The Last Unicorn, Lost in Adaptation ~ The Dom

The Dom compares the Rankin Bass film to the novel by Peter S Beagle.
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[@blueblank8287]

I genuinely love that Haggard’s motivation as a villain is “I’m so fucking depressed that I may as well do anything at this point and see if it cheers me up”.

[@Starmadien2019]

If you think about it in a roundabout way. Lee is cursed to never be happy again, with his only happiness a unicorn. Much like his father, although he doesn't go for mad, sociopathic genocide.

[@cheezemonkeyeater]

I love how well Christopher Lee plays it, too. When he talks about the Unicorns is the only point in his entire performance where his mood perks up and the rest of the time he seems incredibly disinterested and annoyed that he's being forced to pay attention.

[@quizzicalsphinx]

NAME DROP: I met Beagle at a screening/signing many years ago and asked him straight up about the butterfly. He explained that he *is* the butterfly, which is why the butterfly knew all the backstory. The little beret and beard is a caricature of how young beatnik Beagle looked in his twenties when he wrote the book. Beagle's also something of a balladeer, which is why the butterfly seems to know one random line of dozens of songs, because that's pretty much how Beagle's brain works.

[@Zodia195]

That's amazing! Thanks for the input!

[@happychaosofthenorth]

When I met him I was so busy trying not to cry that I couldn't think of any meaningful questions to ask him. The Last Unicorn WAS my childhood and holds an incredibly profound place in my heart. Thank you for sharing that anecdote! It's cool to learn that.

[@quizzicalsphinx]

I ran into him. Literally. Opened the door to the signing, walked straight into him. I had about four inches and thirty pounds over him. It was not a graceful collision. I was so startled the only thing that came out of my mouth was "oh! it's you! hi there!" He smiled and said "hello, dear" like he'd known me since I was five. There were a lot of people there in your position--too emotionally overcome to say anything--and he was just as patient and kind and understanding with the first one as he was with all the ones after. He really is a gracious, lovely man.

[@happychaosofthenorth]

Oh I know! He was so wonderful! When I met him it was at a local comic con and I had no idea he was there. He wasn't listed as a guest or anything, and had a small table in artists alley in a very unassuming spot. I just happened upon his table and was at first thinking that it was cool to see a Last Unicorn fan, because of the artwork set up, and when I realized it was him I was overcome with emotion in a way I could never properly describe or explain. I met a lot of cool celebrities that weekend, but meeting him was a far more profound and special experience to me than anything else that weekend. He's truly a sweet guy and talented author.

[@Zodia195]

I heard when the movie had a recent anniversary and they had screenings of it in certain cities, he attended some of them. Btw, Lynette, I one literally ran into someone famous too when I was a kid. I was 5 years old and got away from my mom to run to the restroom when I literally ran into George Bush, Sr. lol. Sad I have no memory of it. At the time he was still VP lol. I actually remember the events around it because I was having major eye surgery that day and my surgery was in DC since my family was living in Maryland at the time. Apparently the day of my surgery, Bush was in the Hospital and parts of the area were cut off by Special Services, including the nearest Women's restroom. My mom was pleading with one of the SS guys to let us go through saying, "How can a 5 year old pose any threat!?" I was throwing a fit too and finally took matters into my own hands. I ended up charging into the SS guy to get past him, who was so shocked that he did fall over. My mom then starts chasing me and as I turn the corner . . BAM! I collided right into Bush lol. Luckily I didn't knock him over. My poor mother was mortified, but explained the situation and Bush scolded the SS guy by saying, "Why didn't you let them through?!" Bush and his own SS guard ended up escorting us to the restroom lol. Turns out Bush and I had the same eye doctor hehe. I laugh hearing that story and can't help but wonder if Bush still remembers that. Not every day a 5 year old blonde girl runs into you hehe. I wished I remembered it.

[@dragongirl7978]

One similarly you forgot to mention that really struck me as a fan of both the book and the movie: Throughout the movie, even with everything being blue and generally full colors, the unicorn is always white, like she has her own subtle glow, exactly like it says in the book. But also in the book, when the unicorn is fighting the red bull the first time, it says that when she got too scared to fight anymore, her light went out, and it was still out when she was changed back into a unicorn, until Lier was killed, at which point her light came back on. The film adaption follows this exactly, allowing her whiteness to naturally interact with shadows during her "dark" scenes, then bringing back the supernatural whiteness. It was one of those little details that gives me shivers at how well done it was.

[@Grim_Sister]

I think he just didn’t notice it. I also didn’t notice until you mentioned it

[@dragongirl7978]

@@Grim_Sister I mean, I sort of figured that might be the case, but figured someone should point it out. 😂

[@rustyshackleford6633]

"supernatural whiteness" is a fun phrase

[@kim-urban-edwards2083]

I never knew/noticed this before but now I LOVE it! Thank you

[@cheezemonkeyeater]

Also a fun fact: In the commentary, Peter Beagle comments on the boobs. He says even he's not sure who the hell greenlit that design, or why they did so.

[@skylx0812]

It was probably the conceptual artist visually emphasizing that it was a mature fantasy. "Look at these! See? We're different!" To be honest tho, the tree with the breasts near its base looked more phallic than breasticular. ...I'm sooo CONFUSED!

[@patrickdrazen3574]

Bear in mind: the animation studio was JAPANESE! Their standards are WAY different...

[@robertnett9793]

I think the harpies with boobs isn't that far fetched. It might be true, that the greek original depiction didn't sport boobs - but medieval art certainly did.

[@littlegoblinforever]

@@robertnett9793 yeah but... why 3?

[@robertnett9793]

@@littlegoblinforever The more the merrier I guess?

[@superkroger]

The unicorns being trapped in the sea make sense, horses and unicorns were created by Poseidon god of the sea and waterways. Poseidon created horses and unicorns from seafoam. So the Red Bull imprisoned the unicorns in the sea from which they originally came from.

[@Eshajori]

That's also the second line in the book.

[@MelonTartVA]

brandon cannon interesting. I was never aware of such a bit of folklore.

[@NegativePleasure]

*takes a swig of Red Bull*

[@keyboardstalker4784]

but wouldn't the unicorns turn into pegasi because red bull gives you wings

[@ravenspeaks5957]

The other thing is that, with the redbull driving them into the sea, the fear of him keeps them trapped there. So that LAND = BULL. So any land could mean that the Red Bull will get them again and drive them back to Haggard and back to the sea. It's the idea that they will have to confront this creature that terrified them so much they were driven from their homes. Another thing, the reason why they are all right there at Haggard's keep could be because it was the last place they were at when they were driven into the sea, and possibly (because they show a scene in the film of this) Unicorns may be social with each other. If they are unhappy or afraid, they may gather together to keep close. Which may be why none of them have swum away.

[@Rvlakia]

I would watch this movie endlessly as a child BECAUSE it was a scary kid's fantasy film. Children don't need as much sheltering as people think. (The tree thing was weird though).

[@MissCaraMint]

Rvlakia There’s a reason I watched The Hunchback of Notredame so many times. I would have loved this movie as a kid.

[@horseenthusiast1250]

Rvlakia yeah, I loved scary, morbid, and very sarcastic or witty fantasy as a little kid. I think it really helped my imagination, though why I’ve always had such a fixation of characters being imprisoned/in the depths of despair is beyond me...

