Disney-Universal Fanboy
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Ok, the previous page had NO film rewrites, let’s fill this one in @Evilgidgit!
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Evilgidgit's Flicks Fixer-Upper Thread
- Thread starter Evilgidgit
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You want more, eh? Very well. I will give you more.
RE-IMAGINING: THE BLACK CAULDRON (1985)
The black sheep of the Disney family, The Black Cauldron was released in 1985, and could have easily been the death knell for the House of Mouse. It bombed so terribly at the box office that it was beaten by The Care Bears Movie. The film was in production for nearly fifteen years, caught in a tug-of-war between the three generations of Disney artists, and became subjected to endless rewrites, alterations, and was edited notoriously by Jeffrey Katzenberg shortly after his arrival at Disney in 1984. The end result can be described as a train wreck, plagued by a muddled sense of tone, dumb plot points, and irritating characters.Yet, there is still those who love the film. It has some positives amongst the grime. John Hurt makes for a chilling villain as the Horned King, the animation is as detailed as always, and the darker ambitions can be praised. It is everything else that needs work.
The film is a loose adaption of the first two books of The Chronicles of Prydain, written by Lloyd Alexander. The books carry the traditional values of courage, valour, wisdom, and friendship, rewarding the characters for those traits, whilst punishing the evil forces at work. I have never read the books myself, but I feel that adapting more elements and characters from their pages could benefit The Black Cauldron greatly, as well as including my own ideas for the overall story. There have been rumours they will adapt them again in live action, but I doubt Disney will commit to adaptation a five-part fantasy series as movies. Perhaps the hopeful success of Percy Jackson will prove otherwise.
The overall theme of the books, at least for the protagonist Taran, is the journey to becoming a man, or discovering the type of adult you want to be. Taran, unaware of his parents, origins, or potential heritage, wishes to fulfil a need to prove his worth. At first, he wants to take the path of a hero, but over the books, learns to understand and respect the ways of those around him, giving up power and glory for more selfless objectives, and goes on a journey of self-discovery in the hopes to see if he is worthy for those he comes to love and cherish
The film version of Taran fails to go through that arc, only becoming humble towards the end of the film when he learns sacrifices are needed for the greater good. Taran spends a majority of the film being a complete tool, irritating, whiny, arrogant, and very insufferable until towards the end. He routinely whinges about how he wishes to be a great warrior, but lacks the common attributes to be one. He gets his hands on a magic sword and thinks he’s the greatest thing since sliced bread. Sure, he grows slightly more mature towards the end of the film, but it feels like he hasn’t earned it.
The rest of the characters aren’t much better. Both Princess Eilonwy and Fflewdurr Fflam have the potential to be good characters, but are underwritten. Doli, a grumpy fairy whose role is so inconsequential, might as well have not been in the film. Then, there is Gurgi. Poor, irritating, miserable Gurgi, who is like if Gollum, Scrappy-Doo, and Snarf were all fused together. He is meant to be the comic relief, but he is just frankly a pest. His presence clogs up the film like cat hair in a hoover. Either completely rewrite him as a character, or get rid of him completely. Yes, he’s in the novels, but he seems more likeable there.
The world of Prydain is underdeveloped in the film. We know very little about it, nor do we truly understand the bigger scope of what’s at stake. The Horned King wishes to become a god by using the Black Cauldron to raise his army of the dead. But, we don’t know who he wants to wage war against, why he wishes to conquer Prydain, how he knew about the oracular pig Hen Wen, and his history is never explored. In the books, the Horned King is a minion for the dark lord Arawn, who lusted for power, wishing to destroy the Sons of Don in revenge after they defeated him in the past. Such elements will be included in our rewrite.
THE OUTLINE
The film begins with a short prologue, introducing us to the land of Prydain, a kingdom of many troubles. Although shared by many minor kings who rule over their cantrefs, all obeyed the High King of Prydain. In olden times, Prydain fell under the threat of Arawn, the Death Lord of Annuvin, also known as the Horned King. Consumed by a for power, Arawn overthrew his former mistress, a powerful enchantress and stole her secrets. He acquired the Black Cauldron, an artifact of great evil, to breed an army of the dead, the Cauldron-Born, and use them to conquer Prydain.
Men fought and died against the Cauldron-Born, added to their ranks by being placed in the cauldron after death. All seemed lost until the Sons of Don came to Prydain on golden ships from the Summer Country. Powerful enchanters, the newcomers rallied Prydain to rise up against Arawn, aided by the Daughters of Llyr, and High King Rhydderch Hael, who wielded the magical sword Dyrnwyn. Together, Arawn was overthrown and defeated, his armies reduced to lifeless bones. He vanished into the shadows of Annuvin, whilst the Black Cauldron was hidden away so its master could never find it.
This prologue is told by the elderly, retired wizard Dallben, who lives on a remote farm with his ward and apprentice Taran, a natural dreamer who wishes to do some good in the world. His lack of parents and identity drives him to make something of himself, though Dallben tells him that he does not need to be a knight to achieve good things. What he can do is to be assistant pig keeper to Hen Wen, a stroppy pig with oracular powers, which occur when she bathes.
The farm is approached by a scruffy, dishevelled man, who Taran assumes is a vagrant, until Dallben welcomes the stranger as Prince Gwydion, heir to Prydain’s throne. After cleaning himself up, the unassuming prince has heard stirrings of Arawn’s return, requesting for Hen Wen to peer into the future. The pig is gently cajoled into bathing, through which frightening imagery is reflected in the water. Dallben and Gwydion interpret them, realising that Arawn is searching for the Black Cauldron, likely knowing of Hen Wen’s gifts.
Gwydion opts to remove Hen Wen and flee to the realm of the fairfolk in Tylwyth Teg. Taran volunteers to go with him, since he knows how Hen Wen behaves. The two set off into the woods, just as an army of Arawn’s men arrive and chase them, including several huntsmen riding on enormous birds called Gwythaints. In the panicked chaos, Hen Wen flees into the trees. Taran gives chase, losing sight of Gwydion. He hides from the birds and huntsmen, unable to find either Hen Wen or Gwydion.
Instead, he runs into a strange hairy creature who introduces himself as Gurgi. In our version, Gurgi is not so irritating, being simple-minded, feral, and his words are often difficult to determine. Gurgi regards Taran with familiarity, guiding him haphazardly through bushes to find Hen Wen. They find the frightened pig on a cliff edge. Just as Taran coaxes Hen Wen over to him, a gwythaint swoops up and carries the pig away. Taran and Gurgi manage to leap on the bird’s leg at the last second to rescue Hen Wen. Gurgi lunges up onto the riding huntsman, tossing him to his doom. The gwythaint flies out of control, trying to shake off its attackers, descending through the clouds until an unusual castle with a spiralling structure comes into view.
