I always hate to bring up a thread that’s not already up, but I watched
The Black Cauldron this weekend and just wanted to share some thoughts (I would’ve just commented in the re-release thread, but that’s more about the DVD/Blu-Ray, so I felt this was probably best).
When I watched
The Black Cauldron yesterday, I was very surprised by how much I enjoyed it. It’s not as if I’ve never seen the movie before, but it just left a much better impression on me this go round. This, along with
Hunchback, is probably one of those few Disney movies where I always remember the movie as severely flawed and I underestimate it every time I go to watch it, but always end up loving it afterwards. I have no idea if it’s because of Disney’s subtle marketing of all the ‘70s-‘80s films as bad (as well as their put-down of some of the 90s lately, for some reason)--particularly where
TBC is concerned, for being such a flop--but I always remember this movie as extremely bland, badly constructed, and boring. But I felt the complete opposite during this viewing.
Of course, I feel there are still
some flaws (as with any movie): the characters are better than I remembered, but they do seem as if they don’t get enough screen time for you to get to know them properly. They--or, at least, Taran--are developed pretty well, but the plot’s need for them to go from place to place, and quickly, detracts a little from the goal of you believing them to be a “company of friends.” Gurgi, in particular, seems to suffer from this-- a character I
did like, but seemed to get way too little screen time considering his significance later. Still, I enjoyed the characters for the most part. Of course, I always loved the Witches of Morva, but Fflewdur and Eilonwy shined more than I remembered. It really is a shame that Eilonwy is so overlooked by Disney--perhaps because of
TBC’s status, but maybe because she’s too prepubescent to market? Anyway, she’s a strong character in the film. She was spunky, but not in an over-done way like with Belle, Jasmine, and sometimes Ariel (the only scene I’m referring to is the “I’m not a child!” scene--she doesn’t seem that bad anywhere else to me). I don’t think they’ve had a “spunky” character that’s balanced that well again until Tiana (who has the fieriness of the early ‘90s heroines combined with the maturity of the later ‘90s’ Pocahontas, Mulan, and Megara).
The only other weakness I remember from the film is the Horned King’s design. I think it’s effective when they don’t zoom in on his face--because the “skeleton” concept comes across more silly than it does scary (such as when he yells into the camera for the Cauldron to bring the dead alive, and then in the last scene where he goes after Taran). Especially when they add the red to his eyes, it doesn’t work very well. But I love the first scene they have of him. I’ve read a lot of comments over the years about the voice actor for the Horned King, but I thought he did pretty well (I thought the voices for the Horned King, Fflewdur, and Eilonwy all did really well--I found Taran’s voice to be a little miscast, in that he came across maybe too annoying at times). I can understand why some people might find the performance for the Horned King to be a little underwhelming or perhaps boring, but I thought he gave a “madness” to the character--again, especially in his first scene. (It’s really hard to imagine this character ever being conceptualized with a song).
Also, I thought the antagonist-protagonist dynamic was done well, in the sense that they are complete opposites. Of course, that’s not as complex or interesting as, say, Tremaine and Cinderella, or Quasi and Frollo, but it always highlights what’s good about the protagonist to have them completely opposed to one another. Ambition drives the King to evil, whereas Taran willingly gives up his ambition (twice) for the good. And then later, Gurgi who sacrifices himself versus Creeper who is glad the King is dead.
The film had its humorous moments, too. Of course, there’s the Orwen and Fflewdur scene (which I always loved, even as a child), but Doli was good, too (though not as good as Merlin, a similar kind of character). I’ve read the book series before, though it’s been a really long time and I only remember some of the major details--I really want to read it again now.
About the animation, all I can really say is that it came across well-animated to me (I don’t know enough technical info. to venture more than that, because I don’t want to sound arrogant). There were some beautiful backgrounds in this film, particularly the scene in the woods following the group’s escape from the Horned King’s castle. I love the atmosphere to several of the scenes, too, such as the scene where Taran’s washing Henwen--the way it centers in on Henwen’s face gave me (and always has given me) chills. Then there’s the scene where the dragons capture Henwen later, which I thought was disturbing, too. I loved the shot, afterwards, of Taran looking onto the Gwythaints flying to the Horned King’s castle. Also, I think in some ways, Taran was Ariel and Belle’s predecessor as far as animation goes, in that he looks different in many of the scenes--probably more distracting than with those two, for me.
Oh, and, about the atmosphere of the film, maybe it’s just me, but I really loved the score to this film. The bizarre background music really added a something to most of the movie. Although, personally, some of it was ruined because that really high “wooh” sound (the one that plays when it zooms up on the Horned King’s castle after Taran leaves Gurgi on the mountain to go rescue Henwen) forever reminds me of
Mars Attacks! now.
Overall, the film is much better than it’s given credit for. I feel that it falls in the same category as
Treasure Planet that way (although, I have to admit,
TP is probably more flawed than
TBC, though the characters are far more engaging). Both films were in complex and conflicted times for the studio, and both were probably considered bigger failures than they really were because of the extensive use of special effects (which no doubt costed a
lot). The only real criticism I could think of for the film is that, for some reason, it doesn’t feel “Disney” to me--the muted colors, the austere atmosphere, and so on always comes across as the work of another studio, and
not because of the genre or the source material, which in concept would lend itself well to a Disney film, imo. And not even because of the “adult” use of skeletons, blood, etc., which I think could be used and still feel like a Disney film. (I don’t really believe in an overarching Disney essence, but there’s something about this movie that doesn’t sit well with most of their other films). It particularly reminds me of several Don Bluth films; something about Taran’s animation feels a little too detailed, like in [/I]Thumbelina[/I] or
The Secret of NIMH. I know Don Bluth was at the studio around this time, but I don’t now how much of a role he would’ve played, so I’m not sure if that’s coincidence or not. I also feel that, as I said in the re-release thread, in some ways it feels as if the movie’s lacking that moment where it goes the limit for what it’s
trying to be (which, unfortunately, might have been the gruesome scenes management cut from the film). Though there’s still some of that edge there (such as the bloody cauldron I decided to use for my banner of the film;

), even if it’s somewhat subdued. Regardless, the movie has seriously moved up the ranks, in my opinion. As far as the 80s goes, it’s probably my favorite after
The Little Mermaid and
The Great Mouse Detective. You know, I’m starting to feel that the ‘80s really wasn’t
that bad of a decade.
The Fox and the Hound and
Oliver and Company were decent films as well, imo. Of course,
The Black Cauldron’s still not near my top ten, but it’s something I’ll remember better now.
Btw, it might just be because one of my English classes is focused on psychoanalytic theory right now, but I found the Witches’ deal with Taran a little Freudian (and a little sexist in that context--considering I find that particular theory of Freud’s to be sexist). “I’ve never seen a sword like that!” And then, “What can they
do with the Cauldron?” “Nothing! We’ll have both!” And then Fflewdur at the end, “You’ve got no real power!” And then they take the Cauldron and Gurgi is re-born. Don’t take me seriously. Just wanted to put that out there.
In response to
Disney Duster from another thread, that picture you were asking about--it’s of the scene where Taran is dreaming of being a warrior in the pond. Thanks for the comments! I really liked the banner, too. I was only worried about that one picture of Taran on the right side, because for some reason I couldn’t get it to fit in well with everything else. I’m still conflicted. Maybe in the future, I’ll go back and fix that part of it. Anyway, I wanted to do another movie, but I also wanted to have something that kind of fit the mood for Halloween. The Black Cauldron seemed to fit perfectly.