BLACK ARROW (Dir: John Hough, 1985).

BLACK ARROW (Dir: John Hough, 1985).

Made for The Disney Channel, Black Arrow is a swashbuckling adventure based upon the novel by Robert Louis Stevenson.

Set during the War of the Roses, corrupt Yorkist landowner Sir Daniel (Oliver Reed) is robbed by black clad vigilante Black Arrow (Stephan Chase). Seeking revenge, he sends his young nephew Richard (Benedict Taylor) on his trail. Sir Daniel is set to acquire more land with his marriage to the reluctant Lancastrian Lady Joanna (Georgia Slowe). Joanna does a runner, forms an alliance with Richard and together they determine to avenge Sir Daniel's wrongdoings.

Disney's third adaptation of a Stevenson novel, following Treasure Island (Byron Haskin, 1950) and Kidnapped (Robert Stevenson, 1960), Black Arrow was what would now be labelled a Disney Channel Original Movie. Back in 1985, The Disney Channel had a remit to provide family entertainment, not just sitcoms for tweenagers. Its new content, like that of the Disney Studio’s past was designed to appeal to a broader demographic than that of the Channel today. While Black Arrow would seem out of place on today’s Disney Channel, it is exactly the kind of movie of which company founder Walt Disney would have approved.

Having previously worked for Disney on the excellent Escape to Witch Mountain (1975), the talented John Hough was engaged to direct. To Black Arrow, Hough brings a somewhat more cinematic vision than one would usually expect from a TV Movie. The quality production only belying its TV origins through the prevalent use of close ups and mid shots.

The impressive cast of acting heavyweights Oliver Reed, Fernando Rey and Donald Pleasence also lend the film an air of prestige.

The film is not entirely flawless. Admittedly, there are a few unlikely plot contrivances and one of two moments which stretch credibility. While Benedict Taylor cuts far too modern a figure; strolling around the 15th Century like the 5th member of EuroVision popsters Bucks Fizz!

Overall though, Black Arrow is pretty solid entertainment. Old fashioned it may be but it does make me yearn for a time when The Disney Channel catered to more than just tweenage audiences.

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THE LITTLE MERMAID II: RETURN TO THE SEA (Dir: Jim Kammerud, 2000).

Released 11 years after the original, The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea is the first of two sequels to Walt Disney Pictures The Little Mermaid (Ron Clements & John Musker, 1989).

Flipping the events of the first movie, The Little Mermaid II is the story of Melody, the tweenage human daughter of Ariel and Prince Eric. Knowing nothing of her mother’s past and longing to explore the forbidden ocean, Melody strikes a deal with Morgana, the equally villainous sister of sea witch Ursula. With the safety of Melody and the merfolk kingdom of Atlantica at risk, Ariel must ‘return to the Sea’ in a bid to save them.

What drives me to watch a movie like The Little Mermaid II? Let’s say morbid curiosity. Plus the fact that Disney is no longer churning out these straight-to-video cash-ins means I am not supporting their production.

Is it any good? Well, considering its made for the home market origins, this is not a bad looking movie. Produced by Walt Disney Television Animation (latterly DisneyToon Studios), it’s not up to the high standards of a Walt Disney Animation Studios production but it is a step up from usual television fare. Also in its favour is the return of much of the original vocal cast including Jodi Benson as Ariel and Pat Carroll as Morgana.

The returning cast members and the above average visuals suggest that Disney was wary of damaging a popular franchise. However, whatever qualities the movie has are scuppered by some doggedly pedestrian storytelling.

To be fair, I found The Little Mermaid II to be passable entertainment and better than many Disney sequels. Very young viewers, especially those with a penchant for mermaids, should enjoy it. Older children and adults, meanwhile, would do better to stick with the superior original.

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CANDLESHOE (Dir: Norman Tokar, 1977).


Walt Disney Poductions' Candleshoe is a comedy crime caper based upon Michael Innes' novel Christmas at Candleshoe.


Leaving the mean streets of Los Angeles, Casey Brown (Jodie Foster) heads to England to hustle the elderly Lady St Edmund (Helen Hayes) out of her dilapidated stately home Candleshoe. Within Candleshoe lays the hidden treasure of pirate Captain St Edmund to which Casey holds the first clue. In cahoots are disgraced former Candleshoe employee Clara (Vivien Pickles) and her brother Bundage (Leo Mckern) who masterminds the misdemeanour. Welcomed into the Candleshoe family, Casey turns the tables on Bundage and sets about the treasure hunt with intent to save the debt racked estate from foreclosure.


A first rate cast was assembled for this production. 15 year old Jodie Foster was fresh from her Oscar nominated turn in Taxi Driver (Martin Scorsese, 1976). She does excellent work here too and it is to her credit that she is not overshadowed by the acting heavyweights in support. Most notably David Niven, donning multiple disguises as butler, gardener, chauffeur and a visiting Colonel, in what is perhaps his best late career role.

A neat premise also lifts the movie above the usual formulaic fluff the Disney Studios were producing in the late 70s. Rosemary Anne Sisson's and David Swift's screenplay mixes humour and excitement as the race is on to recover the spoils before the bad guys. Norman Tokar directs at a surprisingly steady pace, but one that allows the mystery to unfold and for characters to develop so that Casey's change of heart is completely believable.


Candleshoe’s view of a genteel England of stately homes and steam trains must have seemed downright archaic in 1977. However, in 2019 it feels innocent and charming; nostalgic for an idealised period in British history which never really existed.