Taran grabs Hen Wen, leaping off the bird to land in a water fountain, but he sees Gurgi tumble into a ravine with the gwythaint. Taran is quickly surrounded by men, who escort him and Hen Wen into Spiral Castle for interrogation. Upon learning of Hen Wen’s abilities, the men take Taran to the castle’s ruler, a beautiful, silver-haired sorceress named Achren. She welcomes Taran, but he is a bundle of nerves around her, until Gwydion strides in to take charge. Gwydion and Achren banter and flirt, Gwydion asking the sorceress to let Taran and Hen Wen rest before they talk business. Achren is particularly interested in witnessing Hen Wen’s magic, but agrees.
Taran and Hen Wen are guided to a chamber to rest, but the curious Taran sneaks out to explore the castle. He stumbles into a study, where a young, red-golden haired girl of his age stands before a book of some kind. A golden orb floats above her head, shining a light on the pages. The girl ignores Taran when he enters. Approaching her, he sees her eyes are glazed over, reading the book’s pages in a fast-paced language Taran does not recognise. He tries to stir her, but she does not respond. Upon hearing footsteps, Taran flees back to his room, where he plays innocence when he is summoned by Achren’s servant.
Achren wines and dines Taran and Gwydion, learning of their plight. Things quickly turn suspicious when Achren asks Taran if he knows of her story. Achren reveals that she is very old, once being the ruler of Annwn – she is the queen who Arawn overthrew. Achren has spent centuries searching for magic old and strong enough to exact revenge on Arawn, including the Black Cauldron, but to no avail. Now, it is too late, for her treacherous consort has returned. Realising it is a trap, Gwydion tells Taran to run as several huntsmen burst into the room. All hell breaks loose as Achren and Gwydion have a wizard’s duel, whilst Taran and Hen Wen flee, pursued by the men, but Taran is knocked unconscious.
Taran awakens chained in a dungeon, meeting Dorath, a courteous but unpleasant mercenary, who serves as Arawn’s chief huntsman. He takes Taran up into the castle, explaining that Gwydion was imprisoned and is to be tortured. Achren is a reluctant ally, working with Arawn on the promise that he shall return her seat in Annuvin, but only when Prydain is conquered. Dorath laughs at the irony of Arawn ruling Spiral Castle, as it was once the home of the High Kings.
Entering Achren’s throne room, Taran is horrified to meet Arawn himself, who resembles a horned corpse clad in robes. Hen Wen is dragged in, but when Dorath tries to force the pig to see the future, Taran offers to do it. Arawn, chilling but patient, allows this. When the cauldron appears in Hen Wen’s vision, Arawn grows urgent and angry, demanding to know where it is hidden, ignoring Taran’s explanations that Hen Wen’s visions can only be interpreted. Growing surprisingly angry at the Horned King’s reaction, Taran chucks the water in his face and makes a run for it. To protect Hen Wen, he chucks the pig into the moat, before he is recaptured, but Hen Wen swims to safety.
Taran is thrown back in the dungeon. Achren briefly appears to him, warning him that if Arawn finds the Black Cauldron, his undead armies will destroy the House of Don and plunge Prydain into an era of darkness and terror. She has her own plans in motion to stop Arawn, as long as they are not interrupted. Taran asks her if she is playing all sides, then how can she possibly win. Achren is called away by Dorath to torture Gwydion for answers.
Minutes later, a slab in the dungeon floor moves, letting a young girl and a glowing golden orb in. Taran recognises her as the hypnotised girl from before. She introduces herself as Princess Eilonwy, daughter of the late Queen Angharad, an heir of the House of Llyr, originating from the sea king of the same name. She is trying to escape the castle, aware of the Horned King’s presence. She uses the golden orb, which she refers to as her “bauble”, as a magical conduit, freeing Taran. She is a little disappointed when he reveals who he is, assuming he was someone important. Before Taran can argue, they hear someone screaming through the walls. Taran guesses it is Gwydion, asking Eilonwy to help free him as well, planning to track down Hen Wen.
Eilonwy guides Taran through the tunnels and dungeons of the castle in search of Gwydion’s cell. Taran asks her about the state he found her in, but she has no idea what he is talking about. She carries the book in her satchel, explaining it a spellbook that contains magic only known to her ancestors, now lost behind “half-speech” that has been forgotten by her bloodline. Achren brought her to her castle to help Eilonwy in her studies and translate the book. Taran asks why she would need to be hypnotised to translate it, which worries Eilonwy.
They soon find the source of the screams, but it is not Gwydion. Instead, they find an older chap, a minstrel judging by his harp. The man is Fflewdurr Fflam, a wandering bard and poet, who was imprisoned when mistaken for an intruder, when he just wanted to play his magic harp – which snaps every time he lies.
Fflam joins the duo as they make their escape, but hear huntsmen approaching. A whistling wind guides them to a hidden door, finding themselves in a dark, dusty tomb. Eilonwy illuminates the tomb, which belong to King Rhitta, the last mortal High King of Prydain, before his bloodline died and Gwydion’s took over. History described him as a tyrant who chose his own welfare over his people. Now, here he lies in a forgotten tomb, which Fflam finds poetic. When hounds try to break into the tomb, the trio arm themselves, with Taran removing an ornate sword from Rhitta’s tomb.
Taran, Eilonwy, and Fflam flee to the moat. Taran attempts to make a final stand so the other two can escape. To his surprise, when he draws the sword, it bursts into magic flame, driving the huntsmen back. Achren appears, astounded at how Taran found such a blade. He starts getting a little cocky with it, ignoring Eilonwy’s orders to retreat. However, when crossbows start firing, Taran retreats. The drawbridge miraculously falls and opens, thanks to a timely Gurgi, who guides the group to safety in the nearby woods.
After recovering, information is traded as they decide what to do. Taran wishes to rescue Gwydion with his new magic sword, but Eilonwy has mixed views on it, having a suspicion that the sword is the legendary Dyrnwyn, held by the High Kings. But, it was said only those of “noble hands” could wield. This convinces Taran that he must be of noble birth, and it is his destiny and duty to save Prydain. Fflam agrees with this, hoping a quest to find the Black Cauldron will grant him his own glory, whilst Gurgi is more interested in the “shiny thingies” like Dyrnwyn and Fflam’s harp. Eilonwy tries taking the sword, noticing it has old writings on it like her book, believing as a princess, she should wield it. Before Taran and Eilonwy can argue, Fflam steps in and takes custody of it until the sword is needed.
