The NeverEnding Story is a 1984 fantasy film, co-written and directed by Wolfgang Petersen, based on the first half of the 1979 novel The Neverending Story by Michael Ende. The story is about how a boy finds a magical book that tells of a young warrior who is given the task of stopping the Nothing, a dark force, from engulfing the wonderland world of Fantasia. It is the first in The NeverEnding Story film series, which includes The NeverEnding Story II: The Next Chapter (1990), and The NeverEnding Story III (1994).
The first film in the series has more than one setting. These include the school attic, Fantasia, Ivory Tower, Swamps of Sadness, Crystal Cave, Sky Haven, and Sphinx Gate.
School Attic Bastian Bux is a young boy who reads a book titled The NeverEnding Story one day as he hides out in the attic of one of the buildings in his school. He runs into the attic to escape a group of bullies who chase him from home that morning.
Fantasia Fantasia is a mystical realm that is a vast and ever-changing universe that responds to the imagination of its inhabitants. Other significant places in the story are located in Fantasia such as the Ivory Tower, Swamps of Sadness, and the Mountains of Destiny. Fantasia is ruled by the Childlike Empress who lives in the Ivory Tower in the capital city of the realm. Ivory Tower The Ivory Tower is the imperial capital of the fantasy world known as Fantasia (Fantastica in the novel). It is also the official home of The Childlike Empress who rules all the land and its inhabitants.
Swamps of Sadness The Swamps of Sadness is a barren swampland with quicksand-like mud pools. Anyone who becomes depressed will sink into the mud and drown. It symbolizes the despair and hopelessness that can consume individuals.
Crystal Cave The Crystal Cave is where the Old Man of Wandering Mountain resides. It is a place of solitude, reflection, and refuge for the Old Man. It is a place that allows him to escape the harsh realities of Fantasia and find peace in his own imagination. Wandering Mountain is the highest point in the highest mountain range in Fantasia, which is called the Mountains of Destiny.
Sky Haven Sky Haven is an elevated city located in the clouds in Fantasia. The young warrior Atreyu and his traveling companion Falkor the Luckdragon are residents from the city of Sky Haven. It is described as a place that is “bathed in soft, magical light, giving it a dreamlike quality that contrasts with the darker, chaotic regions of Fantasia.” It is a place of beauty, tranquility, serenity, and grandeur removed from the encroaching darkness of the Nothing. It is a physical and symbolic location that represents safety, guidance, and the enduring power of imagination.
Sphinx Gate The Sphinx Gate is a physical place in Fantasia that tests the courage and self-worth of anyone who attempts to pass through it. The gate is guarded by two giant sphinx statues that shoot lasers at anyone unworthy of passage.
These settings are described based on them being physical places/locales (school attic, Fantasia, Ivory Tower, Swamps of Sadness, Crystal Cave, Sky Haven, Sphinx Gate), and geographical features (Ivory Tower, Swamps of Sadness, Crystal Cave, Sky Haven, Sphinx Gate).
Animation in the Film
I chose to use this film as an example of Setting as an element of literature in animation because of its fantastical settings and also, because of the animation that is evident in the film. The characters such as Falkor the Luckdragon and Rock Biter are mechanically animated in that they present the illusion of life with movements that are made possible in creative ways. Traditional, limited, and even some stop motion animation is made with drawings, paintings and photographs. However, the animation in the film The NeverEnding Story (1984) was mostly made possible by animation called practical effects.
