Oh The NeverEnding Story. A movie that can’t be touched for maximum 80s fantasy movie pleasure. This is a movie wrapped in a warm sweater of nostalgia for so many. It’s a story about imagination and the power of a good book. Plus a giant luck dragon (which is BEST).

Tonight my husband has seen this classic for the first time ever.

For most people there is that one iconic film that has passed them by. Whether it be Citizen Kane or Terminator (guilty, until a month ago), there’s those films that when you have to admit your eyeballs have never gazed upon them makes everyone one go “WHAT?” in really high-pitched voices. Usually followed by “You need to see it.” But never have I gotten as strong of a reaction as when I told friends that I was taking my husband to see The NeverEnding Story for the first time at the Prince Charles Cinema.

Unlike me, my husband is a child of the 80s. Though he’s pretty much the worst 80’s child ever. He has missed out on an astounding number of classic films from the years surrounding his birth. I guess I was lucky enough that growing up an early 90s Midwest was pretty much the same as growing up in the 80s. I saw every 80s children film countless times, especially the fantasy ones always showing on repeat in the Disney channel, including the Jim Henson cult-classics like Labyrinth and Dark Crystal.

Many of my early years were built on the hope that one day I would own my own luck dragon or that I would grow up to be the Childlike Empress. But the poor man has never seen it. So what is it like seeing this 1984 West German film for the first time in 2015?

Husband says:

Highlights

“The dumb bat, Danny Glover” – that was not Danny Glover – “The surprise of the massive breasts was particularly interesting. Oh and the personal discipline of the boy to not eat his whole sandwich. And the racing snail. Very creative. ”

The couple. “I think they deserve their own fly-on-the-wall documentary.” Also, the (Ivory) tower and the activities of Falkor and Atreyu. “He definitely winked too much.”

Lowlights

“The decision of the Nothing to explain itself in full depth. If he didn’t, he could have gotten away with it. I found the princess” – the empress – “over-complicated everything and Akronus” – Atreyu – “on a wild goose chase.”

“Oh I forgot about the weird man. He was weird.”

In the end? “I would have bullied that kid. This movie was definitely better than Dark Crystal.”

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Though in the end,there is one thing we both definitely agreed on: more Limahl – perhaps floating on a cloud as Bastian sails past on Falkor’s back. Is anything really better than this damn theme song? Again! Again! SING ME YOUR PRAISE, LIMAHL!