User reviews

The first time I saw this movie was when I was very young. So young, in fact, that the only things I can remember about this movie are subtle images; I couldn't even remember if I liked it or not. Now, more than twelve years later and after reading the book, I can honestly say that this is a truly great film.

I have seen very few films that have actually brought me close to tears, and most of those movies are ones I didn't like. The Last Unicorn is an especially good film not just because it stays true to the book, which animated films are rarely good at, but also because it breaks away from the Disney formula for telling the story. All the characters in this film are sympathetic in one way or another, including the villains King Haggard and Mommy Fortuna. Many people would ask why a villain would need to be sympathetic? The simple answer is they don't. The villains are sympathetic though because they are human. The unicorn herself doesn't truly become sympathetic until she is transformed.

I say this film is in the spirit of the great filmmaker and master animator Hayao Miyazaki, a Japanese director, because even though this film is a fantasy, it is not a fairy tale. Miyazaki has become famous for making animated films that are enjoyable for children, but are also sophisticated and deep enough for adults. What makes this movie great is its story.

One of the things that makes this movie so special for me is because it has become one of my favorite love stories. More specifically, it is a story about hopeless love. There are only four love stories, this one included, that I regard as my favorites. One them being Princess Mononoke, one of the many great films by Miyazaki. It is also a unique love story because it is about true eternal love. How is it eternal? I will not say because I don't want to spoil the movie.

My only real complaint about this movie is that the animation isn't very fluid, but I am willing to let that slide because the film was obviously low budget. I only hope that the live-action version will be as good and hopefully even better than the animated version, because even though this movie was well paced there were certain things from the book I hope they mention in the new version that they didn't have time to put into the animated version. I also hope the live-action version is as truthful to the book as this movie was, and leans more to the adult side of the story so more emotion and character development can come out of it.

You're never to old to believe in the impossible.

I saw this film so many times when I was younger, and loved it. The songs are actually really lovely, but I do think that Jeff Bridges singing lacked support. The animation is actually very nice. Yes it does fall flat sometimes, but it is the 80s after all, besides overall it was quite stylish, beautiful and whimsical. The screenplay is very good also, and if I am not mistaken, it was written by the author, so there was a hint of faithfulness. Apparently Haggard's lines were literally adapted from the book. The voice talents are top notch. Alan Arkin was more than adequate as Schmendrick, and Tammy Grimes was poignant as Molly Grue. Jeff Bridges and Christopher Lee added a huge amount to the film, as did Angela Lansbury as Mommy Fortuna. Topping them all, was Mia Farrow as the brooding and sensitive Amalfia/Unicorn. The red Bull was also really sinister, and Rene Auberjoinis made me laugh as the Skull. All in all, an imaginative movie. 8/10 Bethany Cox

This movie is of unexpectedly high quality, mixed up in melancholy and nostalgia, though I don't think I actually saw it in the 1980s. It begins with a power 80s ballad, which the kiddos made fun of, but still very catchy. Schmendrick, the bumbling magician, reminds me of Cedric the magician in Sophia. And the Red Bull looks like the Balrog, not the energy drink. The tale is all a little random and confused, but has some interesting twists like the _adopted_ prince who pushes the unicorn to stay true to her original identity rather than marry him (take note Ariel). Fighting the inevitability of old age and death is another theme of interest, especially through the witch who runs a zoo with magical creatures and the crazy king who hoards the unicorns because they make him happy. Both the witch and the prince (if not the king) achieve a kind of immortality by leaving their mark on the deathless creatures: the Harpy will always remember that she was captured in the circus, and the unicorn will always remember that she loved the prince.

It's also fascinating to me that Hayao Miyazaki worked at the studio which made The Last Unicorn, Topcraft, which made Nausicaa soon thereafter. I don't see that many connections in terms of the animation aesthetics; but I haven't yet seen the Hobbit animated films also made by Rankin and Bass/Topcraft, so I can't comment there.

On a personal note, we watched this in NYC the day we went to Princeton, but didn't pay much attention to it; Seb got the blu ray for his 6th birthday and chose to watch it that night.

I only saw this movie recently and I wondered why I had never seen it before. I haven't read the book, and I only vaguely remembered some of my friends mentioning this movie.

