About a Boy and a Book. Michael Ende´s The Everlasting Story published 30 years ago.

Bookshops in film, part 2

One of the most famous German books setted - partially at least - in an antiquarian bookshop is Michael Ende´s fantasy novel
The Neverending Story (die Unendliche Geschichte), published in 1979. The book was a big success, translated to many languages and filmed in 1984 by German Hollywood director Wolfgang Peterson and produced by Bernd Eichinger (The Downfall/Der Untertan). Leo di Caprio´s production company Appian Way , Warner Broth. and others are said to be "in discussions" about a modern reviving. Die Unendliche Geschichte about a bookshop, a book, a boy and his adventures in real life and in phantasy was Michael Ende´s biggest international success and a role model for blockbusters in books and on screen with a similar plot and attitude, Joanne K. Rowlings Harry Potter (isn´t in need of a link, is it?) and Cornelia Funke´s Inkworld Trilogy; Ende was the first.

As for me, I didn´t read the book, but watched the film on German tv some years ago, when my children were still young. Nice entertainment, as far as I remember, nothing more. Michael Ende hated the film and it´s kitschy Hollywood attitude lacking - in his opinion - magic and enchantment. My children loved the Steinbeisser (Stone Biter) who, together with other creatures from the film, can be visited at
Warner Brothers Movie World.

"What is the secret of the enchanted book?" (film trailer in English)


Michael Ende on why he disgusts what producer and director made of his book; and the making of (with the Felsenbeisser stunt).


This posting is dedicated to Michael Ende, whose book Die Unendliche Geschte was published 30 years ago. Michael Ende died 1995 at age 65 in Bavaria. The title of the book that brought him to fame became kind of a metaphor in German language for complicated and endless matters and affairs