The Last Unicorn, From Animation to Live Action

[GothicRavenGoddess (3)]

The Plot:

In an enchanted forest, a unicorn realizes that she is the last of her kind and decides she must embark on a quest to learn what has become of the other unicorns. The Unicorn discovers from the addled dialogue of a butterfly that an evil entity called the Red Bull has herded all of her kind to the ends of the earth. Venturing into unfamiliar territory beyond the safety of her forest home, she begins a journey to find them and bring them back. Along the way she is captured for a time by the witch Mommy Fortuna, and is put on display in the cages of the witch's Midnight Carnival. She escapes with the help of an incompetent magician in Fortuna's employ, Schmendrick, and later gains a second traveling companion, Molly Grue, the care-worn lover of Captain Cully of Greenwood Forest. When the Unicorn nears the seaside castle of King Haggard, supposed keeper of the Red Bull, she comes face to face with the Bull (which turns out to be a monstrous fire elemental) and runs, afraid. At the last moment before her final surrender and capture, Schmendrick's unpredictable magic transforms her into a mortal woman. In this human guise, the Red Bull is uninterested in her and departs.

Schmendrick, Molly Grue, and the Unicorn (now in human form) proceed to Haggard's castle and seek entry. King Haggard is at first unwelcoming, and Schmendrick introduces the Unicorn only as Lady Amalthea. Schmendrick requests that the three of them stay there as members of Haggard's court, only to be told that all of the royal complement has long since been dispatched: the only remaining occupants in the castle are Haggard, his adopted son Prince Lír, and four ancient men-at-arms. Haggard consents to lodging the trio, replacing his more competent on-call wizard with Schmendrick, and setting Molly Grue to work in his scullery. Becoming gradually forgetful of her original identity and the purpose of her quest, Amalthea feels more human with each passing day, and eventually falls in love with Prince Lír. Caught in a complex web of newfound emotions, she struggles with thoughts of abandoning her quest for the sake of mortal love. Haggard confronts Amalthea in private conversation, hinting at the location of the unicorns, yet from the waning magic in the woman's eyes, he has doubts regarding his previous suspicions that she is more than she seems.

Going through a secret passage in a broken clock in the castle basement, Schmendrick reveals Amalthea's true identity to Lir. Lir, however, isn't surprised at all and says that he loves whom he loves. This makes Amalthea want to stay human and marry Lir, but Lir protests. The Red Bull soon appears, but is no longer deceived by Amalthea's false human form and chases after her. In an attempt to assist her escape, Schmendrick reverses the transformation spell, turning Amalthea back into the Unicorn, but she is unwilling to leave Lír's side. The Bull drives her toward the ocean, just as he earlier drove all the other unicorns, but she manages to run away and the bull gives chase. Lir gets between them and blocks the bull's path, but the bull doesn't stop and Lir is killed. Out of grief, the Unicorn aggressively turns on the Bull and forces him into the sea. Carried on the white surf of incoming tides, the other unicorns emerge en masse from the water, causing Haggard's castle to collapse into the sea as they rush past, with Haggard falling to his death (screaming his last words: "The last! I knew you were the last!") from the crumbling castle parapet. On the beach, the Unicorn magically restores Lír to life before she, too, departs for her forest. Schmendrick assures Lír, now the king, that he has gained much by winning the love of a unicorn, even if he is now alone. The Unicorn briefly returns to say goodbye to Schmendrick, who laments that he has done her wrong by burdening her with regret and the taint of mortality, but she thanks him nonetheless for having helped to restore unicorns to the world, and though she is the only unicorn to feel regret, she is also the only unicorn to know love.

The Voices:

Alan Arkin as the voice of Schmendrick -

Jeff Bridges as the voice of Prince Lir -

Mia Farrow as the voice of Unicorn / Amalthea - /

Tammy Grimes as the voice of Molly Grue -

Robert Klein as the voice of The Butterfly -

Angela Lansbury as the voice of Mommy Fortuna -

Christopher Lee as the voice of King Haggard -

Rene Auberjonois as the voice of The Skull -

Don Messick as the voice of The Cat -

After reading all that, who do you think should play these characters in a live action film? (There was rumour in 2007 of them starting production, but I didn't hear any more about it.) What are your ideas?

[taysteewonderbunny]

Thinking, thinking, thinking. I'll report back in a few days.

[GothicRavenGoddess (3)]

lol

oh, and i know that some of those, like the cat and the skull, and the butterfly might have to be cgi, or whatever, but how about voice actors for those?

[StormKnight (1)]

After reading the original novel by Peter S. Beagle (who help script the cartoon, BTW,) I don't know where or who to start with. I just hope that Hollywood doesn't screw it up ala Disney and fairy tales. It is bit of a tragedy: an immortal creature that did not know regret or love until she became human and fell in love, and the lovers don't ride off together at the end.

I also hope that they would bring in more of the back story. Schmendrick, had natural talent and power that were beyond what his teacher could teach Schmendrick to control. This manifested as him being a bumbler with magic most of the movie/novel. So his teacher made him immortal until he could blend the talent and power into something controllable, usable. He is described in the novel as having a "tragically youthful," appearance.

[freydis]

There was a site for awhile.... even some of the concept art and cgi stuff. Schmendrick was supposed to be played by Johnathan Rhys-Myers, Mia Farrow as Molly Grue, and Christopher Lee as the king again. That was all anyone let on that had been cast.

I have no idea what's happened to this film.

[GothicRavenGoddess (3)]

yeah, that's crazy that she'd play molly, when she did the voice for the unicorn in the animation... lol back in the day, I think that she'd have been awesome as the lady she voiced for. but I guess they need a younger actress.... I have no idea who could play the part as her, now.... :(

[taysteewonderbunny]

What about Thora Birch? for Almalthea?

[GothicRavenGoddess (3)]

she's pretty. and she looks good as a blond... i really hope they try and stay true to the movie.... since I think its an adaptation from the animated film. who knows, they may pull from the book as well.... i have noticed that a lot of the characters have very exaggerated features... either they are really dumpy, or really elongated...

so maybe she's a good choice for the part...

[prick]

I loved this movie!

[GothicRavenGoddess (3)]

lol not helping silly butt