The first time I saw this movie was when I was very young. So young, in fact, that the only things I can remember about this movie are subtle images; I couldn't even remember if I liked it or not. Now, more than twelve years later and after reading the book, I can honestly say that this is a truly great film.

I have seen very few films that have actually brought me close to tears, and most of those movies are ones I didn't like. The Last Unicorn is an especially good film not just because it stays true to the book, which animated films are rarely good at, but also because it breaks away from the Disney formula for telling the story. All the characters in this film are sympathetic in one way or another, including the villains King Haggard and Mommy Fortuna. Many people would ask why a villain would need to be sympathetic? The simple answer is they don't. The villains are sympathetic though because they are human. The unicorn herself doesn't truly become sympathetic until she is transformed.

I say this film is in the spirit of the great filmmaker and master animator Hayao Miyazaki, a Japanese director, because even though this film is a fantasy, it is not a fairy tale. Miyazaki has become famous for making animated films that are enjoyable for children, but are also sophisticated and deep enough for adults. What makes this movie great is its story.

One of the things that makes this movie so special for me is because it has become one of my favorite love stories. More specifically, it is a story about hopeless love. There are only four love stories, this one included, that I regard as my favorites. One them being Princess Mononoke, one of the many great films by Miyazaki. It is also a unique love story because it is about true eternal love. How is it eternal? I will not say because I don't want to spoil the movie.

My only real complaint about this movie is that the animation isn't very fluid, but I am willing to let that slide because the film was obviously low budget. I only hope that the live-action version will be as good and hopefully even better than the animated version, because even though this movie was well paced there were certain things from the book I hope they mention in the new version that they didn't have time to put into the animated version. I also hope the live-action version is as truthful to the book as this movie was, and leans more to the adult side of the story so more emotion and character development can come out of it.

You're never to old to believe in the impossible.

A lonely unicorn (beautifully voiced by Mia Farrow) leaves her enchanted forest in search of others of her kind. During her journey she meets and befriends both bumbling magician Schmendrick (an extremely engaging vocal turn by Alan Arkin) and scrappy, rundown Molly Grue (a fabulously feisty Tammy Grimes). Schmendrick and Molly assist the unicorn on her quest to find the evil, miserable King Haggard (Christopher Lee in peak nasty villainous form) and the fearsome Red Bull. Complications ensue when Schmendrick transforms the unicorn into the fragile human Amalthea and she falls for the handsome Prince Lir (voiced with dashing aplomb by Jeff Bridges). Directors Jules Bass and Arthur Rankin, Jr., working from a sharp and witty script by Peter S. Beagle, craft a thoughtful and poignant meditation on love, friendship, and regret. The film further benefits from a splendid array of folks providing voices for the various colorful characters: Angela Lansbury as wicked old witch Mommy Fortuna, Robert Klein as a flaky, exuberant butterfly, Keenan Wynn as crusty bandit leader Captain Cully, Rene Auberjonois as a jolly, laughing, talking skeleton, Paul Frees as a rascally peg-legged, eye-patched pirate cat, and eccentric performance artist Brother Theodore as Mommy Fortuna's oafish son Ruhk. Moreover, Jimmy Webb's wondrous score and the catchy, moving and uplifting songs by the popular folk-rock group America greatly enhance the whimsical appeal of this endearing picture. Granted, the animation is rather rough around the edges, but still pretty and impressive just the same. A true delight.

I saw this film so many times when I was younger, and loved it. The songs are actually really lovely, but I do think that Jeff Bridges singing lacked support. The animation is actually very nice. Yes it does fall flat sometimes, but it is the 80s after all, besides overall it was quite stylish, beautiful and whimsical. The screenplay is very good also, and if I am not mistaken, it was written by the author, so there was a hint of faithfulness. Apparently Haggard's lines were literally adapted from the book. The voice talents are top notch. Alan Arkin was more than adequate as Schmendrick, and Tammy Grimes was poignant as Molly Grue. Jeff Bridges and Christopher Lee added a huge amount to the film, as did Angela Lansbury as Mommy Fortuna. Topping them all, was Mia Farrow as the brooding and sensitive Amalfia/Unicorn. The red Bull was also really sinister, and Rene Auberjoinis made me laugh as the Skull. All in all, an imaginative movie. 8/10 Bethany Cox