The Black Cauldron (1985)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Directors:

Ted Berman
Richard Rich

Writers:

Lloyd Alexander (novel)
David Jonas (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

24 July 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Adventure | Family | Fantasy | Mystery

Tagline:

Seven years in the making - In the celebrated Disney tradition comes our 25th animated motion picture.

Plot:

A young boy and a bunch of misfit friends embark on a quest to find a dark magic item of ultimate power before a diabolical tyrant can.

Plot Keywords:

Cauldron | King | Pig | Magic | Princess

Cast

Grant Bardsley	...	Taran (voice)
Susan Sheridan	...	Eilonwy (voice)
Freddie Jones	...	Dallben (voice)
Nigel Hawthorne	...	Fflewddur Fflam (voice)
Arthur Malet	...	King Eidilleg (voice)
John Byner	...	Gurgi / Doli (voice)
Lindsay Rich	...	Fairfolk (voice)
Brandon Call	...	Fairfolk (voice)
Gregory Levinson	...	Fairfolk (voice)
Eda Reiss Merin	...	Orddu (voice)
Adele Malis-Morey	...	Orwen (voice)
Billie Hayes	...	Orgoch (voice)
Phil Fondacaro	...	Creeper / henchman (voice)
Peter Renaday	...	Henchman (voice) (as Pete Renaday)
James Almanzar	...	Henchman (voice)
Wayne Allwine	...	Henchman (voice)
Steve Hale	...	Henchman (voice)
Phil Nibbelink	...	Henchman (voice)
Jack Laing	...	Henchman (voice)
John Hurt	...	The Horned King (voice)
Rosemary Anne Sisson	...	Additional Dialogue (voice)
Roy Edward Disney	...	Additional Dialogue (voice)
John Huston	...	Narrator (voice)

Directed by
Ted Berman
Richard Rich

Writing credits
Lloyd Alexander		(novel series "The Chronicles of Prydain")
David Jonas		(story) and
Vance Gerry		(story) and
Ted Berman		(story) and
Richard Rich		(story) and
Al Wilson		(story) and
Roy Morita		(story) and
Peter Young		(story) and
Art Stevens		(story) and
Joe Hale		(story)
Tony Marino		(additional story material) and
Steve Hulett		(additional story material) and
Melvin Shaw		(additional story material) (as Mel Shaw) and
Burny Mattinson		(additional story material) and
John Musker		(additional story material) and
Ron Clements		(additional story material) and
Doug Lefler		(additional story material)
Roy Edward Disney		additional dialogue (as Roy E. Disney)

Produced by
Joe Hale	....	producer
Ron Miller	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Elmer Bernstein

Film Editing by
Armetta Jackson-Hamlett		(as Armetta Jackson)
James Koford
James Melton

Production Management
Don Hahn	....	production manager
Edward Hansen	....	executive in charge of production

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Mark A. Hester	....	assistant director (as Mark Hester)
Terry L. Noss	....	assistant director (as Terry Noss)
Randy Paton	....	assistant director

Art Department
Dale Alexander	....	art props
Tim Burton	....	conceptual artist (uncredited)
Peter Young	....	storyboard artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
Wayne Allwine	....	sound effects
Nick Alphin	....	sound re-recording mixer
Robert Hathaway	....	sound supervisor (as Bob Hathaway)
Paul Holzborn	....	sound effects
Armetta Jackson-Hamlett	....	sound effects editor (as Armetta Jackson)
James Koford	....	sound effects editor
Tomas Krantz	....	adr editor (Swedish version)
Michael L. McDonough	....	sound designer
James Melton	....	sound effects editor
Richard Portman	....	sound re-recording mixer
Frank Regula	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Frank C. Regula)

Special Effects by
Bill Kilduff	....	special photographic effects
Phil Meador	....	special photographic effects (as Philip Meador)
Ron Osenbaugh	....	special photographic effects (as Ron Obenbaugh)

