can still be forces for good but no less fearsome than their evil counterparts. If you’ve ever played D&D then you know how true this statement is.
The scene between Atreyu and Artax STILL has to happen.
This was such a challenging scene for those of us that were kids when we watched it, wasn’t it? To watch Artax sink into the Swamp of Sadness was a moment that made many kids cry without shame since it was so depressing and so horrifying that Atreyu would lose his only loyal friend. As sad as this was it was still a buildup to his character, and a defining moment for Atreyu since he kept going afterwards no matter that he had a broken heart. It’s a painful lesson and a painful reminder that loss is a part of life, but it was as important then as it is now. Let the touchy-feely folks condemn it, this was one of the most important parts of our lives brought to us by cinema.
The rest of the characters need to be brought back somehow.
Morla, the Gmork, Engywook, the Southern Oracle, and of course the Empress. All of them need to be brought back. There can be changes and there should be no doubt to update the film, but in terms of the story, taking any of those that were in it out would be an insult and likely be seen as a kind of betrayal by anyone that’s ever watched the movie and decides to alter it in any huge way. But the tale was so great that not bringing it back for others to enjoy generations from now seems like a horrible waste. Should it come back? That’s a big, resounding YES.
Follow Us
