The Last Unicorn - 25th Anniversary Edition

[Umbran]

Some of you may be aware that Peter S. Beagle has had a whole lot of trouble getting at his royalties for The Last Unicorn, and his script for the animated version of the Lord of the Rings.

Well, on February 6th, Lionsgate Entertainment is releasing a 25th Anniversary Edition of The Last Unicorn. Lionsgate has agreed to allow Conlan Press to sell copies of the movie that will be different in one major way - Mr. Beagle will get over half the money from the sale. Note that if you purchase from Best Buy, or any other retail source, the author is going to get diddly.

Not only that, if you buy from Conlan Press, you can get your copy autographed by Mr. Beagle, personal message and all. Probably a really nice Valentine's Day gift, folks!

So go, buy from someone who'll actually pay the author for his work (and possibly help pay for his legal fight so that he can get at his six-figure royalties that have built up over the 20 years or so).

 

[Rackhir]

I already have my order in with Conlan and have been eagerly awaiting this. I just wish the special edition could do something about Jeff Bridge's singing skills...

 

[Uruk]

I already have my order in with Conlan and have been eagerly awaiting this. I just wish the special edition could do something about Jeff Bridge's singing skills...

Are you trying to make me feel bad for buying the soundtrack?

Part of me wants to buy this version for the autograph, but I already have the German version which I'd imagine is pretty identical in quality.

 

[Rackhir]

Are you trying to make me feel bad for buying the soundtrack?

Part of me wants to buy this version for the autograph, but I already have the German version which I'd imagine is pretty identical in quality.

I have the soundtrack as well, but I didn't buy it for Jeff's singing.

 

[Plane Sailing]

It's an excellent movie, I remember being really touched by it when I saw it at the cinema

 

[Hypersmurf]

It's an excellent movie, I remember being really touched by it when I saw it at the cinema

Hrmm. I just watched it again last week.

Compared to the other Rankin-Bass movie it's always been most closely associated with in my childhood memory (The Flight of Dragons)... I didn't think it had held up well.

There are jumps in the storyline, the characters feel horribly cardboard with no discernible reasoning for many of their choices and actions, and the whole thing feels like a bad railroad.

The Flight of Dragons isn't perfect, but it's a movie I can still watch and enjoy repeatedly. (And it's just hit 25 years as well... DVD release, please!) It hangs together. The characters are fun, and their motivations are mostly consistent, and it doesn't have that godawful butterfly

I'm almost regretting watching The Last Unicorn again, because it was a lot better in my memory I don't think I've been quite so let-down since rewatching He-Man and She-Ra - The Secret of the Sword...

-Hyp.

 

[Rackhir]

Hrmm. I just watched it again last week.

Compared to the other Rankin-Bass movie it's always been most closely associated with in my childhood memory (The Flight of Dragons)... I didn't think it had held up well.

There are jumps in the storyline, the characters feel horribly cardboard with no discernible reasoning for many of their choices and actions, and the whole thing feels like a bad railroad.

The Flight of Dragons isn't perfect, but it's a movie I can still watch and enjoy repeatedly. (And it's just hit 25 years as well... DVD release, please!) It hangs together. The characters are fun, and their motivations are mostly consistent, and it doesn't have that godawful butterfly

I'm almost regretting watching The Last Unicorn again, because it was a lot better in my memory I don't think I've been quite so let-down since rewatching He-Man and She-Ra - The Secret of the Sword...

-Hyp.

Well I can only conclude that you are evil, souless and enjoy torturing kittens. Especially if you ever enjoyed He-Man...

The butterfly was pretty much directly from the original story, but you probably wouldn't like that either. Even though it does fill in a lot of the background and motivation for the characters. Schmendric's history was particularly interesting. He was actually immortal, having been blessed/cursed with it by his master who dispaired at his inability to master even the simplest and most basic of cantrips. He eventually, concluded that Schmendrick's talent must be so monumental that it would take more than a mortal's life span to realize it. So he was condemed to live until he had finally mastered magic. Thus some of his comments like "Know this. Anything which can die is beautiful, more beautiful even than a Unicorn."

But if some of the scenes in the movie didn't move you... well. It was only the second film I've ever seen that truly touched my heart.

 

[Hypersmurf]

The butterfly was pretty much directly from the original story, but you probably wouldn't like that either. Even though it does fill in a lot of the background and motivation for the characters.

Well, given that that's a major part of my complaint, it may be that the original story would fix a lot of the problems I had with it

-Hyp.

 

[Lockridge]

I've just placed my order. The personalization is a nice touch.

I remember this movie fondly - I just hope I don't have the same reaction as Hypersmurf. Thats happened a to me a few times. Of course, I'm buying it for my daughter so I'm sure she will have the same fond memories as she grows.

Thanks Umbran for this post - otherwise I would have missed the opportunity.

 

[Plane Sailing]

The butterfly was pretty much directly from the original story

That's funny, I can't remember any butterfly in at all...

I do remember the final scene on the beach though, and that was what made the film jump up in my estimation (although I was already taken in by the Red Bull. Wouldn't want to meet that in a dungeon!)