Visual Effects by
Vicki Banks	....	effects inbetween artist
Esther Barr	....	effects inbetween artist
Christine Blum	....	effects breakdown artist (as Christine Harding)
Dave Bossert	....	effects inbetween artist
Glenn Chaika	....	effects animator
Ed Coffey	....	effects breakdown artist
Barry Cook	....	effects animator
Lem Davis	....	CGI animator
Mark Dindal	....	special effects animator
Gail Finkeldei	....	assistant effects animator
Bernie Gagliano	....	effects photo transfer
Ed Garbert	....	title graphics
Allen Gonzales	....	effects animator
Peter Gullerud	....	effects breakdown artist
Jeff Howard	....	effects animator
Tom Hush	....	assistant effects animator
Ted Kierscey	....	effects animator
Kim Knowlton	....	effects animator (as Kimberly Knowlton)
Joseph Lanzisero	....	assistant effects animator
Rolando Mercado	....	assistant effects animator
Don Paul	....	effects animator
Patty Paulick-Peraza	....	effects animator (as Patricia Peraza)
Scott Santoro	....	visual effects animator
Steve Starr	....	assistant effects animator
Gary Trousdale	....	effects inbetween artist
John Tucker	....	assistant effects animator
Bruce Woodside	....	effects animator
Kelvin Yasuda	....	effects animator

Camera and Electrical Department
John Aardal	....	animation camera operator
Errol Aubry	....	animation camera operator
Ed Austin	....	animation camera operator
Daniel Bunn	....	animation camera operator
James Catania	....	animation camera operator
Steve Hale	....	animation camera operator
Roy Harris	....	animation camera operator
Brian Holechek	....	animation camera operator
Jere Kepenek	....	animation camera operator
Kieran Mulgrew	....	animation camera operator
Jim Pickel	....	animation camera operator
Dave Spencer	....	still photographer
Rick Taylor	....	animation camera operator
Frank Tompkins	....	animation camera operator
Neil Viker	....	animation camera operator (as Niel Viker)
Paul Wainess	....	animation camera operator
Brandy Whittington	....	animation camera operator

