Rotten
The characters, though cute and cuddly and sweet and mean and ugly and simply awful, don't really have much to do that would remain of interest to any but the youngest minds.
Variety Staff, Variety
The Black Cauldron
Hidden by darkness. Guarded by witches. Discovered by a boy. Stolen by a king. Whoever owns it will rule the world. Or destroy it.
1985 · 1h 20m · PG
Adventure, Animation, Family, Fantasy
Directed by
Ted Berman
,
Richard Rich
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The Black Cauldron
Overview
Taran is an assistant pigkeeper with boyish dreams of becoming a great warrior. However, he has to put the daydreaming aside when his charge, an oracular pig named Hen Wen, is kidnapped by an evil lord known as the Horned King. The villain hopes Hen will show him the way to The Black Cauldron, which has the power to create a giant army of unstoppable soldiers.
Director and cast
- Ted Berman Director
- Richard Rich Director
- Grant Bardsley as Taran (voice)
- Susan Sheridan as Eilonwy (voice)
- John Byner as Gurgi / Doli (voice)
- Nigel Hawthorne as Fflewddur Fflam (voice)
- Arthur Malet as King Eidilleg
- John Hurt as The Horned King (voice)
- Freddie Jones as Dallben (voice)
- Lindsay Rich as Fairfolk
- Phil Fondacaro as Creeper / Henchman (voice)
- Brandon Call Cast
Critics on Rotten Tomatoes
Top critics, in their words
55%
Tomatometer
Fresh
It's quite good, though by the impossible standards the film sets for itself it inevitably falls short.
Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader
Rotten
This is the 25th full-length animated feature from Walt Disney studios, and professionally put together as it is, many of the ingredients may seem programmed to those who have seen some of the others.
Walter Goodman, New York Times
Fresh
The backgrounds are as richly textured and detailed as in any other Disney film.
James Berardinelli, ReelViews
Fresh
By the end of The Black Cauldron I was remembering, with something of a shock of nostalgia, the strength and utter storytelling conviction of the early Disney animators. The Black Cauldron is a return to the tradition.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
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