The Black Cauldron (movie)

The Black Cauldron is a 1985 American animated dark fantasy movie produced by Walt Disney Productions. It is based on the first two books in The Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander, a series of five novels which in turn is based on Welsh mythology.

The Black Cauldron
Directed by	Ted Berman Richard Rich
Story by	Art Stevens Peter Young Roy Morita Al Wilson David Jonas Vance Gerry Ted Berman Richard Rich Joe Hale
Based on	The Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander
Produced by	Joe Hale Ron Miller
Starring	Grant Bardsley Susan Sheridan Nigel Hawthorne John Byner John Hurt
Narrated by	John Huston
Edited by	Armetta Jackson James Koford James Melton
Music by	Elmer Bernstein
Production companies	Walt Disney Productions Silver Screen Partners II
Distributed by	Walt Disney Pictures Buena Vista Distribution
Release date	July 24, 1985 (1985-07-24)
Running time	80 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$25 million
Box office	$21,288,692

The Black Cauldron was the first Disney animated movie to be rated PG. It was the first Disney animated movie released under the Walt Disney Pictures name. The Black Cauldron was the last Disney animated movie produced by Walt Disney Productions. Following the Disney split, Walt Disney Productions was succeeded by Walt Disney Feature Animation.

The movie is directed by Ted Berman and Richard Rich. They directed the previous Disney animated movie The Fox and the Hound.

Reception

It was not very popular when it was first released. Now it has become a cult movie. It cost $25 million to make. It earned only $21 million at the North American box office. It is said to be one of the worst box-office failures from Walt Disney Animation Studios.

Story

In the land of Prydain, an old enchanter named Dallben thinks that the Horned King wants his pig, Hen Wen, who has oracular powers, to locate the Black Cauldron, which has evil powers. He tells Taran, a farm boy, to take Hen Wen to safety but the pig is captured by dragons.

Taran follows them to the Horned King's castle and meets a dog-gibbon hybrid creature named Gurgi, who wants to be his friend. Taran helps Hen Wen escape but is captured and thrown into the dungeon. He meets Princess Eilonwy and she frees him. Along with a third prisoner, the elderly Fflewddur Fflam, they escape and are found by Gurgi.

Following Hen Wen's trail, the group stumbles into the underground kingdom of the Fair Folk, who have Hen Wen under their protection. They learn the cauldron is held by three witches. The witches give them the cauldron and take the magic sword. The witches reveal the cauldron can only be destroyed when someone willingly climbs into it, which will kill them.

Taran, Eilonwy and Fflewddur are captured by the Horned King's minions. The Horned King uses the cauldron to raise an army of skeleton warriors. Gurgi jumps into the Cauldron. This kills Gurgi but also kills the undead warriors. The Cauldron's magical powers kill the Horned King. The three witches come to take back the Black Cauldron and they bring Gurgi back to life.

Cast

• Grant Bardsley as Taran
• Susan Sheridan as Princess Eilonwy
• Nigel Hawthorne as Fflewddur Fflam
• John Byner as Gurgi/Doli
• John Hurt as the Horned King
• Freddie Jones as Dallben
• Arthur Malet as King Eidilleg
• Eda Reiss Merin as Orddu
• Adele Malis-Morey as Orwen
• Billie Hayes as Orgoch
• Phil Fondacaro as Creeper
• John Huston as the Narrator
• Brandon Call as Fairy #1
• Gregory Levinson as Fairy #2
• Lindsay Rich as Fairy #3