i actually don't really love the eighties. don't hate it. but i'm pretty indifferent. it really wasn't much of a stand out decade aside from the possible notoriety of it's President.

however, as far as Disney feature length, hand drawn animation goes, i have a real fond spot for the forgotten decade in their legacy. the eighties Disney films are very maligned and under-appreciated. and it's not very justified or fair. the eighties produced some of Disney's most memorable and endearing animated features. aside from 'The Little Mermaid', i've always thought the nineties animated features from Disney were somewhat over-rated. the nineties animated features always leave me a little cold and they feel over-blown and over-hyped and produced. the eighties animated films like 'Fox and the Hound', 'Great Mouse Dective', 'Oliver and Co.', had a sweeter, more endearing and modest quality that was lacking in the nineties. the nineties was cold. the eighties cartoon features are much cuter.

'The Black Cauldron' is definitely the best from the eighties. what it lacks as an adaptation of Lloyd Alexander's 'Prydain' books (i miss the Raven on Taran's shoulder),it makes up for as a excellent Disney cartoon feature. the animation and styling are unmistakably Disney. and as with all Disney adaptations it owes more to Disney than the source it's adapted from. that's the way it should be. Disney films should be recognizable as Disney.

even though there is much waxing about 'Cauldron' being too scary and intense for little kids and how it has no heart, most of that isn't all that valid. 'Cauldron' is a very 'G' rated experience and not 'PG'. there is no sex or swearing or even any real violence. it's a 'G'. it's also a very cute and adorable film. Lloyd Alexander's books were a little darker and not cute at all. Disney has managed to Disneyfy and cutesyfy the stories, but it all still works. Johnn Byner's Gurgi is a art drawing exercise in cuddly cuteness.

'Cauldron' is one of Disney's most memorable of the later features. it boast startling hand drawn animation, handsome production design, and a wonderful film score by Elmer Bernstein.

i know old school Disney. probably better than most. i spent most of my youth studying old school Disney and watching all the films. a lot of people can't always say that. i love 'The Black Cauldron' and think it's another one of those under-appreciated Disney gems.

This Disney animation tells the story of Taran, a pig keeper's assistant who dreams of being a hero. He lives in a land ruled by the evil Horned King; a king who is seeking the near mythical Black Cauldron that will gives its owner power to raise an undead army. Pig keeper Dallben has a pig named Hen Wen who can predict the future and fears the Horned King will steal it to help him find the cauldron so tells Taran to take him somewhere safe. And so Taran's adventures begin. While he imagines himself being heroic Hen Wen is taken by the Horned King's creatures. To rescue him Taran will have to become a real hero. He soon meets up with a creature called Gurgi and after an encounter in the castle they team up with Princess Eilonwy and Ffewddur Fflam, a minstrel and together they seek to rescue Hen Wen and find the cauldron.

Typically one associates Disney animation with gentle adventures accompanied by regular songs; this is different... there are no songs and there is often a real sense of danger. Thankfully things are lightened by the occasional comical moment. The characters are a lot of fun with solid heroes and suitably wicked villains. Each of which has an amusing sidekick; in the case of Taran that is Gurgi and in that of The Horned King it is Creeper, a goblin like creature. The story is perhaps a bit episodic but that isn't really a problem as each section features thrilling moments. The animation is impressive, as one would expect from Disney. Overall I'd say that while this might not be one of the best known of Disney's films it is still well worth watching; it might be a little scary for younger viewers though.

In the land of Prydain, Taran is the young assistant to Dallben. He doesn't understand why the pig Hen Wen is pampered. The evil Horned King is searching for the Black Cauldron which can create an invincible army of undead warriors. Hen Wen turns out to be an oracular pig who can reveal the location of the Black Cauldron. Dallben sends Taran away to hide with Hen Wen but the Horned King captures the pig. Taran is joined by pesky creature Gurgi in his rescue mission. Only he is captured and thrown into the dungeons where he joins Princess Eilonwy. They escape with bumbling bard Fflewddur Fflam.

This is an old fashion Disney fantasy adventure with a little bit of CGI. The characters aren't that charismatic. They are out of a standard script with a young man, a feisty princess, a bumbling old fool and an animal sidekick. The pig is the one that keeps me scratching my head. I appreciate something unusual but it strikes me as very wrong. The old bard isn't as funny as he needs to be. I like Gurgi but I don't necessarily love him. This is fine but it is inferior to other Disney animated movies.