The Last Unicorn – The Enchanted Edition
Category: Blu-ray's and DVD's
The Last Unicorn is a beloved animated family fantasy film from 1982 with an A-list cast providing the voices. This Enchanted Edition includes a Blu-ray and a DVD as well as a Digital Download and some interesting bonus features. “When I wrote The Last Unicorn I had no idea that my story would someday have so many devoted fans,” said Peter S. Beagle, the author of the novel and subsequent screenplay. “The ‘Enchanted Edition’ is the best home video version of The Last Unicorn ever, and I am thrilled to share it with the world.”
When an inquisitive unicorn (Mia Farrow) hears that she is the last unicorn, she is confused. Then a fun little butterfly (Robert Klein) tells her the other unicorns were the victims of a mysterious Red Bull. So the unicorn sets out on a quest to find out once and for all what happened to the others of her kind and if they might still be alive. She leaves her forest – where it’s always spring – and is determined to discover what the reality is about the world’s unicorns.
Along the way she is captured by the evil owner of a carnival (Angela Lansbury) and is rescued by a bumbling magician named Schmendrick (Alan Arkin). The unicorn and the magician team up on the quest, and are soon joined by a woman named Molly Grue (Tammy Grimes). The trio learns the Red Bull works for the evil King Haggard (Christopher Lee). The king has gathered all the unicorns and held them captive in the ocean. To keep her safe from the Red Bull and the king, Schmendrick turns the unicorn into a human woman.
The trio finds the castle then takes up residency with the king and his son Prince Lir (Jeff Bridges). This mysterious young woman enamors the prince. And yes, they do fall in love.
The movie is filled with fantasy and magic. There is a talking skull (Rene Auberjonois), a magic clock, and plenty of imagination. The unicorn is sweet and innocent. At the end it comes down to a combination of magic from the unicorn and heroism from the prince.
The soundtrack is filled with original songs from America, a band that had many hit records in the 70s and 80s – “A Horse With No Name”, “Sister Golden Hair”, “Ventura Highway”, “I Need You”, “Lonely People”, “California Dreamin’”, “Tin Man”, and “You Can Do Magic” just to name a few. The title song is both haunting and beautiful.
A bonus feature describes the film as “pure magic.” Peter S. Beagle talks about how he came up with the story and how it evolved.
The Last Unicorn – The Enchanted Edition from Shout! Factory is rated G for all audiences.
About the Author
Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment business for 20 years. She also writes about technology and has been a travel writer for the past 12 years. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, from Sourced Media Books.
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