The Black Cauldron (film)
Encyclopedia
The Black Cauldron is a 1985 American animated
fantasy film
produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation
and originally released to theatres on July 24, 1985. The twenty-fifth animated feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics, the film is based on Lloyd Alexander
's The Chronicles of Prydain
book series, which is in turn based on Welsh mythology
.
The film centers around the evil Horned King
who attempts to secure the Black Cauldron in order to rule the world. The Horned King is opposed by the heroes Taran
, Princess Eilonwy
, Fflewddur Fflam
and a creature named Gurgi
.
The film is directed by Ted Berman
and Richard Rich
, who had directed the previous Disney animated feature The Fox and the Hound, and features the voices of Grant Bardsley, Susan Sheridan
, Freddie Jones
, Nigel Hawthorne
and John Hurt
. A video game based on the film was released in 1986.
, Taran
is an Assistant Pigkeeper to the enchanter Dallben
, with dreams of becoming a great warrior. However, he has to put the daydreaming aside when his charge, an oracular pig named Hen Wen
is threatened by an evil lord known as the Horned King
. The villain hopes Hen Wen will show him the way to The Black Cauldron, which has the power to create a legion of invincible undead warriors, (known as "The Cauldron Born"). Taran is instructed by Dallben to take Hen Wen to safety, however a moment of negligence results in her capture by the Horned King's forces. Taran follows them to the Horned King's castle, encountering a small, pestering creature called Gurgi
along the way. After sneaking into the castle, Taran successfully rescues Hen Wen, allowing her to flee the castle, but is captured himself and thrown into the dungeon.
He is soon released from his cell by a girl his age named Princess Eilonwy
, a fellow captive who is in the middle of her own escape attempt. While exploring the catacombs beneath the castle, they discover an ancient burial chamber containing a long dead king, where Taran arms himself by taking the king's sword. He soon discovers that his new sword contains a powerful magic, allowing him to effectively fight off the Horned King's minions and fulfill his dreams of heroism. With the power of the sword, Taran and Eilonwy manage to escape the castle, along with a comical, middle-aged bard named Fflewddur Fflam
. The three of them are soon reunited with Gurgi, and the foursome set off to follow Hen Wen's trail.
While tracking Hen Wen, they stumble into the underground kingdom of the Fair Folk. These small, fairy-like beings reveal that they have Hen Wen under their protection, and promise to escort her safely back to Caer Dallben. When the king of the Fair Folk, a cheerful, elderly fairy named King Eidelleg, reveals that he knows the location of the Black Cauldron, Taran resolves to find and destroy it himself, before the Horned King locates it. Eilonwy, Fflewddur, and Gurgi agree to accompany him, and they are joined by Doli, Eidelleg's obnoxious right-hand man, who, to his great displeasure, is assigned to lead them to the cauldron's resting place in the Marshes of Morva. When they arrive in the marshes, they discover the cauldron is in the possession of three witches, the grasping Ordu, who acts as leader, the greedy Orgoch, and the more benevolent Orwen, who falls in love with Fflewdur at first sight. The witches are initially uncooperative, but Ordu sets her sights on Taran's sword, and agrees to trade the cauldron for it. Although giving up the sword will end his chances of heroism, Taran agrees and takes possession of the cauldron. Before vanishing, the witches inform the group that the only way to stop the cauldron's evil power is if a living being willingly casts himself into it, though they will die in the process. None of the friends have the courage to do this, and so the cauldron is useless. Taran is furious with himself, and though his friends don't judge him, Doli abandons the group in disgust.