I'm not usually a big fan of classic medieval fantasy, even though I love fantasy in general, but I enjoyed this movie so much. Even though it's a family movie, it doesn't get too cutesy and doesn't sweeten the story and the universe that the characters evolve in. And the characters do evolve, which is another of the good points in it. Even though it's a fairy tale, it's easy to apply some themes of the movie to our world. By example, we can suppose that this is a movie about staying true to yourself. This is no Disney movie. The ending can be seen in a positive as well as in a negative light. You can have many opinions about it, which is one thing I liked so much.

The art and character design is beautiful. You can tell it was made in the 70's or early 80's and it just adds more appeal to it. The style is a mix between anime and occidental cartoon style, but it works very well, specially since this type of collaboration cartoon was so frequent at that time. The atmosphere of the movie is helped by the gentle colors and the music. Yes, the music.. The music wasn't so great, I have to admit, but it really worked well for one reason. They didn't take instrumental music, they didn't try to compose fantasy-themed music for it. They used modern music, and even though it wasn't the best, it added a different and pleasant feeling to it..

In my opinion this is a beautiful movie that deserves a really high mark..

Based on a book of the same name by Peter S. Beagle, The Last Unicorn has remained one of the most beloved animated fantasy cult classics of the 1980s. Created by Rankin-Bass, most well known for their stop-motion Christmas specials from the 1960s, the film went on to gross a modest comeback financially and received positive reviews. It wouldn't be until it was released on home video, however, when it grew relatively popular, at least in terms of people watching it as children back in the day. As for what I think of it, I'll admit that there are many admirable qualities to it, but it's not something I ever care to watch again.

The story of a unicorn searching for the rest of her species with the help of an amateur magician sounds promising enough, and to the film's credit, it does take some interesting plot directions from time to time. Without giving away anything, let's just say that the spells that come from this amateur magician, Schmendrick, should happen more often in fantasy films. However, what bogs the story down is how lackluster the characters are, as most of them only stay interesting for so long and don't grow much outside of their basic archs. The unicorn herself does go through the most development in the second half of the feature, but until then we have to sit through padded out action scenes, boring character interactions, and even additional archs that aren't even memorable in the first place.

Considering that the film was animated in Japan, the animation and production design present the film with an anime aesthetic, with luscious colors, gorgeous backgrounds, and well detailed designs. Unfortunately, due to the low budget, the character animation is rather stilted and the bland facial expressions don't really help elevate the wonderful vocal performances from the likes of Mia Farrow, Alan Arkin, Jeff Bridges, etc. When you can't even visually display one of the biggest fundamentals of animation on screen, there's a big problem. That being said, the special effects are very well done, and along with some imaginative usages for potions and spells, the film really embraces how magic works on a visual level as much as an ideology.

To sum it all up, The Last Unicorn is a serviceable effort for an animated fantasy film from the days of The Dark Crystal and The Secret of Nimh. While the plot can get sidetracked sometimes, the characters are two dimensional at best, and the animation is hit or miss in terms of quality, it does feature some interesting philosophies on how magic works, the voice-cast is fantastic, and it at least knows how to tell its story. If you grew up with this film and you'd like to re watch it or you're into the cult classic family-friendly fantasy films during the Reagan era, by all means give it a watch. As for me, I had some fun with it, but it didn't keep me invested enough to want to view it again anytime soon, although I adore the opening musical number by Jimmy Webb.

I remember watching this movie as a child and wearing out the old VHS tape. The music provided by the 70s music group, America, provides a wonderful folk mood to the piece. I recently discovered this movie on DVD and immediately bought the movie. I watched the movie and read the book. I love how the animators were able to bring forward the essence of Peter Beagle's masterpiece of fantasy fiction.

The Last Unicorn is story about friendship and love. The Unicorn discovers that she is the last unicorn in the world. Searching for a sense of identity, she starts a quest to find the other unicorns. That quest introduces her to Schmendrick and Molly Grue. The Unicorn, Schmendrick and Molly are each searching to fill a void, and as an audience member, I vicariously find a way to fill my void through their experiences.

