Review of The Black Cauldron (1985) by Brandon C — 11 Aug 2016
Probably the most surprising film in the Disney arsenal, The Black Cauldron boasts some technical flair with an entertaining plot to match. One of those transitional films in an era where the studio was undergoing some personnel changes, the films experiments with some elements that set it apart from its predecessors.
The movie was a box-office failure at the time of its release, mostly due to its frightening and dark content that earned Disney its first PG rating. But today, it's not hard to appreciate the wicked imagery they created, from the Horned King's castle illuminated by lightning to the uprising of the dead soldiers around the oozing cauldron.
The animations also utilized 3D-generated animation for the first time in the Disney studio, which gave it an even more impressive look. You can tell they struggled to compact the original books into the movie; at times the plot seemed befuddled and the characters felt undeveloped.
Nevertheless, the world is still enchanting and it has the makeup of a great fantasy-adventure.
This review of The Black Cauldron (1985) was written by Brandon C on 11 Aug 2016.
The Black Cauldron has generally received mixed reviews.
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