The Last Unicorn 4K Ultra HD SteelBook Review

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

Published in 1968, Peter S. Beagle’s The Last Unicorn has been one of the most beloved books of fantasy for decades. In 1979, production began on the animated adaptation of Beagle’s novel, but the production was not so smooth. Nearly every studio with an animation division turned down the film until finally, Rankin/Bass Productions, the same studio responsible for holiday classics like Rudolph’s Shiny New Year (1976) and Jack Frost (1979) picked up the rights.

Featuring a star-studded cast of voices including Alan Arkin, Mia Farrow, Angela Lansbury, and Jeff Bridges, the story is a fantastical journey about a unicorn (Farrow) who thinks she is the last of her kind in the world that braves the world outside her forest to find others of her kind. Gaining a traveling companion in a young, hapless wizard named Schmendrick (Arkin) who has trouble controlling his powers, the unicorn finds that the outside world is filled with danger like evil witches and a dangerous red bull that attacks all unicorns.

The animation is colorful and very evocative of a fantasy land where anything is possible. Certainly, with all the heavyweight actors, one would expect great voice acting, but The Last Unicorn is somewhat disappointing. The story lacks the emotional depth of some of the Disney classics, and the voice acting is not always believable, lacking chemistry and a little miscast for some of the characters. With that being said, The Last Unicorn is still pleasant family fun, but it may be a letdown for those most familiar with the book.

Purchase The Last Unicorn 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray on Amazon.com

The Video

The Last Unicorn is a new restoration from a 4K scan of a 35mm interpositive of the uncut film “endorsed by Peter S. Beagle.” The 1.85:1 HEVC 2160p (4K UHD) Dolby Vision encodement. The HDR10 metadata shows a MaxLL of 732 nits and a MaxFALL of 321 nits. Being from an interpositive – and certainly not a major restoration endeavor going all the way back to the original animation cells and negatives – this will not look pristine like some Disney restorations, for instance, but this is a step up over the 2011 Blu-ray release from Lionsgate. The grain is crisper and more refined than that older release and looks natural, but there are still some scratches and sparkle that can bee seen. The colors look little more vibrant with a hint of pop in some highlights. The included Blu-ray looks almost as good with a little more diffuse grain structure.

The Audio

There is a lot of ambience in the English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 audio mix included on the 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray discs. The separation in the audio effects and the songs performed by America is wide. There is not much to speak of as far as low end, but there is enough for a decent underpinning of the action. The DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 stereo track also as clear and clean dialogue and good stereo imaging.

The Supplements

Shout! Includes a few interviews with author Peter S. Beagle, storyboards, and the original trailer in this collection housed in gorgeous new SteelBook packaging with new artwork.

Bonus Features:

• Profile of Writer Peter S. Beagle (1080p; 00:14:46)
• True Magic (Redux): The Story of The Last Unicorn (1080p; 00:27:28)
• Q&A with Peter S. Beagle (1080p; 00:08:28)
• Animated Storyboards (1080p; 00:07:22)
• Original Theatrical Trailer (SD; 00:02:47)

The Final Assessment

A classic story, big-name actors doing the voicing, and pretty animation make The Last Unicorn a decent time passer for the whole family, but the somewhat thin emotional depth hinders it from absolute greatness, despite its undeniable stay as a classic. This new 4K restoration and steelbook release, exclusive to Walmart (a standard 4K release is also available) is a big upgrade well worth getting for fans of this beloved classic. Fans who purchase the standard edition 4KUHD +Blu-ray directly from Shout! will receive a double-sided poster featuring both the SteelBook and standard edition art, based on the original theatrical poster, while supplies last.

The Last Unicorn is out on 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray August 20, 2024 from Shout! Studios

Purchase The Last Unicorn 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray on Amazon.com

• Rating Certificate: G
• Studios & Distributors: Rankin/Bass Productions | Incorporated Television Company (ITC) | Topcraft | Shout! Studios
• Directors: Jules Bass | Arthur Rankin Jr.
• Written By: Peter S. Beagle
• Run Time: 93 Mins.
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
• Video Format: HEVC 2160p (4K UHD)
• HDR Format: Dolby Vision (HDR10 Compatible)
• HDR10 Metadata:
  • MaxLL: 732 nits
  • MaxFALL: 321 nits
  • Max. Luminance: 1000 nits
  • Min. Luminance: 0.0001 nits
• Primary Audio: English DTS-HD MA 5.1
• Secondary Audio: English DTS-HD MA 2.0 Stereo
• Subtitles: English SDH
• Street Date: 20 August 2024