This is one of my all time favorite movies. I grew up watching this movie and cherished it. The characters are timeless and the quotes from this movie are so moving. The things that the characters say are so real and true to life. They often reflect some of what's in my own soul and I love that. I read earlier that one of the other reviewers compared this to a Hayao Miyazaki and I would totally have to agree. It has the same elements of the films, the whole reality without the happy ending thing, but it's not sad either. As Schmendrick says, "There are no happy endings because nothing ends." I admire Peter S. Beagle for not only writing a fabulous book by the same title, but for writing this fabulous screenplay as well. I must admit, I'm a bit hesitant to see the upcoming movie for fear it will ruin the old one. I wonder what they will do about songs. America's songs are timeless. They take you to another place and you are part of the magical world that is created for you through animation. While my family is sick of me watching it all the time still and my roommates are definitely tired of me watching it, I will continue to do so since this is a movie that can be watched over and over without anyone getting tired of it. Fabulous. Definitely give it two thumbs way up! Huzzah!

The last unicorn is looking for her kind. The butterfly tells her about the Red Bull driving all the unicorn away. Mommy Fortuna is able to see the unicorn but others only see a horse. She puts the unicorn in her carnival with the other animals which her illusionary spells turn into magical creatures. Amateur magician Schmendrick helps the unicorn escape. They are befriended by Molly Grue. As the Red Bull confronts the unicorn, Schmendrick turns her into a human being and the Red Bull walks away. The trio arrives at King Haggard's castle following the Red Bull to search for the lost unicorns. Haggard and his adopted son Prince Lir live in unhappiness. Schmendrick names the unicorn-turned-human, Lady Amalthea and Prince Lir falls in love. Haggard dismisses his magician Mabruk and replaces him with Schmendrick when Molly Grue commented on how unhappy he seems to be.

This has a 70's feel with the rock ballads and animation. It has a romanticism and a slightly adult feel. The dialogue is a little clunky at times but voice work is generally good. Schmendrick could have a younger voice. Nothing against Alan Arkin but Schmendrick is almost childlike to me. The story is fanciful with a soft beauty. Mabruk should have more to do. The best bit is the skeleton desperate for wine. With everybody looking for IP, this could be a great one to make live action.

I saw this movie in theaters when I was a kid. I didn't see it again for the longest time until I found it on video recently. I rented it and was instantly reminded of what a wonderful movie this is. I bought my own copy a week later. It's one of the few book-to-movie translations that actually stays true to the spirit of the book. Probably due to the fact that Peter S. Beagle wrote the screenplay. A must-see. Gotta love that theme song!

Last Unicorn casts magic all around it. Not only Magic flows elegantly in the movie, it also creates a special, warm atmosphere for who are watching. A movie that will stun for the use of the colors, for the skilled animation and for the talent of the artists that "painted" the backgrounds. In the era of computergraphic, this is one of the classics that can express the real talent of people behind it who didn't need a keyboard or a Silicon Graphic station to render beautiful scenes which can never be different that hand made. The story is beautiful and it enraptures you till the end. The characterization works well and also the music by America does the job in a good way. Recommended.

Whether it's a combination of the soundtrack by America, or the super-dramatic vocal talents of the actors, this is one movie that sticks with you for... oh, about 20 years. I can recall lines (and sometimes cry) even when I haven't seen the movie in ages. I was lucky enough to get the (slightly poor) DVD release this week and watched it three times in a night.

Any line that Molly Grue says makes the hairs on my neck stand up. Not being a big anime or fantasy film buff, I still list this as a top child-hood movie to watch over and over (and over again much to the chagrin of my husband). Mia Farrow sounds like an angel. Alan Arkin is just lovable. Jeff Bridges "sounds" handsome (which is about all his character has to be). I'm almost afraid to see the new live version coming out in 2006. I don't want to lose the fantasy of this film.

It failed to grab my feelings at too many levels.

The only thing I really think was great was the surprisingly beautiful forest landscapes and patchwork montages shown in the beginning of the movie and a couple of the voice actors performances like Christopher Lee and Angela Lansbury.

Aside from that it didn't really get to me. The beautiful forest was abandoned pretty quickly and the patchwork did only turn up a few times, so it couldn't save the experience, because the too stilted and awkward character animation and the off-pitch musical numbers sung by the prince and Amalfia/the unicorn really dragged it down.

