Unicorns are associated with the magic and innocence of childhood. 1982's The Last Unicorn, however, is anything but innocent. In classic 80's style the film explores such weighty themes as depression, loss, regret, and mortality to cast a dark spell that is anything but child's play. At once an ode to classic fairytales and a subversion of fairytale tropes The Last Unicorn is every bit as unique as its title heroine. Enter a world of magic and mystery with The Last Unicorn.
The story begins somewhere in Medieval Europe as two hunters search for game in a forest. When they fail to find anything to hunt they conclude that the forest must be protected by the magic of a unicorn. The forest's unicorn overhears the hunters and is shocked when they conclude that she must be the last of her kind. After a chance meeting with a well traveled butterfly the unicorn learns that the rest of the world's unicorns have been imprisoned by a mysterious creature known as the red bull. She then sets out on a journey to find her compatriots and set them free. Along the way, she befriends bumbling magician Schmendrick and bandit Molly. Together, the unlikely trio embark upon a quest that continues to haunt viewers forty years after its release.
The Last Unicorn sets itself apart from the typical family fare associated with Western animation through its mature themes, gritty content, and refusal to offer easy answers. While the film begins with the unicorn's journey to find and liberate her imprisoned compatriots, the real journey is the one in which she discovers herself. Over the course of the film the unicorn is forced to face her fears after an eternity spent safely within the confines of her forest. She is also confronted with the complexity and challenges of personal relationships after living in essential isolation. Finally, the greatest challenge that she faces is not the hellish Red Bull but the prospect of her own mortality when she briefly takes human form. Through these internal conflicts the unicorn's journey mirrors that which we all face as we grow older and come to terms with the world around us. In this way, the film ensures that what should be an entirely unreachable heroine is in fact all too relatable. The film similarly showcases a variety of other characters' equally universal struggles as Molly makes peace with her regrets, Schmendrick learns to believe in himself, and Lir begins to lead his own life rather than striving to meet his father's expectations. By focusing upon the characters' internal journeys the film ensures that the often fantastic story remains grounded and offers insight that is certain to resonate with modern viewers. The script's focus upon the characters' efforts to confront the all too real crises of loss, regret, and impending mortality reveals the film to be more than just a fantasy, but instead a sobering meditation upon the human experience. Even the film's bittersweet ending more closely mirrors the compromises that we are forced to accept throughout our lives rather than the 'happily ever after' that fairy tales promise. For a cinema experience as unique as a unicorn itself follow the trail of The Last Unicorn.
The film brings Peter S. Beagle's story to vivid life thanks to the work of its animators and cast. Canadian based Rankin Bass utilized the work of Japanese animation company Topcraft, which would later partner with Hayao Miyazaki to form studio Ghibli. By utilizing the work of both companies the animation offers a blend of East and West that sets it apart from both Western animation and anime. The character designs avoid both the idealized images popularized by Disney and the exaggerated style common in anime, opting instead for a more naturalistic approach. With the exception of the unicorn the characters look like real people living in the middle ages and keep the often fantastic story grounded.
The cast ensure that the characters are all memorable, and believable. Angela Lansbury steals each scene in which she appears in her decidedly dark turn as fame-fixated witch Mommy Fortuna. Tammy Grimes infuses bandit turned ally Molly with earthy charm and humor. Jeff Bridges portrays Prince Lir with a humility and decency worth of a storybook hero. Christopher Lee is equal parts chilling and pitiful as King Haggard, a man who is so deeply in the throes of depression that he is unaware of his descent into villainy. Alan Arkin makes for an engaging everyman as the likeable but ever bumbling Schmendrick. Mia Farrow captures the otherworldly, ethereal, quality of the unicorn and the vulnerability of the unicorn's human form, Lady Amalthea with equal skill.
At once a classic fairytale and a modern meditation upon life and loss The Last Unicorn remains one of the most memorable and mature films in animation. Through its equal parts mystical and down to earth script the film brings Beagle's novel to vibrant life. The cast and animation ensures that viewers will be transported to the world of the characters and remain invested in their struggles regardless of how fantastic they might be. Embark upon an unforgettable journey with The Last Unicorn.
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