Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- eerie
- adventurous
- ominous
- family movie night
- fantasy marathon
What critics said
Critics generally found the ambitious dark fantasy adventure visually impressive and tonally distinctive, but unevenly written and less effective than stronger Disney animated classics.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Taran is charged with protecting Hen Wen despite his inexperience, making responsibility and courage central to the quest.
The Horned King, undead forces, witchcraft, and threatening imagery give the film an unusually ominous register for Disney family animation.
The mystical black cauldron is the central sought object, with the Horned King pursuing it and Taran trying to keep it out of his hands.
Prydain contains a magical oracular pig, fairies, witches, dragons, swords, and an evil ruler in a mythic medieval-like realm.
Films like The Black Cauldron, and why
The Last Unicorn
dark fantasy adventure, young hero, magical quest, and threatening supernatural villain
The Secret of NIMH
family fantasy adventure with talking animals, magic, coming-of-age themes, and a memorable villain
The Sword in the Stone
animated fantasy quest centered on courage, friendship, magic, and a young protagonist confronting evil
The Black Cauldron
mythic animated adventure with a magical object, comic companions, and a darker atmosphere than typical family animation
Movie Details
- Directors
- Ted Berman, Richard Rich
- Release Date
- 1985-07-24
- Runtime
- 80 min
- Rating
- 6.4 / 10 (1476)
Cast
- Grant Bardsley
- Susan Sheridan
- John Byner
- Nigel Hawthorne
- John Hurt
- Freddie Jones
- Phil Fondacaro
- Arthur Malet
- Lindsay Rich
- Brandon Call
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Disney Plus
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Black Cauldron about?
- A young guardian, a prophetic pig, and unlikely companions race through a perilous enchanted kingdom to keep a legendary cauldron from an undead tyrant.
- What is The Black Cauldron like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Black Cauldron as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Black Cauldron violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in The Black Cauldron as mild.
- What did critics think of The Black Cauldron?
- Critics generally found the ambitious dark fantasy adventure visually impressive and tonally distinctive, but unevenly written and less effective than stronger Disney animated classics.
- Which films are like The Black Cauldron?
- Films with a similar feel include The Last Unicorn, The Secret of NIMH, The Sword in the Stone, and The Black Cauldron.
- How long is The Black Cauldron?
- The Black Cauldron runs 80 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Black Cauldron?
- In United States, The Black Cauldron streams on Disney Plus.
