Rating: 
Summary: Great movie, but read the book!
Review: This movie came out just after Micheal Eisner's taking the reins at Disney, and his intervention just before the film's release shows. There are some non sequiters in the film where the over three minutes of last minute edits interrupt the flow. But if you want the full experience, read Lloyd Alexander's books on this starting with the "Book of Three," and then followed by "The Black Cauldron." Alexander's story telling ability conveys far more than even Disney's animation expertise ever could!
Rating: 
Summary: evil
Review: nothing personal, but I am outraged this movie was totaly inaccurate! they made Gurgi look like a dog when really he is a humble creature of the forest. in the books (in my opinoin) he looks like a monkey. Another thing Taran has black hair not brown. I'll bet anything the makers of this movie have not even seen the cover of the original book. they didn't even have Gwdyion prince of the house of Don (you have to read the book to know what I'm talking about.) IN CONCLUSION I SAY THAT THIS MOVIE CAN ONLY BE DESCIBED AS EVIL!
Rating:
Summary: Not too bad
Review: I first just wanted to say, no movie (whether Disney or another studio) will ever be able to capture the magic of the books! The Prydain Chronicles by Lloyd Alexander are nothing short of wonderful!With that said, the movie itself, wasn't too bad. The animation done in 70mm film (as opposed to 35mm) is breathtaking. I would have liked to see more developed plot and characters. Disney could have developed the characters of Taran and Eilonwy a lot more (Eilonwy is in the books a Princess, but pretends to be an ordinary girl, which seemed unfortuantely the vise versa in the movie). One last point, a reviewer stated that Lloyd Alexander would be rolling in his grave at this movie. Actually, he wouldn't. For one thing, he's still very much alive and writing avidly. And for another, he sold the rights to the film to Disney and had the final say in the screenplay...so for the most part the person who created the books does approve of the movie!
Rating: 
Summary: What can i say? This movie is just too good.
Review: Well, i have to admit i haven't read any of the books that this movie was formed on (as soon as i get the chance, i'm going too! i can't wait!), but all i know is that i adore this movie. i first saw it when i was only a little kid, like seven or something, and i'm still watching it constantly at sixteen. there's just something enduring about the film, and it seems that the action hardly ever stops. it may be a little too scary for younger kids, though, but i know i love it.
Rating:
Summary: Good Movie but READ THE BOOKS - They are MUCH Better...
Review: I really liked this movie, it reminded me of the video game I used to play, The Black Cauldron. However it is really nothing like the 5 books of the Chronicles of Prydain. These books are much more amazing than the movie. The books have many more characters that you never see in the movie, the movie has scenes which NEVER happen in the book. However I give it 4 stars because 1) It IS a good movie still and 2) Because of the fact that the movie is different than the books it kind of creates its own story which is unique and by watching this movie you don't ruin the experience of the Chronicles of Prydain because you can still read the books and they are basically a very different story. THANKS -- Good Movie but Read the Books! Also in response to one reviewer's suggestion that Lloyd Alexander was rolling in his grave, UM, that is pretty hard to do when you are still alive....
Rating:
Summary: Ambitious and Different; a nice change!
Review: After "101 Dalmatians" in 1961, Disney was not to release another true "animated masterpiece" until "Little Mermaid" in 1989. That said, "Black Cauldron" is one of the best films of this "inbetween" era. The animation is striking and the storyline (while occasionally meandering) is a compelling and exciting one. I like how the cute characters in the film, like Gurgi and Hen Wen, are ESSENTIAL to the plot, not thrown in just for the sake of having something cute (like in many a Disney film). All in all, seeing this movie as a child validates it to me as one of the true Disney "classics." It's for people like me that this film rightfully deserved its long awaited video release.
Rating:
Summary: I love this film to death!
Review: This is an amazing film. Even though it doesn't follow the books (and yes, I have read them) it's still fantastic. The movie has branched off from where the books couldn't have followed. Many of the wonderful characters from the books couldn't have been added due to animation purposes (can you imagine having 30+ characters to animate? To try to do so would have been silly). The characters are Disney-ized but in a positive way and still being faithful to the books. The animation is beautiful, using top-notch technology for it's time (first Disney film to use computer animation). The Horned King and the Cauldron Born are too scary for young childern. But with most things they see on TV today, it shouldn't scare them in the least. The PG rating is a bit harsh. Fans of the book shouldn't judge this film too harshly, everything can't be exactly like the books. It's like messing with perfection.
Rating: 
Summary: Good but too scary for kids.
Review: The movie has a story line, but the animation was not for kids. My 2 yr. old nephew loves Gurgi but runs to me every time the Horned King comes on. I love this Disney movie, but it loses some of the characters from the book. Plus the use of dark colors contrasts with the lovely plot.
Rating:
Summary: deflated...disney sucked the core right out of it
Review: Lloyd Alexander, the author of the actual series that this movie was based on, is probably turning over in his grave because of this. He created his books for children and young adults with care and skill, making it funny, tragic, and even romantic to some extent... all the components that are found in real life, even though it was a fantasy. And to risk sounding like a fanatical hippie, the message it portrayed was deep. I suppose I should be used to disney productions screwing things up by now, but I was appalled at how they took such a wonderful story and boiled it down to such and airhead concepted "adventure."
Rating:
Summary: Did the scriptwriter even read the original?
Review: The Black Cauldron is a conflation of the first two Prydain novels, and to get them together, they drop most of the interesting characters. The books were never about just Taran and Eilonwy (sp?), but also Adaon, Annlaw Clay-Shaper, and the other dozen-or-so memorable characters who drift in and out of the narrative. On top of it all, the ending is turned 180 degrees around from the original meaning -- unforgivable. At least with "Hunchback", there were precedents in earlier versions...
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