The Black Cauldron

Hidden by darkness. Guarded by witches. Discovered by a boy. Stolen by a king. Whoever owns it will rule the world. Or destroy it.

1985 • 80 min • Animation · Adventure · Family · Fantasy

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Synopsis

Taran is an assistant pigkeeper with boyish dreams of becoming a great warrior. However, he has to put the daydreaming aside when his charge, an oracular pig named Hen Wen, is kidnapped by an evil lord known as the Horned King. The villain hopes Hen will show him the way to The Black Cauldron, which has the power to create a giant army of unstoppable soldiers.

Our family guide

Best from age 8

Movie Knight Score

1461 reviews

64 Audience · 1461 · 100%

An ambitious assistant pig-keeper named Taran, along with a princess, a bard, and a creature named Gurgi, embarks on a perilous quest to stop the Horned King from using a mystical cauldron to create an army of the undead. This classic fantasy adventure explores themes of courage and friendship.

Violence & peril: 4/10
Language: 1/10
Drinking, drugs & smoking: 0/10
Romance & sensuality: 0/10
Scary moments: 6/10

Heads up

Some dark fantasy elements and frightening creatures
Undead skeletal warriors can be intense for younger viewers
The villain is quite menacing

What it models well

Courage in the face of evil
The importance of friendship
Self-sacrifice for the greater good
Believing in oneself

Talk about it after

What makes a true hero?
The power of a single choice
Overcoming fear to do what is right

Written by the Movie Knight editorial team for The Black Cauldron. Our own words, our own scoring — always double-check against your family's standards.

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Top billed cast

Director: Richard Rich, Ted Berman • Crew: Peter Young, David Jonas, Al Wilson, Vance Gerry, Roy Morita, Ted Berman, Richard Rich, Art Stevens, Joe Hale