Meanwhile, an enraged Arawn orders his troops out to track down the companions, whilst sending Achren to torture Gwydion. When she goes to his cell, she finds it empty. Gwydion has somehow escaped. Taran’s party choose to head for Tylwyth Teg to find the fairfolk, who can hopefully point them to the cauldron’s location.
The group reach the shores of the Black Lake, where a hidden entrance to the fairy realm is said to be. They choose to camp for the night, though will take turns to watch for danger, though Gurgi chases anything that moves, disappearing into the woods. Taran wonders who his parents might be, but Eilonwy tells him that being of nobility isn’t all that fun, more interested by his simple but hardworking life on Dallben’s farm. Eilonwy does not remember much of her home, admitting her mother is long dead. She is the last of the House of Llyr, but lacks a proper kingdom to rule, having spent little time near the sea. Fflam then stuns the others by revealing he is not just a wandering bard, but is actually a minor lord, but his domain is so small and well-cared-for, he has no need to rule it, which he disliked doing to begin with.
Fflam’s true goal is to earn the title of a great bard and stand alongside other praised poets, such as the great Taliesin. He once tried performing for Taliesin, but his nerves got the better of him. Taliesin took pity on him, gifting him with his harp, so he can find his true self. Taran begins to feel a little homesick, wondering what path awaits him. He eyes the sword greedily before falling to sleep.
At daybreak, the party are abruptly awakened. Not by the missing Gurgi, or by villains, but by the fairfolk themselves, led by a ginger-haired dwarf named Doli. A grumpy sort, Doli intimidates the party, until he notices Dyrnwyn, sensing its power just by sight. Taran and Fflam try to reason with Doli, but he’s having none of it, until Eilonwy properly makes introductions and requests an audience with King Eiddileg. Doli reluctantly agrees, summoning a magical passage through the lake, taking the party down into the fairy realm. Taran is bothered by Gurgi’s absence, finding him uncontrollable.
Within the beautiful caverns, the group meet Eiddileg, who is sharp in tongue, but honourable in his words and actions. To Taran’s delight, both Hen Wen and Gwydion are there. Gwydion claims he managed to escape Spiral Castle on his own, but was captured by the fairies. Fflam’s harp snaps at this, revealing it to be a lie. Eiddileg uses magic and comments that the party carry several curses, particularly Eilonwy and Gwydion. Taran suspects Eilonwy’s is related to her hypnotised state when her bauble and book are being used together, but Gwydion’s is a mystery.
Eiddileg uses magic to expose Gwydion’s curse, transforming him against his will into Gurgi and back again. Gwydion reveals that Achren and he were once in love, but resentments and power trips led to the queen cursing him, forcing him to shift back and forth to Gurgi every twelve hours or so. Only her magic will be able to break it. This element is not in the books, but I wanted to introduce a slight new twist that could compensate for Gurgi’s presence as a character. Gurgi is oblivious to the truth, but Eiddileg suggests that there may be magic somewhere that can split Gwydion and Gurgi apart.
Eiddileg explains through memory magic that the cauldron was not destroyed as many had hoped. It was in fact stolen by a trio of witches, Orddu, Orwen, and Orgoch, ancient but eccentric enchantresses, who live in the Marshes of Morva. The fairy king warns Taran that they like making bargains.
As the group have had little experience with magicians, and with Gwydion likely to become Gurgi before they reach the witches, Eiddileg “volunteers” Doli to accompany them. The dwarf objects, but Eiddileg promises Doli he may gain the rare ability to turn invisible; something which Doli desires, since he prefers his own company. Hen Wen is left behind, but the fairies promise to return her to Dallben.
Now joined by Gwydion and Doli, the party set off for the marshes. Taran, eager to get the cauldron, proposes threatening the witches with Dyrnwyn. Eilonwy disregards the idea, as it is more than likely the witches won’t surrender the cauldron unless a deal is struck. When Taran suggests giving up her spellbook, Eilonwy objects, which baffles Taran, since she was hypnotised when he found her studying it. To Taran and even her own astonishment, Eilonwy attempts to rationalise her behaviour and mistreatment.
Gwydion learns who Eilonwy is, explaining the magic of Llyr was written intentionally so only those of his blood can read or use it. Through some cohesion, Eilonwy confesses she wants to master the spellbook, feeling it is the last link to her family and heritage, and wishes to do some good in the world. This touches Taran, who promises not to let the witches have the book. Gwydion warns Eilonwy not to let Achren near her again. It is revealed that Eilonwy’s bauble, given to her by Achren, has hidden magical properties that cause hypnosis for a limited time. Gwydion further warns Taran to not abuse Dyrnwyn, offering to look after it, but Taran gets clingy, believing it justifies the possibility he comes from nobility.
Doli is not thrilled to be with the group, finding an endless list of things to grumble about. This bothers Fflam, who asks why he hates humans. Doli disregards humans as selfish creatures, having once been captured by a greedy man who thought Doli would grant him wishes, which fairies cannot do. The man was a farmer who had injured himself, Doli helping him out of kindness, but was repaid with servitude until he escaped. He points out the flaws of each character, how they are all truly only looking out for themselves; Taran and Eilonwy obsessed with their need for self-identity, Fflam’s irresponsibility, and Gwydion’s inability to make hard choices. Gwydion objects, but Doli points out that he should have killed Achren long ago.
The group reach the outskirts of the fog-covered marshes, where they are attacked by Dorath and his men. Gwydion holds off the men whilst the others scatter in the fog. Taran is pursued by Dorath, drawing Dyrnwyn. Dorath quickly overwhelms Taran, but Gurgi leaps out of the fog, biting his leg. The enraged Dorath cuts Gurgi down, sending Taran into a blind rage. He lashes out at Dorath with his sword, only for it to burn his hands, dropping it. He realises Gwydion’s words not to abuse Dyrnwyn. It must be used nobly, not for revenge. Scooping up the sword and Gurgi, Taran flees into the fog.
He wanders through the fog, his hands aching, weighed down by Gurgi. Hearing people calling his name, Taran hurries about for the source, finding two silhouetted figures phasing in and out of the fog. He realises who they are – his parents. He runs for them, but they disintegrate, being mere shadows of what he imagined them to be. Taran finds Eilonwy and Fflam in similar situations, encountering shadows of what they want the most; Eilonwy wishes to master her ancestors’ magic, whilst Fflam wishes to earn the respect of fellow bards. The group are nearly tempted by these shadows, but Doli rescues them, being immune to the magical mist.
