The Black Cauldron (1985) – Review

The fact that Disney’s adaptation of Lloyd Alexander’s “The Black Cauldron” would fail at the box office was almost a foregone conclusion – one must admit that adapting the second book in a five-book series as a stand-alone movie was not a bright idea – that said, there are some enjoyable elements to be found in this valiant misfire of a movie.

With the release of Walt Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 1937 the studio had been the king of animated features for decades, with even lesser box office success like Pinocchio and Bambi later becoming beloved classics, but after the passing of Walt himself, the studio began to flounder and in 1985 they released the much-anticipated adaption of Lloyd Alexander’s “The Black Cauldron” only to have out grossed by The Care Bears Movie. If that didn’t cause old Walt to spin in his grave, I don’t know what would. With a budget that exploded to $44 million dollars, The Black Cauldron became the most expensive animated film ever made at the time, but with a story based on a beloved children’s classic, in the tried-and-true fantasy genre for Disney, how could this film have failed so abysmally?

 

“I’m putting all the blame on him!”

When Peter Jackson tackled the Lord of the Rings trilogy, he was originally going to release it as two films but thankfully the folks at New Line Cinema saw the potential and the need for it to be a proper trilogy, sadly, that kind of mindset didn’t exist back in the 1980s and the people at Disney were definitely not thinking of making a The Chronicles of Prydain franchise, instead, they attempted to combine numerous story-lines and over thirty characters into just one movie. Needless to say, that wasn’t an easy task and much of what made the Lloyd Alexander books great was jettisoned so that Disney could release an 80-minute movie. Can you imagine an 80-minute version of Lord of the Rings? Even Ralph Bakshi’s animated adaption of The Lord of the Rings, which only covered the first two books, was over two hours long. The first key decision/mistake was the decision to combine the first two books of the series, “The Book of Three” and “The Black Cauldron” and then completely remove the primary antagonist of the series, the evil Arawn Death-Lord of Annuvin, and instead, they would focus on Arawn’s warlord and champion, The Horned King, who was only a minor speed-bump in the book.

 

Beware of discount Saurons.

The plot of this animated dark fantasy film follows the adventures of a young assistant pig-keeper named Taran (Grant Bardsley) in the mythical land of Prydain. Taran’s life takes an unexpected turn when he discovers that his pig, Hen Wen – who has been charged to take care of – just so happens to possess magical powers of ocular premonition that it could reveal the location of the powerful Black Cauldron, which the evil Horned King (John Hurt) seeks.  The cauldron has the ability to raise an army of undead warriors and would certainly help him conquer the world. In an effort to prevent the Horned King from unleashing this dark power, Taran embarks on a perilous journey, joined by a motley crew that includes Princess Eilonwy (Susan Sheridan), the lovable creature Gurgi (John Byner) and the minstrel Fflewddur Fflam (Nigel Hawthorne) and together they would face various challenges and obstacles while encountering magical creatures and visiting mystical realms.

 

Cute and as generic as possible.

Basically, if you’ve read Lord of the Rings or studied Joseph Campbell’s “The Hero with a Thousand Faces” you know what to expect. Taran will have to learn what true heroism is all about and what sacrifice actually means, well, not in this movie where any notable sacrifice will be undone by the screenwriters so we can have your standard happy ending. Disney’s Black Cauldron can best be considered as an off-shoot of their 1963 classic The Sword in the Stone as it has much of the same style and story structure, in fact, fans of the source material will be greatly confused by many of the changes from Lloyd Alexander’s book and may raise a question or two.

 

Such as why is Taran suddenly wielding Excalibur in this movie?

Where The Black Cauldron falters the most is in its narrative execution, which is bound to happen when you try to combine two books into one short animated film, and it becomes a convoluted mess and fails to make a cohesive story. The characters themselves suffer from underdevelopment and we are left with a lack of emotional connection to the protagonists. Taran, the main character, undergoes a standard hero’s journey but his development feels rushed and lacks the depth seen in other Disney protagonists, and for the most part, he is a rather unlikable little twit. The supporting characters, while potentially interesting, are given minimal screen time and fail to leave a lasting impression. The fact that the screenwriters were forced to discard so many important characters from the book certainly didn’t help matters much, nor did the addition of a comic relief sidekick for the Horned King.

 

Spare us all from unfunny comic relief characters

The Horned King himself is a visually menacing villain but he lacks the memorable charisma of Disney’s more iconic antagonists and he spends most of the film’s running time lurking in the background without having much effect on the plot. The narrative fails to explore his motivations adequately thus reducing him to a one-dimensional force of evil. This lack is a missed opportunity to elevate the film beyond its darker aesthetic by giving us a truly interesting villain. Some of this may stem from the source material as he wasn’t much of a major player in the first book and was easily knocked off when Hen Wen revealed his true name.  He certainly wasn’t around for the destruction of The Black Cauldron.

Book Note: The Black Cauldron was already in the possession of the evil lord at the beginning of the first book, with the cauldron-born an ongoing threat from the very start, and the search for it only happens after three witches steal it back from Arawn in the second book.

Perhaps most notably, The Black Cauldron faced significant post-production edits that were aimed at toning down certain elements, resulting in a disjointed final product, and this came about when the newly appointed Disney studio chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg ordered certain scenes to be cut that he deemed “too frightening for children” so twelve minutes of the finished product were removed. Thus, the film’s original darker themes and character deaths, elements that set it apart from other Disney animations, were diluted to cater to a broader, family-friendly audience. This compromised version leaves the film caught between two identities, unable to fully commit to its darker intentions or appeal to a wider demographic.

 

I will admit, the cauldron-born sequence is pure nightmare fuel.

Despite the film’s failings as an adaptation of the source material and its inability to tell a solid story, one cannot deny the quality of animation quality on display. The visuals are undoubtedly striking, featuring detailed character designs and atmospheric backgrounds that transport us all to the mythical land of Prydain and boasts impressive animation, featuring detailed character designs and lush backgrounds that immerse viewers in the fantasy world. The film’s darker tone is reflected in its visual style, with the menacing Horned King and eerie Cauldron-born creating an atmosphere that sets it apart from typical Disney fare.

Note: In 2016, Walt Disney Pictures re-acquired the film rights to The Chronicles of Prydain with the intention to adapt the book series into a live-action feature film series. Here’s hoping they don’t screw it up again.

In retrospect, this entry deserves some recognition for its bold attempt to push the boundaries of Disney animation and while it may not have achieved the widespread success of other classics, its dark and adventurous spirit has garnered a cult following over the years. Many talented artists and writers toiled over this adaption for over a decade and the very fact of its existence is a testament to the popularity of this story and the will of all involved — projects don’t often survive a change of leadership so The Black Cauldron definitely gets points for that — and while it may have been a financial failure it is still a rip-roaring tale of swords and sorcery and for that, I’ll be grateful.

 

As grateful as a boy and his pig.

Ultimately, The Black Cauldron stands as a missed opportunity for Disney to create a truly unique and mature animated masterpiece, instead leaving audiences with a film that remains largely forgettable within the vast Disney catalogue. For those willing to explore a different side of Disney, The Black Cauldron remains a fascinating and underappreciated gem in the studio’s extensive catalogue, just don’t watch in the hope of finding a faithful adaptation of the Lloyd Alexander books.