The Last Unicorn (1982)

A brave unicorn (Mia Farrow) and a magician (Alan Arkin) fight an evil King (Sir Christopher Lee), who is obsessed with attempting to capture the world's unicorns.

Directors:

Jules Bass, Arthur Rankin Jr.

Writers:

Peter S. Beagle (screenplay), Peter S. Beagle (novel)

Stars:

Jeff Bridges, Mia Farrow, Angela Lansbury

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Alan Arkin	...	Schmendrick (voice)
Jeff Bridges	...	Prince Lir (voice)
Mia Farrow	...	Unicorn / Amalthea (voice)
Tammy Grimes	...	Molly Grue (voice)
Robert Klein	...	The Butterfly (voice)
Angela Lansbury	...	Mommy Fortuna (voice)
Christopher Lee	...	King Haggard (voice)
Keenan Wynn	...	Captain Cully / Harpy (voice)
Paul Frees	...	Mabruk / The Tree / The Cat (voice)
Rene Auberjonois	...	The Skull (voice)
Theodore Gottlieb	...	Ruhk (voice)
Don Messick	...	The Cat (voice)
Jack Lester	...	Hunter #1 / Old Farmer / Cully's Men (voice)
Nellie Bellflower	...	(voice) (scenes deleted)
Ed Peck	...	Jack Jingley / Cully's Men (voice) (as Edward Peck)

Storyline

From a riddle-speaking butterfly (Richard Klein), a unicorn (Mia Farrow) learns that she is supposedly the last of her kind, all of the others having been herded away by the Red Bull. The unicorn sets out to discover the truth behind the butterfly's words. She is eventually joined on her quest by Schmendrick (Alan Arkin), a second-rate magician, and Molly Grue (Tammy Grimes), a middle-aged woman who dreamt all her life of seeing a unicorn. Their journey leads them far from home, all the way to the castle of King Haggard (Sir Christopher Lee).

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Plot Keywords:

unicorn | bull | magician | actor voicing multiple characters | quest | 

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Taglines:

The Magical Fantasy Adventure Based on the Bestselling Book.

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Genres:

Animation | Adventure | Drama | Family | Fantasy

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Certificate:

G

Did You Know?

Trivia

Rene Auberjonois's first theatrically released animated film. Later he'd go onto voice Louie the Chef in The Little Mermaid (1989), Flannigan in Cats Don't Dance (1997), and Concierge in Planes: Fire & Rescue (2014).

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Goofs

The horn that Mommy Fortuna created for the Unicorn glows and was located in front of the Unicorn's authentic horn. However, when when the Unicorn says "hurry!" to Schmendrick as he is unlocking her cage, we see that her authentic horn, not Mommy Fortuna's horn, is the one that's glowing.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Hunter #2: I dislike the feel of this woods. Creatures that live in a unicorn's forest learn a little magic of their own in time. Mainly concerned with disappearing.

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Alternate Versions

Some broadcast television versions prior to the VHS/DVD version used this cut, but contained the sound effects from the theatrical/HBO version.

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Connections

Referenced in AniMat's Classic Reviews: The Secret of Kells (2013)

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Soundtracks

In The Sea
(uncredited)
Written by Jimmy Webb
Performed by America

User Reviews

Strange but compelling for a child

I saw it when I was about 5 or 6 years old and thought it was ok. I recently saw it again and wasn't too impressed. The plot is slow, the dialogue drags, and it's uninteresting, overall. But it does have one thing that very few movies have: a living fantasy world that draws a person in. I liked it exactly because of the unicorn realm that is presented in such a a real way. And it should be cut some slack.. It was made during the Era of Unicorns, the 80s, which had every little girl (myself included) starry eyed over these magical equines. Seeing one "alive" and frolicking around the TV was pretty cool at the time. I didn't like it much after the Unicorn was turned into a human, though. That did (and still does) nosedive this film badly. We don't see the unicorn long enough to appreciate her situation and perspective - The transformation takes away a lot of the magic, and causes the film to meander. Still, it has a good ending and is worth a viewing to get a slice of what childhood was like in the 80s. I suppose it's a minor classic in its own right. It is dramatic and has some frightening moments, but what film doesn't? Any kid who's traumatized by it is being coddled too much. Adults can skip "The Last Unicorn," but it's a must for any little kid who likes fantasy.

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

UK France West Germany Japan USA

Language:

English German

Release Date:

19 November 1982 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Last Unicorn

Box Office

Budget:

$3,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$2,250,000, 21 November 1982

Gross USA:

$6,455,330

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$6,455,330

Company Credits

Production Co:

Rankin/Bass Productions, Incorporated Television Company (ITC)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1