Eilonwy and Doli are able to heal Gurgi, though he remains weak. Doli is a little surprised by the sincere gratitude of the others for rescuing them. The party find the hovel of the three witches, finding it filled with hundreds of cauldrons. The three witches appear, being old, but very crafty and eccentric. Taran tries to get to business, but the witches mess around a little, pointing out that Dyrnwyn rejected him for abusing its power. Taran realises that those of noble heart isn’t because of blood, but because of their intentions when using the blade. This leaves him a little deflated, with no proof that his parents were of nobility.
The witches are delighted when Taran reveals who he is, pleased that “little Dallben” sent the party, hinting they taught Dallben magic. Agreeing to sell the cauldron, the witches barter for a payment, which must be equal to the cauldron’s power. They reject Eilonwy’s bauble and book, claiming they have their own path, and even laugh at Fflam offering his harp. Doli refuses to barter altogether, whilst Gurgi’s offering of an acorn is rejected (though Orddu claims he will have his own payment to make later on). It falls to Taran, offering them Dyrnwyn as the price. The witches are surprised, asking if he is willing to part with his prized possession, the very thing he has chosen to define him. Though reluctant, Taran agrees.
Taken outside, the witches summon forth the Black Cauldron itself from the ground. The witches explain that they created the cauldron, lending it to Arawn, only for the Horned King to corrupt its purpose by creating his Cauldron-Born. After Arawn’s defeat, they hid the cauldron, but knew it would be sought once again. Taran declares they will destroy it. To his shock, the witches explain that no mortal weapon can dismantle it. Only a person who willingly throws themselves into the Black Cauldron will destroy it. Before anyone can object, the witches cast the party back into the fog and out of the marshes.
Deprived of his weapon and stuck with a cauldron that requires a death, Taran feels rather despondent. The group try to drag the cumbersome cauldron, planning to take it either to Dallben or to the fairies for safekeeping. The characters discuss who would be willing to sacrifice themselves to destroy the cauldron, each offering to jump in, save Doli. Taran refuses to let anyone die, regarding the others as his friends. Doli is sceptical about this, until the party try crossing a river with the cauldron. Doli nearly drowns, but Eilonwy manages to rescue him using magic. He expects them to ask for something in return, but Eilonwy is only concerned for his health. This touches Doli.
The group roll the cauldron through a woodland, but are ambushed by the Horned King’s men, including Achren and Dorath. Our heroes are taken captive, apart from Doli, who is able to successfully turn invisible and tails after the villains. Returning to Spiral Castle, Taran, Gurgi, and Fflam are put in the dungeons, whilst Eilonwy is taken to Achren, who wants to complete her training and unlock the spellbook’s magic.
Achren has waited a long time to get revenge of Arawn for betraying her, admitting she took Eilonwy primarily to harness her bloodline’s magic. Just as Achren attempts to enforce hypnotism upon Eilonwy, but the princess overcomes the spell and stamps on the bauble. Eilonwy briefly overwhelms Achren with the magic of Llyr, but is no match for Achren’s skill. The two stop themselves from having a fight, since they have the same goal, regarding one another in a more mother-daughter light. They are both summoned to attend to the Horned King, whilst Taran and the others are dragged out in chains. Doli, meanwhile, sneaks into the castle to free his friends.
Taran and co. are brought before the Horned King to witness his moment of triumph. He intends on resurrecting his dead soldiers and march across Prydain to conquer it and reduce all to being his undead subjects. The characters look on as Arawn drops a corpse into the cauldron, utters an enchantment, and the dead rises as a Cauldron-born. Soon, more and more of the undead rise from the cauldron. Arawn’s still living men cheer until their master tells them that they will soon join the dead. Doli breaks his friends’ free. Achren turns traitor, launching magic with Eilonwy at the Cauldron-born. Chaos soon follows as the final battle begins. Achren battles the Horned King, whilst the others flee from Dorath’s men and the Cauldron-born.
Taran is confronted by Dorath, who wants to beat him in a duel. Taran and Dorath fight with swords, but Dorath fights dirty to defeat Taran. Their fight leads them out to a wall, where Taran uses his skinny build to evade Dorath’s death blow. The Cauldron-born run out after them, overwhelming Dorath, who tumbles over the wall to his death in the river below. Fflam discovers his music can temporarily stun the Cauldron-born, allowing the group to return to confront the Horned King.
The Horned King and Achren have a duel, but she is attacked by the undead. Eilonwy joins her, revealing to Arawn she is a descendant of Llyr, unleashing a torrent of water from the spellbook in an attempt to drown him. This temporarily stuns Arawn, who turns his black magic on Eilonwy. Taran protects her, Dyrnwch magically appearing in his hands, proving he is worthy to wield it. In a blast of flames, Taran gets Arawn away from the cauldron. To his shock though, he sees Gurgi approach the cauldron. Whether or not it is Gurgi or Gwydion thanking him for being his friend, Taran is helpless as Gurgi dives into the Black Cauldron.
This causes the cauldron’s magic to implode, sucking all of its creations back into it. The Horned King rages and attempts to kill Taran. With Dyrnwch in hand, Taran swings it at Arawn, mortally wounding him, sending the Horned King to his doom within the cauldron, which swiftly cracks and explodes. In the wreckage, the group find Gwydion and Gurgi, separated by the cauldron’s magic. Gwydion awakens, having been spared from death by Gurgi’s sacrifice.
The group, apart from Achren, return to the three witches, asking for them to revive Gurgi. The sisters request the Cauldron’s return, despite it being in pieces. When Taran offers Dyrnwch again, they reject his offer, since he was worthy to wield the sword after all. Gurgi is revived, referring to Gwydion as his brother, having some true awareness of their shared curse.
Taran surrenders Dyrnwch over to Gwydion, who must depart to secure his throne and become King of Prydain, inviting the others to join him. Taran declines, deciding it is time he returns home to Dallben and Hen Wen. Doli will return home too, whilst Fflam announces it is high time he stops his wanderings and takes some responsibility for his people. Gwydion promises to put in a good word with Taliesin to invite Fflam to his council. As for Achren, Gwydion plans to keep an eye on her, just in case she craves power again.