Taran is initially distraught over this news, as he feels that he was a fool for thinking he was capable of destroying the cauldron on his own. His friends manage to encourage him, and make known that they believe in him. Eilonwy comforts him, and it looks as if they may kiss, but at that moment, the Horned King's army finally catch up with them. The cauldron is seized, and everyone except for Gurgi is captured and taken once more to the Horned King's castle. The Horned King uses the Black Cauldron's power to raise the dead, and his "Cauldron-Born" army begin to pour out of the castle. Meanwhile, Taran, Eilonwy and Fflewddur are freed by Gurgi. Taran resolves to cast himself into the cauldron to stop it, but Gurgi stops him, choosing to sacrifice himself instead. The undead army collapse. The Horned King resolves to feed his bumbling henchman, Creeper, to the cauldron, but spots Taran and, certain the turn of events is his fault, throws him towards it instead. But the Cauldron is out of control, and consumes the Horned King, and finally uses up all its powers, destroying the castle in the process. The witches arrive to lay claim to the now inert Black Cauldron. However, Taran, who has finally realised what a true friend Gurgi really is, persuades them to revive Gurgi in exchange for the cauldron, willingly giving up his sword for good. The witches at first refuse, but when Fflewdur taunts them for having no power, they are goaded into granting Taran's wish. Gurgi at first appears lifeless, but soon revives. The four friends leave together to journey back to Caer Dallben. The last scene shows Dallben watching a vision of them created by Hen Wen, whom Doli has returned to the farm, and praising Taran for his heroism.
. But as the lines would fade off the cels over time, most or all of the film was done with the xerox process in colors.
It was the most expensive animated feature made as of its release in 1985. It cost $25 million to produce, but grossed only $21 million at the North American box office.
The film is notable for its early use of computer generated imagery (CGI) for baubles, a boat and the cauldron itself.
This was the last Disney animated feature that was completed in the former Buena Vista studios.
ordered several scenes from The Black Cauldron be cut, due to the fear that the graphic nature of them would alienate children and family audiences. The bulk of the cut scenes involved the undead "Cauldron Born", who are used as the Horned King's army in the final act of the film. While most of the scenes were seamlessly removed from the film, one particular cut involving a Cauldron Born killing a person by slicing his neck and torso created a rather recognizable lapse due to the fact that the removal of the scene creates a jump in the film's soundtrack. Additionally, a scene involving Taran taking the magic sword and slaying his foes while he escapes the Horned King's castle for the first time was removed, as well as another scene with Princess Eilonwy partially nude as fabric was ripped off of her dress as she is hanging by her hands with Taran and Fflewddur Fflam. Another scene cut featured a man being dissolved by mist.
The removal of these scenes was to prevent the film from receiving either a PG-13 or R rating. The final version of the film was the first animated film from Disney to get a PG rating from the MPAA.
in New York City.
Disney released a 25th Anniversary Edition DVD on September 14, 2010 in the US and UK containing new 2.35:1 16:9 widescreen presentation, deleted scene "The Fairfolk" and new game "The Witches' Challenge" along with features from the 2000 DVD release, including "The Quest for the Black Cauldron" game, an art gallery, and a 1952 Donald Duck
short called Trick or Treat.
.
Roger Ebert
gave a positive review of the film, while the Los Angeles Times
' Charles Solomon praised its "splendid visuals". London's Time Out magazine deemed it "a major disappointment", adding that "the charm, characterization and sheer good humor" found in previous Disney efforts "are sadly absent".
The author Lloyd Alexander said, "there is no resemblance between the movie and the book," but he admitted he had fun watching it and hoped the viewers would read the book, which has more depth.
A video game of the same name was designed by Al Lowe
of Sierra On-Line
and released in 1986. It was made shortly after the first King's Quest
game, so it resembled that adventure in many ways. Along with The Dark Crystal
it remains one of only a few adventure games by Sierra to be based on films.
The player character
is a young assistant pig
-keeper, Taran
, undertaking a quest to stop the evil Horned King, who sought for Hen Wen
, the magical pig of the wizard Dallben
, for her visionary
abilities. With these abilities, the King would be able to discover the Black Cauldron and rule the land. Taran's first mission is to lead her to the Fair Folk
while the King's dragons are looking for them. Should the pig be captured (the game allows either possibility), Taran can go to the King's castle
and rescue her. Once inside, Taran will meet and rescue Eilonwy with her magic bauble and Fflewddur Fflam
, as well as discover a Magic
Sword. The Cauldron is in the possession of three witches
of Morva who will trade it for the Sword. Unfortunately a dragon grasps the cauldron and Taran goes back to encounter the evil man himself. The game actually featured plot branches and multiple endings depending on many variables, such as whether Hen Wen the pig was saved, how the cauldron was destroyed, and what reward was chosen afterwards. This use of multiple endings predated the more famous use in Lucasfilm
's game Maniac Mansion
by a year.
