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Trailer+5 trailers

The Black Cauldron

1985Movie1 h 20 minPG

Animation
58
DecentGoodWatch score
IMDb6.3Metacritic595.8Rotten Tomatoes57%48%

A nostalgic, scary animated movie about fantasy and growing up, with standout score.

Good for family movie night · friends night · kids

Skip it if you scare easily

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Not for big ideas or laughs.

Movies with

Story

Hidden by darkness. Guarded by witches. Discovered by a boy. Stolen by a king. Whoever owns it will rule the world. Or destroy it.

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.

Feels like

  • Dark High Fantasy
  • Epic Orchestral Score
  • Nostalgic Disney Classic
  • Visually Intimidating Villain
  • Hero's Journey
  • Mythological Adventure
  • Hand-Drawn Animation Peak
  • Tone-Defying Children's Film

Cast

16 of 16

Crew

Directed by
Richard Rich, Ted Berman
Written by
Richard Rich, Vance Gerry, Peter Young
Produced by
Joe Hale
Music by
Elmer Bernstein

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

July 24, 1985 · 1 h 20 min · PG

Released
July 24, 1985
Runtime
1 h 20 min
Age rating
PG
Content
Violence, Disturbing Imagery
Genres
Animation, Adventure, Family, Fantasy
Original language
English
Made in
United States
Budget
$25 million
Box office
$21 million
Available in
69 countries
Keywords
based on novel or book

Tropes

Hot Blade, Closing Credits, Covered in Mud +9

  • Hot Blade
  • Closing Credits
  • Covered in Mud
  • Vile Villain, Laughable Lackey
  • Bowdlerise
  • Deus ex Machina
  • Recycled Animation
  • Bait-and-Switch
  • Boob-Based Gag
  • Holding Back the Phlebotinum
  • Nice Job Breaking It, Hero!
  • The Necrocracy

12 of 49 tropes. From TV Tropes.

Q&A

6 questions, like "Where can I stream The Black Cauldron?"

Questions about The Black Cauldron

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream The Black Cauldron?

Disney+

In the United States, The Black Cauldron streams on Disney+. You can rent or buy it from Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, and Fandango At Home. It also streams in 60 other countries.

Is The Black Cauldron worth watching?

58
DecentGoodWatch score

Opinions are mixed, with a GoodWatch score of 58 (IMDb 6.3, Rotten Tomatoes 57%, and Metacritic 59).

Is The Black Cauldron okay for kids?

PGViolenceDisturbing imagery

Yes: it's rated PG in the United States for violence and disturbing imagery, and the viewing guide lists it for kids.

Will The Black Cauldron scare me?

Not scaryTerrifying

Yes, it's frightening: scares are rated 8 of 10.

Was The Black Cauldron a box office flop?

Budget$25 million
Box office$21 million

Yes: it cost about $25 million to make and earned $21 million worldwide, 85% of its budget.

What tropes does The Black Cauldron use?

Hot BladeClosing CreditsCovered in MudVile Villain, Laughable LackeyBowdleriseDeus ex MachinaRecycled AnimationBait-and-SwitchBoob-Based GagHolding Back the PhlebotinumNice Job Breaking It, Hero!The Necrocracyand 37 more

TV Tropes lists 49 tropes for it, including Hot Blade, Closing Credits, and Covered in Mud.