There were some designs like The Red Bull and the unicorn itself which were well done, but the central themes of the movie and the quest the unicorn goes on just isn't consistent in its pacing. It either goes frantically fast or drags itself too slow.

I really wanted to like it, but it just didn't have to be so. If you like it it's fine, but that did not do the trick for me.

The Last Unicorn, a unforgettable 1982 Animation Fantasy classic that enchanted fans of Fantasy and animation since it first came out. It is about a lonely Unicorn who thinks she is the last of her kind and sets out on a quest to find them throughout the dangerous yet magical world that she has never seen before, along the way she meets a cast of colorful characters including my favorite " Schmendrick The Magician", who is a goofy-but-lovable magician that magically transforms Unicorn into a Beautiful Human maiden to fool the bad guys.

This is indeed a beautiful, fabulous and touching animated movie that is one of my faves. It's both appealing to children and their parents, highly recommended.

Before tossing this one in the old player I had thought I'd never seen it before. As it turns out, I had, but completely forgotten about it. That is until it kick-started my brain as the movie went on. While I did enjoy watching The Last Unicorn and jogging my own childhood memories, it did make me wonder. Why did completely forget about this film?

The Last Unicorn is about just that. The Last Unicorn in the land who has finally stopped to wonder where everyone else has gone. Hearing from a butterfly that the others of her kind were captured by a Red Bull controlled by a King, she sets off on an epic...while more accidentally epic quest to find them. Along the way, she meets a wizard, and vagrant woman, and gets turned into a human. In the end, she meets the love of her life and turns into a Narwhal or something like that. That's a joke, but honestly, there is a song by America in this movie that talks about Mythical creatures like the Unicorn and Pegasus, in the same reverence as the Magpie and Narwhal...so not that far fetched of a joke.

Jokes aside, The Last Unicorn is a good mixture of cultures and folk tales which is animated superbly. To me, the story left some things to be desired, and the pacing never really kept me in the film. It seemed we would speed ahead in time, and then stop completely at other times. I wasn't expecting a non-stop thrill ride, but a bit of a build-up to the end would have been nice. The voice cast is great with Christopher Lee, Alan Arkin, and Mia Farrow throwing in great performances. Yet, no matter what I liked about this film, it just didn't seem satisfying at the end. I don't know if it was the pacing, or story, or America songs, which I don't think personally fit in the film. But The Last Unicorn left me wanting a better tale to go with the animation that my eyes feasted on.

Still, the movie is a family classic tale with some darker themes that may frighten small children that haven't been ruined by social media yet. I recommend it at least for a watch or two.

I was born in '77 and about 5 when I first watched this movie on BETA no less. It has stayed with me all these years...and as I write this, I am 43. This beautiful film is my childhood and I hope it can continue to be shared with each generation as it is absolutely timeless. Like the Unicorn, I hope that this film remains elusive yet timeless.

A lone unicorn learns from two huntsmen passing through her forest that she may be the last of her kind in existence. Unsure of what to think she asks a passing butterfly what he knows of the fate of her species.

When the butterfly backs up what the huntsmen said by telling her that long ago all of the unicorns were hunted down by a red bull and now held captive in a faraway location, this prompts the unicorn to leave her forest in search of answers.

In the outside world, only those that believe in unicorns can see her for what she truly is. Those who don't, see only a white horse.

Pretty soon she is captured by a witch called Mommy Fortuna and held captive in her travelling carnival. Even though Mommy Fortuna can see the unicorn in her true form, she gives her a false horn. In fact, all but one other creature in the carnival, a harpy, is an ordinary animal with a spell cast upon them so that non-believers can buy into the illusion.

Whilst captive, the unicorn meets Schmendrick, a magician who wants to be a real wizard. He too, can see the unicorn in her true form and agrees to help set her free.

Once free, the unicorn sets the harpy loose, which then kills Mommy Fortuna and her other assistant leaving Schmendrick free to accompany the unicorn along her journey.

In a conversation with the unicorn before her death, Mommy Fortuna alluded to the red bull being a minion of an old king named King Haggard so spurred on by her words, they head in the direction of King Haggard's castle.

Along the way they meet a band of travellers, one of whom is a jaded, weary, middle aged woman called Molly Grue, who decides to leave her life behind and join Schmendrick in his bid to help the unicorn.

