Movies - TV
The Last Unicorn Was Originally Intended For Adults
By JAMIE GERBER
There are few films that have scarred a generation of children quite like the 1982 movie “The Last Unicorn.” Although the film was animated, it wasn’t originally intended for children — the story has terrifying moments and creatures like the monstrous Red Bull — and some of the movie’s stranger moments only make sense when considering its original intent.
“The Last Unicorn” was sold as an “adult musical fantasy-adventure,” with Arthur Rankin Jr. and Jules Bass of Rankin/Bass Animated Entertainment casting the film in hopes of appealing to adults. Actors like Mia Farrow, Jeff Bridges, and Christopher Lee joined the project, and the rock band America performed several of the movie’s songs.
Despite following a mythical cartoon creature, “The Last Unicorn” focuses on the themes of loss and regret from the novel it’s based on, which far more adults could relate to than most children. The movie is also filled with happy moments, but those complex and conflicting emotions are part of why the film was understandably aimed at adults.