[@thomastakesatollforthedark2231]

@@horseenthusiast1250 *coughMasochismcough*

[@horseenthusiast1250]

Thomas takes a toll for the dark perhaps! Though I think it’s more that I’ve always loved the psychology of complete and utter character breakdowns (and subsequent triumphant rebuildings). It’s the character equivalent of melting an ice cube and refreezing it I guess lol

[@thomastakesatollforthedark2231]

@@horseenthusiast1250 eh yeah that is awesome. It's like a Phoenix or Daedalus. Failing and falling into the deepest pit of despair, only to rise again and be better then what they where is one of the best character tropes

[@anguavonubervald7539]

The Molly Grue meets the Unicorn scene still punches me straight in the fucking heart like literally 30 years after the first time I ever saw it and didn't understand why Molly was upset. Now I fucking do. It's a goddamned masterpiece for that scene alone.

[@LynetteTheMadScientist]

Can you explain it to me? I don’t quite get it

[@macaronsncheese9835]

@@LynetteTheMadScientist Others have articulated it far better than I will but basically, Molly is a woman in a mostly-male band of thieves, who's had a rough life. She's not young or naive or virginal and to her the unicorn arguably represents the hero she needed back when she /was/ all those things. Of course she's upset when an honest-to-god Unicorn shows up, in all her glory but in Molly's eyes too late, because Molly's already become, and very long has been, what myths might say is NOT the sort of woman a unicorn would ever approach. The unicorn, of course, doesn't care that Molly isn't an innocent maiden and her presence allows Molly a new path in life while not erasing what she's been through, and that's why it hits hard.

[@thesisypheanjournal1271]

Immortality and redemption were pretty strong themes in the film. Mommy Fortuna tells the Unicorn that she captured the Harpy knowing that some day the Harpy would kill her -- but being immortal would always remember that Mommy Fortuna had held her prisoner. This the Harpy was the key to Mommy Fortuna's immortality. There's also the sense that Molly isn't merely Cully's "companion" but was, well, the only woman in a camp full of men. She screams at the Unicorn, "How dare you come to me NOW, when I am THIS!" Molly yearns for her lost innocence. And what's more, she gets it. That's why there's the hint of romance but not quite between her and Schmendrick in the end. Her time with the Unicorn has made her chaste. Will she and Schmendrick become a couple? Perhaps, but it doesn't matter. She has a healthy relationship with a man after having been a worn-out camp follower.

[@Droemar]

Both scenarios you mention are reflections of the unicorn's eventual arc: Lir gains the same kind of immortality in the heart of the unicorn, because she will always remember the love she had for him, until the end of time. The unicorn gets her lost innocence back, too, but while human she begs that she doesn't want it, because she will forget how to love. So while Molly gets a happy ending through regaining her lost innocence, the unicorn gets the most heartbreaking result in the story.

[@Starmadien2019]

That's dark

[@GuardianOfMoon]

I got to meet Peter S. Beagle at Dragon*Con years ago. I was dressed as Esmeralda, from Disney's Hunchback of Notre Dame, and I carried the goat toy of Djali. He told me one of his inspirations for this book was his pet goat from his childhood. He asked to hold my toy goat when we took our photo together, which is a photo I have up at my work. He was a great man to meet and listen to. And yes, I teared up when I told him Molly yelling at the unicorn still makes me cry. He said a lot of women bring that scene up to him to this day. It was a powerful scene.

[@Anna57646]

GuardianOfMoon that seen stays with me even now it’s how I remembered the movie and recognized it. I connected with that seen in a way I can’t describe and to does not happen often.

[@sasamafrass]

I was about 10 when I saw The Last Unicorn and that scene made me sob hysterically, still does!

[@BrownRiceBunny1]

The Molly scene affected me when I was younger and now that I’m an adult I absolutely start bawling. It hurts so much. Her desperation, her anger, her sadness and even her quick forgiveness, love and protectiveness. This movie is one of my top movies and books because of how anachronistic and fairy tale like it is.

[@KaiseaWings]

I found the allegories weren't a problem for me as a child, it was fairytale logic. The laws of the universe were made clear so I never really questioned why the unicorns didn't swim away, they were kept there by the Red Bull, imprisoned by fear. I don't know what it's an allegory for anyway. The Harpy boobs didn't bother me anyway, since I was familiar with a lot of Greek mythology and it wasn't sexual. The tree did bother me, because it was sexual and embarrassing. I suppose I interpreted Molly and Schmendrick as more romantic in the book than the film, they certainly had a connection.

[@aeriste]

They seem to be a couple in the short story follow-up.

[@shadowpod13]

@@PKMNResearcherSkyler Same

[@CaptainPeregrin]

I almost feel like not getting the allegory is part of the point, as I love the book but never seem to grasp more than a handful of them on any given reading xD

[@KaiseaWings]

@@CaptainPeregrin I honestly don't think it is an allegory? Just... fairy tale logic. Unicorns imprisoned in the sea is a lovely mental image and it's interesting, it doesn't need to be anything else.

[@CaptainPeregrin]

@@KaiseaWings I always read Schmendrick as an allegory for the artist/author and the magic as his art...and that's about all I can say for certain xD

[@KatKaleen]

"We are sisters, you and me!" Immediately tries to kill her after being released. Ah, family gatherings are so much fun.

[@NWolfsson]

A Terry Pratchett character would have answered "I know, that's EXACTLY why you'll stay behind these bars!"

[@skylx0812]

_"What family doesn't have its ups and downs..."_ -Eleanor of Aquitaine

[@hindsightpov4218]

The most powerful scene for me was when Amalthea professes her love to Lir, insisting she’s human and not a unicorn. She begs Schmendrick not to change her back to her original form because she won’t be able to love Lir if she’s a unicorn. It sent shivers down my spine. Mia Farrow really poured out her soul in that moment.

[@mavnalysse]

In reference to Mia's less than stellar singing: I thought it was a wonderful representation of the Unicorn truly becoming Mortal - flawed singing voice and all.

[@Sofwan786]

Good point BTW kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZpiaoJyjhrKSnpo

[@jenniferschillig3768]

The funny thing is, a much better singer does "Now That I'm A Woman" for the soundtrack album...and neither Farrow nor that singer do Amalthea's lines in "That's All I've Got To Say."

[@wyzasukitan]

I realize this is a whole year and then some old, but I didn’t see anyone address the matter of the skeleton in my brief scan of the comments! The scene with skeleton drinking empty air from the bottle is intended to show the depths to which one’s own mind can deceive them - the skeleton is drinking his own memory of wine! His thirst for the mere suggestion of wine is SO strong, his pathetic desire for the drink he could all but taste SO great that the mere suggestion of empty air becoming wine by Schmendrick was enough for him to convince himself that he really was drinking what he yearned so much for. The point Beagle was making was that our power to deceive ourselves is unsurpassed, and as strong as any magic if not stronger. I always thought that was really poignant, and while I didn’t notice it watching the movie as a child, it really struck me when I rewatched the movie now as a young adult. ...as far as the the tiddies go, I honestly have no explanation. Too deep for me I’m sure.

