The Winged Unicorn

The Winged Unicorn was an Irish animated film produced by Jack Stant Productions and distributed by distributor Embassy Pictures. it was the first animated film produced by Stant Studios, the first in Ireland, and the last animated feature film to use Cinemascope.

Plot
the 200 BC, all Rats woke up from their nap to migrate 15 Minutes to Unicorn Mountain, where the Unicorns Live. a Male Pegasus called Jeffery and a Female Unicorn called June foaled a new baby called James. a Black Unicorn called Shadow was in the Evil Black Mountain. Jeffery said he and June did not see Shadow at the presentation of James. as 10 years went by, James was took by his father to the grass for breakfast. after James ate all Grass, a Butterfly took shadow's food not letting Shadow have any food.

Meanwhile, Shadow told a blue rat called Ham and a Black Pegasus called Steak that He will be the king of Unicorn Mountain. before the sun rises up in the Morning, Ham and Steak sneaked out of the Cube Rocks, through the Forest, across the bridge, and saw eaten grasses. Ham and Steak went to River Valley and accidentally killed Jeffery with a Porcupine with a Elephant Trunk. James saw Jeffery's dead body and went to the forest to think about what Ham and Steak did. at night, Shadow took the Mountain as king, thinking that Unicorn and Rat comes together in the Future.

Meanwhile at the Forest, a Rat with a Lion Tail called Lirat saw James drinking water. James was told by Lirat to become Big and Strong. James was grown and had Wings to return to Unicorn Mountain to defeat Shadow. Lirat was not sure that Shadow was alive. However, Lirat saw Shadow at Unicorn Mountain. Shadow told Ham and Steak never to create a bad location to trap all Unicorns in the middle of the dungeon for the new era of Greek Mythology. however, James went home and saw Shadow being a king of the Mountain when Jeffery Was Dead. then, James forgets about being alone.

June told James that Shadow took Unicorn Mountain. James then Fight with Shadow. during the Fight, James kills shadow with his unicorn horn. Shadow fell in the Black hot Water. and then, Ham and Steak, and all Rat minions ran away. the Lightning crashed on the Mountain, witch is on fire 5 seconds later. the Rain came and destroyed the fire by using Rain Power. June moved out to the Valley as James became king of Unicorn Mountain and restore it to it's former glory for all Rats to see. the film ends with James, Ham, Steak, and Lirat calling the new Mountain "Stant Mountain".

Cast

 * Sam Edwards as Jeffery
 * Ann Gillis as June
 * Mark Lester as young James
 * Christopher Greener as Adult James
 * Vincent Price as Shadow
 * Windsor Davies as Ham
 * Sterling Holloway as Steak
 * Donald Pleasence voices 3 characters
 * Lirat (UK Version)
 * Shadow's rat Minions
 * Porcupine with a Elephant Trunk
 * Phil Harris as Lirat (US Version)

Production
production began between January 1950 and March 1965. it was the only Stant film before Jack Stant died with a Stant Toons movie released in March 1970.

the Original Version was made between 1950 and 1957, but changed to make the movie more child-friendly in 1958. in March 1965, production was complete.

Release
it was released on December 2, 1966. it became a Success at the Box Office, pleasing Stant Studios with Stant Toons:the Motion Picture. it was re-released in 1976 and 1980. it had it's North American re-release in 1994.

Soundtrack
the scores and songs are composed by Alfred Newman.

Songs

 * Goo Mess MaMa La - Stant Chorus - 0:56
 * Eat Grass - Mark Lester - 1:45
 * Mountains of Mine - Vincent Price - 2:00
 * Go Away - Stant Chorus - 1:00
 * Think About It - Donald Pleasence (USA) and Phil Harris (USA) - 1:40
 * Feast Yourselves - Vincent Price and the Stant Chorus - 2:00
 * Shadow Is G-O-N-E Spells Gone - Stant Chorus - 0:56

Score

 * Overture - Instrumental - 3:00
 * Baby June - Instrumental - 2:30
 * Shadow - Instrumental - 2:55
 * After Eating all that grass - Instrumental - 1:55
 * Lightning and Rainstorm - Instrumental - 4:55
 * Magical Ending - Instrumental - 4:00

North America
all blood and killing scenes are deleted for a 1968 North American release.

Deleted scenes:
 * Ham and Steak accidentally killing Jeffery with a Porcupine with a Elephant Trunk
 * the Future of Unicorns and Rats
 * James Killing Shadow
 * The Thunderstorm and the Rain scene (the fire scene was kept)
 * Shadow falling into the Hot Black Water and dying (but the following scene is kept, and the dialogue of Lirat explains Shadow and his army had exiled to Australia.)

Australia
in 1973, the Australian censorship cuts all scenes

Deleted scenes:
 * Shadow arguing with Jeffery
 * Jeffery's dead body
 * Lirat seeing Shadow at Unicorn Mountain
 * Shadow's Minions running away (but the following scene is kept, that James explains that the Rats are Staying).

Home Video
in 1981, Embassy Home Entertainment released the film on VHS and Laserdisc.

in 1987, the film was released on VHS again by Judy Garland Home Video

Columbia TriStar Home Video released the film on VHS in 1995 and 2000, and on DVD in 2000.

in 2004, the film was released again on DVD by Paramount Home Entertainment. in 2008, the DVD went out of print due to Stealing.

in 2016, the film was released on Blu-Ray by DHX/UA Home Entertainment for the 50th Anniversary of the film.