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The Black Hole
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Additional DVD options | Edition | Discs | Price | New from | Used from |
DVD
July 23, 2002 "Please retry" | — | — |
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| $24.99 | $3.77 |
DVD
March 30, 1999 "Please retry" | — | 1 |
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| — | $4.99 |
DVD
August 3, 2004 "Please retry" | — | 1 |
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| — | — |
Watch Instantly with | Rent | Buy |
Purchase options and add-ons
Genre | ACTION, Action/Adventure, LIVE |
Format | Color, NTSC, Anamorphic, Multiple Formats, Subtitled |
Contributor | Gary Nelson, Joseph Bottoms, Tommy McLoughlin, Robert Forster, Roddy McDowall, Slim Pickens, Ernest Borgnine, Story By Jeb Rosebrook, Bob Barbash, And Richard L, Yvette Mimieux, Maximilian Schell, Anthony Perkins, Screenplay By Jeb Rosebrook And Gerry Day See more |
Language | English |
Runtime | 1 hour and 38 minutes |
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Product Description
The U.S.S. Cygnus is perched precariously at the edge of a black hole -- the vast, empty nothingness where space and time end. Anything that crosses its border enters a universe of the complete unknown. And so begins a story that only Disney's film magicians could tell. A story of robots and humanoids. Of human genius and madness. And a spectacular descent into nature's ultimate mystery -- The Black Hole.|The film was originally titled SPACE PROBE ONE.
Product details
- Aspect Ratio : 2.35:1
- Is Discontinued By Manufacturer : No
- MPAA rating : PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
- Product Dimensions : 0.7 x 7.5 x 5.4 inches; 1.6 ounces
- Item model number : Relay Time: 98 min
- Director : Gary Nelson
- Media Format : Color, NTSC, Anamorphic, Multiple Formats, Subtitled
- Run time : 1 hour and 38 minutes
- Release date : August 3, 2004
- Actors : Maximilian Schell, Anthony Perkins, Robert Forster, Joseph Bottoms, Yvette Mimieux
- Subtitles: : French
- Language : Spanish, French, Unqualified, English (Dolby Digital 5.1)
- Studio : WALT DISNEY PICTURES
- ASIN : B0001I55SS
- Writers : Screenplay By Jeb Rosebrook And Gerry Day, Story By Jeb Rosebrook, Bob Barbash, And Richard L
- Number of discs : 1
- Best Sellers Rank: #2,388 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
- #35 in Science Fiction DVDs
- #231 in Action & Adventure DVDs
- Customer Reviews:
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Ok Looking at it threw a 39 year old's eyes. The visual impact was still there, it still had me going about how they could do something like this in 1979 but not in 2010.This whole movie had around i think 3 minutes of computer generated graphics, as a warm up for Tron that came out next year i have read. everything was model and live action. The cast was there, Maximilian Schell, Robert Forster, Joseph Bottoms, Yvette Mimieux, Anthony Perkins, Ernest Borgnine, and the robots voiced by Roddy McDowall and Slim Pickens, and for what ever reason there names appeared no were on the credits. One thing is for sure, you can not mistake Slim Pickens voice! The big hang up sadly was the plot. It was a as cheesy as cheesy can be. This i was suprised in. Guess i did not remember it like that the first time around or when it was shown on HBO years later. Another thing i am still impressed with in this movie is the fact that it was what is now called the old studio way of doing a movie. Nothing, not one single set, or anything about this movie was done out side of the walt disney studio. There are rumors flying around that they wanted Lucas's new Industrial Light and Magic (ILM) to do the special effect's. But ILM was booged down with the second star wars movie the empire strikes back. And the other rumor states that Lucas wanted to much money. I think these are just that, Rumor's.
The film is directed by Gary Nelson. Who had done a lot of the Disney live action movies we all know and love. He also played the part of the unhooded robot. Producer Peter Ellenshaw had his way when it came to Walt Disney movies. He had been with them for a long time and had a proven track record. In a book on him that is long out of print, it was released in mid 1980, there was a long chapter about the black hole. He said more than once that the studio had what he needed to make the movie in house. He said the only thing they never planned right was the budget, it went far beyond anyone's wildest dream's to recreate everything that they once had to make the movie, and the people they had to pull out of retirment that knew what was needed to be done, Peter Ellenshaw was one who got pulled out of retirement for the film. The Budget for this one movie was 26 Million dollars. 6 million of that was for advertising the movie. So 20 million on a movie was a big jump in 1978 when it was being made. Star wars had a 3 million dollar budget. ANd i think the Black Hole earned over 50 million in it's release. Probaly a lot more since being on TV, VHS and DVD. Wish Disney would do a blu ray version and fix some flaws of the original, Lucas did it was his re release of the star wars movies on DVD. And that went over with fans pretty good.
I Still give it 5 stars for the "WOW" factor. And i give the "Overture" opening music composed by John Berry 5 stars as well.
Enter 'The Black Hole', Disney's 1979 entrance to Sci-Fi. I remember watching this as a boy when it hit the theatre and was excited to get the DVD, mostly for nostalgia reasons, and re-living what I consider a great 'story'. But after watching this DVD I had mixed emotions.