[@Hekateras]

Good insight. I ought to reread the book one of these days. Deception and perception are both major themes. People seeing the unicorn as she really is, people recognising what's real, Mommy Fortuna's illusions, the unicorn "disguised" as a human and how that lie begins to change her, and King Haggard living a lie in so many ways. So much of the book is about lies, truth, and identity, and honestly it annoys me when people market the book and the movie as just a childish fantasy unicorn flick.

[@skylx0812]

It was made when people were singing about skeletons choking on a crust of bread.

[@ShyGuyXXL]

I dunno why people are so confused about the tree tits. Thematically it makes perfect sense. In the book, the tree also falls in love with Schmendrick and clings to him in an overbearing manner, right? Well, what better way to overbearingly show your love to someone than to literally smother them between your tits? That's the point of them. To be overbearing. And I guess funny too, of course.

[@DearxMyxSongs]

I always got that concept in the movie, but I was a weird kid. But for those who think that’s too magical an idea, there’s a semi-rare but documented condition where a woman desires to be pregnant SO badly that the body creates a pseudo-pregnancy. Henry VIII’s daughter, Queen Mary, is believed to have had this condition. Only Google it if you want to have a very bad day. But basically, the brain is far more powerful than we realize or fully comprehend (ironically).

[@void390]

I really like the love song with Mia Farrow and Jeff Bridges. I like that they used the actors instead of professional singers. To me it sounds very innocent and sincere. Since all the characters are so savvy about being in a fairy tale, and the dialog is often so complex and intellectual, having the love story take the form of an off-key and very gentle duet just makes a lot of sense to me. It comes from the heart, not the head. And as for the vocal quality, they're a unicorn-turned-human and orphan-turned-prince, not Broadway singers belting it out. :)

[@kevinthepilgrim]

void390 that’s a nice interpretation.

[@patrickdrazen3574]

The connection between this Rankin-Bass production and Studio Ghibli is MUCH DEEPER than you let on. Messrs Rankin and Bass farmed the animation out to a Japanese studio called Topcraft; the film's director was Toru Hara. After they wrapped this movie Topcraft moved on to "Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind," written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki. That was followed by "Laputa"--for which the studio changed its name to Ghibli--and the rest is history.

[@zainmudassir2964]

Some of Topcraft animators formed Pacific Animation Corporation, most famous for the 80s Thundercats cartoon. They also later joined studio Ghibli

[@GhostPlanetFilms]

20:30 - The thing with that was that the Skull could still remember the taste of wine, and since he has no eye sockets, he can't tell that the glass had no wine in it. It's part of the novel's theme of the power of memory.

[@Eshajori]

Yeah... I don't understand how that part can be confusing. Schmendrick realized he could bribe the skull with wine, but he was too rubbish at magic to actually create any. So he _pretended_ he could, buttered the skull up and teased it until it gave up what it knew. Then he gave the skull the empty flask and in typical fairy-tale nature the skull couldn't tell it was empty because it was infatuated with the memory of what it tasted like.

[@heleniporter6429]

I didn't need to take five minutes to solve that issue. The damn guy is literally feckin blind! How this passed over him is oblivious to me, as well.

[@Kaydiasez]

GhostPlanetFilms. THANK YOU. Yes, obviously.

[@davidbauler3159]

It was a weird scene. Certain things could have been explained better. It took me awhile to get it. Granted, I saw the film as a very young kid.

[@oddeyes9413]

I figured that as well later, but my child brain was like: *Does not compute*

[@ToccaTic]

I don't think it's necessary for a kid's film to be easily understandable by kids because they kinda understand it on more of an emotional level rather than a logical one. Imho it's perfectly fine to have challenging metaphors and such in a children's film as long as it's captivating and beautiful like the last unicorn.

[@PrimroseFrost]

Absolutely. One of the things I love so much about the movie (and later the book, which I first read in high school) is that you get more and more out of it as you grow up, but it's still as beautiful and dreamlike as it always has been.

[@johnkoch9315]

As someone who hasn't seen the film or read the book would you mind explaining what some of those metaphors are to me? No obvious symbolism is jumping out at me based on the information I have.

[@ripwitch9833]

Yah, I watched this movie as a kid and I loved it. I don't think I cared about how the unicorns were trapped in the ocean cause hey they were trapped and they needed to get them free anyway. I gotta get around reading the book.

[@colleen6440]

The biggest allegorical theme in the book has to do with loss of innocence and female puberty. The unicorns entire arc is essentially representative of menstruation. She starts out pure and innocent, like a child. The red bull (red like blood) represents menarch, and after her encounter with it she becomes a woman (literally). As a woman, she has changed, and with that comes sexual attention from men. She begins to forget what that childhood innocence was even like, but on the other hand, she experiences romantic love. In the end, even though she is changed back into a unicorn she can still not regain that former innocence. This theme also comes through with Molly's character. When Molly first meets the unicorn she is angry that the unicorn didn't come to her when Molly was young, and innocence. Instead, the unicorn came to Molly when she was old, when she had lost her innocence and virginity, and she was disgraced to be seen by the unicorn. In traditional mythology, unicorns are frequently described as being drawn to virgin girls. Those stories are referenced a few times in the book, and one of those stories is mentioned in this video when there is a princess in the woods trying to get a unicorn to come to her. The second story is, if I recall correctly, when Smendrick's master turned the male unicorn into a human. The male unicorn had been drawn to a virgin woman, and rested his head in her lap. However, hunters were preparing to kill him when the wizard turned him into a human.

[@therealmerryjest]

The book is heartbreakingly beautiful. And the movie does such a good job of translating that. I still get a lump in my throat when Molly sees the unicorn for the first time and has... that reaction.

[@CheekyFashionGRRRR]

The secret of Nimh vs Mrs. Brisby and the Rats of Nimh lost in adaptation One of my childhood favorites and they are quite different

[@mischa2643]

My ex called it the spider movie. His family talked up the spider movie for months. Finally we watched it and I'm waiting and waiting through all the rats for the spider....it just appeared at one point for half a damn second😂 that's almost all I remember of the movie was the anticipation for the half second of red eyed spider spinning cross the screen.

[@oddeyes9413]

And quite dark, mind ye.

[@ringwraith10]

God yes. The book (titled Mrs. FRISBY and the Rats of NIMH) was one of my all-time favorites. The movie was such an extreme departure from the book that I still get so angry whenever I think about it.

[@idrabohm3678]

Yes. Seen and read. Super excited for this now.

[@cmae03]

I never knew the book, but that movie gave me nightmares for some reason when I was young. For some reason 6 year old me thought I was gonna "catch" whatever that little mouse/rat had and I would die. Yeah everything else never scared me, it was just a sick character that did. I was a weird 6 year old...

[@flosunshine123]

Fun random fact Christopher Lee actually did the German Dub of King Haggard too

[@TheMaragorn]

And he was damn good!

[@stephenmarco2927]

Holy shit he could speak German

[@TheMaragorn]

Yea, I saw an interview once where he spoke German. That's when I realized it was him in the movie.

[@Ulquihime4ever1]

He was actually an omniglot (polyglot?). He could speak fluently in German, French, Italian, Spanish, and (of course) English. He was also mostly proficient in Swedish, Russian, and Greek. The only language he couldn't quite master was Mandarin Chinese since he could only speak it conversationally (very informal speech with issues on grammar and pronunciation). Sir Ian McKellen claimed that Sir Christopher Lee could also speak a little Zulu, Japanese, and Swahili, though that might be an exaggeration on just how many languages he knew and there's no real confirmation about that. So yeah, he was awe-inspiring.