Animation Department
Sue Adnopoz	....	breakdown artist
Kurt Anderson	....	assistant layout artist
Viki Anderson	....	animator
Tony Anselmo	....	assistant animator
Ruben A. Aquino	....	animator (as Ruben Aquino)
Kelly Asbury	....	inbetween artist
Dale Baer	....	animator
Jane Baer	....	assistant animator
Dorothea Baker	....	assistant animator (as Dorthea Baker)
Wilma Baker	....	final checker
Philo Barnhart	....	assistant animator
Bill Berg	....	assistant animator
David Block	....	animator
Sandra Borgmeyer	....	animator
Dan Bourland	....	scene planner
Dave Brain	....	additional animator
Bill Brazner	....	xerox animation photo transfer
Janet Bruce	....	animation checker
Ben Burgess	....	assistant animator
Hendel Butoy	....	animator
Penny Campse	....	painter
Reed Cardwell	....	assistant animator
Hortensia Casagran	....	final checker
Wesley Chun	....	key clean-up artist
Brian Clift	....	assistant animator
Jill Colbert	....	additional animator
Jim Coleman	....	color stylist (as James Coleman)
Karen Comella	....	painter
Jesus Cortes	....	assistant animator
Jesse Cosio	....	animator
Retta Davidson	....	key clean-up artist
Andreas Deja	....	animator
Andreas Deja	....	character designer
Tatsuko Deramirez	....	key xerox checker
Anthony de Rosa	....	breakdown artist (as Anthony DeRosa)
Barbara De Rosa	....	breakdown artist (as Barbara DeRosa)
Sue DiCicco	....	additional animator
Chuck Downs	....	animator (as Charlie Downs)
Dave Dunnet	....	assistant layout artist
John Emerson	....	background artist
Dede Faber	....	xerox animation photo transfer
Becky Fallberg	....	ink and paint manager
Rick Farmiloe	....	assistant animator
Maria Fenyvesi	....	key xerox checker
Tom Ferriter	....	animator
Tom Ferriter	....	key clean-up artist
Denise Ford	....	breakdown artist
William H. Frake III	....	layout artist (as William Frake III)
Frank Frezzo	....	assistant layout artist
June Fujimoto	....	assistant animator
Mike Gabriel	....	animator
Jean Pierre Gagnon	....	xerox animation photo transfer
Edward Goral	....	breakdown artist
Steven E. Gordon	....	animator (as Steven Gordon)
Don Griffith	....	layout artist
Carol Holman Grosvenor	....	assistant layout artist
Tina Grusd	....	breakdown artist
Terrey Hamada	....	assistant animator
Dan Hansen	....	layout artist
Terence Harrison	....	animator (as Terry Harrison)
Ray Harris	....	assistant animator
Mark Henn	....	animator
Steve Hickner	....	inbetween artist (as Stephen Hickner)
Mike Hodgson	....	layout stylist
Richard Hoppe	....	additional animator
Michael Horowitz	....	inbetween artist
Mona Hosbjor	....	inbetween artist
Pixote Hunt	....	additional animator (as Maurice Hunt)
Ron Husband	....	animator
Jay Jackson	....	animator
David Jonas	....	character designer
Debra Jorgensborg	....	color model artist (as Debbie Jorgensborg)
Darlene Kanagy	....	key xerox checker
Glen Keane	....	character designer
Lisa Keene	....	background artist
Karen A. Keller	....	assistant layout artist (as Karen Keller)
Shawn Keller	....	animator
Lureline Kohler	....	key clean-up artist (as Lureline Weatherly)
Marty Korth	....	key clean-up artist (as Martin Korth)
Raffi Koumashian	....	xerox animation photo transfer
Tia W. Kratter	....	background artist (as Tia Kratter)
Doug Krohn	....	animator
Eileen Lambert	....	inbetween artist
Eric Larson	....	animation consultant
Brian LeGrady	....	scene planner
Christine Liffers	....	breakdown artist
Kaaren Lundeen	....	breakdown artist (as Kaaren Spooner)
Jeffrey Lynch	....	assistant animator
Ginni Mack	....	painter
Mauro Maressa	....	assistant animator
Greg Martin	....	assistant layout artist
Gretchen Maschmeyer Albrecht	....	painter (as Gretchen Albrecht)
Sylvia Mattinson	....	additional animator
Mike McKinney	....	assistant animator (as Michael McKinney)
Cherie Miller	....	key xerox checker
Fujiko Miller	....	key clean-up artist
Bob Mills	....	scene planner
Rob Minkoff	....	inbetween artist (as Robert Minkoff)
James A. Mitchell Jr.	....	assistant animator (as Jim Mitchell)
Brett Newton	....	assistant animator
Phil Nibbelink	....	animator
Phil Nibbelink	....	character designer
Margaret Nichols	....	key clean-up artist (as M. Flores Nichols)
Ray Owens	....	paint lab
Karen S. Paat	....	animation checker
Dave Pacheco	....	animator (as David Pacheco)
Ann Paeff	....	color model artist
Gilda Palinginis	....	assistant animator
Elyse Pastel	....	breakdown artist
Andrew Phillipson	....	background artist
Philip Phillipson	....	assistant animator (as Phil Phillipson)
Michael G. Ploog	....	character designer (as Mike Ploog)
Lisa Poitevint	....	animation checker
Robin Police	....	final checker
Tina Price	....	clean-up artist
Ruben Procopio	....	animator
David Pruiksma	....	assistant animator
Dodie Roberts	....	paint lab
Robyn Roberts	....	xerox animation photo transfer
Sylvia Roemer	....	color model artist
Maria Rosetti	....	breakdown artist (as Maria Ramocki-Rosetti)
Carmen Sanderson	....	xerox animation photo transfer
George Scribner	....	animator
Brian Sebern	....	background artist
Natasha Selfridge	....	assistant animator
Mavis Shafer	....	animation checker
Toby Shelton	....	assistant animator
Walt Stanchfield	....	key animation coordinator
Betty Stark	....	paint lab
David Stephan	....	assistant animator
Roxy Steven	....	blue sketch artist (as Roxy Novotny Steven)
Jill Stirdivant	....	animation checker
Rusty Stoll	....	assistant animator (as Russ Stoll)
Brigitte Strother	....	color model artist
Dave Suding	....	key clean-up artist
George D. Sukara	....	assistant animator (as George Sukara)
Richard Sullivan	....	scene planner (as Rick Sullivan)
Louis Tate	....	breakdown artist
Barry Temple	....	animator
Bette Isis Thomson	....	key clean-up artist (as Isis Thompson)
Dave Thomson	....	scene planner
Peggy Tonkonogy	....	breakdown artist
Alex Topete	....	inbetween artist
Donald Towns	....	background artist
Margaret Trinidade	....	key xerox checker
Jane Tucker	....	breakdown artist
Guy Vasilovich	....	layout artist
Glenn V. Vilppu	....	layout artist (as Glenn Vilppu)
Larry White	....	assistant animator
Cyndee Whitney	....	animator
Chuck Williams	....	key clean-up artist
Al Wilson	....	character designer
Bert Wilson	....	xerox animation photo transfer
Kevin Wurzer	....	additional animator
Phillip Young	....	animator
Cathy Zar	....	blue sketch artist
Kathy Zielinski	....	additional animator
Stephan Zupkas	....	breakdown artist
Daryl Carstensen	....	cel painter (uncredited)
Daryl Carstensen	....	xerox checker (uncredited)
Michael Giaimo	....	assistant animator (uncredited)
Milt Kahl	....	character designer (uncredited)
Madlyn O'Neill	....	painter (uncredited)
Lenord Robinson	....	assistant animator (uncredited)

