Many a parent made the mistake of picking up a copy of The Last Unicorn for their child, only to discover the horrors that lie within. While it is a magnificent and timeless fantasy tale suitable for families with older children, it's positively nightmarish for younger kids who are ill-prepared for its powerful and terrifying imagery, which was a trademark of G-rated family films back in the day.
The Last Unicorn is a mature story penned from the mind of the wonderful author Peter S. Beagle, and the 1982 animated adaptation pulls no punches when it comes to harsh life lessons, not-so-happy endings, and (of course) copious amounts of dread. Here are the creepiest scenes from the film.
The Butterfly's Visit
After the fantastic opening credits and stirring theme song by folk rock band America had set the tone, the story kicks right along with the Unicorn speaking to herself about the whereabouts of her kind who have disappeared from the world. While pondering the situation, she is interrupted by a singing butterfly to lighten the mood.
The Unicorn presses the butterfly as to the whereabouts of her kind, only for him to dodge the question repeatedly with singing jabs. Finally his entire mood changes from silly to downright ominous as he whispers a clue to her that will help her on her quest. It's a spine-tingling moment that signals a taste of what's to come.
Mommy Fortuna's Spell
After leaving the safety of her forest in search of her own kind, the Unicorn traverses the lands for an undefined period of time in search of more clues. One night as she sleeps on the side of the road, a caravan passes by, led by the infamous Mommy Fortuna, a parlor trickster capable of standing among the most iconic witches in animated movie history.
She quickly determines that it is a Unicorn she sees before her, despite the fact that most humans cannot see them due to lack of optimism. As the Unicorn begins to stir, Mommy Fortuna casts a wicked sleep spell comprised of highly unpleasant black speech and her own snaggle-toothed appearance that would send most children under the covers.
The Harpy's Introduction
The Unicorn awakens to find herself in a cage as part of Mommy Fortuna's "Creatures of Night" caravan where she uses her magic to give regular animals the appearance of beasts from myth and legend. It's enough to fool the sightseers who pay money to glimpse what they think are monstrous horrors.
However, one cage contains a monster of legend that is very much real - Celaeno the Harpy. The scene shifts quickly to the creature with an incredibly dark and frightening musical number combined with her piercing and unnerving shriek. Everything that follows, from the Harpy's twisted body to her malevolent eyes is pure nightmare fuel.
The Jailbreak
Schmendrick the magician decides to betray Mommy Fortuna and free the Unicorn from her clutches, but the Unicorn won't leave without freeing all the other creatures from their cages as well. That includes the Harpy who waits in the final cage, eager to be let loose so she can rain down bloody vengeance on her captors that would give most revenge flicks a run for their money.
Rather than thank the Unicorn for freeing her, the Harpy swoops into the moonlit sky and attempts to kill the Unicorn several times before Mommy Fortuna shows up to taunt her. Realizing that her life is now over, Mommy Fortuna raises her hands in acceptance as the Harpy descends for the kill in what might be the most bone-chillingly disturbing scene in any children's film - period.
The Unicorn's Vision
At several points in the film, the Unicorn remembers the words of the butterfly who told her "They passed down all the roads long ago, and the Red Bull ran close behind them and covered their footprints." Each time the vision is shared with the audience in an ominous manner.
The ambiguous nature of these visions makes them more foreboding than they would be if they were clear and explicit. It's another masterful use of dark imagery and unnerving musical cues in a children's film to create a sense of impending dread and unsafety.
The Red Bull's First Attack
As the Unicorn, Schmendrick, and Molly Grue make their way towards King Haggard's castle, the danger of their being found out grows. The Unicorn had learned that King Haggard controls the Red Bull, a monstrous demon that has pushed all the Unicorns of the Earth to his domain.
The night before their arrival, the Bull attacks for the first time in a spectacular and frightening display of pure, fiery power. It quickly outguns the Unicorn and forces Schmendrick to change her into a human female to avoid detection. Angered, the Bull goes out every night henceforth to locate his missing quarry.
Amalthea's Nightmare
It isn't known if Unicorns have nightmares given their immortal nature, but Amalthea certainly did. Upon being changed into a human, she became vulnerable to every physical and mental imperfection that came with it, including having terrible nightmares of past ordeals she had suffered.
One particular nightmare involves her traumatic experience with Mommy Fortuna and her brief battle with the Harpy which is right up there with the worst horror movie monsters imaginable. The scene kicks in so fast from an otherwise quiet scene that it startles the viewer with its suddenness and dark imagery.
Haggard's Speech
Suspecting that the Lady Amalthea is the one Unicorn who got away, King Haggard decides to lay his cards out on the table in an attempt to finally catch her. However, her newfound mortality is playing havoc with her mind and any memory she once had of her former self.
In that moment, Haggard reminds her of why she has come, and admits his reason for collecting all the Unicorns. It's his only heartfelt and vulnerable moment in the film, but it quickly turns black when he describes how he tasked the Red Bull with gathering them all for his delight. The scene ends with his madness bubbling to the surface as he threatens to hurl Amalthea into the sea if she denies what she really is.
The Skeleton
While the laughing skeleton is indeed one of the comic relief highlights of The Last Unicorn (true Star Trek: Deep Space Nine fans know Rene Auberjonois voiced the character), the scene is also just as creepy and chilling as others on this list. After successfully blackmailing the skeleton to give up the secret of the Red Bull's lair, Schmendrick, Molly Grue, and Amalthea make ready to finish their quest.
However, the skeleton catches a glimpse of Amalthea in a particular light and determines that she is a Unicorn that has taken mortal form. Instantly, the laughing skeleton's comical demeanor turns positively terrifying as his eyes glow red while howling the Unicorn's identity through the bowels of the castle, alerting King Haggard in the process.
The Second Bull Attack
After making their way through a magical clock which acts as a secret portal, Schmendrick, Molly Grue, Prince Lir and Amalthea find themselves trapped at the tail end of the Red Bull's dank cavernous lair. Hoping to make it out unnoticed, they soldier on through whilst arguing about what to do with the Unicorns and Amalthea's human condition.
Tensions flare to the point where Schmendrick makes a bit too much noise and attracts the Red Bull who manifests seemingly out of nowhere. Unfortunately for them, the Bull has since learned that Amalthea is a Unicorn in disguise and promptly gives chase. The scene gives way to one of the most bittersweet, anti-climatic, yet proper endings in a children's film.