In order to make the game more accessible to children, Sierra used an innovative idea that would not reappear in the genre for the next 10 years: the text parser
was removed in favor of the function key
s that performed various actions:
adventure games, such as the King's Quest VII
or The Dig
whose interfaces only consisted of "Look" and "Use". Being based on a Disney film, the graphics present some relative "flexibility", compared to the monolithic and straight sceneries of previous and later games.
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
fantasy film
Fantasy film
Fantasy films are films with fantastic themes, usually involving magic, supernatural events, make-believe creatures, or exotic fantasy worlds. The genre is considered to be distinct from science fiction film and horror film, although the genres do overlap...
produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation
Walt Disney Feature Animation
Walt Disney Animation Studios is an American animation studio headquartered in Burbank, California. The studio, founded in 1923 as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio by brothers Walt and Roy Disney, is the oldest subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company...
and originally released to theatres on July 24, 1985. The twenty-fifth animated feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics, the film is based on Lloyd Alexander
Lloyd Alexander
Lloyd Chudley Alexander was a widely influential American author of more than forty books, mostly fantasy novels for children and adolescents, as well as several adult books...
's The Chronicles of Prydain
The Chronicles of Prydain
The Chronicles of Prydain is a five-volume series of children's fantasy novels by author Lloyd Alexander...
book series, which is in turn based on Welsh mythology
Welsh mythology
Welsh mythology, the remnants of the mythology of the pre-Christian Britons, has come down to us in much altered form in medieval Welsh manuscripts such as the Red Book of Hergest, the White Book of Rhydderch, the Book of Aneirin and the Book of Taliesin....
.
The film centers around the evil Horned King
Horned King
The Horned King is a fictional character from the fantasy series The Chronicles of Prydain, and in the film The Black Cauldron by Disney ....
who attempts to secure the Black Cauldron in order to rule the world. The Horned King is opposed by the heroes Taran
Taran (character)
Taran is a fictional character in The Chronicles of Prydain series, as well as in the film and game named after the second novel, The Black Cauldron.-Profile:...
, Princess Eilonwy
Princess Eilonwy
Princess Eilonwy is a fictional character in Lloyd Alexander's The Chronicles of Prydain and wife of High King Taran in the Chronicles of Prydain and also appears in Disney's 1985 animated film The Black Cauldron...
, Fflewddur Fflam
Fflewddur Fflam
Fflewddur Fflam, son of Godo, is a cantrev lord in the fictional country of Prydain in Lloyd Alexander's Chronicles of Prydain. He is referred to as a King, but it is made clear that he is a very minor king of a tiny kingdom at best, much less important than the High King who rules Prydain. His...
and a creature named Gurgi
Gurgi
Gurgi is a fictional character in The Chronicles of Prydain, the series of fantasy novels by Lloyd Alexander. Gurgi is the hero Taran's faithful companion, appearing in all five books.- Profile :...
.
The film is directed by Ted Berman
Ted Berman
Ted Berman was an American film director, animator, and screenwriter, known for his work with Disney, including Bambi, Fantasia, and the critically acclaimed The Black Cauldron, among many others....
and Richard Rich
Richard Rich (director)
Richard Rich is an American film director, producer and writer known for his work in animation. He is president of Crest Animation Productions. Unlike most animation directors Rich has never worked as animator on a film....
