The Movie:

In the world of children's animated features Disney dominates all and it's virtually impossible to deny that. Their reputation far exceeds other studios' but that is not to say the others do not try. Still, it is a rare thing when an animated story can come close to the quality and timelessness of a classic Disney picture. Peter S. Beagle's The Last Unicorn is one of those rare pieces.

Originally released in 1982 The Last Unicorn is a heartfelt and touching story about a unicorn who learns what it means to be human. The fairy tale is wrought with tragedy and introduces complex themes while it weaves its dark, yet touching, tale. The story is far from cliche and though some of the music by America has dated it; it hasn't lost its impact. 25 years later this movie entertained me as much as it did when I was five years old and watching it for the first time.

The Last Unicorn begins innocently enough with a pair of hunters walking through a forest. They talk about how it's a magical place like one out of a fairy tale and how a unicorn must live their. They go on to mention that if there is such a creature in this wood then she is undoubtedly the last of her kind. Around the bend a unicorn (Mia Farrow) listens to their conversation but she doubts their claim. Unicorns are magical and immortal after all so there is no way that she could be the last of her species. Feelings of isolation and curiosity fill her as she asks a butterfly if he has seen another unicorn in his travels. After learning about a Red Bull that has driven the rest of her kind to the end of the earth she sets out to discover if this is true.

Along the way she does not learn as much as she had hoped. Eventually while resting after a weary day of travel she takes a nap by the side of a road. Mankind can never truly identify her as a unicorn (they do not see the horn) but a witch who operates a freak show happens by and sees the beast for what she is. The unicorn is put under a spell and placed inside of a cage for all to see. Luckily for her a bumbling magician, Schmendrick (Alan Arkin), goes out of his way to set her free. Together they escape the vile clutches of the witch and continue searching for the truth behind the Red Bull's mystery.

Schmendrick and the unicorn walk for quite some time and eventually come across a woman named Molly (Tammy Grimes). She is a complex character that adds a lot of personality to the plot and acts as kind of the common sense in it all. The trio eventually finds the residence of the Red Bull and a man named King Haggard (Christopher Lee) but in order to keep the unicorn from suffering the same fate as the others Schmendrick turns her into a human. I don't want to spoil any more of the plot in case you haven't seen it but it's safe to say that The Last Unicorn deals with many complexities in its characters.

Take for instance the unicorn being turned into a human. This previously immortal and virtually impervious creature who never knew fear, regret, or decay begins to experience all of these things. Her transformation is one of the crowning achievements for the story of The Last Unicorn and provides much of the emotional backdrop because the creature she used to be starts to die as time goes on. Other moments that lift this movie involve Schmendrick's transformation into a real magician, Haggard's unyielding greed, and Prince Lir's (Jeff Bridges) quest to become a true hero.

In many ways The Last Unicorn is a fairly stereotypical fairytale. There are many elements at play here that have been told by other stories. Even so The Last Unicorn is a very strong film. The complexity of its characters and transformation of the unicorn help give the movie a timeless appeal that is truly entertaining for all ages. Whether you're a fan or not this 25th Anniversary Edition deserves a look.

The DVD:

The Last Unicorn is presented with a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen aspect ratio and looks fairly decent in terms of quality. This release receives a visual treatment that is arguably better than the prior edition's but still doesn't hold up well to scrutiny. There wasn't much effort to go in and restore the picture so don't expect a flawless transfer.

In most every scene there is a fine layer of grain present over the image. There is also an abundant amount of dirt here as well and many moments are rife with speckle. Colors appear natural for the most part and very bright but there are a few bits here and there that appear faded. None of these faults are uncharacteristic for an animated feature from 25 years ago though they are evidence supporting the lack of necessary restoration. Still, this is as good as this picture has ever looked and fans will undoubtedly be pleased.

Two English audio tracks are presented for this release of The Last Unicorn. The 2.0 stereo track is arguably the lesser of the two that features little diversity on the soundstage and naturally only offers love to the front channels. The 5.1 is the preferred track here though it's not as immersive as you'd think, or hope, it would be. The presence for this selection is limited at best with songs and minor ambient noise filtering through to the rear channels (such as water droplets falling or leaves rustling) and little bass being employed. The audio is mostly clear and crisp though at times dialogue can sound unnatural as if it were a fault in the recording. Overall The Last Unicorn doesn't sound horrible; it just sounds dated.

On the lighter side of things the original trailer for The Last Unicorn is included and for that matter so are a few other Lionsgate previews. There is also an Escape the Red Bull game for the kiddies and an image gallery to peruse. The most interesting feature available here is "The Tail of the Last Unicorn" which is an interview-like offering with Peter S. Beagle where he discusses many aspects of the story. It is interesting to hear him talk about the creation of the novel and subsequent response to it over the years. The final inclusion on this disc is a narrative description about many aspects of Beagle's professional life. Fans of his work may appreciate the information that is given here but none of it is revolutionary if you're familiar with his works.

The Last Unicorn is a marvelous animated film in almost every regard. The story is filled with several nuances that keep the tale entertaining and characters interesting. For me this was one of those films that caught me at a young age and stayed with me long into adulthood. Few features withstand the test of time 25 years after the fact but this is one of them. Unfortunately the DVD hasn't received the best treatment and leaves quite a lot to be desired. It is still a significant upgrade from the previous edition and if you have never seen the movie before it is definitely one to check out. The quality of the movie warrants a high merits but the presentation of the disc keeps this release at a regular recommendation.

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