With a superior story and a distinguished cast Candleshoe is easily a highlight of the Disney Studios' live-action catalogue. Equally entertaining for children and adults, this treasure hunt movie is a gem.

Visit my blog JINGLE BONES MOVIE TIME for a longer, more in-depth review of Candleshoe!

THE LEFTOVERS (Dir: Paul Schneider, 1986).

If there is a more 1980's way to open your movie than with Howard Jones' New Song, than I do not know what it is. I am also unsure as to who this lightweight comedy will resonate with, other than 1980's kids.

The Leftovers stars singer turned actor John Denver as Max Sinclair, director of The Middleburg Orphanage and surrogate father to the ragtag bunch of kids who live there. Cindy Williams is the live in help. Together they fend off plans to redevelop the home by underhanded means, while the kids do all they can to keep from being adopted.

Originally aired on television as part of ABC's The Disney Sunday Movie weekly series in November 1986. It's not hard to imagine that a decade earlier The Leftovers would have been released to cinemas, with Dean Jones and Sandy Duncan as possible leads. It is old fashioned, inoffensive but not without charm.

It may be a generational thing, but I did enjoy this movie. It is nothing spectacular but the leads are likeable and while the plot has a few too many contrivances and conveniences for its own good, most of its laughs are genuine.

However, it is low-key in the extreme and although I had seen this movie at around the age of 12 or 13, only one scene stuck in my head and that was the opening, probably because my tweenage self was a big fan of Howard Jones!

I am sure I enjoyed The Leftovers as a kid because I lapped up anything Disney. Revisiting it as an adult I am aware that it is no classic, even by 80's Disney TV movie standards. But it is an entertaining 90 odd minutes; if you are in the mood for some gentle 1980's nostalgia you might find it hits the spot. Just don't expect to remember much about it afterwards!

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Movie number 81: FIGHTING WITH MY FAMILY (Dir: Stephen Merchant, 2019).

The world of WWE is pretty alien to me. As, indeed, is the word of sport in general. As a movie fan, as opposed to a sports fan, I spend a lot more time sitting on my butt than I do taking part in any physical activity whatsoever. (NOTE: This is not a lifestyle I recommend. After reading my blog go do something active. After reading my blog.)

Fighting with My Family is the true story of professional wrestler Paige. Following her journey from competing as an amateur in her Norwich hometown to being signed by the WWE and becoming the youngest Divas Champions winner in the competition's history.

Watching this as a non-wrestling fan I was surprised at how much I genuinely enjoyed this movie. Partly financed by WWE Studios and co-produced by Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, it is not the glossy, sanitised bio-pic that such official sanctioning might suggest. Brit director and writer Stephen Merchant doesn't shy from depicting the sometimes grim world of amateur wrestling or the negative effect Paige's career path has on her family, particularly her brother Zac who was unsuccessful in his WWE audition. Yet Merchant also delivers a movie of great warmth and humour with plenty of laugh out loud moments. Sentimental old fools like me should also watch out for the odd lump in the throat moment.


Standouts among the cast are Florence Pugh as Paige and Jack Lowden as Zac; impressive in both their acting and physical performance, convincing to these novice eyes as wrestlers proper. Nick Frost and Lena Headey are well cast as Paige's parents. Vince Vaughn has his best role in years as Paige's coach. Dwayne Johnson always seems an amiable chap and does here playing himself, rounding out a very appealing cast.

There is little of anything negative I can say about Fighting with My Family. It's not going to change the world, but it is solidly entertaining and wholly likeable. It is inspiring, uplifting, feelgood and any other cliche you wish to throw it at. It might also make you want to take up wrestling.

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THE BLACK CAULDRON (Dir: Ted Berman & Richard Rich, 1985).

Walt Disney Pictures' The Black Cauldron is an ambitious animated fantasy based upon Lloyd Alexander's The Chronicles of Prydain, an acclaimed series of novels with a medieval setting.


With dreams of becoming a great warrior, assistant pig keeper Taran embarks on a quest to rescue his missing porcine ward, Hen Wen. The evil Horned King kidnaps the pig to use her oracular powers to secure a magical black cauldron in order to resurrect a skeletal army. Joining him are Eilonwy (Disney's forgotten princess), minstrel Fflewddur Fflam and the eternally hungry Gurgi, a furry creature of undisclosed origin. The gang must locate the cauldron and destroy it before it falls into the Horned King's hands.

The Black Cauldron had a famously troubled production and was subject to editing by a new studio regime who found it too dark for family audiences.


As might be expected from a film based on a five volume series of books, the movie suffers from an episodic, rambling narrative. The detrimental effect of editing is felt most in the sequence in which the Horned King unleashes his army of skeletal deathless warriors; it is all too brief and feels anti-climatic. The overall pacing of The Black Cauldron feels slightly off, languid at time.

However, those lucky enough to see this on original release in all its 70mm glory were treated to the most visually stunning of all Disney movies in years. The looser, sketchier art which chracterised Disney features of the 1960s and 70s is replaced by a fuller, bolder animation style, recalling the Disney product of earlier decades. The extensive use of the multi-plane camera and effects animation, particularly effective use of light and shadow, giving the film a rich texture and lavish quality.

The Black Cauldron is fresh, experimental and edgy while retaining an old-school Disney feel. Its arresting visuals alone make it worthy of far more recognition than it receives; an underrated movie from an overlooked period in Disney history and one that I believe is long overdue for reassessment.

Visit my blog JINGLE BONES MOVIE TIME for a longer, more in-depth review of The Black Cauldron! Link below.