The Princess and the Goblin (Hungarian: A hercegnő és a kobold) is a 1991 animated fantasy film directed by József Gémes and written by Robin Lyons, an adaptation of George MacDonald's 1872 novel of the same name.

[5] When a peaceful kingdom is menaced by an army of monstrous goblins, a brave and beautiful princess joins forces with a resourceful peasant boy to rescue the noble king and all his people.

The lucky pair must battle the evil power of the wicked goblin prince armed only with the gift of song, the miracle of love, and a magical shimmering thread.

After Curdie shows the people of the kingdom how to fight the goblins — namely, by stomping their feet and singing — they manage to successfully chase them out of the castle.

Costing $10 million,[4] the film teamed producer/screenwriter Robin Lyons with director József Gémes (from 1975's Hugo the Hippo, 1982's Heroic Times and 1988's Willy the Sparrow).

[9] Coincidentally, this film's star Rik Mayall had been asked by Tim Rice to audition for The Lion King for the roles of Banzai, Zazu and Timon.

"[1] The New York Times wrote "If 'The Princess and the Goblin' is mildly diverting children's fare, its characters are not sharply focused visually or verbally.

[4][3] The Princess and the Goblin received a Seal of Approval from the Dove Foundation, and the Film Advisory Board's Award of Excellence.

The home video release included an advertisement in which an actress portraying Irene's grandmother offered children an emergency pre-paid phone card.

The card would allow children who were lost or in danger to make use of payphones to call for help, and also hear recorded messages from characters containing safety tips and advice.