Product: The Last Unicorn [VHS] (1982)
Rating: 5.0
My First Love So True
Loved this film when I was a kid, loved it again as a young adult. I am now the proud owner of a brand new copy. Along with Flight of Dragons, the Last Unicorn has got to be one of the most underappreciated animated masterpieces ever (but not for much longer, I hope). While Flight of Dragons was more intellectual, the Last Unicorn was more poignant and emotional. A wonderful fairy tale with heart and soul for people of all ages.The animation is simple yet graceful and elegant, filled with rich beautiful basic colors. It has a surreal and dreamlike quality (even more so than Flight of Dragons). The character designs for the most part were excellent, particularly Lady Amalthea whose exotic beauty is breathtaking. I especially love the way her long beautiful, willowy hair flows in the wind...The music is quite memorable, although the singing voices for Lady Amalthea and Prince Lir were a bit warbly at times (though the songs themselves were rather nice). The background music fits and complements the scenes perfectly.And who can ever forget the voice acting. God, such absolute pure star quality!!! You can almost imagine as if these were real live flesh and blood people (especially Molly Grue).The story is one of the most original I have ever come across. Based on the classic novel by Peter S. Beagle (who also did the screenplay), a lonely immortal unicorn goes out in search for others of her kind, meets some very interesting humans (some good, some bad, and some in between) along the way. She is later unwittingly given a taste of mortality and love in a way she could have never imagined when she is accidently transformed into a beautiful human maiden by a bungling magician. This is a fairy tale with dramatic and emotional depth of Shakespearean proportions. Deeply moving, moody, and atmosperic. They just don't make such powerful, thoughtful stuff like this anymore.Now that they are in the process of developing a live action version of this film with several of the original voice actors participating in it (some even reprising their roles), it's more important than ever to own this beautiful masterpiece for your collection. I give the Last Unicorn my highest recommendation.