To Taran’s joy, Eilonwy asks to accompany him for a time, wishing to further study her magic amongst friends. The friends part ways as heroes of Prydain. The witches communicate with Dallben, who has been watching through Hen Wen’s vision. Dallben remarks that a person is not defined by their origins, titles, or weapons, but with the bonds they share with others. That was something that the Horned King never had, whilst Taran’s company succeeded through their camaraderie and trust. Perhaps one day, Taran could become the King of Prydain, but for the time, he would be perfectly happy to remain as an assistant pig keeper.
The film begins with a short prologue, introducing us to the land of Prydain, a kingdom of many troubles. Although shared by many minor kings who rule over their cantrefs, all obeyed the High King of Prydain. In olden times, Prydain fell under the threat of Arawn, the Death Lord of Annuvin, also known as the Horned King. Consumed by a for power, Arawn overthrew his former mistress, a powerful enchantress and stole her secrets. He acquired the Black Cauldron, an artifact of great evil, to breed an army of the dead, the Cauldron-Born, and use them to conquer Prydain.
Men fought and died against the Cauldron-Born, added to their ranks by being placed in the cauldron after death. All seemed lost until the Sons of Don came to Prydain on golden ships from the Summer Country. Powerful enchanters, the newcomers rallied Prydain to rise up against Arawn, aided by the Daughters of Llyr, and High King Rhydderch Hael, who wielded the magical sword Dyrnwyn. Together, Arawn was overthrown and defeated, his armies reduced to lifeless bones. He vanished into the shadows of Annuvin, whilst the Black Cauldron was hidden away so its master could never find it.
This prologue is told by the elderly, retired wizard Dallben, who lives on a remote farm with his ward and apprentice Taran, a natural dreamer who wishes to do some good in the world. His lack of parents and identity drives him to make something of himself, though Dallben tells him that he does not need to be a knight to achieve good things. What he can do is to be assistant pig keeper to Hen Wen, a stroppy pig with oracular powers, which occur when she bathes.
The farm is approached by a scruffy, dishevelled man, who Taran assumes is a vagrant, until Dallben welcomes the stranger as Prince Gwydion, heir to Prydain’s throne. After cleaning himself up, the unassuming prince has heard stirrings of Arawn’s return, requesting for Hen Wen to peer into the future. The pig is gently cajoled into bathing, through which frightening imagery is reflected in the water. Dallben and Gwydion interpret them, realising that Arawn is searching for the Black Cauldron, likely knowing of Hen Wen’s gifts.
Gwydion opts to remove Hen Wen and flee to the realm of the fairfolk in Tylwyth Teg. Taran volunteers to go with him, since he knows how Hen Wen behaves. The two set off into the woods, just as an army of Arawn’s men arrive and chase them, including several huntsmen riding on enormous birds called Gwythaints. In the panicked chaos, Hen Wen flees into the trees. Taran gives chase, losing sight of Gwydion. He hides from the birds and huntsmen, unable to find either Hen Wen or Gwydion.
Instead, he runs into a strange hairy creature who introduces himself as Gurgi. In our version, Gurgi is not so irritating, being simple-minded, feral, and his words are often difficult to determine. Gurgi regards Taran with familiarity, guiding him haphazardly through bushes to find Hen Wen. They find the frightened pig on a cliff edge. Just as Taran coaxes Hen Wen over to him, a gwythaint swoops up and carries the pig away. Taran and Gurgi manage to leap on the bird’s leg at the last second to rescue Hen Wen. Gurgi lunges up onto the riding huntsman, tossing him to his doom. The gwythaint flies out of control, trying to shake off its attackers, descending through the clouds until an unusual castle with a spiralling structure comes into view.
Taran grabs Hen Wen, leaping off the bird to land in a water fountain, but he sees Gurgi tumble into a ravine with the gwythaint. Taran is quickly surrounded by men, who escort him and Hen Wen into Spiral Castle for interrogation. Upon learning of Hen Wen’s abilities, the men take Taran to the castle’s ruler, a beautiful, silver-haired sorceress named Achren. She welcomes Taran, but he is a bundle of nerves around her, until Gwydion strides in to take charge. Gwydion and Achren banter and flirt, Gwydion asking the sorceress to let Taran and Hen Wen rest before they talk business. Achren is particularly interested in witnessing Hen Wen’s magic, but agrees.
Taran and Hen Wen are guided to a chamber to rest, but the curious Taran sneaks out to explore the castle. He stumbles into a study, where a young, red-golden haired girl of his age stands before a book of some kind. A golden orb floats above her head, shining a light on the pages. The girl ignores Taran when he enters. Approaching her, he sees her eyes are glazed over, reading the book’s pages in a fast-paced language Taran does not recognise. He tries to stir her, but she does not respond. Upon hearing footsteps, Taran flees back to his room, where he plays innocence when he is summoned by Achren’s servant.
Achren wines and dines Taran and Gwydion, learning of their plight. Things quickly turn suspicious when Achren asks Taran if he knows of her story. Achren reveals that she is very old, once being the ruler of Annwn – she is the queen who Arawn overthrew. Achren has spent centuries searching for magic old and strong enough to exact revenge on Arawn, including the Black Cauldron, but to no avail. Now, it is too late, for her treacherous consort has returned. Realising it is a trap, Gwydion tells Taran to run as several huntsmen burst into the room. All hell breaks loose as Achren and Gwydion have a wizard’s duel, whilst Taran and Hen Wen flee, pursued by the men, but Taran is knocked unconscious.
Taran awakens chained in a dungeon, meeting Dorath, a courteous but unpleasant mercenary, who serves as Arawn’s chief huntsman. He takes Taran up into the castle, explaining that Gwydion was imprisoned and is to be tortured. Achren is a reluctant ally, working with Arawn on the promise that he shall return her seat in Annuvin, but only when Prydain is conquered. Dorath laughs at the irony of Arawn ruling Spiral Castle, as it was once the home of the High Kings.
Entering Achren’s throne room, Taran is horrified to meet Arawn himself, who resembles a horned corpse clad in robes. Hen Wen is dragged in, but when Dorath tries to force the pig to see the future, Taran offers to do it. Arawn, chilling but patient, allows this. When the cauldron appears in Hen Wen’s vision, Arawn grows urgent and angry, demanding to know where it is hidden, ignoring Taran’s explanations that Hen Wen’s visions can only be interpreted. Growing surprisingly angry at the Horned King’s reaction, Taran chucks the water in his face and makes a run for it. To protect Hen Wen, he chucks the pig into the moat, before he is recaptured, but Hen Wen swims to safety.
