The Black Cauldron (1985)

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.

Directors:

Ted Berman, Richard Rich

Writers:

Lloyd Alexander (novel), David Jonas (story)

Stars:

Grant Bardsley, Freddie Jones, Susan Sheridan

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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)
James Almanzar	...	Henchman (voice)

Storyline

Centuries ago, in the land of Prydain, a young man named Taran is given the task of protecting Hen Wen, a magical oracular pig, who knows the location of the mystical black cauldron. This is not an easy task, for The Evil Horned King will stop at nothing to get the cauldron.

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Plot Keywords:

cauldron | lie detector | teenage boy | celt | dwarf | 

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Taglines:

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

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Genres:

Animation | Action | Adventure | Family | Fantasy | Horror

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for some scary images

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English Portuguese

Release Date:

24 July 1985 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Black Cauldron

Filming Locations:

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

Box Office

Budget:

$44,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$4,180,110, 28 July 1985

Gross USA:

$21,288,692

Company Credits

Production Co:

Walt Disney Pictures, Silver Screen Partners II

Technical Specs

Runtime:

80 min

Sound Mix:

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

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The first Disney animated movie to not contain any songs, neither performed by characters nor in the background.

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Goofs

When Taran escapes the Horned King's Castle, he leaves the sword's sheath behind. However, when he is outside, he has the sheath again.

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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... and with ...

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Crazy Credits

There are no opening or cast and crew credits.

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Alternate Versions

In the Latin Spanish dubbing some characters' names where adapted for the dubbing. Taran was "Taron", Eilonwy was "Elena", Fflewddur Fflam was "Fausto", King Eidilleg was "Rey Enrique" and The Horned King was "El Rey del Mal" (in English "The King of Evil").

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Connections

Featured in WatchMojo: Top 10 Disney Animated Films That Deserve a Live Action Movie (2016)

User Reviews

Disney needs more films like this!

I am sick of the marketing. I am sick of the lame musical numbers. I am sick of talking animals. I am QUITE sick of insulting cultural inaccuracies (think Pocahontas and Mulan). THE BLACK CAULDRON sticks out like a sore thumb in a crop of happy, whimsical garbage that has come out of the Disney studios in the last decade. I remember when a Disney film had real plot, real art, real characters, and this may have been the last of the bunch. In the pre -Eisner era, Disney films had some credibility. Its no wonder that it took so long for this one to make it to video. But I am rather pleased with it. --The SurgeBot