A Childhood Favorite?
It's been over a year since our last Book Versus Movie and I figured I should start it off with a childhood classic.
I remember being introduced to The Last Unicorn universe watching for the first time when I was still in daycare. I remember watching as the unicorn sprinted across the screen thinking it was the most beautiful creature I had ever seen.
Since then, I've brought the movie up a few times in conversation and in doing so found out the movie was actually a book first.
To my surprise, a few weeks ago, while thrift shopping, I came across an edition from the 60's. No joke I literally said out loud, "No fucking way" and immediately put it in my cart.
I couldn't wait to read it as well as watch the movie again since it's been so long. Which one will I like better? Let's see in this Book versus Movie face-off!
Overview
When an immortal unicorn overhears a group of men traveling through her forest, she finds out she is the last of her kind.
She sets out to determine the truth but before long realizes the outside world isn't as safe as her enchanted woods.
Captured by an evil sorceress the unicorn soon meets an ageless wizard as well as a group of bandits. From their knowledge, she soon realizes she must defeat King Haggard and the Red Bull to bring back the magic the unicorns once brought to the world.
Book
The Last Unicorn is a 218-page novel published in 1968 by American author Peter S. Beagle. The novel focuses on the fantasy genre highlighting the mythical one-horned creature, the unicorn, a popular trend during that decade.
Following the inner thoughts of immortal unicorn the reader comes to find the simple way of living isn't best when alone. The unicorn learns this lesson along the way as she finds people willing to support her quest.
We meet Schmendrick and Molly Grue. Like the unicorn they also have lost magic in their worlds. Schmendrick with lack of wizard magic his mentor prophesied so many eons ago, while Molly Grue's magic in believing good exists in people has faded. Through Beagle's writing, it's hard to attach and root for one of these characters, including the unicorn. Between rude behavior, and switching of personality traits they seem to be all over the place but then again that’s reality for you.
The book is set as fantasy with the main character being a unicorn. Magical elements seen through multiple witch and wizard characters can be seen as well as talking butterflies. Even still, the world was not built enough to make it feel as though you stepped into a magical realm. Often filled with poems or songs(too many some would say), left me wanting to skip the pages and get right back to the story.
The story ebbed and flowed as the quest to find the other unicorns dragged along. Some instances the descriptions and conversations taking part made the story easy to follow along but then it would suddenly come to a halt. The beautiful descriptions turned to pages long and often times could have been cut and filled with more world building. This can been seen as the group comes to the turning point at King Hagert’s castle where a curse has left him old and ragged. Except what is the curse about? It’s explained prior to their arrival as almost an afterthought. Beagle misses the mark in making the curse relatable or even understandable to the reader therefore making the reader lose interest right when things are wrapping up.
But is it a true fantasy story without a love side plot? I guess not as the unicorn, turned human, has to fall in love with the King’s son, but only after he spends hours and hours begging for her attention and love. This part of the plot definitely reveals its age because if something like that was written now, red flags would be thrown left and right.
As the story concludes, and as the group saves the unicorns from the Red Bull the story comes to a close but one some readers may not enjoy. Yes, the unicorn learns being by herself may not be for the best, but anything related to love, or friendship she has gained along the way is tossed aside. As if the people who helped her never truly mattered. And the others? Well, they keep to their old rude ways of speaking to each other ready to share the magic they found along the way with others.
Movie
The Last Unicorn was directed by Jules Bass and Aurther Rankin Jr. and released in theaters October 1982 with a run time of 132 minutes. It voices famous actors including Mia Farrow, Jeff Bridges, Christopher Lee, Alan Arkin, and Angela Lansbury who are known for some big roles in their careers.
The movie opens with one of 15 songs composed by Jimmy Webb and played by America with the London Symphony Orchestra. Beautiful animations follow, drawn by Topcraft, a company found in Japan.
Directors Bass and Rankin, stick to the original material as the unicorn finds the same problem and meets Shcermick and Molly Grue along the way. They take it a step further, cutting out the bullshit scenes, making the story more precise and easier to follow along too.
Creatures which are explained in the book are brought to life on screen with gruesome drawings and frightening music combined. One a child shouldn’t be watching in my option-even as an adult the creatures can be somewhat frightening.
Like the book where the songs and poems go on and on, there are many montage scenes that just keep going. After 3 minutes of watching the unicorn trapes over hills the sparkle and whimsy of the adventure starts to lose the point.
Where the story steps out from the original material is when it comes to the curse. In fact, there isn’t one in the movie at all. Instead, we get an old grumpy king who loves to torture others and keep the happiness that once ruled the world alongside the unicorns at bay(literally). Instead we get to fear the Red Bull seeing the power it holds against everything in its path.
Oh, and don’t forget the love story, we have to have a hero to save the day that is! But once again does the unicorn really care, the answer is still no.
Similarly to the book, the unicorn once freeing her fellow unicorns goes on her way leaving the friends and lover she made along the way behind, but don't forget to cue the sappy music to make it seem okay.
Winner
This is another shocker when it comes to the winner. Often times books overrule movie, but in this case, the movie takes the win! With a more concise plot, beautifully hand-drawn scenes, and of course ongoing music of the 80's it's the clear winner. The book didn't stand a chance! But I should have known this from the beginning, I'm a little bias to the movie when it comes to playing the nostalgia card after all.
What book to movie adaptation should I have face off against each other next? Let me know in the comments below! Read my last Book versus Movie, Let the Right One In to see which format won me over.
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