On the pro side, I was thrilled to take part in viewing this once again, and was reminded why The Black Hole stuck with me all these years, even after other more popular and big-budgeted action space action thrillers came and went (ex: Krull, Battle Beyond the Stars)...it was the story. Sure there was some flat dialogue, and some plot struggles, but overall it was a pure space fantasy movie. A small group of explorers and their sidekick robot, Vincent (Disney's hybrid version of R2-D2 and C-3PO), are on an exploratory mission of uncharted space when they discover a black hole. Upon investigation they discover the USS Cygnus, a very large space carrier thought to have been lost many years ago along with its crew. Our explorers soon discover that the Cygnus is still inhabited after all these years, by a lone surviving scientist and his very imposing robot, Maximillian (painted devil red). Other robots and faceless androids are on board, and soon our explorers uncover a more sinister plot. Our lone scientist has gone slightly mad, will not let our explorers leave the ship, the crew never abandoned ship as first explained, and now our scientist wants to take the Cygnus through the black hole to the other side, perhaps to become a god himself.
Throughout the story, we are given clues to what is really happening, and the surprise revelations towards the climax are reminiscent of what Rod Serling may have wrote. All in all a good family adventure, without too much violence (it is implied however,...this is Disney), no swearing, nice large sets and a good diversity of characters.
The cons: Even after the success of Star Wars and Star Trek, it seems Disney rushed this movie to completion with little money spent on special effects. Though the movie was made in '79, it looks as if it was made way before Star Wars or Trek just on the camp value alone. At times it reminded me of the 60's TV series Lost in Space, or the original Disney 20,000 Leagues. Also, it is quite apparent that the lasers are pure animation as are their affects, some of the sets though large look cheap, lighting and fog machines are used in situations that are kinda atrocious, and probably my biggest complaint: you can SEE all the wires holding the robots in just about every scene. That in itself is unforgivable given the fact other movies at that time and movie making techniques were advanced enough to hide them.
I do not believe the transfer was re-mastered. Throughout the movie there is noticeable frame flecks and graininess at times. The sound does not appear to be enhanced either so I'd say the over all quality is no better than the original VHS release. There are also virtually no extras: 1 theatrical trailer and a very boring picture gallery. All this gallery contains is scanned production shots and numerous variations of release posters. Nothing too much to really wow the viewer. Considering this is sorta a cult classic film some interviews or production notes are a no-brainer, but sadly not included.
Hate to sound too negative here, but it is a must for your collection if you enjoy good science fiction stories and can safely share this with you family.
Top reviews from other countries
I saw the 'Black Hole' twice in it's first week of release in 1979. I loved almost everything about it - the darkness, the Cygnus, the look, the music. I didn't like Vincent or Old Bob, but it is Disney, after all.
All these years later this film is massively overdue a general Blu Ray release. Disney Club USA have just released it for members only (catch them on ebay while they last), but there seems no indication of a general Blu Ray release yet. This film is begging for one, with some quality restoration involved.
As for the film itself, I think part of the problem is that it was made by Disney, and seen as an attempt to cash in on the post-Star Wars space opera bandwagon. It's often overlooked that the storyline was first mooted by Disney around 1974, under the name 'Space Probe One' (which Cygnus is referred to when the crew of the Palomino first discover it). Because of the Disney banner it is assumed it is a family film, and much of Disney's own marketing indicates this - look at all the children-oriented books that accompanied it.
But take a step back from the brink, stop looking at the Disney banner, and what do you see? You see the most destructive force in the universe unleashed without restraint. No, not the Black Hole, but man. And one specific man in this case - Dr Hans Reinhardt. A brilliant scientist who persuaded someone to build a spaceship that is incredible - a gothic mansion in space. It's hard to imagine how much this would have cost if it had actually been built. Beyond billions surely?
Reinhardt's mission was deemed a failure and he was recalled. Only he refused to return. His crew wanted to go home and so they mutinied. Reinhardt defeated them and lobotimised them all, retaining them as slaves - dressed in medieval gowns and with masks to cover their faces. He created a fleet of robots, led by the sinister Maximillian (who clearly never read any Isaac Asimov). They stay in their own gravitational bubble, preparing to travel through the enormous Black Hole nearby. Reinhardt will stop at nothing to execute his plans and has no concerns for any human factors that may get in the way. Amoral scientist or psychopath? Or both?
Does it still sound like Disney? Or a family film? I don't think so.
There is so much more to this film, and if you can get past most of the wooden acting (not Maximillian Schell) and the cute good guy robots, it is enormously fun and rewarding. It is also one of the most beautifully executed space films ever made. It is stunning to look at and a masterpiece of design. To compare it to Star Wars or anything similar is ludicrous. It's in space, but that's where the similarities end. This is more like 'The Old Dark House'.
Reinhardt is not so very different from a man like Dr Joseph Mengele - both 'men of science' who are able to operate outside the parameters of inhibited, respectable society with no constraints on their work. And, uncomfortably, they both produce results that, ultimately, enhance human knowledge. Very dark.
And there is much more. Watch it again without your Disney blinkers on and really sink into it. And remember, 'Forbidden Planet' is considered a sci-fi classic. But the acting is equally wooden and it also has a cute robot (albeit slightly different).
A classic film, highly enjoyable and long overdue a general release on Blu Ray.