Taran is thrown back in the dungeon. Achren briefly appears to him, warning him that if Arawn finds the Black Cauldron, his undead armies will destroy the House of Don and plunge Prydain into an era of darkness and terror. She has her own plans in motion to stop Arawn, as long as they are not interrupted. Taran asks her if she is playing all sides, then how can she possibly win. Achren is called away by Dorath to torture Gwydion for answers.
Minutes later, a slab in the dungeon floor moves, letting a young girl and a glowing golden orb in. Taran recognises her as the hypnotised girl from before. She introduces herself as Princess Eilonwy, daughter of the late Queen Angharad, an heir of the House of Llyr, originating from the sea king of the same name. She is trying to escape the castle, aware of the Horned King’s presence. She uses the golden orb, which she refers to as her “bauble”, as a magical conduit, freeing Taran. She is a little disappointed when he reveals who he is, assuming he was someone important. Before Taran can argue, they hear someone screaming through the walls. Taran guesses it is Gwydion, asking Eilonwy to help free him as well, planning to track down Hen Wen.
Eilonwy guides Taran through the tunnels and dungeons of the castle in search of Gwydion’s cell. Taran asks her about the state he found her in, but she has no idea what he is talking about. She carries the book in her satchel, explaining it a spellbook that contains magic only known to her ancestors, now lost behind “half-speech” that has been forgotten by her bloodline. Achren brought her to her castle to help Eilonwy in her studies and translate the book. Taran asks why she would need to be hypnotised to translate it, which worries Eilonwy.
They soon find the source of the screams, but it is not Gwydion. Instead, they find an older chap, a minstrel judging by his harp. The man is Fflewdurr Fflam, a wandering bard and poet, who was imprisoned when mistaken for an intruder, when he just wanted to play his magic harp – which snaps every time he lies.
Fflam joins the duo as they make their escape, but hear huntsmen approaching. A whistling wind guides them to a hidden door, finding themselves in a dark, dusty tomb. Eilonwy illuminates the tomb, which belong to King Rhitta, the last mortal High King of Prydain, before his bloodline died and Gwydion’s took over. History described him as a tyrant who chose his own welfare over his people. Now, here he lies in a forgotten tomb, which Fflam finds poetic. When hounds try to break into the tomb, the trio arm themselves, with Taran removing an ornate sword from Rhitta’s tomb.
Taran, Eilonwy, and Fflam flee to the moat. Taran attempts to make a final stand so the other two can escape. To his surprise, when he draws the sword, it bursts into magic flame, driving the huntsmen back. Achren appears, astounded at how Taran found such a blade. He starts getting a little cocky with it, ignoring Eilonwy’s orders to retreat. However, when crossbows start firing, Taran retreats. The drawbridge miraculously falls and opens, thanks to a timely Gurgi, who guides the group to safety in the nearby woods.
After recovering, information is traded as they decide what to do. Taran wishes to rescue Gwydion with his new magic sword, but Eilonwy has mixed views on it, having a suspicion that the sword is the legendary Dyrnwyn, held by the High Kings. But, it was said only those of “noble hands” could wield. This convinces Taran that he must be of noble birth, and it is his destiny and duty to save Prydain. Fflam agrees with this, hoping a quest to find the Black Cauldron will grant him his own glory, whilst Gurgi is more interested in the “shiny thingies” like Dyrnwyn and Fflam’s harp. Eilonwy tries taking the sword, noticing it has old writings on it like her book, believing as a princess, she should wield it. Before Taran and Eilonwy can argue, Fflam steps in and takes custody of it until the sword is needed.
Meanwhile, an enraged Arawn orders his troops out to track down the companions, whilst sending Achren to torture Gwydion. When she goes to his cell, she finds it empty. Gwydion has somehow escaped. Taran’s party choose to head for Tylwyth Teg to find the fairfolk, who can hopefully point them to the cauldron’s location.
The group reach the shores of the Black Lake, where a hidden entrance to the fairy realm is said to be. They choose to camp for the night, though will take turns to watch for danger, though Gurgi chases anything that moves, disappearing into the woods. Taran wonders who his parents might be, but Eilonwy tells him that being of nobility isn’t all that fun, more interested by his simple but hardworking life on Dallben’s farm. Eilonwy does not remember much of her home, admitting her mother is long dead. She is the last of the House of Llyr, but lacks a proper kingdom to rule, having spent little time near the sea. Fflam then stuns the others by revealing he is not just a wandering bard, but is actually a minor lord, but his domain is so small and well-cared-for, he has no need to rule it, which he disliked doing to begin with.
Fflam’s true goal is to earn the title of a great bard and stand alongside other praised poets, such as the great Taliesin. He once tried performing for Taliesin, but his nerves got the better of him. Taliesin took pity on him, gifting him with his harp, so he can find his true self. Taran begins to feel a little homesick, wondering what path awaits him. He eyes the sword greedily before falling to sleep.
At daybreak, the party are abruptly awakened. Not by the missing Gurgi, or by villains, but by the fairfolk themselves, led by a ginger-haired dwarf named Doli. A grumpy sort, Doli intimidates the party, until he notices Dyrnwyn, sensing its power just by sight. Taran and Fflam try to reason with Doli, but he’s having none of it, until Eilonwy properly makes introductions and requests an audience with King Eiddileg. Doli reluctantly agrees, summoning a magical passage through the lake, taking the party down into the fairy realm. Taran is bothered by Gurgi’s absence, finding him uncontrollable.
Within the beautiful caverns, the group meet Eiddileg, who is sharp in tongue, but honourable in his words and actions. To Taran’s delight, both Hen Wen and Gwydion are there. Gwydion claims he managed to escape Spiral Castle on his own, but was captured by the fairies. Fflam’s harp snaps at this, revealing it to be a lie. Eiddileg uses magic and comments that the party carry several curses, particularly Eilonwy and Gwydion. Taran suspects Eilonwy’s is related to her hypnotised state when her bauble and book are being used together, but Gwydion’s is a mystery.
Eiddileg uses magic to expose Gwydion’s curse, transforming him against his will into Gurgi and back again. Gwydion reveals that Achren and he were once in love, but resentments and power trips led to the queen cursing him, forcing him to shift back and forth to Gurgi every twelve hours or so. Only her magic will be able to break it. This element is not in the books, but I wanted to introduce a slight new twist that could compensate for Gurgi’s presence as a character. Gurgi is oblivious to the truth, but Eiddileg suggests that there may be magic somewhere that can split Gwydion and Gurgi apart.
