Product: The Last Unicorn (1982)
Rating: 4.0
Great Story and Vocal Talent
The Last Unicorn is one of my favorite childhood movies. The screenplay was adapted from the original novel by the original author and really knows how to draw the audience in and make them a part of the fantasy.The voice acting in this movie outshines the animation. With voices from the likes of Christopher Lee, Mia Farrow, Jeff Bridges, Angela Lansbury and many other well-known names, the characters in this story come to life and in an amazing and magical way. This cast could not have been better selected and the songs and orchestrations provided by America really help to highlight the tone and theme of the movie.The animation is traditional for the Rankin Bass studios. It shines in action and detail scenes but, can be choppy and slow in other areas. This still does not detract from the story and will probably go unnoticed by the audience as they are drawn into the film.The commentary track and other features are really amazing. Peter Beagle, the author of the original novel and screenplay really highlights the way in which the story was developed and demonstrated an in-depth knowledge of animation and the animating process despite it not being his particular field of expertise.If someone enjoys this film, the blue ray release will not disappoint. The image quality is superb and the audio is flawless. It also has both the original theatrical release audio as well as an edited "family" track that cuts out one or two curse words used. Personally, I believe the censored audio to be unnecessary but, it is there.