1990

Film Original Songs and Soundtrack Album

Arranged, Programmed & Performed by Anthony Marinelli

Composer  Giorgio Moroder

DIRECTOR  George Miller

PRODUCER  Dieter Geissler

ACTORS  Jonathan Brandis, Kenny Morrison, Clarissa Burt,  John Wesley Shipp, Martin Umbach

About the Score

Instrumentation  Synclavier, Drum Machine, DX-7, Roland Modules & Keyboard Synthesizers

Style Fantasy/Pop

Songs  Music/Lyrics by Giorgio Moroder

“Never Ending Story” - sung by Joe Milner

“Dreams We Dream” - sung by Joe Milner

“Heaven’s Just a Heartbeat” - sung by Joe Milner

Film Synopsis

Bastian Bux is having troubles at home; his father cannot relate to him and Bastian's fear of high places is hurting him on the swim team. Bastian flees from his problems to an old bookstore, when after picking up the NeverEnding Story book, he hears the Childlike Empress tell him that he is needed to save Fantasia.

Upon landing in Fantasia, he reunites with Atreyu and meets a new character, an anthropomorphic talking bird named Nimbly. Characters from the previous film, such as Falkor and Rock Eater, have minor roles in this film. Bastian now faces "the Emptiness", and he is soon manipulated by the evil sorceress Xayide and her magical army of mechanical giants. The sorceress has a sinister plan for Fantasia and the Childlike Empress, but much of the film involves her persuading Bastian to forget about his mission and instead make a series of silly wishes. Each wish that Bastian makes causes him to lose a memory, and when he loses all memories he will not remember Fantasia and the Emptiness will take over.

Meanwhile, Bastian's father is out looking for his son, finding little help from the police or the bookstore owner. He finds the NeverEnding Story book and is surprised to see his son's exploits unfolded on the page. Finally, Atreyu is able to persuade Bastian that the sorceress is evil, and to face a final battle where Bastian has only one wish (and only one memory - his father) left. He saves Fantasia and defeats Xayide by wishing for her to have a heart, and with the verbal encouragement of his father, is able to face his fear of heights by jumping off a high cliff, thus returning home safely.

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