, who had directed the previous Disney animated feature The Fox and the Hound, and features the voices of Grant Bardsley, Susan Sheridan
Susan Sheridan
Susan Sheridan is a British actress. Her voice acting roles include Noddy in the Cosgrove Hall/BBC Television series Noddy's Toyland Adventures, Trillian in the radio series The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and Princess Eilonwy in the animated film The Black Cauldron.She has also provided...
, Freddie Jones
Freddie Jones
Frederick Charles "Freddie" Jones is an English character actor.Jones was born in the town of Longton, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, the son of Ida Elizabeth and Charles Edward Jones. He became an actor after ten years of working as a laboratory assistant with a firm making ceramic products,...
, Nigel Hawthorne
Nigel Hawthorne
Sir Nigel Barnard Hawthorne, CBE was an English actor, perhaps best remembered for his role as Sir Humphrey Appleby, the Permanent Secretary in the 1980s sitcom Yes Minister and the Cabinet Secretary in its sequel, Yes, Prime Minister. For this role he won four BAFTA Awards during the 1980s in the...
and John Hurt
John Hurt
John Vincent Hurt, CBE is an English actor, known for his leading roles as John Merrick in The Elephant Man, Winston Smith in Nineteen Eighty-Four, Mr. Braddock in The Hit, Stephen Ward in Scandal, Quentin Crisp in The Naked Civil Servant and An Englishman in New York...
. A video game based on the film was released in 1986.
Plot
On the small farm of Caer DallbenCaer Dallben
Caer Dallben is a cottage farm within the lands of Prydain and the starting point for each book of Lloyd Alexander's The Chronicles of Prydain. It is also the setting for the series' final chapter....
, Taran
Taran (character)
Taran is a fictional character in The Chronicles of Prydain series, as well as in the film and game named after the second novel, The Black Cauldron.-Profile:...
is an Assistant Pigkeeper to the enchanter Dallben
Dallben
Dallben is an important character in Lloyd Alexander's children's series The Chronicles of Prydain.-Profile:Dallben is described as an ancient man with a long white beard. He lives on the farm known as Caer Dallben, where he acts as protector of Coll's oracular pig, Hen Wen. He also is the...
, with dreams of becoming a great warrior. However, he has to put the daydreaming aside when his charge, an oracular pig named Hen Wen
Hen Wen
Hen Wen is a white sow featured in Lloyd Alexander's The Chronicles of Prydain. She is an oracular pig - that is, she has the ability to prophesy about future events and reveal hidden information...
is threatened by an evil lord known as the Horned King
Horned King
The Horned King is a fictional character from the fantasy series The Chronicles of Prydain, and in the film The Black Cauldron by Disney ....
. The villain hopes Hen Wen will show him the way to The Black Cauldron, which has the power to create a legion of invincible undead warriors, (known as "The Cauldron Born"). Taran is instructed by Dallben to take Hen Wen to safety, however a moment of negligence results in her capture by the Horned King's forces. Taran follows them to the Horned King's castle, encountering a small, pestering creature called Gurgi
Gurgi
Gurgi is a fictional character in The Chronicles of Prydain, the series of fantasy novels by Lloyd Alexander. Gurgi is the hero Taran's faithful companion, appearing in all five books.- Profile :...
along the way. After sneaking into the castle, Taran successfully rescues Hen Wen, allowing her to flee the castle, but is captured himself and thrown into the dungeon.
He is soon released from his cell by a girl his age named Princess Eilonwy
Princess Eilonwy
Princess Eilonwy is a fictional character in Lloyd Alexander's The Chronicles of Prydain and wife of High King Taran in the Chronicles of Prydain and also appears in Disney's 1985 animated film The Black Cauldron...
, a fellow captive who is in the middle of her own escape attempt. While exploring the catacombs beneath the castle, they discover an ancient burial chamber containing a long dead king, where Taran arms himself by taking the king's sword. He soon discovers that his new sword contains a powerful magic, allowing him to effectively fight off the Horned King's minions and fulfill his dreams of heroism. With the power of the sword, Taran and Eilonwy manage to escape the castle, along with a comical, middle-aged bard named Fflewddur Fflam
Fflewddur Fflam
Fflewddur Fflam, son of Godo, is a cantrev lord in the fictional country of Prydain in Lloyd Alexander's Chronicles of Prydain. He is referred to as a King, but it is made clear that he is a very minor king of a tiny kingdom at best, much less important than the High King who rules Prydain. His...