As they approach the castle, the red bull appears and tries to force the unicorn into the sea. In an attempt to save her life Schmendrick casts a spell on her, inadvertently changing her into a human. They re-name her 'Amalthea' and continue onward to Haggard's castle.

At first Haggard is unimpressed with his unexpected visitors and only lets them stay because he isn't fooled by Amalthea's outward appearance, though they are on borrowed time because the longer Amalthea stays a human on the outside, the more human she becomes on the inside.

And to complicate things further, Haggard's son Prince Lir takes a romantic interest in Amalthea who rebuffs him at first, but slowly starts to return his feelings the more human she becomes.

This animated adaptation of Peter S. Beagle's novel of the same name captures the wistful, melancholy tone of the book, perfectly.

The music, sang and composed by America, while not to everyone's taste, also adds to this tone wonderfully.

The imagery is just gorgeous! The songs are delightful and such fun. Hard to believe it's 30 years old and so well done.

I saw this movie when i was younger at my grandmas house. I also fell deeply in love with this film. I had not seen it since i was eight until a month or two ago when i purchased it at Fred Meyers. I was so excited I brought it home and watched it and realized how freaking weird this movie really is. All in all it IS a good movie with catchy music and really good one liners in it. I would suggest this movie to most people if only for a break in their daily routine of life. Its a really trippy movie to see in any scenario. i suggest seeing it with friends for a good laugh. Really listen to what the movie has to say. there are so many lines they say that if you were not listening and paying attention to them you wouldn't see the comic behind them.

This is an excellent animation that I have loved since childhood. The story, voices, and music are by far more beautiful and memorable than any other animated movie I have seen. In fact, there are few animations that can top the cast of great stars that provided their voice talents for this movie. The music is astoundingly wonderful and even after it had been years since I had seen the movie I would still often find the tunes playing inside my head.

As for the profanity and nudity mentioned on the other review I have to say that I can't recall either (I own the DVD and have watched it recently). I would say this movie is by far suitable for any child that can handle a one or two mildly frightening scenes. Great movie and I still love it!

The Last Unicorn isn't My Little Pony. It uses a variety of colors beyond pink and light blue. The animation is artful, with some beautiful drawings of nature. Its characters are more complex than the typical cartoon on Saturday morning, and it has a greater sense of adventure and danger.

But The Last Unicorn is a kid's film. Adults can tolerate it well enough, but I wouldn't go see this on my own. The plot does make attempts to stray from the norm, but its pretty simple, reliant on magic to cause or solve problems in an instant. I found the characters either too loud, too arrogant, too slapsticky, or too typical. I think they were made more relateable to kids than to reality.

It was alright. I wouldn't watch it again, but it gets some bonus points for not condescending to its audience. Its a good film to watch with your kids, around 7 and up. Its important to add some magic to their childhood, and I feel this is a film they will remember for years.

The Last Unicorn is an oddity. It's certainly a darker movie than others aimed at kids, though it is hardly dark enough to affect adults. It doesn't look bad but has hardly aged well, all things considered. It tells its story pretty effectively but is slow and frankly pretty boring.

In my opinion, the biggest flaws with the movie are results of the time in which it was made. The '60s, '70s, and early '80s are widely acknowledged as a lousy period for animation, and The Last Unicorn suffers from just about every cliche we've come to know from that time: flat visuals, jerky character movement, limited facial animations, awkward voice acting, bad music, and more.

The film's animation is pretty good for its time, but I can only say that in reference to the period in which it was made, rather than strictly its age; for example, 1959's Sleeping Beauty used a similar animation style to much better effect. I also do not feel that the soundtrack, performed by the rock band America, has aged well at all. The film grinds to a halt each time a new song starts, and none of them help move the story along. This film has no reason to be a musical, but it is one, despite the fact that the leads aren't very good singers when they join in.

Of course, it isn't all bad. While I do have issues with the animation overall, there are glimpses of something really interesting. The story book style of the visuals is distinctive, and the simple, single-minded drive of the lead is strangely engaging. I believe that The Last Unicorn would benefit from a remake. There is interesting material here; it just isn't being used to its full potential. Instead, the film stands as an example of a pretty good movie from a poor environment.