The Black Cauldron

Now that is a cool name for an animated movie. I watched this over and over again when I was a kid. I pretty much know all the lines. Now years later I watch it again and the lines I didn’t understand back then are all clear now. The movie is Disney’s 25th. And was made in 1985!

I’ve read that the film was first released on July 24, 1985. Apparently Disney traditionally re-released their animated features every 7 or so years to theaters. The Black Cauldron remained out of circulation (both theatrically and on home video) for well over a decade. It was released on VHS on August 4, 1998 under the Walt Disney Masterpiece Collection, although it was originally going to have its home video debut in 1989 (renamed "Taran and the Magic Cauldron") as part of the Walt Disney Classics video collection. It was mastered on tape, but wasn't released due to the success of The Little Mermaid.

I guess The Black Cauldron is one of the lesser known animated movies. It’s a dark adventure unlike the colourful and happy movies like SnowWhite, Cinderella or The little mermaid. There are only two young characters Taran and Princess Eilowy. The rest of the gang consists of Flouda an old bard and Gergy (a furry creature I still don’t get)

Taran is out to find his oracular pig that was stolen by the Evil Horned King who is in search of a powerful weapon that can raise an army of deathless warriors – the black cauldron. In their quest to find the cauldron before the horned kind does, Taran and his friends run into Hench men, witches, fairies and more.


The Black Cauldron is one if the first animated movies of Disney to use CGI. It’s a wonderful cartoon with an interesting plot and spectacular characters. Disney, you’re the Best!