[@stephenmarco2927]

Kat Animation Polygot is the right word for that. Omniglot would imply that he could speak every language. Man, Christopher Lee was just amazing. He was like a living swiss army knife. Just when you thought you knew everything cool he could do, he'd show you three more amazing things he could do.

[@NobodyC13]

There is such a thing as blue/purple potatoes.

[@graciegj63]

NobodyC13 Yea, in Peru there's almost rainbow colors of potatoes.

[@blondbraid7986]

Yes, and they even have blue maize in Peru!

[@Sofwan786]

@@graciegj63 Rainbow ? Multi colored potato ?

[@MelusinaRose]

No joke, I always figured the reason only "already drunk" wine was the only kind the skeleton could drink was because that's the closest liquid get's to dying. My brain was like, "well, it's already been used for the purpose it was made for, and what else is there? At that point, you can call it the death of the wine, I guess".

[@samlewis6487]

I assumed it was just "the only way a skeleton can drink is if it's already been drunk" because like. Skeletons can't swallow. Or taste.

[@kaynugro]

@Karupin163 wait that’s kinda genius though tbh

[@StomachPlug]

@The Dom: The unicorns became the foam riding on the crest of the waves lapping up against the shore of Haggard's beach. That's why he can can enjoy seeing them every day, they're not "driven into the sea" so much as "driven into the waves". I was 6 when I first saw this, and understood it immediately once the unicorns show up at the end.

[@ugthump2753]

@Athena Tait "White horses" is a term used to describe foamy, breaking waves, especially wind- whipped waves seen out to sea from the shore.

[@afqwa423]

@@ugthump2753 That clears up a lot. It's a metaphor taken literally.

[@Wendy_O._Koopa]

Is that why Poseidon, King of the Sea, created the horse? I never understood a connection before, as it would be centuries before the evolution of the whale theory (which isn't even about horses, specifically) became a thing. But according to Google: "Breaking waves are referred to as the white horse as the crest of the mane can be seen as the mane of the horse and if you listen closely the faint booming of the waves crashing sounds like hundreds of hooves thundering along the ground." I guess it also explains Frozen II.

[@chrismanuel9768]

Yes, Poseidon created horses and unicorns from seafoam. The winds around the equator that drive ships are called horse winds.

[@cheezemonkeyeater]

"(Christopher Lee) was so fucking awesome." Yes. Yes, he was.

[@TheSMarie42]

😂😂 I literally never noticed how blue everything is in the movie til you said that =P

[@danae5578]

TheSMarie42 :I saw an all green scene. I wonder if that meant something. The design reminds me of sleeping beauty.

[@theblocksays]

@@danae5578 If it's green would she die? LOL

[@danae5578]

@@theblocksays: nice. well if we're talking computers...blue, would be the screen of death. But hey, green is a good moldy death color. Lol

[@theblocksays]

@@danae5578 Actually I was just making a dumb reference to this: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bGnYmJ6dbreYhsU LOL

[@mosssnake]

I'm rather surprised he went on and on comparing The Last Unicorn Book to Tolkien, but then made no reference to the fact that the only other real notable Rankin/Bass Animated films were adaptations of The Hobbit and Return of the King.

[@kanebravo953]

Neither the Hobbit nor Return were films. They were tv specials, which puts them in the same category as the Rankin/Bass Christmas specials, which are the most popular things they ever did ever.

[@zakfett92]

I kinda liked how after Mommy Fortuna died, her crow kept showing up wherever the group dead; almost like it was an unofficial member. He even goes into the unicorn's forest during the end credits. And by the way, Schmendrick and Molly's romance is depicted in the book, as at the very end the two sing a love song as they travel. The graphic novel does a better job of depicting it.

[@thewalrusclown]

6:19 the talking voice actor for a character and the singing voice actor for a character are almost never the same person for a reason

[@queenanacaona8531]

thewalrusclown no, they typically are. Maybe not in love action, but animation it is pretty rare.

[@amberace]

Ironicly as a kid I didn't notice the bad singing lol

[@stephenmarco2927]

It's kind of half and half. In animated movies where they use celebrity voice actors someone else usually sings, but when they hire an unknown he/she will normally sing their parts. Note there are always exceptions to the rule.

[@Kairos_Akuma]

Uhm Not they arent. Because some VAs simply cant sing. In MLP for example are the SVs different thatn their VAs :=

[@stephenmarco2927]

I was mainly referring to animated movies more than animated shows. Casting for animated shows are usually way different.

[@rosedougherty7565]

The Redbull joke got me every time. Every single one. Yona of the Dawn footage? Fine by me. Quite accurate, as well.

[@jeffreyfike3384]

I agree whole-heartedly. C:

[@clairetaylor8929]

Rose Dougherty same. Giggled each time

[@cindymarie9672]

I've never agreed with a comment more lol

[@kittyjeany]

I laughed even more every time. Especially at that time he looked like he is sick of this shit and nearly dying at an overdose of sugar, actually shaking xD

[@cynicaldepression435]

I liked the review but that Redbull joke was probably the least funniest thing I’ve ever heard of. I actually groaned out loud at the fourth time. It was only funny the first time. Nothing against you tho

[@kaliravel9832]

The unicorns represent pure wonder. That's why the movie is easier to understand when you watch it as a child. The book starts by pointing out that no man ever thought his time right for unicorns. In the story, not even fantasy characters find their lives to be as good or wonderful or interesting as they thought they would be. That's why Cully's band run after Robin Hood - because he is truer than they are, even though he wasn't real. Of course there's a romantic relationship between Schmendrick and Molly Grue - the last page is him singing her a love song. You stated that you skimmed those, so that's probably how you missed it completely.

[@blackwinter42]

I would love a Lost in Adaptation on Howl's Moving Castle!!!

[@annmarielletinkler1562]

Yes! Or any ghibli film!

[@Darkbloom006]

Too true

[@justjem9119]

Oh my goodness yes!!! My friend who read/watched them made the example that it was like two people writing about the same essay topic with vastly different results. I adore both movie and book

[@shushia1658]

I'd love that too. I feel like it's both surprisingly similar and utterly different in tone.

[@nicholashurst780]

Pledge like 100 bucks a month (even for only a month) to Patreon And I am 100% not meaning that as any kind of a drag on Dominic. The hundred dollar mark seems to be the floor for getting reasonably successful KZbinrs to do a patreon request

[@sarahwalter7198]

"The dom you British man hunk" Your Terence is showing

[@brenna_marie]

Sarah Walter this made my year omg😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@bluekneesocks]

*sees title* *sees runtime* Thank you lord

[@danae5578]

Blue Kneesocks: Agreed!

[@MissKellyBean]

hmm... on the topic of: perhaps leaving in the metaphors was a bit to literary for a children's movie point: I learned SO much as a child when I was expected to "read up" instead of an author "writing down." Kids can be smarter than we think. I thought it was completely appropriate, whether I got it as a child or not (I eventually did). But overall: an excellent discussion of my absolutely favorite childhood movie. Thank you, sir.

[@DocWyrd]

Honestly the fact that the main human thing the Unicorn held onto is the ability to feel regret is such a goddamn mood.