Eiddileg explains through memory magic that the cauldron was not destroyed as many had hoped. It was in fact stolen by a trio of witches, Orddu, Orwen, and Orgoch, ancient but eccentric enchantresses, who live in the Marshes of Morva. The fairy king warns Taran that they like making bargains.
As the group have had little experience with magicians, and with Gwydion likely to become Gurgi before they reach the witches, Eiddileg “volunteers” Doli to accompany them. The dwarf objects, but Eiddileg promises Doli he may gain the rare ability to turn invisible; something which Doli desires, since he prefers his own company. Hen Wen is left behind, but the fairies promise to return her to Dallben.
Now joined by Gwydion and Doli, the party set off for the marshes. Taran, eager to get the cauldron, proposes threatening the witches with Dyrnwyn. Eilonwy disregards the idea, as it is more than likely the witches won’t surrender the cauldron unless a deal is struck. When Taran suggests giving up her spellbook, Eilonwy objects, which baffles Taran, since she was hypnotised when he found her studying it. To Taran and even her own astonishment, Eilonwy attempts to rationalise her behaviour and mistreatment.
Gwydion learns who Eilonwy is, explaining the magic of Llyr was written intentionally so only those of his blood can read or use it. Through some cohesion, Eilonwy confesses she wants to master the spellbook, feeling it is the last link to her family and heritage, and wishes to do some good in the world. This touches Taran, who promises not to let the witches have the book. Gwydion warns Eilonwy not to let Achren near her again. It is revealed that Eilonwy’s bauble, given to her by Achren, has hidden magical properties that cause hypnosis for a limited time. Gwydion further warns Taran to not abuse Dyrnwyn, offering to look after it, but Taran gets clingy, believing it justifies the possibility he comes from nobility.
Doli is not thrilled to be with the group, finding an endless list of things to grumble about. This bothers Fflam, who asks why he hates humans. Doli disregards humans as selfish creatures, having once been captured by a greedy man who thought Doli would grant him wishes, which fairies cannot do. The man was a farmer who had injured himself, Doli helping him out of kindness, but was repaid with servitude until he escaped. He points out the flaws of each character, how they are all truly only looking out for themselves; Taran and Eilonwy obsessed with their need for self-identity, Fflam’s irresponsibility, and Gwydion’s inability to make hard choices. Gwydion objects, but Doli points out that he should have killed Achren long ago.
The group reach the outskirts of the fog-covered marshes, where they are attacked by Dorath and his men. Gwydion holds off the men whilst the others scatter in the fog. Taran is pursued by Dorath, drawing Dyrnwyn. Dorath quickly overwhelms Taran, but Gurgi leaps out of the fog, biting his leg. The enraged Dorath cuts Gurgi down, sending Taran into a blind rage. He lashes out at Dorath with his sword, only for it to burn his hands, dropping it. He realises Gwydion’s words not to abuse Dyrnwyn. It must be used nobly, not for revenge. Scooping up the sword and Gurgi, Taran flees into the fog.
He wanders through the fog, his hands aching, weighed down by Gurgi. Hearing people calling his name, Taran hurries about for the source, finding two silhouetted figures phasing in and out of the fog. He realises who they are – his parents. He runs for them, but they disintegrate, being mere shadows of what he imagined them to be. Taran finds Eilonwy and Fflam in similar situations, encountering shadows of what they want the most; Eilonwy wishes to master her ancestors’ magic, whilst Fflam wishes to earn the respect of fellow bards. The group are nearly tempted by these shadows, but Doli rescues them, being immune to the magical mist.
Eilonwy and Doli are able to heal Gurgi, though he remains weak. Doli is a little surprised by the sincere gratitude of the others for rescuing them. The party find the hovel of the three witches, finding it filled with hundreds of cauldrons. The three witches appear, being old, but very crafty and eccentric. Taran tries to get to business, but the witches mess around a little, pointing out that Dyrnwyn rejected him for abusing its power. Taran realises that those of noble heart isn’t because of blood, but because of their intentions when using the blade. This leaves him a little deflated, with no proof that his parents were of nobility.
The witches are delighted when Taran reveals who he is, pleased that “little Dallben” sent the party, hinting they taught Dallben magic. Agreeing to sell the cauldron, the witches barter for a payment, which must be equal to the cauldron’s power. They reject Eilonwy’s bauble and book, claiming they have their own path, and even laugh at Fflam offering his harp. Doli refuses to barter altogether, whilst Gurgi’s offering of an acorn is rejected (though Orddu claims he will have his own payment to make later on). It falls to Taran, offering them Dyrnwyn as the price. The witches are surprised, asking if he is willing to part with his prized possession, the very thing he has chosen to define him. Though reluctant, Taran agrees.
Taken outside, the witches summon forth the Black Cauldron itself from the ground. The witches explain that they created the cauldron, lending it to Arawn, only for the Horned King to corrupt its purpose by creating his Cauldron-Born. After Arawn’s defeat, they hid the cauldron, but knew it would be sought once again. Taran declares they will destroy it. To his shock, the witches explain that no mortal weapon can dismantle it. Only a person who willingly throws themselves into the Black Cauldron will destroy it. Before anyone can object, the witches cast the party back into the fog and out of the marshes.
Deprived of his weapon and stuck with a cauldron that requires a death, Taran feels rather despondent. The group try to drag the cumbersome cauldron, planning to take it either to Dallben or to the fairies for safekeeping. The characters discuss who would be willing to sacrifice themselves to destroy the cauldron, each offering to jump in, save Doli. Taran refuses to let anyone die, regarding the others as his friends. Doli is sceptical about this, until the party try crossing a river with the cauldron. Doli nearly drowns, but Eilonwy manages to rescue him using magic. He expects them to ask for something in return, but Eilonwy is only concerned for his health. This touches Doli.
The group roll the cauldron through a woodland, but are ambushed by the Horned King’s men, including Achren and Dorath. Our heroes are taken captive, apart from Doli, who is able to successfully turn invisible and tails after the villains. Returning to Spiral Castle, Taran, Gurgi, and Fflam are put in the dungeons, whilst Eilonwy is taken to Achren, who wants to complete her training and unlock the spellbook’s magic.
Achren has waited a long time to get revenge of Arawn for betraying her, admitting she took Eilonwy primarily to harness her bloodline’s magic. Just as Achren attempts to enforce hypnotism upon Eilonwy, but the princess overcomes the spell and stamps on the bauble. Eilonwy briefly overwhelms Achren with the magic of Llyr, but is no match for Achren’s skill. The two stop themselves from having a fight, since they have the same goal, regarding one another in a more mother-daughter light. They are both summoned to attend to the Horned King, whilst Taran and the others are dragged out in chains. Doli, meanwhile, sneaks into the castle to free his friends.
