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The Last Unicorn (1982, US/UK)
In Rankin-Bass' animated fantasy film based on Peter
Beagle's 1968 novel of the same name that was one of the most emotionally
frank, sophisticated and mature G-rated cartoon ever made - an epic
quest to find and restore the Unicorns in the world:
- the opening prologue before the title credits -
a discussion between an elder huntsman with his young son when
riding on horses through an enchanted forest: (Young son: "Unicorns?
I thought they only existed in fairy tales. This is a forest, like
any other - isn't it?" Elder Huntsman: "Then why do the
leaves never fall here? Or the snow? Why is it always spring here?
I tell you there is one unicorn left in the world, and as long
as it lives in this forest, we'll find no game to hunt here")
- the opening dialogue spoken by a white female Unicorn
(voice of Mia Farrow) - the last existing one - before the titles:
("I am the only unicorn there is? The last?"); and then:
("That cannot be. Why would I be the last? What do men know?
Because they have seen no unicorns for a while does not mean that
we have all vanished! We do not vanish! There has never been a time
without unicorns. We live forever. We are as old as the sky, old
as the moon. We can be hunted, trapped; we can even be killed if
we leave our forests, but we do not vanish! Am I truly the last?")
- the playful, rhyming butterfly (voice of Robert Klein),
who made an important announcement and revelation, and provided about
hints to the whereabouts of the other Unicorns after they had been
herded away by an evil and demonic creature known as the Red Bull
(voice of Frank Welker); the last Unicorn ws determined to leave
the forest to find them and bring them all back
- during the Last Unicorn's quest, her capture
by evil witch Mommy Fortuna (voice of Angela Lansbury) who imprisoned
the unicorn in a cage for display in her Midnight Carnival - and
her speech describing her thoughts about having also captured another
creature for display - a dangerous immortal harpy named Celaeno:
("The harpy's as real as you are, and just as immortal. And
she was just as easy to capture, if you want to know...Oh, she'll
kill me one day or another. But she will remember forever that I
caught her, and I held her prisoner. So there's my immortality, eh?
Now, you were out on the road hunting for your own death, and I know
where it awaits you. I know him, that one...The Red Bull of King
Haggard")
- the sequence of the Unicorn's escape from Mommy Fortuna's
cage with aid from the clownish, yet heroic, aspiring magician Schmendrick
(voice of Alan Arkin) who was in the service of Mommy Fortuna; the
Unicorn regretfully told Schmendrick that she couldn't turn him into
a magician - his true wish, but she made a request that he join her
on her quest to find the other unicorns: ("A butterfly told
me of a Red Bull, who pushed all the other unicorns to the ends of
the earth. And Mommy Fortuna spoke of a King Haggard. So I'm going
where they are, to learn whatever they know...You may come with me
if you like, though I wish you'd asked for some other reward for
having freed me....I cannot turn you into something you are not.
I cannot turn you into a true magician")
- the introduction of an additional traveling companion
- the character of middle-aged and sharp-tongued Molly Grue (voice
of Tammy Grimes), the lover of Captain Cully, who delivered a powerful
and bitter speech castigating the Unicorn: ("And where were
you twenty years ago? Ten years ago? Where were you when I was new?
When I was one of those innocent young maidens you always come to?
How dare you! How dare you come to me now, when I am this!")
- the temporary transformation of the Unicorn (when
racing away from the fiery Red Bull), who was turned by Schmendrick's
magic into a human girl with knee-length white hair named Lady Amalthea,
to save her from the Red Bull; Schmendrick promised Lady Amalthea
that he would return her to her Unicorn state after her quest was
completed
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Unicorn - Transformed by Schmendrick
into White Haired Human Lady Amalthea
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- Amalthea's reaction to the shock that she was now
mortal, and her song about feeling human: ("Who am I? Why
am I here? What is it that I am seeking in this strange place,
day after day? I-I knew a moment ago, but I-I have forgotten....(singing)
Once, I can't remember, I was long ago, Someone strange, I was
innocent and wise, And full of pain. Now that I'm a woman, Everything
is strange. I must go to him. I must face the Bull again and discover
what he has done with them, before I forget myself forever. But
I don't know where to find him. And I'm lonely. (singing) Once,
when I was searching Somewhere out of reach, Far away, In a place
I could not find Or heart obey, Now that I'm a woman, Everything
has changed, Everything has changed, Everything has changed")
- the dangerously obsessive, unhappy white-haired character
of King Haggard (voice of Christopher Lee) in his seaside castle,
who was the keeper of the Red Bull; when he became suspicious, he
demanded to know Amalthea's real identity: ("What is the matter
with your eyes? Why can I not see myself in your eyes? Who is she!?...I
want to know who she is!")
- King Haggard's adopted son Prince Lir (voice of Jeff
Bridges) awkwardly courted and fell in love with Amalthea (who was
tempted by mortal love)
- the sequence of Prince Lir, Molly, Schmendrick, and
Amalthea confronting the Red Bull in his lair - when Amalthea was
turned back into a Unicorn, and Prince Lir sacrificed his life to
defend and save her from the Red Bull; in retaliation, the Unicorn
forced the Red Bull into the ocean - thereby releasing and freeing
hundreds of other white Unicorns from the water; the rush of Unicorns
from the sea caused the crumbling and destruction of Haggard's castle
(and the death of Haggard himself)
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The Other Unicorns Freed From the Sea - and the
Crumbling Collapse of Haggard's Seaside Castle, and the Death
of King Haggard
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- after all of the other Unicorns were restored to
the world, the Unicorn magically revived Prince Lir
- the final scene of the Unicorn's bittersweet thanks
and goodbye to Schmendrick (who was at first apologetic for giving
her the taint of mortality) before departing to return to the forest;
she was thankful because she was both the only Unicorn who could
feel regret - but also feel love: ("I am a little afraid to
go home. I have been mortal, and some part of me is mortal yet. I
am no longer like the others, for no unicorn was ever born who could
regret, but now I do. I regret...Unicorns are in the world again.
No sorrow will live in me with that joy - save one. And I thank you
for that part, too. Farewell, good magician. I will try to go home")
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The Shadow of The Last Unicorn in the Enchanted Forest
The Elder Huntsman Discussing Unicorns With Young Son
The Last White Female Unicorn
The Unicorn Captured and Imprisoned by Mommy Fortuna
The Unicorn Asking For Schmendrick to Join In Her Quest
The Unicorn Racing Away From Fiery Red Bull
King Haggard
The Unicorn's Magical Revival of Prince Lir
The Unicorn's Bittersweet Farewell to Schmendrick
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