. The three of them are soon reunited with Gurgi, and the foursome set off to follow Hen Wen's trail.
While tracking Hen Wen, they stumble into the underground kingdom of the Fair Folk. These small, fairy-like beings reveal that they have Hen Wen under their protection, and promise to escort her safely back to Caer Dallben. When the king of the Fair Folk, a cheerful, elderly fairy named King Eidelleg, reveals that he knows the location of the Black Cauldron, Taran resolves to find and destroy it himself, before the Horned King locates it. Eilonwy, Fflewddur, and Gurgi agree to accompany him, and they are joined by Doli, Eidelleg's obnoxious right-hand man, who, to his great displeasure, is assigned to lead them to the cauldron's resting place in the Marshes of Morva. When they arrive in the marshes, they discover the cauldron is in the possession of three witches, the grasping Ordu, who acts as leader, the greedy Orgoch, and the more benevolent Orwen, who falls in love with Fflewdur at first sight. The witches are initially uncooperative, but Ordu sets her sights on Taran's sword, and agrees to trade the cauldron for it. Although giving up the sword will end his chances of heroism, Taran agrees and takes possession of the cauldron. Before vanishing, the witches inform the group that the only way to stop the cauldron's evil power is if a living being willingly casts himself into it, though they will die in the process. None of the friends have the courage to do this, and so the cauldron is useless. Taran is furious with himself, and though his friends don't judge him, Doli abandons the group in disgust.
Taran is initially distraught over this news, as he feels that he was a fool for thinking he was capable of destroying the cauldron on his own. His friends manage to encourage him, and make known that they believe in him. Eilonwy comforts him, and it looks as if they may kiss, but at that moment, the Horned King's army finally catch up with them. The cauldron is seized, and everyone except for Gurgi is captured and taken once more to the Horned King's castle. The Horned King uses the Black Cauldron's power to raise the dead, and his "Cauldron-Born" army begin to pour out of the castle. Meanwhile, Taran, Eilonwy and Fflewddur are freed by Gurgi. Taran resolves to cast himself into the cauldron to stop it, but Gurgi stops him, choosing to sacrifice himself instead. The undead army collapse. The Horned King resolves to feed his bumbling henchman, Creeper, to the cauldron, but spots Taran and, certain the turn of events is his fault, throws him towards it instead. But the Cauldron is out of control, and consumes the Horned King, and finally uses up all its powers, destroying the castle in the process. The witches arrive to lay claim to the now inert Black Cauldron. However, Taran, who has finally realised what a true friend Gurgi really is, persuades them to revive Gurgi in exchange for the cauldron, willingly giving up his sword for good. The witches at first refuse, but when Fflewdur taunts them for having no power, they are goaded into granting Taran's wish. Gurgi at first appears lifeless, but soon revives. The four friends leave together to journey back to Caer Dallben. The last scene shows Dallben watching a vision of them created by Hen Wen, whom Doli has returned to the farm, and praising Taran for his heroism.
Cast
- Grant Bardsley as Taran
- Susan SheridanSusan SheridanSusan Sheridan is a British actress. Her voice acting roles include Noddy in the Cosgrove Hall/BBC Television series Noddy's Toyland Adventures, Trillian in the radio series The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and Princess Eilonwy in the animated film The Black Cauldron.She has also provided...
as Princess Eilonwy - Freddie JonesFreddie JonesFrederick Charles "Freddie" Jones is an English character actor.Jones was born in the town of Longton, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, the son of Ida Elizabeth and Charles Edward Jones. He became an actor after ten years of working as a laboratory assistant with a firm making ceramic products,...
