The Boston Globe from Boston, Massachusetts • 92

HOLLYWOOD TURNS FROM USUAL SEX VIOLENCE TO TRY A 'NEW MARKET The special effects are extraordinary even if the story can't match the original. "The Black Cauldron." based "The Chronicles of Prydain" series by Lloyd Alexander, also was denied a because of the cartoon's potential to frighten the very young. At a cost of close to $25 million, this production is the most ambitious animated production since "Pinocchio." according to producer Joe Hale. A "Black Cauldron" press release describes the film as "The heroic saga of a young boy named Taran who Disney's animated film The Black left, debuts and Steven Spielberg's The returns war fa Frims? J' 3r must prevent the evil Horned King from gaining possession of the Black Cauldron, a mysterious force capable of producing an army of supernatural warriors." Presumably, the Disney animators have returned from their anti-villain period represented by "The Jungle Hook." "We realized that some of the more recent animated films from Disney lacked the strong villain character that characterized 'Snow White," 'Pinocchio' and the other classic Disney animated films." said Hale, in an interview at the Disney Studios when "Cauldron" was in production. "We wanted logo back and really do state-of-the-art animation with a strong, powerful story that combined music, comedy and thrills." For extremely conservative parents, there remains a pair of G-raled movies for their enjoyment.

The re-release of "E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial" is a guaranteed hit. The mythic story of the tiny creature who came to Earth with powers and abilities far beyond those of normal aliens struck the same fantastic chord as "The Wizard of Oz" in its depiction of the classic theme of a journey fraught with danger. Big Bird hits the big screen in "Sesame Street Presents: Follow Thai Bird." For fans of the long-running television program, (he supporting cast includes Oscar the Grouch. Gro-vcr. Snuffelufagus.

Bert. Ernie, the Count and other Sesame Street regulars. These characters have been around so long that some young parents might get a touch of nostalgia. A new family, called the Dodo family, is introduced and in perhaps (he film's funniest touch, they have two children named Donny and Marie. The 4-year-old I saw it with sat transfixed throughout the entire movie and didn't even ask for popcorn.

So. for those parents who complain that there are not enough children's films, this summer should put them to the lest. If the parent's demands gets translated into box office dollars, then Hollywood will continue to produce more family films. If not. the filmmakers will probably return to the sex and violence formula that has previously spelled big bucks.

"and it only cost about $10 million so we should make our money back." Agreeing with Spielberg's assessment. Universal decided to keep a low marketing profile. But when audiences of adults and children flocked to the theaters. Universal started to take on! larger ads and doubled its promotion budget. Now, under the partial influence of I he "Care Bears" phenomenon, the marketing arrangements are changing.

"We think 'The Black Cauldron' is a family film, not a just a children's film." said a Disney executive. "We also think that it will join the other great Disney animated classics and become a hit for generation after generation. Because of that, we'll be supporting it with a first-rate marketing campaign." For several years. G-rated movies such as "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" and "The Muppets Take Manhattan" would play full runs for a couple of weeks. Then, exhibitors would banish them to matinees and run an adult film at night.

Tin's procedure may also change if the rated films prove profitable. "The key is for the movies, no mailer what the rating, to attract a wide audience," he said. Even some PG movies should al-tract a solid cross-section of the audience. Ron Howard's PG-rated "Cocoon." a heartwarming story of a group of elders who discover a fountain of youth, brims with just the right mix of fantasy and reality. Howard, who proved he could handle this explosive combination in "Splash," does an admirable job in making the unbelievable believable.

Except for a scene of brief nudity and a couple of tame curses, the movie is completely acceptable for the entire family. "Ever since the PG-13 rating came out. the PG movies have become tamer." said Howard, in a recent interview. "The softer sex and violence films have been moved into the new category while the PG movies have become closer to the films. As a father.

I was never sure about the PG category before but now 1 know it's safe." Disney's "Return to Oz." another PG entry, presumably missing a rating because of some frightening scenes, is actually no more scary than "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs." in the planning stages for at least two years," said a spokesman for Universal Studios, distributors of "E.T." "Spielberg wanted to re-release during the summer of 1985 instead of selling it to the television, pay TV or cassette markets. Of course, we think transcends the rating system. We expect it to increase its lead as the most profitable film ever made." At Disney Studios. "The Black Cauldron" has been in production for 10 years. "We're hardly following a trend," said a Disney spokesman.

"We've been aiming this film at this summer's market for more than a year." Although the success of "The Care Bears Movie" may not be the motivation behind the release of this summer's movies, it may influence the marketing campaigns. The promotion of G-rated films always has been minimal. Even "E.T." was originally planned as a "minor" Universal release. During an 1983 interview, director Steven Spielberg didn't think "E.T." had much of a chance to be a crossover film. "It should do well with the kids." he said, By Michael Blowen While 'Rambo" blasts its way to the top of the box office charts, parents are desperate to find movies more suitable for children.

Well, the wait is over. After a long period of neglect, the family film is making a comeback. Last year, for example, "The Mup-pets Take Manhattan" was the only rated film released. This summer, the re-issue of "E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial" and "Sesame Street Presents: Follow That Bird" are bo.th rated G. Surprisingly, Disney's new animated film, "The Black Cauldron," is rated PG.

According to several Hollywood sources, there are a multitude of reasons for this rebirth. "The success of 'The Care Bears Movie' has inspired other studios to follow the lead," said a spokesman for The Samuel Goldwyn Company, distributor of "Care Bears." The extended animated television show has grossed more than $22 million so far. But other sources deny that the surprising success of "Care Bears" has anything to do with this summer's crop. "All these films have been 2 PS 3 Mi. 7 'ivi'H is CoZ'-- him rnH:.