[@JayseyRae]

I've seen a theory that The Last Unicorn is actually set in the future. Obviously an alternate timeline - society fell and then rose again this time with magic. There's still pieces left from "modern" society, hence the butterfly singing tunes that seem out of place, the taco, the country names...

[@AllyGatorAnimator]

Late comment, but that's not a bad theory. It's interesting hearing people talk about things not relating to the time period when, in the actual book, no time period is specifically mentioned. Based on how it's written, it's easy to assume it would resemble medieval Europe or something, but because Beagle never specifically states so, it's easy to dismiss time and location when reading; like most fairy tales, it's once upon a time in a far away land. That or it's just a joke, either way you can kind of forgive throwaway lines about tacos, judo and Billy Strayhorn songs when you're reading a story about a talking unicorn.

[@trequor]

The potato! Potatoes werent in Europe until the Columbian exchange!

[@xRaiofSunshine]

@@AllyGatorAnimator and Lir reading a magazine :0

[@DogDogGodFog]

And Lir reading a magazine...

[@literaterose6731]

Really late to this thread, but wanted to add to this great comment-I’d never thought of this concept applying to The Last Unicorn, but I think it works, and it’s one I have run across in another work. There’s a book by Sheri S. Tepper called A Plague of Angels (plus two follow up novels written years later) that has interwoven elements of classic fables/fantasy, science fiction, magical realism and post apocalyptic story, and it’s epic. But it was the ‘omg, it’s the far future that’s ended up (partially) looking like some classic fairy tale past’ element that wowed me the first time I read it. So yeah, I really love that theory!

[@moonlady3000]

Dom! Dom! There was actually a short story sequel to The Last Unicorn and it was written by Peter S. Beagle. It was called "Two Hearts" and it's about Lear's last battle when he's an old man. Your prediction about him being happy eventually is a little less than accurate.

[@Zodia195]

I read that one in a literary magazine. It was so sad!!!

[@wilfredomartinez4788]

At least the Prince and the Unicorn were reunited one last time.

[@veronikamajerova4564]

Yeah, I know, I allways get so teary-eyed when I read it... I have a version of The Last Unicorn, where is also included interview with the autor and the Two Hearts. It is my most treasured book.

[@AntediluvianRomance]

I just had to add, I always had a feeling that The Innkeeper's Sing is somehow connected. Through magic powers of story-hopping, of course. Although I haven't read everything there is to read, so I might be mistaken.

[@Anna57646]

Must find and read. Thank you!

[@bdrive5663]

Got to meet him Beagle at one of the Anniversery screenings of the movie, and of course what was up with the Butterfly was one of the first questions asked. Since some one already asked my question I instead asked him what was up with the "Sit down. Have a Taco." line. Turns out he remembers writing it at like 4a.m. and thought is was funny so kept it in even if it didn't make sense.

[@JadenTSlime]

"Written songs that you're sure as hell going to skip over without a second glance." So, like, am I the only one who reads and/or attempts to put a tune to the songs in books like LotR?

[@vitobru8361]

yes.

[@AllyGatorAnimator]

Nah, I do it too, don't you worry.

[@fermintenava5911]

I do, sometimes, but it depends on how melodic the lyrics are.

[@thaumatomane]

I always read them and often invent melodies for them.

[@thaumatomane]

@Cartoon Judge! C.G. Well, there's the Silmarillion. And The History of Middle Earth. you can also find recordings of him singing some his songs and reading elvish aloud.

[@sawyerk641]

Search and read _A Tale of Two Hearts._ It's Beagle's ending to the story... definitely a tear jerker, if you're invested in the characters. Especially Lir.

[@CatBru]

Thanks. I had no idea that existed until now, and now that I do, I must go cry my emotions out into my pillow.

[@lumberingdinosaur9108]

Two Hearts was beautiful while being horribly sad. Instantly thought of it when Dom mentioned being optimistic about Lir moving on from Amalthea.

[@Tadicuslegion78]

I miss Christopher Lee

[@Dominic-Noble]

Me too

[@Shadowman4710]

Give him a few more years. I'm sure some lackey will raise him eventually.

[@dano8902]

RIP for a genuine, honest to goodness hero

[@DimitrisGenn]

Shadowman4710 if movies taught me anything, we just spill some blood on his body and he'll be back in no time

[@Shadowman4710]

It's been done before :)

[@salud7432]

I am born in 1974... pretty old 😁 The last Unicorn was the first Movie that touches me emotianly so hard that i hold it high till this day. I watch it every Year. Lee...who also voiced Haggard in French and German... does a great Work here. Its a great Movie.

[@danae5578]

Salud 74 : 1978 and I feel the same. So enduring.

[@Howlrunner82]

Salud 74 Agreed. Im from 1982 and this movie is one of my all time faves. And it's the only movie that made me cry

[@rixlan]

1966; I've got you all beat. The movie came out when I was in highschool. I missed it in the theaters but it was one of the first VHS tapes I rented. Remember when people used to do that? Eventually I found my way to the book. I also recommend the unabridged audio book (read by the author) if you can find it.

[@blackknightwithheart1625]

Salud 74 I guess I'm the youngest here, was born 1988. First saw this movie in the mid-nineties and even back then was mesmerized by this beautiful animated film, the animation is gorgeous, the songs are just insanely good. Even the duet(different language makes it better?!). To this day I find myself humming the title song and it didn't really get out of my head even after all these years. p.s.: Von einem Bud Spencer Fan zum anderem, grüße aus Ungarn !

[@TheSaristudios]

Salud 74 I’m 1984 and I grew up with this as my number one favourite movie. I have to disagree with Dom here too because I did understand the allegory involved at a young age. This movie has stuck with me for 30 years. I even went to a special screening in the theatre a few years ago and actually met Peter and he was amazing. :)

[@prosethorns]

I think Molly Grue's bit where she scolds the unicorn for not appearing to her sooner is very poignant... it felt relatable to the female condition, even as a child.

[@jenniferschillig3768]

In Beagle's sequel Two Hearts, there's no mention of Lir ever having found love again or having ever married. It was implied that he'd made a career of saving princesses, but that he'd never gotten over Amalthea.

[@issaphae9659]

This movie scared the shit outta me when I was little and I actually have no idea why

[@merrittanimation7721]

PIM's a Whovian That bull probably

[@akiza7028]

It scared me so much I never even finished watching it.

[@sighcantthinkofaname]

Same! All I remember is the fire bull absolutely terrifying me, and thinking the unicorn girl was pretty.

[@SheikAndi]

Same for me when I was little. Second time, a little older it was mostly confusing. Ithink it is mostly because of the tone of the film. It is very dark and bleak overall and that bull is still an awesme and terifying creature. It is not your typical fantasy movie that you would expect as a kid.

[@MrBubblebox]

yeah the singing gave me nightmares for years too

[@ShadowKaiserin]

It occurs to me that the unicorns being imprisoned in the waves might be a reference to Poseidon, who is the god of both the sea and horses, as the image of the unicorns rising out of the sea foam at the crest of the waves looks quite a bit like the painting "Poseidon's Horses" by Grant Devereaux.

