Originally Posted By basil fan There was nothing wrong with Black Cauldron that a good editor couldn't have fixed. Unfortunately, animators, like all artists, get tunnel vision at times and need someone outside the project to critique it with fresh eyes. Someone who sees the work as a whole. Someone with the guts to cut out beautiful animation and good bits if they are not working. Walt did it many times, and good stuff ended up on the cutting room floor. But his films were the better for it. Even the fabulous Frank 'n' Ollie could waffle on if they weren't careful. Don Bluth had the same problem as soon as he got his wish for full control of his own project with Secret of NIMH, a very fine movie that would benefit from some tightening-up. That scene where Taran meets Gurgi is indeed a prime example. But some judicious cutting would've made a huge difference.