Practical Effects Practical effects are those that involve models, props, mechanical and optical effects and use lights and bluescreens to enhance the scenes. They are special effects produced physically, rather than digitally, to create illusions or simulate events in films and television. They are created on set without computer-generated imagery (CGI) to make scenes look more realistic and tangible. They are slightly different from visual effects (VFX), which are added in post-production using CGI. They make use of real objects or phenomena that actors can interact with. Examples of the use of practical effects are evident in films like Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), Star Wars (1977), The NeverEnding Story (1984), Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989), and Jurassic Park (1993). Creature Effects Creature effects are those that use prosthetic makeup, puppetry, animatronics, or creature suits to bring non-human characters to life, such as monsters or aliens. Examples of creature effects are evident in films such as Star Wars (1977), Alien (1979), Jurassic Park (1993), and Avatar (2009). Mechanical Effects Mechanical effects are those that include rigging, gimbals, or moving set pieces to simulate motion, like earthquakes or flying sequences. Robotics, engineering and computer science are also useful in animation that is performed mechanically. In the NeverEnding Story, filmmakers built and used a 43-foot-long motorized creature to serve as Falkor the Luckdragon. It was mechanically animated by multiple operators. Examples of mechanical effects are evident in films like Jaws (1975), The Wiz (1978), The Lion King on Broadway (1997), Hook (1991), and Jurassic Park (1993). Miniatures Miniatures involves using scale models of vehicles, buildings, or landscapes filmed to appear full-sized, often used in sci-fi or action films. Examples of miniatures are evident in films like Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984), The Producers (2005), The BFG (2016), and The Fabelmans (2022). The video below published by Movies Miniatures Effects on YouTube is a recreation of a miniature movie action scene for the film Duel (1971). Duel is an American road action thriller film directed by Steven Spielberg in his feature film debut. It is about a traveling salesman driving his car through rural California to meet a client. However, he finds himself chased and terrorized by the mostly unseen driver of a semi-truck. This video shows recreated behind-the-scenes filming of the scene towards the end of the film with an alternate ending. It focuses on the practical effects, miniature set construction, and real-world filmmaking techniques used to recreate a classic movie climax.
Pyrotechnics Pyrotechnics involved using fire, explosions, smoke, and bullet squibs to simulate gunfire or destruction. Examples of pyrotechnics are evident in films like Jaws (1975), Star Wars (1977), Saving Private Ryan (1978), Artificial Intelligence (2001), and War of the Worlds (2005).
The following video published by Honor The Force on YouTube shows some behind the scenes practical and visual effects that make use of pyrotechnics in the Star Wars film released in 1977. The description of the film sates the following: “Honor The Force explores the intricate techniques behind Star Wars, showcasing how stop-motion puppets, detailed miniature models, and computer-controlled cameras were used to create iconic scenes. The video details the painstaking process of optical effects, including blue screen compositing and glass matte paintings to achieve masterful illusions.”
Weather Effects Weather effects are those that use rain, fog, snow, or wind created on set using sprinklers, fog machines, or fans. Examples of weather effects are evident in films like Jaws (1975), Jurassic Park (1993), and War of the Worlds (2005). Body Mutilation Effects Body mutilation effects make use of fake blood, prosthetic wounds, or squibs to simulate injuries. Examples of body mutilation effects are evident in films like Saving Private Ryan (1998), Lincoln (2012), and The Fabelmans (2022).
The Fabelmans is an American coming-of-age drama film directed and co-produced by Steven Spielberg, who co-wrote the screenplay with Tony Kushner. Loosely based on Spielberg's early life and beginnings as a filmmaker, the semi-autobiographical film follows Sammy Fabelman, a young aspiring filmmaker who explores how the power of films can help him see the truth about his dysfunctional family and those around him. In this video published by Movieclips on YouTube, we see the main character Sammy Fabelman, who represents Steven Spielberg at a young age, watching a film he has made. It includes a miniature train and a track. He later makes home movies with his sisters in which he directs them as they simulate what appears to be a scene in a horror movie. He instructs them on how to use ketchup and props to simulate pulling a tooth out of the mouth of one of the girls as she acts as if she is screaming in pain.
Animation created with drawings, paintings and photographs have no need for practical effects because the movements, weather, fire, explosions, and any or all injuries to a character’s body are included in the overall illusion. However, for live-action films and those made with real characters, props and on actual locations, the inclusion of practical effects may be necessary to bring the story to life if it includes imagined characters and places. Modern filmmakers have learned to make use of practical effects as an additional tool in the production of good films. Aspiring animators should consider learning much more about them.
Have fun learning!
(Sources – Art Of It, Fandom, Forever Happy Life, Pinterest, Plot Explained, Reddit, Wallpaper Cave, Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia, YouTube)