History Film / TheNeverEndingStory1984

* VillainBall: Gmork's stated motive for helping the Nothing is that he wants the power to control the human world, despite the fact that he would die along with the rest of Fantasia when it's destroyed, so he wouldn't be able to do this.

Music/KlausDoldinger originally composed the soundtrack for the German release version, but most of the [[ForeignReScore US release's soundtrack]] was eventually composed by Music/GiorgioMoroder. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHytjEj7B9g Including the eponymous theme song]].

Music/KlausDoldinger originally composed the soundtrack for the German release version, but most of the [[ForeignReScore US release's soundtrack]] was eventually composed by Music/GiorgioMoroder. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHytjEj7B9g (Complete with the song)]].

Music/KlausDoldinger originally composed the soundtrack for the German release version, but most of the [[ForeignReScore US release's soundtrack]] was eventually composed by Music/GiorgioMoroder.

** Other minor examples with Falcor, who in the book's English translation was spelled "Falkor", and with the Rockbiters, who were "Rock Chewers".

** Another minor example with Falcor, who in the book's English translation was spelled "Falkor".

** Another minor example with Falcor, who in the book was spelled Falkor.

* OnlyTheWorthyMayPass: DoubleSubversion--Atreyu is not worthy to make it past the Sphinxes (or at least, doesn't feel that he is, which is what triggers them), but he makes it through anyway.

* OnlyTheWorthyMayPass: DoubleSubversion--Atreyu is not worthy to make it past the sphinxes, but he makes it through anyway.

* AdaptationExplanationExtrication: Inverted. In the book, Engywook tells Atreyu that despite all his research, he has been unable to find any discernible pattern in which people the Sphinxes keep their eyes shut for and let pass them safely and which they open their eyes for and destroy. In the film, he explains that they open their eyes when someone who doesn't believe in their own worthiness passes by.

* AdaptationExplanationExtrication: Inverted. In the book, Engywook tells Atreyu that despite all his research, he has been unable to find any discernible pattern in which people the Sphinxes let pass them safely (keeping their eyes shut) and which they open their eyes for and destroy. In the film, he explains that they open their eyes when someone who doesn't belief in their own worthiness passes by.

* AdaptationNameChange: A very minor example with Fantasia itself. While the English translation of the book uses the name "Fantastica", the film uses "Fantasia". Arguably, this is actually a better translation, as it's closer to the original German name, Phantasien (which follows German geographical naming customs, i.e. ''Australien'' for Australia).

* AdaptationSpeciesChange: In the book, Cairon, the doctor who hands Atreyu the AURYN on the Childlike Empress's behalf after being the last to examine her, was a zebra-centaur. Here, he is a humanoid [[OurMermaidsAreDifferent merman]] who can walk on dry land.

* TheDreaded: Atreyu is this for Gmork. The look on the wolf's face when he realizes who he's talking to is something to behold.

** The death of Gmork in the film by Atreyu's hands. In the novel, Gmork was chained up in Spook City some time ago by Gaya the Dark Princess and is already dying; he takes on the role of MrExposition before finally starving to death. The film abandons this in favor of a final showdown between the hero and the only tangible villain, likely to make Atreyu look more heroic.

** Atreyu reaches the Southern Oracle with help from a monster, Ygramul the Many, whose poisonous bite gives the victim the power of instant teleportation before they die. Falkor was a victim who also used this power after overhearing Ygramul tell Atreyu about it. It was cut from the final script due to VFX limitations of the time. This also would have explained the medicine being given by the Gnomes to Atreyu and Falcor, which was to counter Ygramul's poison.

Bastian (Barret Oliver), an ostracized young boy who loves to read, steals a magical book which is claimed to go on forever. Within the book is the story of an otherworldly MagicalNativeAmerican boy named Atreyu, who is on a quest to save the MagicalLand of Fantasia from vanishing, as a terrible force called The Nothing consumes the land while its ruler the Childlike Empress lays deathly ill. As Bastian reads more and more of the story, he discovers that the book seems to be aware of him. Eventually, he learns that the magical land within the book is another dimension encompassing all of human imagination; only a human with creative ideas can save it. Needless to say, this film does not so much break the FourthWall as it never really has one to begin with--which is a large part of the point.

Bastian (Barret Oliver), an ostracized young boy who loves to read, steals a magical book which is claimed to go on forever. Within the book is the story of an otherworldly MagicalNativeAmerican boy named Atreyu, who is on a quest to save a MagicalLand from vanishing. As Bastian reads more and more of the story, he discovers that the book seems to be aware of him. Eventually, he learns that the magical land within the book is another dimension encompassing all of human imagination; only a human with creative ideas can save it. Needless to say, this film does not so much break the FourthWall as it never really has one to begin with--which is a large part of the point.

* PsychoStrings: They're used whenever Gmork appears.

* HeroOfAnotherStory: Before Atreyu tries to get past the Sphinx Gate, we see a literal KnightInShiningArmor try to walkthrough on his horse, only to be judged as unworthy and killed by the Gate's EyeBeams. Who he was and why he was trying to get through is never explained, and the whole scene is basically just to show the viewer how dangerous the Sphinx Gate is.

* JustAKid: The Prime Minister didn't want Atreyu the child, he wanted Atreyu the warrior. Atreyu just shrugs and says he is the only one of his tribe with that name and they can take it or leave it. They take it.

* KidHero: Bastian/Atreyu.
* KnightOfCerebus: Gmork. While the situation was already grim with the Nothing gradually destroying the world of Fantasia, his introduction causes the film's tone to go from hopeful to dark and intense. The scene where he confronts Atreyu is a nightmarish deconstruction of the nature of stories and imagination, revealing him to be an opportunistic nihilist working with the Nothing to destroy Fantasia in order to rule over the unimaginative masses left in the wake of the oblivion, proving to be an even more vile entity than the calamity destroying Fantasia.

* MissingMom: Bastian's mother died at some point before the film's opening. Based on the conversation Bastian has with his dad, it's likely she's only been dead for a few weeks to a month before.

* CurbStompBattle: Atreyu kills Gmork in [[OneHitKill one hit]] with his stone knife.

* GutturalGrowler: Gmork is a wolf, so...yeah.

* AlternativeForeignThemeSong: [[http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x22ocz9 "Natsu No Jewelry"]] was the theme song of the Japanese version.

* FiveSecondForeshadowing: When Atreyu enters the crumbled temple towards the end and sees the frescoes of his journey, the last one is of Gmork lurking in a crevice. Cut to Gmork doing exactly that across the room.