Last Unicorn, The (Steelbook) (4K UHD Review)
- Review Date: Sep 30, 2024
- Format: 4K Ultra HD
-
Director
Arthur Rankin Jr./Jules BassRelease Date(s)
1982 (August 20, 2024)Studio(s)
Rankin/Bass Productions/Topcraft/ITC Films (Shout! Studios)- Film/Program Grade: B+
- Video Grade: A-
- Audio Grade: A-
- Extras Grade: C
Review
The Last Unicorn may seem like a run-of-the-mill animated fairy tale that spends its running time appealing to small children, but the quirkiness and adult thematics contained within what’s mostly perceived as a generic fantasy narrative make it more than the sum of its parts. The product of author Peter S. Beagle and directors Arthur Rankin Jr. and Jules Bass, it became a beloved film to a generation of young fans who saw it 1982, and more likely later when it came to home video. As such, it remains a staple for many who are now adults and will undoubtedly continue to be introduced to new generations whose parents appreciate the fantastic with an edge, and a heart.
The story begins with the titular unicorn (Mia Farrow) learning from human strangers that she’s the last of her kind. A wayward butterfly (Robert Klein) tells her that the hulking and menacing Red Bull has herded all of the world’s unicorns into one part of the world. Hearing this, she sets out on a journey to find them, meeting and befriending others along the way, including the amateur magician Schmendrick (Alan Arkin) and a road thief’s former lover, Molly Grue (Tammy Grimes), who accompany her to the bayside castle of King Haggard (Christopher Lee) and his dashing and adventurous son, Prince Lir (Jeff Bridges). Schmendrick casts a spell on the unicorn, transforming her into a human, whom they name Lady Almathea, to keep her presence as a unicorn secret from the Red Bull, which knows about her and is pursuing her. Other actors include Angela Lansbury, Keenan Wynn, Paul Frees, Don Messick, and René Auberjonois.
Peter S. Beagle adapted his novel for the film version, of which the finished product he was more than happy with. The creative team behind it seemed to strike enough of a balance that would appeal to both children and adults without leaning too heavily in either direction. It can be a very dark tale at times, but it’s also filled with plenty of whimsy and melancholy. Performances range from oddly flat to quite good in some cases. It’s part and parcel to the film’s capriciousness, especially in the dialogue, which randomly mentions things that have no bearing on the situation at hand, and sound somewhat foreign coming out of the mouths of medieval fantasy characters. There’s also the lovely score by Jimmy Webb, aided with songs by America, that give it its laid-back, folksy, yet strangely larger-than-life personality. It’s less a tale about a unicorn finding other unicorns, and more about characters growing and changing over the course of their journey.
Because of its undeniable appeal, The Last Unicorn saw success all over the world, containing universal themes of love, loss, and friendship. In a way, it’s very akin to The Lord of the Rings without consciously trying to imitate it. After all, the best fantasy and science fiction is always best when it’s about more than its genre trappings or its narrative. It’s simple with its own mild set of complexities, but nothing that’s overly burdensome. At its core, it’s a charming animated film that’s beautiful to look at and resonates within the soul, if you let it.
The Last Unicorn was animated on 35 mm film using traditional cel animation, finished photochemically, and presented in the aspect ratio of 1.85:1. Shout! Studios brings the film to Ultra HD for the first time from a new 4K scan of the interpositive, graded for High Dynamic Range in HDR10 and Dolby Vision, and presented on a double-layered BD-66 disc. It’s a lovely presentation that, despite not being sourced from the original camera negative, does plenty with a second generation element. The bitrate tends to hover between 60 and 90Mbps, dropping and rising above those parameters periodically, and perhaps dropping a tad too much at times. Cel dirt, scratches, and speckling are present with some mild grain management, but nothing that compromises the original artwork. The color palette offers a wide range of hues, while the HDR grades allow for perfect contrast and deep blacks, filled with various nuances in the shadows. The image is mostly stable throughout with only mild frame shifts that are hardly noticeable, but also built in to the original animation.
Audio is included in English 5.1 and 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio with optional subtitles in English SDH. The film was released in Dolby Stereo, and the 2.0 track is probably the better representation of this. It offers a finer balance of the various elements with excellent support for the music and the score. Dialogue is discernible on both tracks and sound effects have some nice push to them. The 5.1 track is fine and offers good surround support, but the 2.0 track is a tighter and more focused multi-channel experience. Your mileage may vary.
The Steelbook 4K Ultra HD release of The Last Unicorn is a Wal-Mart exclusive and sits in its case alongside a 1080p Blu-ray copy of the film, which contains the following extras (the UHD contains none):
- NEW Peter S. Beagle: A Profile (HD – 14:46)
- True Magic (Redux): The Story of The Last Unicorn (HD – 27:28)
- Highlights from The Last Unicorn Worldwide Screening Tour (HD – 8:28)
- Animated Storyboards (Upscaled SD – 7:22)
- Original Theatrical Trailer (SD – 2:47)
Most of the extras from Shout! Studios’ previous Blu-ray release are accounted for, but not all. Strangely, the full version of the True Magic: The Story of The Last Unicorn documentary, as well as the audio commentary with Peter S. Beagle, associate producer Michael Chase Walker, tour producer Connor Cochran, and Conlan Press team members Terri Kempton and Travis Ashmore, are notably absent. Shout! adds a new interview with Peter S. Beagle, along with the Steelbook packaging, but there’s still a number of extras missing from the Lionsgate 25th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray and DVD combo pack. They include an audio commentary with Peter S. Beagle and his publisher Connor Cochran; the Immortal Characters featurette; The Last Unicorn Art Contest Gallery; the Tale of The Last Unicorn featurette; Schmendrick’s Magical Gallery; the Peter S. Beagle and His Work featurette; the Escape the Red Bull Set-Top interactive game; and About Peter S. Beagle audio snippets.
Also available is Shout! Studios’ standard UHD release, which is the same content-wise, but features a more traditional black Amaray case with an insert and slipcover that replicates the original theatrical poster artwork.
Some have called The Last Unicorn the finest and most respectable work in the Rankin/Bass library, and that very well may be. Shout! Studios UHD treatment of the film is mostly commendable, though the bonus materials definitely need some beefing up. In any case, long-time fans should pleased by the picture quality.
- Tim Salmons
(You can follow Tim on social media at these links: Twitter, Facebook, and Letterboxd. And be sure to subscribe to his YouTube channel here.)