Daily TWiP - Happy birthday to Noah Hathaway, Atreyu in “The Neverending Story”
Welcome to the Daily TWiP, your daily dose of all the holidays, historical observances, etc., we couldn’t cram into The Week in Preview.
Today we wish a happy 38th birthday to actor Noah Hathaway, best known for his role as Atreyu in the 1984 fantasy film “The Neverending Story.” To date, this has been Hathaway’s most memorable role. For any child who grew up in the 1980s, however, there’s no way he could top it and no need for him to do so.
“The Neverending Story” tells the tale of Bastian, a boy who has a rocky relationship with his father and experiences difficulties at school due to his constant daydreaming. Bastian finds solace in a book titled “The Neverending Story” through which he shares the adventures of Atreyu (Hathaway’s character), a young warrior of the Plains People on a quest to find a cure for the Childlike Empress’ illness and save the dying world of Fantasia. Little does Bastian know that he is connected to Atreyu and Fantasia through the book, and that he himself is the key to Fantasia’s salvation.
The role of Atreyu was demanding for a young actor, requiring Hathaway to ride a horse bareback, almost drown in a swamp, get sneezed out of a tree by a giant robotic turtle, and face off against a much less friendly robotic creature, the Gmork, a wolf-like monster with dangerous claws. Hathaway was injured twice during filming, once when he fell off a horse (which then decided to step on him) and once while filming the near-drowning scene, when his leg got caught by a piece of machinery and he was dragged completely under. He was unconscious by the time they managed to pull him to the surface.
Children of the ‘80s and fans of fantasy films in general appreciate those sacrifices. “The Neverending Story” was one of those movies that helped define a generation and a genre. Its message that even the least likely person can have adventures and save the day resonates with audiences to this day. And who wouldn’t want a giant luck dragon to help them put a few bullies in their place?
In addition to “The Neverending Story,” Hathaway has appeared in several other projects, including “Battlestar Galactica” from 1978 to 1979 and Harry Potter Jr. in the 1986 movie “Troll.” Since the mid 1990s, however, he’s been focusing on other adventures, such as martial arts instruction, bartending, supersport motorcycle racing, and owning and operating a tattoo parlor with his wife.
Rumors indicate that Hathaway has been cast in a remake of “Troll” and is lending his talents to “Mondo Holocausto!” a cannibal flick set in the 1970s. In the meantime, however, please enjoy the trailer for “The Neverending Story” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3DcWtkKeIY) as well as the music video for the movie’s opening theme (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3khTntOxX-k).
Daily TWiP is taking a holiday of its own. We’ll return Monday, Nov. 30th.
Daily TWiP appears courtesy of The Week in Preview. Check out The Week in Preview online in our Columnists section or read it in print on Mondays in our Nashua and Region section.
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- Teresa Santoski