[@bebejolie8187]

What I found interesting in the film was the theme of immortality that was brought up several times. Mummy Fortuna, when talking about the harpy, says that although she will eventually break free and kill her, she will forever remember her as the one who held her captive, and as the harpy is immortal, her memory will be as well. The tree promises something similar to Smendrick (sorry for all the name butchering, I've never seen them written) and of course the topic is also adressed when he turns the unicorn into a human. I can't recall if Haggard brought up anything like that, but I remember thinking about that theme the most after watching the film.

[@darkhero-3097]

I’m scared The Dom might have a heart attack with the amounts of Red Bull he had.

[@darkhero-3097]

Well, he almost had one.

[@lovelysan]

Little sad/surprised he didn't film it happening. XD .

[@allisonbergh4429]

I was hoping he would just talk faster and faster the more Red Bulls he’d drunk

[@PhoenyxAshe]

I thought he might wind up vibrating into another dimension.

[@celestinenox]

I remember watching this movie again as an adult and finally realizing what Molly meant when she asked where the unicorn had been when she was young and "innocent."

[@ripleyandweeds1288]

I love how the prince isn't surprised that the person he fell in love with is a MAGIC HORSE.

[@Sofwan786]

why was it like that ? BTW kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZpiaoJyjhrKSnpo

[@Drudenfusz]

Christopher Lee is so awesome, he even did the German localistation of Haggard too!

[@terracannon876]

The cover of the DVD was actually what put me off of watching the movie even though I loved the book. Seeing the movie in motion, though, it's absolutely beautiful, and I'm looking forward to watching it this Christmas! Thanks for covering these two!

[@jadedragonfly1]

The original cover was the unicorn facing down the red bull. Alot darker than the film re-release..

[@key099able]

Was not expecting a Yona of the Dawn clip from you ever

[@volzpair9801]

bet there are some outtakes of him literally running up the walls from all the exses energy (or this is rely how the time travailing Doms from the total recall review happened )

[@Thraim.]

Just goes to show that The Dom has impeccable taste.

[@hurricaneofcats]

I know. I actually did a brief little double take when Yona appeared.

[@Mesozoical]

Karl Eriksson wait what, where is it??

[@adventuresofanNPC]

Karl Eriksson thank you for telling me what those clips were, otherwise it would have driven me nuts.

[@quintonhoffert6526]

The skull drinking the wine was indeed a trick, and one that was somewhat explained. Schmendrick tells the skull that giving him wine would be pointless because he's already dead and the skull acknowledges it, but says that he remembers the feeling of drinking wine. Because of that, Schmendrick must have realized that it didn't actually matter what he gave the skull because the skull's perception was the important thing. Even if he really did conjure the best wine in existence out of magic the skull still couldn't have tasted it; instead, the important thing was that the skull's perception. Due to this, Schmendrick talked up his magic turning the water into wine but just drank the water. If the skull could see it was just drinking water it would know Schmendrick was bullshitting him, but since all he had was an empty bottle to remember with it worked for him. Kind of like the placebo effect that can sometimes come of telling someone you've given them a cure-all drug or a poison or something when in fact the thing you gave them had no effect.

[@atotalfiasco4213]

I actually really like the blue color scheme of the film. I know it was for practical reasons but it makes the film stick out more to me in my memory among other animated films of the time period. It looks very pretty to me.

[@fuzzykitty1493]

Would you ever consider doing a lost in adaptation of Lord of the Flies? ( there are 2 movies)

[@sarahabc4557]

Fuzzy kitty YES!

[@kenkastlekausmo701]

Wouldn't hurt to see that review.

[@warholcow]

That’d be awesome!

[@vanyadolly]

childhood trauma...

[@danielallen3454]

If I ever meet George RR Martin I mean to ask him how much of Dany's look was based on Amalthea.

[@theanxiousace3783]

Holy shit, I thought I was the only one who thought that when they first saw her in the books/show. Though, to be fair, a lot of writers use the white hair for special characters.

[@kyletowers9662]

tweet him to see

[@peterkrug2327]

Dominic has made his own drinking game for this film: take one shot every time the Red Bull is mentioned.

[@claudia_intheunderwhere3655]

That guy was so fucking awesome. He only took projects he was INTENSELY dedicated to and respected, and it was amazing. Rest in peace, Christopher Lee.

[@laurelmcf1]

I first saw the film as a very young child at my grandmother's house. If I recall correctly, she got it as a VHS bundle with the animated Hobbit. I remember being confused, terrified, and enthralled by it. I seriously doubt my grandmother knew about either films actual content, or she almost certainly would not have shown it to me. To this day I still adore this film and would encourage any parents to show it to their children. While it may scare some children, sometimes children WANT to be challenged.

[@BlackCampariBlue]

True words. The Last Unicorn scared me as a child as well but I still repeatedly came back to it. There just was something about it.. Now I'm happy I got to see it at an early age

[@uselessshoe9269]

Hey man, just wanna let you know that you consistently make great content and I really appreciate it.

[@Dominic-Noble]

Thanks. That means a lot to me.

[@randyranderson690]

fun fact: the actor who voiced thee skeleton and one of the bandits in the movie is the person who plays odo on DS9

[@blindbeholder9713]

"King Haggard kind of represents what would happen if a sociopathic manic-depressive were given ultimate power in the form of a magical familiar" Oh god he's Diavolo, and the bull is a less complicated King Crimson, and the prince is Buccerati/Trish combined, and I suppose the unicorn would be Giorno?

[@PlanetZoidstar]

Lol, now I want fanart of the Unicorn being pierced by the Stand Arrow and giving a Stand Rush to the Red Bull! *"You'll never truly own a Unicorn.* *In particular, you'll never arrive at happiness."*

[@jacksparrowismydaddy]

actully being a kid when I saw it I wasn't confused at least no more then I generally was when a grown up explained anything. math was way harder to understand than last unicorn. movies with magic where just that... magic. so things made sense when you through that in.

[@trying_my_bestest]

Please could you do a Lost in Adaptation episode on any of the following: -How to Train your Dragon -Holes -Hoot -Alex Rider I would really really appreciate it.

[@r0be077]

Leila Byerly alex rider had a movie adaption?

[@jeanne6961]

Leila Byerly whoa there was a Hoot movie?

[@trying_my_bestest]

Yes, it did. I watched the film a long time ago and only recently read the books so I can't really remember if it was any good. Plus I don't really feel like wasting my money on a potentially really bad movie so that's why I asked for an adaptation review on it.

[@trying_my_bestest]

GhibliGirl Gaming Yes. I haven't seen it yet though. I'm not sure if I want to. Lots of people have told me it stops like halfway through the book, which seems a bit weird to me since it wasn't even that long of a book.

[@trying_my_bestest]

If any of you would like to check out these adaptations and tell me how they are, that would be very much appreciated.

[@taylorhadfield4056]

I always just thought that the unicorns in the ocean was a reference to a myth I thought I heard once about unicorns living in the ocean and being the sea foam and the reason we have waves. Like they ran forward because they were trying to escape the waters but could never get close enough to the shore to actually escape, and we could see them in the white parts of the wave (the top or whatever)

[@JaimeLeighArt]

I watched this movie for the first time somewhere around 1982/83. I was about five years old. As a young girl, obsessed with horses and unicorns, it quickly became my favorite movie and 40 years later I still love it. It really is a weird little movie and not entirely for kids. I remember being absolutely terrified of the Red Bull but yet little kid me I watched it about 100 times. There’s just something about it that was different from other unicorn stories where they’re happy and everything is light and fun.

