One of the best aspects of “Death of a Unicorn” is its constant reminders that these unicorns aren’t merely horses with horns. They are magical creatures, and as such, they have special properties as well as unusual weaknesses. Their biggest weakness is that they become completely docile and helpless when in the presence of an innocent young maiden, something which Ridley discovers to her chagrin. The concept of a unicorn being put in danger unwittingly by a young woman is apparently part of actual unicorn mythology, which is likely how it ended up as a plot point in 1985’s “Legend.” Though “Death of a Unicorn” may not be referencing Ridley Scott’s fantasy fable directly, the two films share the basic plot of a unicorn in trouble thanks to the hypnotic allure of a girl’s innocence. And let’s not forget that Ridley made “Alien,” and that Ortega’s character is named Ridley!
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Anyway, these unicorns fortunately have a magical power to help counteract this weakness, and that is their ability to heal themselves and regenerate. This power doesn’t stop there, however, for they can also use it to heal other beings, such as humans. That’s right — while sure, you could steal their blood and body parts to cure cancer and other diseases, it’s far better all around if you simply befriend the unicorns in order to let them heal you instead, something which Elliot and Ridley come to discover. This power seems especially similar to the one wielded by everyone’s favorite extraterrestrial, “E.T.” Though “E.T.” is a little more indiscriminating with offering up his healing powers than the unicorns are, it’s still a good bet to be his pal. And while we’re playing the name game, don’t forget that Paul Rudd’s character shares the name of E.T.’s best buddy.
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Hopefully, this article has reinvigorated you to revisit “Death of a Unicorn,” now that you know everything to look for. After all, unicorns should be respected, but their secrets are there for the taking!
On today’s episode of the /Film Daily podcast, we spoke with writer/director Alex Scharfman about bringing the film to life:
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