as Dallben - Nigel HawthorneNigel HawthorneSir Nigel Barnard Hawthorne, CBE was an English actor, perhaps best remembered for his role as Sir Humphrey Appleby, the Permanent Secretary in the 1980s sitcom Yes Minister and the Cabinet Secretary in its sequel, Yes, Prime Minister. For this role he won four BAFTA Awards during the 1980s in the...
as Fflewddur Fflam - John HurtJohn HurtJohn Vincent Hurt, CBE is an English actor, known for his leading roles as John Merrick in The Elephant Man, Winston Smith in Nineteen Eighty-Four, Mr. Braddock in The Hit, Stephen Ward in Scandal, Quentin Crisp in The Naked Civil Servant and An Englishman in New York...
as Horned King - Arthur MaletArthur MaletArthur Malet is an English actor.Arthur Malet was born in Lee-on-Solent, Hampshire, England in 1927. He emigrated to the United States in the 1950s, starting out onstage and winning two Drama Desk Awards in 1957. He came to some prominence in the 1960s, starring in films playing characters much...
as King Eidilleg - John BynerJohn BynerJohn Byner is an American actor, comedian, and impressionist who has had a lengthy television and movie career. His voice work includes the cartoon series The Ant and the Aardvark, in which the title characters are voiced by Byner's impressions of Dean Martin and Jackie Mason,...
as Gurgi/Doli - Eda Reiss Merin as Orddu
- Adele Malis-Morey as Orwen
- Billie HayesBillie HayesBillie Hayes is an American actress best known for her comic portrayal as Witchie-poo on the Sid and Marty Krofft television series H.R. Pufnstuf. Her characteristic cackle and animated physicality were notable during the show's 17-episode run in 1969–70...
as Orgoch - Phil FondacaroPhil FondacaroPhil Fondacaro is an American actor. A dwarf actor at , Fondacaro began acting in 1981, with the film Under the Rainbow....
as Creeper - John HustonJohn HustonJohn Marcellus Huston was an American film director, screenwriter and actor. He wrote most of the 37 feature films he directed, many of which are today considered classics: The Maltese Falcon , The Treasure of the Sierra Madre , Key Largo , The Asphalt Jungle , The African Queen , Moulin Rouge...
provides the voice-over at the start of the film
Production
For The Black Cauldron, a new way to transfer drawings to cels was invented, called the APT processAPT process
The APT process is a photographic transfer system that can photographically transfer lines or solid blocks of colors onto acetate sheets . A very similar process is used in silk screen printing. The process relies on UV-sensitive inks that cure when exposed to light and stick to the plastic sheet,...
. But as the lines would fade off the cels over time, most or all of the film was done with the xerox process in colors.
It was the most expensive animated feature made as of its release in 1985. It cost $25 million to produce, but grossed only $21 million at the North American box office.
The film is notable for its early use of computer generated imagery (CGI) for baubles, a boat and the cauldron itself.
This was the last Disney animated feature that was completed in the former Buena Vista studios.
Censorship
Shortly before the film's release to theaters, newly appointed Disney chairman Jeffrey KatzenbergJeffrey Katzenberg
Jeffrey Katzenberg is an American film producer and CEO of DreamWorks Animation. He is perhaps most famous for his period as chairman of The Walt Disney Company's film division, and for producing DreamWorks animated films such as Shrek, Antz, The Prince of Egypt, The Road to El Dorado, Chicken...
ordered several scenes from The Black Cauldron be cut, due to the fear that the graphic nature of them would alienate children and family audiences. The bulk of the cut scenes involved the undead "Cauldron Born", who are used as the Horned King's army in the final act of the film. While most of the scenes were seamlessly removed from the film, one particular cut involving a Cauldron Born killing a person by slicing his neck and torso created a rather recognizable lapse due to the fact that the removal of the scene creates a jump in the film's soundtrack. Additionally, a scene involving Taran taking the magic sword and slaying his foes while he escapes the Horned King's castle for the first time was removed, as well as another scene with Princess Eilonwy partially nude as fabric was ripped off of her dress as she is hanging by her hands with Taran and Fflewddur Fflam. Another scene cut featured a man being dissolved by mist.