[@martatarasiuk5198]

I love the book, not in spite of the parts others would call boring, but because of them. I'm a boring person so I enjoy boring things, I guess. I just fell in love with this melancholic tone both the book and the movie have.

[@musicadictor]

XD "I'm a boring person so I enjoy boring things" brilliant

[@martatarasiuk5198]

xD Thank you? I'm glad someone finds my boringness to be a charming trait.

[@MysteriousMrL]

I just breezed right through the book for the first time and I honestly can't recall which parts would have been the boring ones. And I had seen Dom's video beforehand so I was kind of watching out for this "heavy writing" he mentioned, but I never saw it. I thought the prose was well done, consistently engaging, and downright poetic at times. There were so many sentences and pieces of dialogue I wish I had written down to quote. I'll definitely be re-reading it eventually, so I'll have to do that next time.

[@PKMNResearcherSkyler]

You do you, 😀

[@bright_eyes5052]

I applaud the use of Yona of the Dawn

[@atreyu4ws]

There was an early draft where it is explained that the story takes place in either modern day or after modern day. You'll notice King Haggard's armor is described as being "made of bottle caps" and other strange inserts of modern things.

[@Nenedhel]

There is a sequel to the book called two hearts if anyone wants to read it. I believe originally the book was meant to be modern set (as is shown in the first and unfinished version of the book called The last unicorn; the lost version. ) however I do like how it is set in an alternative medieval Earth. I've heard that The butterfly was meant to be a representation of Beagle himself which is quite a nice idea. With the skull I had always assumed that he was tricked into thinking it was wine because he couldn't taste it etc as he was dead and couldn't see it but he could "remember" it so it was like a nostalgia thing for him... or so I understood it as a child.

[@onbearfeet]

There are now three more stories set in the world of The Last Unicorn! "Two Hearts" and its direct sequel are in Beagle's most recent book, "The Way Home". There's also "Green-Eyed Boy", a kind of origin story for Schmendrick, and another Schmendrick tale called "The Woman Who Married the Man in the Moon".

[@xXCrowwyXx]

This was my favourite film as a child, I don’t think kids hate allegories. I’m pretty sure most enjoy confusing puzzles way more than adults.

[@erikw.s.5209]

Wait... A book that has a compelling story in between pages upon pages of quite boring rambling? A film adaptation with high-profile cast, that suffers from the fact that a few of them (who are leads) can't really sing? Can you finally do Les Mis now?

[@Redrally]

Trolololol!

[@doctorelbruz9181]

*A N D I ' M J A V E I R*

[@heleniporter6429]

I tried to read that damn thing, and all the thing gave me more is mainly parched eyeballs! Thanks, Author, not since Lord of the Rings has this ever occured. Now, this will be the case.

[@norriec6323]

Heleni Porter I'm reading it now and I'm a voracious reader, it's taken me 4 months to get to the 500 page mark, but I am only getting through it with sheer will power

[@MarquisdeL3]

Here's a tip for reading Les Mis: if the narration starts describing the architecture in great detail, you can probably skip the chapter without missing anything plot-wise.

[@davidbauler3159]

The Last Unicorn was an attempt (beyond an adaptation) of trying to do an animated film that was "more adult" then say, G-rated Disney, but wasn't an R/Adults Only animated film, like Fritz The Cat. Don Bluth was also trying to develop this third option for animated films. Unfortunately, it was a tough sell. The animated Lord of the Rings film didn't get a proper sequel. The Last Unicorn did OK, box office wise, but Rankin/Bass didn't do another animated, theatrical release until 1999. So, its been tough making these PG-13/16 animated films.

[@kassandragoldstein4661]

The striking similarities between Yona and the beautiful Princess are eerie 😂😂 I’m so glad someone else knows about Akatsuki no Yona though and how great the story is.

[@commanderyew2312]

how many red bulls did open just for this episode?

[@the-NightStar]

Agreed with that joke being awful. I came into the comments to see if anyone else thought it was as repetitive, unfunny, obnoxious, painful and stupid as I thought it was, only 15 minutes into the review. I was literally screaming at the screen "STOP IT FOR GOD'S SAKE, IT'S NOT FUNNY HOLY JESUS"

[@artloveranimation]

The first one he opened, I gasped thinking “The Unicorns have been turned into Cafinated Soda Cans!” 🤯

[@markchapman6800]

How many did he actually drink?!

[@jokergirl129]

I found it annoying too. It was fine the first time but when he kept doing it every time he mention the Red Bull I wanted him to stop. It interrupted the flow of the review when it kept cutting back to him opening/drinking the red bull. Other than that I enjoyed the review because I really like The Last Unicorn.

[@ripwitch9833]

It looked like he only opened one and kept "opening" the same one. But yah the joke got old after the first time.

[@stuffwithsoph8264]

I would love to see you do A Clockwork Orange, but anything from you is a joy to watch.

[@johnkoch9315]

That's a great idea. I've seen a lot of people have really different feelings about it and even varying opinions of how loyal the film is to the book. Me personally, I read the book before watching the film and though I felt most plot details were adhered to well, the tone of the film hardly matched anything in my head and was pretty hard to take seriously at points. I prefer the ending of the film because I find it more realistic and believe the book may have missed it's own point at least partially. Sorry, just hoping to get a conversation going.

[@michellee1190]

I was 6 when my parents took me to see this movie and the bit where Molly is enraptured by the Unicorn but also angry and says "... why do you come to me now that I am THIS?!" Struck me in the face like a bowling ball and continues to haunt me to this day.

[@deborahlepage1789]

Saw this as a child and at a movie theater no less. I think one of the lines i remember most was and still is "Never run from anything immortal, it attracts their attention." How's your heart? You drank a lot of Red Bulls lol. As a Unicorn story, read Ariel maybe and see another Unicorn possibly in the same or not world.

[@angrytheclown801]

I really hope editing took a few extra days because all that Red Bull. I couldn't do it. Meanwhile, while I missed it in the theater as a kid, one of the local stations played it a lot. So I got to watch it quite a bit.

[@Jean_grey159]

Hi there I'm new to your channel and I'd just like to say I truly enjoy it. I love your humor content and sophistication

[@chrisdooley6468]

Welcome from a long time beautiful watcher. Dom does incredible videos as you’ve seen. Check out his Game of Thrones vids as well. If you watch the show but have never read the books it’s a great history lesson for a frame of reference if you’re interested in that kind of thing. His Total Recall LIA vids are great too👍🏻

[@Jean_grey159]

Chris Dooley Thank you so much for the kind feedback. I'll definitely check them out. I hope you're having a good day or night and are in the festive spirit.🙂

[@catfoy8888]

Welcome

[@RileyRivalle2]

I wish I could somehow go back and discover The Dom for the first time again... It feels like fucking Christmas every time he uploads.

[@Jean_grey159]

Riley Rivalle agreed

[@Tadicuslegion78]

I remember watching Nash's Here there be dragons review about this, and to quote Space Guy, "why does the bird have boobs?!"

[@tent163phantoka]

Yeah, that line was in my head the whole time.

[@PlanetZoidstar]

"Because it's a booby bird!"

[@Marveryn]

if that was a male harpy.. would that make it a booby trap?

