The Last Unicorn (1982)

Produced by the famous children's cartoon duo Rankin-Bass, The Last Unicorn is a lesser-known but worthy entry in the family fantasy-adventure genre. Based on his own novel, the screenplay was adapted by Peter S. Beagle, who also adapted The Lord of the Rings for Ralph Bakshi's 1978 animated film. In this story, emotionally charged drama takes precedent over rousing adventure, as many of the characters are dealing with some kind of loneliness or loss. The dramatic focus is helped by Hollywood actors supplying the voices, such as Alan Arkin, Angela Lansbury, and the ethereal-voiced Mia Farrow as the titular heroine. As fantasy-adventures go, the story is a standard quest, filled with magic and strange creatures, but it is exceptional for its strong characters and dialogue. The animation style is not exactly high in quality and it's worsened by inconsistencies, with much of the character design and animation done by both U.S. and Japanese companies. The music numbers are mostly unnecessary to the plot and feature Jeff Bridges and Farrow singing along with the '70s soft rock group America. If you can tolerate the songs, The Last Unicorn is a worthwhile film with much to offer adults and kids. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide