An original storybook prop from Wolfgang Petersen's beloved 1984 fantasy classic The NeverEnding Story, based on the novel by Michael Ende and starring Barret Oliver and Noah Hathaway.
In the film, young Bastian (Oliver) ducks into a bookstore on his way to school to escape a pack of bullies and sneaks away with a mysterious book called "The Neverending Story," which he begins reading in the school attic. The novel tells of Fantasia, a magical land being consumed by The Nothing, a darkness that destroys everything it touches, and of a kingdom that can only be saved by a human child. When Bastian discovers a description of himself within its pages, he begins to realize that Fantasia may be real, and that its survival depends on him. The book itself is the heart of the entire film, the object through which the story's worlds collide.
This storybook was used during the filming at Bavaria Film Studios in Munich and originally comes directly from the film's producer. It was personally delivered to HHO by Noah Hathaway, the star of the film who portrayed the young warrior Atreyu. Provenance connecting the piece directly to the people who brought Fantasia to life. A screen used example of the most iconic object in the movie stands as a true centerpiece of fantasy film history.
