Saturday, July 30, 2005
I'm ali-iiive
I was reminded of The Last Unicorn the other day. Here's a movie I adored as a kid, although in reading up on it now, I realize how much I wouldn't have gotten from it back then. It came out in 1982, produced by Rankin/Bass, screenplay written by Peter Beagle himself, man who authored the book back in '68. Nice that they entrusted him w/ the writing, thereby assuring that the movie remained true to the original story. Actually, I never did read the book--never really occurred to me. However, in about four days' time it'll have arrived via an eBay seller and will spend a good couple of evenings on a certain rooftop in Williamsburg w/ yours truly. *I can't wait!*
Anyway, back to the story. For those who haven't experienced this little piece of fantastical excellence, it's about a unicorn who's told by a butterfly that all the unicorns are gone, that she's the last one. Disbelieving, she sets off in pursuit of the others. [Oh geez. I'm listening to the title song right now. The memories this brings back: evenings spent in the old Everett house, reclined on that hideous-but-comfy black/brown/beige couch, little brother and I hunched over heaping bowls of mint chocolate chip Darigold ice cream...] Early in, she's unicorn-napped by a mean old witch (Angela Lansbury does the voice!) who turns her into a circus sideshow attraction at her weird carnival. I remember getting so scared every time I saw that vicious Harpy (another attraction) swoop down on our dear unicorn! Anyway, she of course escapes, thanks to Schmendrick the Magician (Alan Arkin), who's generally questionable in his line of work but who meets w/ random successes. The horrible and fiery Red Bull crosses their path for the first time, evaded only by Schmendrick (one of a handful of Yiddish references, I just now learned) giving the unicorn a human form. She's now called Lady Almathea (Mia Farrow!), and in the company of a third--Molly Gru, salvaged from a roaming gang of bandits--off they venture to the edge of the world, to King Haggard's castle where the last of the beautiful creatures are thought to exist. Turns out they do, w/ the Red Bull (to which the energy drink owes its name, perhaps?) as their keeper. Apparently King Haggard is made terribly unhappy by their presence, thus hides them away--in the ocean.
So King H has an adopted son, Prince Lir (Christoper Lee), who, yep, falls for Lady A. Lady A, although she becomes pretty conflicted at one point--sure I like him, but isn't there something I came here to accomplish?--realizes, after recovering a bit of memory she'd lost, that true happiness lies in loyalty to her true form and to her kind. "I can feel this body dying all around me!" She acknowledges that she'd rather face the Red Bull than remain trapped in her strange woman's body, that there's nothing worse than not recognizing herself. Face the Red Bull she eventually does--in unicorn form--and although her capacity to remember her experiences as a woman is supposedly lost, she ends up saving Lir from the bull, sensing his significance to her. The other unicorns are eventually released from captivity, and there's a, I dare say, breathtaking scene where they're literally pouring out of the ocean, rising and cresting and falling w/ the waves. In reading up, sounds like it was one of the more difficult parts to format, animation-wise.
Through everything, the "last" unicorn becomes the only one of her kind to have experienced human love and regret. Reviews I read reference the adult nature of this movie, on the messages lost on the wee viewers. Um, yes. Immortality, truth and how one chooses to use it, and other *mature* themes weave through the story.
Also, so many years out, I realize how strong the Japanese influence is! Unfamiliar w/ the term *anime* back in the day, I was surprised to come across this in my reading. But looking at a few stills, wow--hard to miss. Turns out, it was largely a joint U.S./Japanese project, the U.S. team handling the story/music/dialogue, and the Japanese, the animation. Another surprise, the movie opens w/ animated tapestries inspired by the Cloisters' Unicorn Tapestries--featured in The New Yorker a while back, and an exhibit I've been meaning to get to since arriving here. Imagine that.
This site links to this site; word has it there's another film in the works...
Oh, the title song lyrics. A little cheesy, but aww...
The Last Unicorn
When the last eagle flies
Over the last crumbling mountain,
And the last lion roars
At the last dusty fountain,
In the shadow of the forest
Though she may be old and worn,
They will stare unbelieving
At the Last Unicorn.
When the first breath of winter
Through the flowers is icing,
And you look to the north
And a pale moon is rising,
And it seems like all is dying
And would leave the world to mourn,
In the distance hear her laughter;
It's the Last Unicorn... I'm alive... I'm alive!
When the last moon is cast
Over the last star of morning,
And the future is past
Without even a last desperate warning,
Then look into the sky where through
The clouds a path is formed,
Look and see her how she sparkles;
It's the Last Unicorn... I'm alive... I'm alive!
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I'm going to go rent the movie! MM
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That's a great story. Waiting for more. » » »