The Last Unicorn (1982) ***1/2

The last time I watched The Last Unicorn (1982)—a film that I grew up with but for which I don't remember having a particular affinity—in 2007, I recall being less than enamored with it. I still have reservations about the TLU, but I definitely enjoyed it more on this viewing (looking fantastic on 4K UHD). 

The animation is excellent, particularly the beautiful backgrounds (almost as breathtaking as—and undoubtedly influenced by—the ones in Disney's 1959 Sleeping Beauty). (I especially love the animation during the opening and closing titles.) That's unsurprising, considering that TLU's animation department included key animator Tadakatsu Yoshida (who worked on 1973's Belladonna Of Sadness (review)) and background artist Kazusuke Yoshihara (who worked on 1997's Perfect Blue (review)).

The voice cast includes some serious heavy hitters (Alan Arkin, Jeff Bridges, Angela Lansbury, Christopher Lee) and Mia Farrow, in particular, as the titular character, brings a vulnerability and an emotional, lyrical quality to her performance that is quite moving. The score and songs by Jimmy Webb and America work on the whole (the theme song is very affecting), but some of them nearly sink the scenes that they accompany and the picture would have been better served by a few less tunes. 

There's a touch too much goofiness in TLU that doesn't always jibe with the mostly melancholic quality and the darker aspects (both of which I really like) of the movie. However, despite any quibbles I've mentioned, I do appreciate the film a great deal.