Is Neverending Story a Horror movie?
 

Ok ok... don't jump on me yet.

I loved The Neverending Story when I was younger and I still enjoy watching it.
It is one of the most unique films I have ever seen. I know it is technically classified as a Fantasy movie but... when I was younger that movie scared me!

Even now I would argue that there are horror elements to that film.

• multiple themes of death
• the inevitable end of the world
• a giant scary wolf monster
• themes of abandonment
• suffering

What do you all think? I have a Youtube channel and I do deep dives into scary movies and analyze the scares...I really want to do this movie but am I reaching too far?

Is this just more considered a fantasy movie that scares children much like any fantasy movie could?

Thanks!

It's no more horror than Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, The Moomins etc.

It's been a long long time since I've seen it, and only once. I don't recall it being scary, but I wasn't a kid when I saw it either.

I watched it with my kids when they were young. The wolf did scare them a bit but that was about it. Definitely a fantasy.

Thanks for your feedback on this one...I think you guys are right.
Not horror....but still scary for kids.

Jurassic Park was scary but i dont consider it a horror. I found most of the Sinbad movies and the 1981 Clash of the Titans (anything with effects by Ray Harryhausen really) scary but again more of an adventure/fantasy. Guess it doesnt have to be horror to be scary.

I lean towards thinking Neverending Story is a fantasy / hidden horror movie. I watched it last when I was young and a lot scared me. The early death of the horse and how he died. The big statues that can look into your soul. That might be why I'm scared of big statues to this day. The death of the family and the big character that couldn't save them. The wolf. The end of the world.

Yeah the movie definitely is fantasy themed but is horror underneath. It probably tries to teach young kids about life. I'll watch it again one day with the sequels.

fantasy!

Yeah!!! This is exactly what I'm talking about. It has hidden horror themes. It's almost like it's is a Kids Horror Movie within the Fantasy genre.

But so does most fantasy movies. Take The Beastmaster for instance. I imagine that movie must be frightening as hell if you're only 6. Maybe not as frightening as Moomins, but still..

I wish Neverending was here to talk about The Neverending Story. I wonder if he thinks it was a horror film? He did that per decade project, I don't recall if he offered Neverending as a horror film? I don't think so.

Absolutely right... I guess what I find interesting is what defines the genres. And...does age play a role in this? Many fantasy-themed movies, viewed from a child's perspective, are terrifying.

Does that take away from how scary they are? Just because they were made for a certain age range?

Just questions I am pondering.

I haven' smoked weed in a long time, so I can't follow this thread anymore.

But I know someone who can. CHEEBA!!!

fantasy makes reality interwine with dreams harryhausen said something of that sort in this lil video i saw of him, i've been on a sinbad claymation movies kick, they r sick

Just reviewing some of those sinbad films, cause someone said Tom Baker was in one. Which sinbad that you've seen recently have you liked the most?

uhhh i liked the golden voyage alot, some of those creatures/monsters were pretty cool especially the kali statue with the swords, but 7th voyage and eye of the tiger are all pretty good too just about equally, i always just enjoyed seeing what new creations ray would show us within the fantasy realms of the movies, very entertaining, and he was very good at it.

This guy scared the bejeebus out of me. His stuff was outstanding! (From Jason and the Argonauts)

Yes, the start of that brass-man was very creepy, cool music.

I consider horror, fantasy, and sci-fi to be separate expressions of the same sub-genre with a different focus. Horror is on fearing the phenomena, fantasy is about reveling in its awe, and sci-fi is about understanding it. So naturally there's some variance within each individual story in each genre where it feels more like the others, and one consistent emotion would be a bit dull. There's scary moments in 2001: A Space Odyssey and Lord of the Rings, just as there are in The Never-Ending Story. But the consistent tone of The Never-Ending Story is not terror (though there is in the climax with the wolf, or the weeping swamp), it is awe of this magical world. So I do not consider it to be horror for that reason.