The removal of these scenes was to prevent the film from receiving either a PG-13 or R rating. The final version of the film was the first animated film from Disney to get a PG rating from the MPAA.
Release
The Black Cauldron was released in North America on July 24, 1985. The film was also screened at the Radio City Music HallRadio City Music Hall
Radio City Music Hall is an entertainment venue located in New York City's Rockefeller Center. Its nickname is the Showplace of the Nation, and it was for a time the leading tourist destination in the city...
in New York City.
Disney released a 25th Anniversary Edition DVD on September 14, 2010 in the US and UK containing new 2.35:1 16:9 widescreen presentation, deleted scene "The Fairfolk" and new game "The Witches' Challenge" along with features from the 2000 DVD release, including "The Quest for the Black Cauldron" game, an art gallery, and a 1952 Donald Duck
Donald Duck
Donald Fauntleroy Duck is a cartoon character created in 1934 at Walt Disney Productions and licensed by The Walt Disney Company. Donald is an anthropomorphic white duck with a yellow-orange bill, legs, and feet. He typically wears a sailor suit with a cap and a black or red bow tie. Donald is most...
short called Trick or Treat.
Reception
The film was a failure at the box office, with some critics blaming the film's lack of appeal on the dark nature of the book. However, It has earned a score of 57% "rotten" at Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
.
Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert is an American film critic and screenwriter. He is the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.Ebert is known for his film review column and for the television programs Sneak Previews, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, and Siskel and Ebert and The...
gave a positive review of the film, while the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
The author Lloyd Alexander said, "there is no resemblance between the movie and the book," but he admitted he had fun watching it and hoped the viewers would read the book, which has more depth.
Video game
Al Lowe
Al Lowe is an American musician and game designer/programmer who developed several adventure games, mostly for Sierra On-Line. He is best known for his creation of Leisure Suit Larry and the long-running series it spawned....
of Sierra On-Line
Sierra Entertainment
Sierra Entertainment Inc. was an American video-game developer and publisher founded in 1979 as On-Line Systems by Ken and Roberta Williams...
and released in 1986. It was made shortly after the first King's Quest
King's Quest
King's Quest is an adventure game series created by the American software company Sierra Entertainment. It is widely considered a classic series from the golden era of adventure games. Following the success of its first installment, the series was primarily responsible for building the reputation...
game, so it resembled that adventure in many ways. Along with The Dark Crystal
The Dark Crystal (computer game)
The Dark Crystal is a graphic adventure computer game based on Jim Henson's fantasy film, The Dark Crystal. The game was designed by Roberta Williams and published under the SierraVenture line in 1983 as Hi-Res Adventure #6: The Dark Crystal...
it remains one of only a few adventure games by Sierra to be based on films.
The player character
Player character
A player character or playable character is a character in a video game or role playing game who is controlled or controllable by a player, and is typically a protagonist of the story told in the course of the game. A player character is a persona of the player who controls it. Player characters...
is a young assistant pig
Pig
A pig is any of the animals in the genus Sus, within the Suidae family of even-toed ungulates. Pigs include the domestic pig, its ancestor the wild boar, and several other wild relatives...
-keeper, Taran
Taran (character)
Taran is a fictional character in The Chronicles of Prydain series, as well as in the film and game named after the second novel, The Black Cauldron.-Profile:...
, undertaking a quest to stop the evil Horned King, who sought for Hen Wen
Hen Wen
Hen Wen is a white sow featured in Lloyd Alexander's The Chronicles of Prydain. She is an oracular pig - that is, she has the ability to prophesy about future events and reveal hidden information...
, the magical pig of the wizard Dallben
Dallben
Dallben is an important character in Lloyd Alexander's children's series The Chronicles of Prydain.-Profile:Dallben is described as an ancient man with a long white beard. He lives on the farm known as Caer Dallben, where he acts as protector of Coll's oracular pig, Hen Wen. He also is the...
