For those who love the imaginative world of Fantasy cinema, there is simply no decade better than the 1980s. Yes, the 2000s brought The Lord of the Rings to life in film, but the ‘80s explored Fantasy in many different shapes and forms. From cartoon series like Dungeons & Dragons to He-Man and She-Ra, to captivating films like 1982’s The Dark Crystal, 1984’s The NeverEnding Story, 1985’s Legend, 1986’s Labyrinth, into 1988’s Willow, it is hard to argue where some of the greatest contributes lie.
In an era with a strikingly balanced approach to Fantasy, some stories were accessible to a younger audience, others aimed more at adults, but a few transcended all ages like The Last Unicorn. Based on the 1968 Peter S. Beagle novel of the same title, The Last Unicorn was transformed into a full-length animated feature film that hit theaters a week before Thanksgiving in 1982. The perfect time for families to gather and head out to the movies, oddly with very positive reviews, The Last Unicorn was not a financial success at the box office. Rather unfortunate, thankfully fans quickly caught wind of its brilliance in the years to follow, resulting in it becoming one of the most beloved Fantasy animated films ever.
Something you could consider a big-budget production, Rankin/Bass Animated Entertainment (the production company behind such animated classics as 1964’s Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and 1969’s Frosty the Snowman) put their best foot forward with The Last Unicorn. To begin with, the company’s two founders, Arthur Rankin Jr. and Jules Bass, teamed up for the direction. From here they brought in an all-star cast to portray the characters; including Mia Farrow as the Unicorn/Lady Amalthea, Alan Arkin as the self-doubting Magician Schmendrick, Jeff Bridges as the selfless Prince Lír, Tammy Grimes as Molly Grue, Christopher Lee as the greedy King Haggard, Angela Lansbury as the witch Mommy Fortuna.
With all cast members giving performances that help you connect with the story more deeply, perhaps the most heart-tugging aspect is the Jimmy Webb-composed soundtrack. Webb, one of America’s most successful songwriters having written hits such as Fifth Dimension’s “Up, Up and Away” and The Brooklyn Bridge’s “Worst That Could Happen,” composed music that creates a fittingly somber mood for The Last Unicorn. Bringing it all together, the songs are performed by the famous Rock band America and the London Symphony Orchestra. America, known for such hits as 1971’s “A Horse with No Name” and 1975’s “Sister Golden Hair,” were the seemingly perfect fit, because there is an inherent sadness in the emotion of Dewey Bunnell and Gerry Beckley’s voices.
All a potion for a magical movie, what truly sells The Last Unicorn is the story itself. Set in a place where unicorns have all vanished, there is one noble creature left who is set out on a journey to find out what has happened. Honestly a story of hope, there are underlined themes of what true selflessness can do for the greater good of others. A powerful message for people of all ages, especially in present times when it seems narcissism is at an all-time high, now in 2024 The Last Unicorn arrives in a lovely 4K Ultra HD presentation.
Released on August 20, 2024 via Shout! Studios, it marks the first time The Last Unicorn is available in 4K Ultra HD. Transferred from the 35mm interpositive with Dolby Vision, there is no exaggeration when saying the colors are more vivid than ever. Accelerating for long-time fans, but also magical for first-time viewers, the new clarification beautifully presents The Last Unicorn. With this in mind, the release is offered in a standard case or a stunning Steelbook edition. Both 2 discs (a 4K UHD and Blu-ray), disc one is the original film in 4K, while disc two also has the 4K transfer, but also a new profile of writer Peter S. Beagle. Beyond this, there is a Q&A with Beagle, animated storyboards, and the must-watch True Magic (Redux): The Story Of The Last Unicorn.
A truly spectacular way to celebrate The Last Unicorn, the standard edition has a nice slipcase, while the Steelbook has gorgeous wrap-around artwork. A gift for those who never stop dreaming, Cryptic Rock gives this new 4K Ultra HD release of The Last Unicorn 5 out of 5 stars.
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