[@MagusMarquillin]

A male Harpy would have a *"SCROTUM BEARD"!*

[@angelabeyer2497]

Molly and Scmendrick totally had a thing in the book!

[@myrjanna]

King Haggard's voice in the German version was also done by Mr. Lee. As a child I always wondered why he sounded so strange until I found out.

[@shreddiekirin3864]

So, I've only ever seen the movie, and I watched it growing up. I wanted to give my two cents on certain things brought up. 1. The harpy. The harpy never seemed off or weird to me, since it seemed to fit the aesthetic of the movie. I also understand why they changed it's appearance from the book. The harpy felt like it was meant to be scary and intimidating, and apparently the embodiment of evil. I assume a lot of that presence was given through describing feelings evoked by the harpy like with the unicorn and the bull. If they kept the harpy's appearance the same as it was in the book, it just wouldn't have had the presence it was supposed to. The way they've portrayed it in the film, it is intimidating as hell and you genuinely dread the unicorn letting it out. I got no clue on the boobs though. 2. The tree. I never actually got that they were going to ransom Schmendrik, I just thought they were leaving him there for dead. I thought that was part of why he was trying to escape. The tree, well, um, that played a key role in my sexual awakening. 3. The duet. I actually think the song works really well. The way it's sung really fits the two characters in my opinion. It makes it seem like Liam doesn't know how to connect with her. It also makes it feel like things are fading into entropy, with the unicorn forgetting what she is, almost like a dream, but that ultimately this isn't meant to last. (Those are the feelings I get from the song, I know I'm explaining it poorly, sorry.) 4. The skeleton and the riddle, the first thing the Dom brought up as people not understanding without reading the book. I just figured Schmendrik tricked the skeleton. Their conversation seemed to point that way. The skeleton didn't seem to realize there was no wine. I got the impression Schmendrik never even successfully turned the water into wine. In fact, I thought the riddle wasn't even important. The skeleton ends up blabbing the way to the bull when he's trying to get the "wine". So, I guess I didn't get it? My version of events still worked story-wise though. 5. Finally, the unicorns being trapped in the sea. The second big thing the Dom brought up as people not understanding if they hadn't read the book. They were the seafoam. That's what I got. I got that from the conversation between the unicorn and Haggard. I got that from the animation. It also very much fits the fairy tale themes. That's all I have to say I guess. Good movie. 10/10

[@jassijoanna3466]

Christopher Lee actually voiced haggard in the German version as well and did an incredible job

[@StonedHunter]

One thing I want to say is that Tammy Grimes' performance as Molly was and still is incredible. Even to this day at 30 years old I'm moved to tears every time that scene with her meeting the unicorn comes up. A lot of people raised up as girls can feel what Molly is going through, and the performance so perfectly encompasses that intense roller coaster of emotions. You can see Molly going through the stages of grief all in that one moment and it just hits so hard because I can sympathize with the character so much. It's a beautiful movie over all, but that scene is just something really special.

[@loyaultemelie7909]

Really random but I love the Yona of the Dawn reference. Also have you heard of the Lost Journey? It's the beginning of the first time Beagle tried to do a Last Unicorn-esque story, and is much darker.

[@leelewis8749]

I might actually have to watch this movie it looks so weird it might be awesome.

[@AlienEeeter]

Both Amazon and Netflix have it. Another Rankin & Bass to check out is Flight of Dragons.

[@Ladywizard]

Flight of Dragons is in an odd spot... The plot is loose adaptation of Dragon and the George but Flight of Dragons the book is completely different so Rankin Bass used title from one property and the plot from another

[@joshuarichardson6529]

I also recommend Wizards for another Weird, Dark, and Strange movie.

[@thecomet6276]

@Lee Lewis, did you watch it? What did you think?

[@johndavidtibbetts7320]

judging by the blue grass EVERYWHERE, it's safe to assume that this story takes place on Planet Namek which is...quite depressing when you consider how THAT shit turned out

[@erossore8500]

The ł m l. At BBB e

[@kiapet286]

I know a few diehard fans of the book and they do indeed love this movie. I think it caught the overall bittersweet fairytale tone that I loved in the book, which is the most important part.

[@PaulAnthonyShortt]

Fun(?) facts: This is the movie that taught me how to be a writer; "The happy ending can't come in the middle of the story." I met Peter while working at Worldcon in 2019 and he was the most kind, genuine person you could imagine. As a kid I used to rewind this movie when it ended, so it could be back at the start and the characters wouldn't be so sad anymore. Ended up wearing the VCR out and snapping the tape. When our first child died after 3 days, we played the theme song from this at his funeral. I got to tell this to Peter. He told me he was beyond honoured. No story will ever be more important to me than this one.

[@BevyBvids]

Murder on the orient express lost in adaptation please! ☺️

[@sortofpink5614]

stardust!!!!! do stardust by Neil Gaimen!!! it's so similar to the last unicorn please do it!!

[@Sofwan786]

I have not read it yet. Have you ? I was watching Magnum kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZpiaoJyjhrKSnpo

[@kapioleilanionalanielua]

I am really enjoying your videos! I watched this movie a thousand times as a child, (I grew up in the 70s). I used to remember all the words, weird metaphors and lines that didn't make sense. But I also remembered just being a kid and loving the movie and the unicorn. For example, I remember that strange line, 'Have a taco.' As a child, I remember thinking, taco? But then I thought, well maybe in their time or world, a taco means have a seat or welcome? Kids do not think as deeply into meanings, like you mentioned, but kids do notice when something doesn't make sense or seems out of place. I do remember thinking how snooty the unicorn was. And in the beginning, she did not know what she is called, so the butterfly had to tell her she is a unicorn. She didn't have a name either, but at the end I like to think she kept the Amalthea name.

[@mishap9861]

Its up there on the childhood traumas, but it also has to be one of the most beautiful kids movies ever made.

[@sophiesimpson1626]

Hi just wondering if you would consider doing a Lost in Adaptation of The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, the book was released in 2005 the movie was released in 2013 (or 2014 I'm not sure when it came out in England). Hope to hear from you soon. Ps hope you have a good Christmas.

[@leadingblind1629]

Sophie Simpson I watched that solely because of G. Rush. What a WTF narrative ending

[@RizaElizabethHawkeye]

The movie was so meh. I've watched it twice while I've reread the book 10 times or so

[@merrittanimation7721]

It's like a Terry Pratchett book? Well that's going on my Christmas wish list.

[@songsayswhat]

It's a great book, but nothing like Pratchett. It's not humorous at all. You can probably find excerpts online to check it out.

[@merrittanimation7721]

Alright then.

[@aeriste]

I disagree, you definitely get Pratchett vibes.

[@rechtrecht]

They always play in movie on holidays on German television. As child i always wanted to watch it because i loved unicorns but never got further then when the unicorn turned human. It took me 10 years to finally be able to finish this movie and i bawled my eyes out. I still do, everytime i watch it.

[@Becktastic01]

I want to read this book now, so thank you. The unicorns being in the sea is a reference to the fact that people used to refer to seafoam as being white horses, I thought. There's another book about a unicorn (but mostly about human characters) where the same idea is a plot point. The book is called 'The little white horse' by Elizabeth Goudge. I loved this movie when I was younger but it made me very sad.