Rating: 
Summary: THE BLACK CAULDRON
Review: I love this film. And it has no songs which is great. It is a very short film, dark, and with a very simple plot, but with wonderful voices of the characters. Each character is absolutely lovely. And the fairies are the most beautiful and sweetest I have ever seen in film.
Rating: 
Summary: Well, They Don't Make 'Em Like They Used To!
Review: It's no secret that Disney has been . . . . . . . well, slacking off lately. (Quite frankly, they suck.) Boy, do I miss the good old days with just 2-D animation, and no computer enhancement to be seen. I'm only thirteen, so I don't want to act like I know and have seen it all. But because of my age I feel privilaged to really know how *GOOD* these older movies are (most kids I know don't). Anyway, on with THE BLACK CAULDRON.This is a very strange film for me; when I was little, I didn't like the movie at all. It didn't necessarily scare me (though I definitely found the movie creepy), I just didn't like it. Then just yesterday I saw it on TV in the morning, so I figured "What the heck?" and watched. And for some reason, I really liked it! I just loved the old-fashioned fairy tale plot and characters. Sure, Taran and the Princess don't break any new ground, but they don't try to, and that's some of the charm to the story. And I can't write a review for this movie without mentioning The Horned King. . . . . . aaaahhhhh, what a grand villain! His prescence reminds one of the villains of old, like Malefecent from SLEEPING BEAUTY. And don't forget the classic score by Elmer Bernstein. At the time, this was the most expensive animated movie ever made (at $25 million . . . . . that's $15 million more than the original STAR WARS cost, people!), and it shows. THE BLACK CAULDRON mixes all kinds of animation, from traditional Disney-style to new-age techniques. But none of the new stuff do any more than enhance the story. If this movie was made nowadays, it would be chalk-full of pointless show-stoppers. It's a beautiful looking film, pure and simple. Oh, and I forgot to mention the spectacular voice cast: Freddie Jones, John Hurt, John Huston, Susan Sheridan, Grant Bardsley, and more inhabit the movie throughout. Their prescence further enhances the classic traditional feel of the story. For all those who enjoyed so much SLEEPING BEAUTY, or for all those of this generation who are wondering why all the grown-ups keep praising Disney, see this film. Though it is far from Disney's best, you'll undoubtedly see what they are talking about. (P.S. I've never read the books, so I don't know how you'd feel about the movie if you have.)
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