Taran and co. are brought before the Horned King to witness his moment of triumph. He intends on resurrecting his dead soldiers and march across Prydain to conquer it and reduce all to being his undead subjects. The characters look on as Arawn drops a corpse into the cauldron, utters an enchantment, and the dead rises as a Cauldron-born. Soon, more and more of the undead rise from the cauldron. Arawn’s still living men cheer until their master tells them that they will soon join the dead. Doli breaks his friends’ free. Achren turns traitor, launching magic with Eilonwy at the Cauldron-born. Chaos soon follows as the final battle begins. Achren battles the Horned King, whilst the others flee from Dorath’s men and the Cauldron-born.
Taran is confronted by Dorath, who wants to beat him in a duel. Taran and Dorath fight with swords, but Dorath fights dirty to defeat Taran. Their fight leads them out to a wall, where Taran uses his skinny build to evade Dorath’s death blow. The Cauldron-born run out after them, overwhelming Dorath, who tumbles over the wall to his death in the river below. Fflam discovers his music can temporarily stun the Cauldron-born, allowing the group to return to confront the Horned King.
The Horned King and Achren have a duel, but she is attacked by the undead. Eilonwy joins her, revealing to Arawn she is a descendant of Llyr, unleashing a torrent of water from the spellbook in an attempt to drown him. This temporarily stuns Arawn, who turns his black magic on Eilonwy. Taran protects her, Dyrnwch magically appearing in his hands, proving he is worthy to wield it. In a blast of flames, Taran gets Arawn away from the cauldron. To his shock though, he sees Gurgi approach the cauldron. Whether or not it is Gurgi or Gwydion thanking him for being his friend, Taran is helpless as Gurgi dives into the Black Cauldron.
This causes the cauldron’s magic to implode, sucking all of its creations back into it. The Horned King rages and attempts to kill Taran. With Dyrnwch in hand, Taran swings it at Arawn, mortally wounding him, sending the Horned King to his doom within the cauldron, which swiftly cracks and explodes. In the wreckage, the group find Gwydion and Gurgi, separated by the cauldron’s magic. Gwydion awakens, having been spared from death by Gurgi’s sacrifice.
The group, apart from Achren, return to the three witches, asking for them to revive Gurgi. The sisters request the Cauldron’s return, despite it being in pieces. When Taran offers Dyrnwch again, they reject his offer, since he was worthy to wield the sword after all. Gurgi is revived, referring to Gwydion as his brother, having some true awareness of their shared curse.
Taran surrenders Dyrnwch over to Gwydion, who must depart to secure his throne and become King of Prydain, inviting the others to join him. Taran declines, deciding it is time he returns home to Dallben and Hen Wen. Doli will return home too, whilst Fflam announces it is high time he stops his wanderings and takes some responsibility for his people. Gwydion promises to put in a good word with Taliesin to invite Fflam to his council. As for Achren, Gwydion plans to keep an eye on her, just in case she craves power again.
To Taran’s joy, Eilonwy asks to accompany him for a time, wishing to further study her magic amongst friends. The friends part ways as heroes of Prydain. The witches communicate with Dallben, who has been watching through Hen Wen’s vision. Dallben remarks that a person is not defined by their origins, titles, or weapons, but with the bonds they share with others. That was something that the Horned King never had, whilst Taran’s company succeeded through their camaraderie and trust. Perhaps one day, Taran could become the King of Prydain, but for the time, he would be perfectly happy to remain as an assistant pig keeper.
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Disney-Universal Fanboy
Active Member
That is way too much for a Black Cauldron rewrite, maybe something small?
This is the general length of my reimaginings, assuming you have read the previous ones.
Disney-Universal Fanboy
Active Member
May I request a rewrite of CARS 2 and 3, which 3 including hints to cars 2, a rewrite of that movie would be good, try not to change 3 as much cuz I really like 3
I like to pretend that Cars 2 does not exist and that Cars 3 is the direct sequel. Cars 3 itself can easily be adjusted by having Lightning McQueen have his accident, but rather than try to get back into being a top racer himself, he becomes the trainer to Cruz right away rather than only in the third. Lightning realises he mustn't repeat the past like what happened to Doc Hudson and the King, so chooses to become Cruz's trainer. Jackson Storm can be kinda like how Lightning was in the beginning, but has never been humbled by being around outsiders, so all he cares about is winning. Cruz and Storm have a past where they were once friends, but Storm ditched Cruz when forced to choose between winning and friendship. The film's final act is a race between Cruz and Storm to settle their friendship, whilst Lightning and the Radiator Springs crew act from the sidelines, trying to stop Storm's crew from sabotaging the race. Cruz wins the race, but Storm was unaware of his crew's actions - hitting home that the whole "winning is everything" goal was not down to his efforts, but by his cheating team. He ditches them and leaves to find his own road, later appearing in Radiator Springs to train alongside Lightning and Cruz.
Disney-Universal Fanboy
Active Member
That’s actually good with the cruz and Jackson storm arc thing, missed opportunity. Cars 3 is underrated if you ask me
Lord Fozzinator
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- No
Me personally, l like when you write long revisions to movies. It really does pass the time and I enjoy reading them.
Miru
Well-Known Member
If you absolutely had to reimagine Cars 2, what would you do?
I suppose it is a bit harsh to pretend Cars 2 doesn't exist. In all honesty, it is a harmless spy movie, which was a fun direction to go with Cars. However, Mater becoming the main character was an awful writing choice. They emphasize his worst and most annoying personality traits, which doesn't make him an enjoyable character to watch in the lead role. If I had to reimagine Cars 2, I actually wouldn't change all that much, aside from keep Lightning McQueen as the hero, but have Mater along for the ride. Lightning would feel a little lost after Doc Hudson dies, wondering if his career can survive without Doc's guidance. Lightning is tempted to "schmooze" with Allinoil and its CEO Miles Axelrod, fulfilling his dream of becoming a true big racer, but it would mean abandoning his friends and pit crew. The spy caper would play a big role, as Lightning races to help expose the conspiracy going involving badguys rigging the race to favour those using traditional oil as fuel, targeting other races. Lightning's character arc would be finding his own direction in life without returning to bad habits - to find alternative fuels if you will to better himself.
Garfield Builder
Active Member
Hey, @Evilgidgit, If I could fix The Nightmare Before Christmas, I would have ended the battle against Oogie Boogie trapping his brain bug in a jar instead of squashing it.