Anyone seen this recently? I hadn't seen it since I was a kid, and it's really a pretty messed up movie. And evidently was originally German?

I last saw it on video in the late 80's.
What's messed up about it?

Sure, the special effects are nothing special, but I thought the story was appropriate for the age audience they were going after.

And yes, the story was originally in German. I think for the film they did the dialog in English, though (not dubbed).

I think the special effects are fucking incredible. From a time when movie effects crews actually had to BUILD stuff and use all sorts of tricks and techniques to make it live, instead of all the half-assed CGI you see now.

I'm not saying that CGI CAN'T be an art, I'm saying that it often isn't.

Neverending Story was badass. So were Labyrinth, Dark Crystal, and a number of other similiar movies. Star Wars, Empire, and Jedi were all awesome, too, in the special effects department.

I just wish I could see MirrorMask...

I didn't like it. Cheesy rip off of Time Bandits if I recall right.

I don't really have a comment on the special effects, but for a "kids" movie, it had some pretty heavy material (which is what made it good IMO). I don't think a movie like this would/could be made today.

Neverending Story predated Time Bandits by a long way.

I read the original book as a child, and it's quite good. The movie leaves off about halfway through the book, which is interesting if you've seen the movie first. The book itself is also fairly "heavy," though entertaining and appropriate for younger readers. I recall this being one of the first books where I "got" the (not overwhelming) metaphors of the story -- but I was fairly young at the time, too.

Loved it.

I saw this movie at a drive-in when I was kid. It was awesome. The big screen, laying on top of the car ... Good times.

I loved it as a kid, but it was on TV recently and I found it a painful experience. Heavy-handed metaphors, a pretty terrible plot, dire acting, and absymal effects; the only redeeming feature was the Giorgio Moroder music. :)

Ah, crap, I ain't no George Lucas.

Time Bandits was awesome. I haven't seen that one in years, though, and I'm afraid it won't be as awesome if I watched it again.

MarkTAW sez : "I'm afraid (Time Bandits) won't be as awesome if I watched it again"

I loved Time Bandits as a small child. I watched it over and over again (back when the VCR was Purest Magic and you watched movies over and over just because you could). A few months ago, I decided to rent the movie for old times' sake. And I found out that, it's true, you can't go back. Something about Time Bandits was just what my developing young brain desired, and even now I can totally see what I loved about it, but I can also see all the bits that I didn't see at the time. Though it pains me to say it -- it's just not a very good movie.

I think I'll try to rent it again when I'm 85 and senility is starting to kick in. I bet it'll be awesome.

So you mean the muppet babies won't be any good either?

Time Bandits is still pretty good -- it's one of those things that I get an urge to watch every few months.

"Jolly good. And you're a robber too, are you? How long have you been a robber?"
"Four foot one."
"Good Lord. Jolly good. Four foot one?"
"Yes."
"That, that, that, that, that, that, that is, is, is a long time, isn't it?.."

My favorite line from Time Bandits was:
"So that's what an invisible barrier looks like!"

"Mom, Dad, don't touch it! It's eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeevil!"

BTW, we called it "The Neverending Movie" - ISTR there was a good reason...

Philo

Okay, now I HAVE TO see Time Bandits.

"Neverending Story predated Time Bandits by a long way."

Neverending Story - 1984
Time Bandits - 1981

"I want to see Time Bandits."

Be sure to see the full trilogy for best effect:

1. Time Bandits
2. Brazil
3. The Adventures of Baron von Munchausen

As a coincidence, I watched it on Friday. It rocks, of course?

Messed up? You probably consider The City of Lost Children to be messed up as well. After all, no cutesy-cutesy things, and actually uncomfortable questions? For children? Horrible.

Of those 3 movies, the only one I hadn't seen was Brazil, but I think Brazil was the most quotable.

Wasn't there a recent Gilliam movie about the Brothers Grimm or something?

Yes, Gilliam released two movies last year, Grimm and some other one. I haven't seen either.

Wow, no Brazil yet really? It is his best work. One of the best movies ever made by anyone.

The Neverending Story was originally a book and published well before the film was ever made and well before Time Bandits, not that the two have anything really in common anyway.

What is a book?

Bloody Dutch, can't even run a wikipedia without arguing with one another.

:-}

Thanks Simon. Now I know a new meaning of the word 'boek'. One that I couldn't care less about.