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The Black Cauldron

  • 19851985
  • PGPG
  • 1h 20m
IMDb RATING
6.3/10
36K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
4,249
430
John Hurt, Grant Bardsley, John Byner, Clarence Nash, and Susan Sheridan in The Black Cauldron (1985)
CT #2
Play trailer1:04
4 Videos
99+ Photos
  • Animation
  • Action
  • Adventure
A young boy and a group of misfit friends embark on a quest to find a dark magic item of ultimate power before a diabolical tyrant can.A young boy and a group of misfit friends embark on a quest to find a dark magic item of ultimate power before a diabolical tyrant can.A young boy and a group of misfit friends embark on a quest to find a dark magic item of ultimate power before a diabolical tyrant can.
IMDb RATING
6.3/10
36K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
4,249
430
  • Directors
    • Ted Berman
    • Richard Rich
  • Writers
    • Lloyd Alexander(novel series "The Chronicles of Prydain")
    • David Jonas(story)
    • Vance Gerry(story)
  • Stars
    • Grant Bardsley(voice)
    • Freddie Jones(voice)
    • Susan Sheridan(voice)
Top credits
  • Directors
    • Ted Berman
    • Richard Rich
  • Writers
    • Lloyd Alexander(novel series "The Chronicles of Prydain")
    • David Jonas(story)
    • Vance Gerry(story)
  • Stars
    • Grant Bardsley(voice)
    • Freddie Jones(voice)
    • Susan Sheridan(voice)
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 181User reviews
    • 83Critic reviews
    • 59Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Videos4

    The Black Cauldron: Special Edition
    Trailer 1:04
    The Black Cauldron: Special Edition
    The Black Cauldron
    Clip 1:23
    The Black Cauldron
    The Black Cauldron
    Clip 1:26
    The Black Cauldron
    The Black Cauldron
    Clip 1:41
    The Black Cauldron

    Photos347

    Grant Bardsley and Freddie Jones in The Black Cauldron (1985)
    Grant Bardsley and Clarence Nash in The Black Cauldron (1985)
    Billie Hayes, Adele Malis-Morey, and Eda Reiss Merin in The Black Cauldron (1985)
    Nigel Hawthorne, Grant Bardsley, Brandon Call, Gregory Levinson, Lindsay Rich, and Susan Sheridan in The Black Cauldron (1985)
    Grant Bardsley and Susan Sheridan in The Black Cauldron (1985)
    Grant Bardsley and John Byner in The Black Cauldron (1985)
    Susan Sheridan in The Black Cauldron (1985)
    John Hurt in The Black Cauldron (1985)
    Phil Fondacaro in The Black Cauldron (1985)
    Grant Bardsley and Clarence Nash in The Black Cauldron (1985)
    John Byner in The Black Cauldron (1985)
    The Black Cauldron (1985)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Grant Bardsley
    • Taranas Taran
    • (voice)
    Freddie Jones
    Freddie Jones
    • Dallbenas Dallben
    • (voice)
    Susan Sheridan
    • Eilonwyas Eilonwy
    • (voice)
    Nigel Hawthorne
    Nigel Hawthorne
    • Fflewdduras Fflewddur
    • (voice)
    Arthur Malet
    Arthur Malet
    • King Eidillegas King Eidilleg
    • (voice)
    John Byner
    John Byner
    • Gurgias Gurgi
    • (voice)
    • …
    Lindsay Rich
    • Fairfolkas Fairfolk
    • (voice)
    Brandon Call
    Brandon Call
    • Fairfolkas Fairfolk
    • (voice)
    Gregory Levinson
    • Fairfolkas Fairfolk
    • (voice)
    Eda Reiss Merin
    • Ordduas Orddu
    • (voice)
    Adele Malis-Morey
    • Orwenas Orwen
    • (voice)
    Billie Hayes
    Billie Hayes
    • Orgochas Orgoch
    • (voice)
    Phil Fondacaro
    Phil Fondacaro
    • Creeperas Creeper
    • (voice)
    • …
    Peter Renaday
    • Henchmanas Henchman
    • (voice)
    James Almanzar
    • Henchmanas Henchman
    • (voice)
    Wayne Allwine
    Wayne Allwine
    • Henchmanas Henchman
    • (voice)
    Steve Hale
    • Henchmanas Henchman
    • (voice)
    Phil Nibbelink
    • Henchmanas Henchman
    • (voice)
    • Directors
      • Ted Berman
      • Richard Rich
    • Writers
      • Lloyd Alexander(novel series "The Chronicles of Prydain")
      • David Jonas(story)
      • Vance Gerry(story)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The first Disney animated film that's not a musical, does not contain any songs neither performed by characters, nor in the background.
    • Goofs
      Taran unchains the gate barring their escape from the castle. In subsequent shots, the lock and chains reappear and then, finally disappear.
    • Quotes

      Eilonwy: I'm Princess Eilonwy. Are you a lord, or a warrior?

      Taran: Uh, no. Uh... I-I-I'm an assistant pig keeper.

      Eilonwy: Oh, what a pity. I was so hoping for someone who could help me escape. Oh, well, if you want to come with me, you may.

    • Crazy credits
      There are no opening or cast and crew credits.
    • Alternate versions
      The version of the film released to theaters omits numerous fully animated scenes that include shots of graphic violence as Taran fights his way out of the castle and shots of Eilonwy sporting ripped garments as she's hanging for her life with Taran and Fflewddur. The most well-known deleted scene, due to a clumsy jump that it left in the film's soundtrack and a cel of the infamous scene appearing online, is that of a man being mauled by one of the Cauldron-born.
    • Connections
      Edited from Fantasia (1940)

    User reviews181

    Review
    Top review
    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.
    helpful•57
    11
    • PlanNine
    • Dec 14, 2001

    FAQ1

    • What's the difference between the book vs the movie?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • July 24, 1985 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Official site
    • Languages
      • English
      • Portuguese
    • Also known as
      • El caldero mágico
    • Filming locations
      • Llechwedd Slate Caverns, Llechwedd Slate Mine, Blaenau Ffestiniog, Gwynedd, Wales, UK
    • Production companies
      • Walt Disney Pictures
      • Silver Screen Partners II
      • Walt Disney Animation Studios
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $44,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $21,288,692
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $4,180,110
      • Jul 28, 1985
    • Gross worldwide
      • $21,288,692
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 20 minutes

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    John Hurt, Grant Bardsley, John Byner, Clarence Nash, and Susan Sheridan in The Black Cauldron (1985)
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