, for her visionary
Vision (religion)
In spirituality, a vision is something seen in a dream, trance, or ecstasy, especially a supernatural appearance that conveys a revelation.Visions generally have more clarity than dreams, but traditionally fewer psychological connotations...
abilities. With these abilities, the King would be able to discover the Black Cauldron and rule the land. Taran's first mission is to lead her to the Fair Folk
Fairy
A fairy is a type of mythical being or legendary creature, a form of spirit, often described as metaphysical, supernatural or preternatural.Fairies resemble various beings of other mythologies, though even folklore that uses the term...
while the King's dragons are looking for them. Should the pig be captured (the game allows either possibility), Taran can go to the King's castle
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
and rescue her. Once inside, Taran will meet and rescue Eilonwy with her magic bauble and Fflewddur Fflam
Fflewddur Fflam
Fflewddur Fflam, son of Godo, is a cantrev lord in the fictional country of Prydain in Lloyd Alexander's Chronicles of Prydain. He is referred to as a King, but it is made clear that he is a very minor king of a tiny kingdom at best, much less important than the High King who rules Prydain. His...
, as well as discover a Magic
Magic (paranormal)
Magic is the claimed art of manipulating aspects of reality either by supernatural means or through knowledge of occult laws unknown to science. It is in contrast to science, in that science does not accept anything not subject to either direct or indirect observation, and subject to logical...
Sword. The Cauldron is in the possession of three witches
Orddu, Orwen and Orgoch
Orddu, Orwen, and Orgoch are fictional characters in Lloyd Alexander's Chronicles of Prydain series.They are three witches who live alone in the Marshes of Morva...
of Morva who will trade it for the Sword. Unfortunately a dragon grasps the cauldron and Taran goes back to encounter the evil man himself. The game actually featured plot branches and multiple endings depending on many variables, such as whether Hen Wen the pig was saved, how the cauldron was destroyed, and what reward was chosen afterwards. This use of multiple endings predated the more famous use in Lucasfilm
Lucasfilm
Lucasfilm Limited is an American film production company founded by George Lucas in 1971, based in San Francisco, California. Lucas is the company's current chairman and CEO, and Micheline Chau is the president and COO....
's game Maniac Mansion
Maniac Mansion
Maniac Mansion is a 1987 graphic adventure game developed and published by Lucasfilm Games. It was Lucasfilm's first published video game, and it was initially released for the Commodore 64 and Apple II. A comedy horror parody of B movies, it follows teenager Dave Miller as he ventures...
by a year.
In order to make the game more accessible to children, Sierra used an innovative idea that would not reappear in the genre for the next 10 years: the text parser
Text parser
In an adventure game, a text parser takes typed input from the player and simplifies it to something the game can understand. Usually, words with the same meaning are turned into the same word and certain filler words are dropped .The parser makes it easier for the game's author to react on input...
was removed in favor of the function key
Function key
A function key is a key on a computer or terminal keyboard which can be programmed so as to cause an operating system command interpreter or application program to perform certain actions...
s that performed various actions:
F3 would choose an inventory item, F4 would use it, F6 would perform "Use" near the character's location, and F8 would "look". The simplification of the two actions "Look" and "Use" was not reused in Sierra's later games. However, it somewhat resembles the control system of other later simpler point-and-clickPoint-and-click
Point-and-click is the action of a computer user moving a cursor to a certain location on a screen and then pressing a mouse button, usually the left button , or other pointing device...
adventure games, such as the King's Quest VII
King's Quest VII: The Princeless Bride
King's Quest VII: The Princeless Bride is an adventure game released in 1994 by Sierra On-Line. It featured high-resolution graphics in a style reminiscent of Disney animated films...
or The Dig
The Dig
The Dig is a graphical adventure game developed by LucasArts and released in 1995, and a game based on an idea for an Amazing Stories episode by Steven Spielberg...
whose interfaces only consisted of "Look" and "Use". Being based on a Disney film, the graphics present some relative "flexibility", compared to the monolithic and straight sceneries of previous and later games.