The Black Hole

Rating:
Summary: Spectacular Parts...Unsatisfactory HOLE...
Review: THE BLACK HOLE could have been among the greatest sci-fi epics ever filmed. As it is...one expects much from Disney masters ...the film is flawed, but worthy entertainment with aspects and sequences that are nothing short of spectacular. John Barry's music combines with a stunning computer graphic display of a "mathematically" simulated BLACK HOLE menacingly swirling in the depths of deep space. It is a scary, awe inspiring moment that prods the viewer to "fasten his seat belt"; a plunge into the cosmic unknown is eminent. There are many such wonderous scenes. Invariably, they seem framed or suceeded with some of the most overtly goofy dialogue scripted. It's a shame because the story...implication...is cosmic, even ESCHATOLOGICAL. Maximilian Schell's presence is diabolically unnerving. He is a classy, mad scientist monster-mash of Morbius (Forbidden Planet); Captain Nemo (20,000 Leagues under the Sea); and Dr. Haber (the megalomanical, psychiatrist of Ursula Le Guinn's "Lathe of Heaven"). But he is made to say inane things at strategic moments lessening the horror and hubris of what he has done and become. ((He has slain an entire crew; and with physio-genetic engineering techniques that would make Dr. Frankenstein drool, created a cohort of humanoid-robot slaves who serve and...it is implied...worship him.))

This is heavy stuff. Perhaps the more Disney of the Disney directorate decided to back-off a full exploration of Dr. Reinhardt's murderous SELF-APOTHEOSIS. The rest of the Discovery team crew (Robert Forster; Anthony Perkins; Yvette Mimieux...who plays a pre-Star Trek telepath) are also "stiffed" by absurd dialogue with-- apparently required-- mild profanity sounding forced and silly. Combine these distractions with "video game" type laser-gun battles with numerous Robot formations and you seem a film...two films... in conflict with itself and dark themes. The mad-bad Doctor's ship, THE CYGNUS, is a star in its own right. It is a gothic marvel combining Captain Nemo's Nautilus with Frank Lloyd Wrong's architecture to create a very defiant City of Man in space. The final sequence of the BLACK HOLE...as the ship and its principals... good & bad, human & inhuman... are sucked into The Abyss...I found disturbing and a worthy pay-off to much distracting nonsense. It literally is a HELL of an ENDING. The viewer may not accept the metaphysics...never mind the physics...underpining THE BLACK HOLE. But it employs the full panoply of matte work; computer-generated fx/camera work (called ACES) and startling models of a star ship in the throws of cosmic apocalypse, to make portentous statements about Man; his place in The Universe and what happens if the former gets too big for The Very Grand Latter. Its BLACKNESS is incredibly spectacular in parts. But counterveiling forces...commercial; artistic; Hollywood/Anaheim moral...are too much ultimately rendering an unsatisfactory BlackWhole...

Rating:
Summary: Darker than most Disney fare
Review: Plot comparisons to 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea are inevitable, but here Disney also returns to disturbing themes it visited in its earliest, unapologetically terrifying animated features: here, as in Pinocchio, people are horrifically transformed and enslaved; here, as in Bambi, innocents are violently murdered; here, as in Fantasia's "Night On Bald Mountain" sequence, there is an unsettling vision of Hell.

But just as the earlier films offset their frightening moments with considerable charm and wit, The Black Hole counters its macabre elements with a kind of goofiness, especially in the stilted dialog. Nevertheless, there are philosophical questions to ponder here, questions about technology, genius, megalomania, and what the writers meant by lines like, "Some cause must have created all this, but what caused that cause?"

As with Star Wars, the most engaging performances are turned in by robots, though trouper Maximilian Schell does have some juicy turns as the lecherous mad scientist. The score is gripping, and other than a few wires that reveal themselves, the special effects are almost improbably stylish. Indeed, the sight of Ernest Borgnine jogging in a unitard is a special effect unto itself.

