The Last Unicorn

Author: Bass, Jules.; Rankin, Arthur, and others
Publication: [United States] : Family Home Entertainment ; Santa Monica, Calif. : Distributed by Artisan Home Entertainment, 2004
Document: English : Visual Material : Videorecording : Animation : DVD video
Description: 1 videodisc (ca. 93 min.); sound, color; 4 3/4 in.
Language: English; Closed-captioned.
Standard No: Publisher: 11903; Family Home Entertainment; Other: 012236119036

Originally released as a motion picture in 1982. Based on the novel by Peter Beagle.

The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) rating for this movie is G - General audiences.


The Last Unicorn, based on the book by Peter Beagle, tells the story of a unicorn who believes herself to be the last of her kind. She leaves the safety of her forest on a search to discover if she is truly the last unicorn. Along the way she is befriended by a magician named Schmendrick and a woman named Molly Grue. Their journey brings them to the Kingdom of King Haggard, and the home of the Red Bull. With the help of Molly, Schmendrick, and the King’s son Prince Lir, the unicorn finds the strength to confront the Red Bull and free the rest of her kind.

The movie remains true to the Peter Beagle novel. The DVD version of The Last Unicorn does not stand up in quality however, to previous VHS releases. The DVD is full screen, not wide screen, the picture is often grainy and even blurry in spots, and the soundtrack has a tinny quality. For this reason VHS copies of the movie are still in demand among its fans. If you are an avid fan of The Last Unicorn and other Rankin/Bass productions, you may want to hold off on purchasing the DVD, at least until your VHS tape wears out.


The reviewer has a Bachelor of Arts in Medieval Studies from the State University of New York at Binghamton as well as a Masters in Library Science from the State University of New York at Buffalo. She has a background in children’s programming with more than 15 years experience working with children.