Music Department
Peter Bernstein	....	orchestrator
Norman Corey	....	music preparation
Kathy Durning	....	music editor
Regina Hall	....	music contractor
Jay Lawton	....	music supervisor
Shawn Murphy	....	music scoring mixer
Jack Wadsworth	....	supervising music editor
Cynthia Millar	....	musician: ondes martinot solo (uncredited)

Other crew
Lorraine Davis	....	production secretary
Dennis Edwards	....	production coordinator
Howard Green	....	publicist (as Howard E. Green)
David Jonas	....	title designer: end titles
Phyllis Losie	....	administrative office staff
Joseph Morris	....	production coordinator
Joanne Phillips	....	administrative supervisor
Ron Rocha	....	production coordinator (as Ronald Rocha)
Charlene Rogers	....	production secretary
Susan Vessiny	....	administrative office staff
Craig Miller	....	marketing consultant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Silver Screen Partners II
• Walt Disney Pictures

Distributors

• Suomi-Filmi (1985) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Svensk Filmindustri (SF) (1985) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (Brazil) (DVD)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (Brazil) (VHS)
• Buena Vista Pictures
• Gativideo (Argentina) (video)

Other Companies

• International Recording  re-recorded at

Also Known As:

Taran and the Magic Cauldron

MPAA:

Rated PG for some scary images.

Runtime:

80 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby (35 mm prints)

Certification:

Canada:F (Ontario) | Canada:G (Nova Scotia/Quebec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba) | South Korea:All | Netherlands:AL | Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Chile:TE | Finland:K-10 | France:U | Sweden:7 | UK:U | USA:PG | West Germany:6 (w) | Australia:G (DVD rating) | Peru:PT

Filming Locations:

Llechwedd Slate Caverns, Llechwedd Slate Mine, Blaenau Ffestiniog, Gwynedd, Wales, UK

Company:

Silver Screen Partners II

Trivia:

Suspended from video release for years due to its dark content.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Taran is opening the gate to the drain before the castle is destroyed, the gate can be seen through his hands and the chains.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Narrator: Legend has it, in the mystic land of Prydain, there was once a king so cruel and so evil, that even the Gods feared him. Since no prison could hold him, he was thrown alive into a crucible of molten iron. There his demonic spirit was captured in the form of a great, black cauldron. For uncounted centuries, the black cauldron lay hidden, waiting, while evil men searched for it, knowing whoever possessed it would have the power to resurrect an army of deathless warriors...

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Troldspejlet: (#28.13)" (2002)

worth seeing, not for children at all. Really fun.

"The Black Cauldron" certainly doesn't fall into the genre of animated Disney family favorite, but instead feels much like the more grim and complicated fantasy films that were made in the eighties. Does it stack up to such films as "Return To Oz" and "The Dark Crystal"? Well, although not as complex as the aformentioned, this film is not without its charm.

The story of Taran, the pig-keeper's journey from gawky boy to gawky boy-hero apparently works better as told through the course of five books, and indeed it is the plot that feels put together, with a lot cut out of it for it's slim 1:20 running time. Also suffering because of the short time is any character development, or a reason why the charcter of Dallben (an old minstrel) are in the film at all. However, this film still has a lot going for it.

The film has a wonderful pacing to it with some fantastic action scenes. It is adventurous and fun. An engaing film for any fantasy fan. What really makes the film though is it's terrifying and dastardly villain, The Horned King. He is basically a Skeletor knock off with absolutely no sense of humor. He looks like he stepped right out of an Iron Maden album cover, and that is a monumental good thing. The true threat felt by the presence of this decidedly un-Disney character keeps the tension of the film high.

It is this contrast, between the unconventionally ghoulish villans (definatly enspirered by Bakshi's animated adaptation of "Lord of the Rings") and the stock Disney characters makes the audience care more-so for the cutesy characters than usual. This is especially true for the cutsey character of Gurgi, who is much more tollerable than almost all other Disney sidekicks and especially more tollerable than a certain J*r J*r B*nks that we have all been over exposed to lately.

So I would recommend "The Black Cauldron", it's a fun and well animated adventure film. Compleatly scary and strange for Disney to make, but still very very good for other reasons nonetheless.