Rating:
Summary: A Journey that begins where everything ends!
Review: The cover of the box says it all! I am a real movie fanatic, especially in the realm of Disney, but I have to say that it took me quite a while before I actually saw this one. The most I knew of it was the puzzle and boardgame I had as a kid. The puzzle is long gone, but I still have the game, and I don't think the pieces have even been punched out yet! I had the Disney Channel, and once in a while it was one but I guess I never had the patience to sit through it. Eventually though, when I got older, I finally did, and it was amazing! I normally am not a fan of outer space stuff, with a few exceptions. I AM a real die hard Star Wars fan, but other than that it's unusual for me to be into alien/outer space stuff. I'm more into vampire/werewolf stuff along those lines, but this movie is one of those great exceptions! I've read a lot of reviews about this movie, most agree that this movie is worth watching because of certain redeeming qualities that counteract the bad qualities. I have to say that there are far less bad qualities than some reviewers will lead you to believe! You'd have to be nuts to complain about Roddy McDowall's Vincent character! The movie needed him! He was the only thing that lightened it up! Roddy McDowall is always a welcome member of any film's cast for me! And while I read in the Amazon review that the ending was corny, I can't believe that comment! I mean, that's what makes the whole movie worth it! The ending was so awesome! (if you haven't seen the movie, don't ruin it for yourself, skip my next few sentences! The stuff between the asterixes)******** The idea that Hell and Heaven were within the Black Hole made so much sense! And seeing the Captain in Hell with his robot was perfect!!! The ending to this movie was purely amazing!****** And for you Disney fans out there, the ones who LIVE to take yearly trips to Disney World, well I'm sure you, like me, like to think that every Disney ride represents, or rather was inspired by a particular movie. Well, there is no doubt that riding Space Mountain and watching this movie has a definitely similar feel! Anyway, just watch this movie, you'll enjoy yourself! And no duh it's like 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea! It was based on it! Don't believe that original story stuff Disney sometimes labels its movies with! Even the supposedly original Lion King was based on Shakespeare's Hamlet, and Lion King 2 on Romeo and Juliet! And A Bug's Life was purely a remake of Three Amigos! All good movies nevertheless. Enjoy!

Rating:
Summary: SPELLBINDING!
Review: Far and away the most worthwhile science-fiction film of the 1970's, and perhaps the most rewarding sci-fi experience since 2001.

Rating:
Summary: Atmosphere is key
Review: People say that interesting characters and a strong plot are the only things that truly matter in a movie. This is not true, especially in science fiction. How many people love the film ALIEN? I do; it's one of my all-time favorites. Now how many of us can say that the characters in that film were actually interesting? Of course they weren't...they were mundane. Yes, the acting was superb, but The Black Hole's acting isn't too bad, either. Schell and Forster are great, and Borgnine is fun to watch. The characters may be cardboard and the plot may be thin, but atmosphere holds the entire film together. The sets and matte paintings aren't just good- they're fantastic. Space has never looked so beautiful or mysterious. The Cygnus is hands-down the coolest ship ever on film (the Nostromo comes in second). It's bright on the outside, and dark and gloomy on the inside; you really have to see it for yourself. Both the Sentry robots and the humanoids go well with the ship; the cloaked humanoids were especially creepy, and the scenes that revolved around them were handled expertly. I especially loved the scene where the captain explored the crew's chambers- John Barry's score fit in perfectly. And that Max is one heck of an awesome creation. The final twenty minutes are both entertaining and full of suspense. Perkins' death, the rolling meteor, and the moody journey through heaven and hell are very memorable. So- is the dialogue dumb? Yes. Are the cute robots out of place? Yes. Is the plot thin and predictable? Yes. But this movie is so full of atmosphere, great music, weird visions, and incredible visuals that all that is forgotten. Go see it- it's really quite something else.

Rating:
Summary: A Classic Space Opera from Walt Disney World
Review: Granted that the phenomenal success of Star Wars made major movie studios realize that science fiction movies were successful and bankable, if not profitable. The same could be said about the success of such film like Logan's Run-The Movie, Close Encounters Of the Third Kind, ALIEN, and Blade Runner. The studios in question immediately jumped on the sci-fi bandwagon. and managfed to come out with movies that were successful in some areas and not so successful in others. Basically movies with shlockey plots, cardboard characters, etc. However, some movies that were not so successful at first ended up becoming successful in the end. Despite its delay in entering the mainstream, Disney's first PG rated movie and space opera is a fine example of such a success story.

Despite its overtones of Jules Verne's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, and the 1956 classic Forbidden Planet, as well as its darker themes, The Black Hole is a very enjoyable and entertaining family film that has an outstanding cast. Academy-Award nominee Robert Forster, Joseph Bottoms, Yvette Mimiuex, Oscar winners Ernest Borgnine and Maximillian Schell, and the late Anthony Perkins, British actor Roddy McDowall, and Slim Pickens. The special effects are superb, the sets, and costumes are extraordinary, the soundtrack is haunting and memorable. It's ending is mindblowing and cerebral, if not religous in a way. And its plot is as solid as a rock. Definately worth viewing for those interested in Disney films and the science fiction genre. It may have been influenced by Star Wars, but it is still worth watching.

Trvia note-Actress Jennifer O'Neill was originally lined up for the role of Katherine McCrae, but due to an auto accident, she was replaced by Yvette Mimiuex.

Yvette Mimieux's husband is director Stanley Donan, who directed a science fiction film released a year later, about a killer robot. That film was none other than ITC Entertainment Group's Saturn 3.

Rating:
Summary: Great looking DVD
Review: As others have mentioned, this is a flawed film. It really tries to be too many things to too many people. On one hand, it's got that great "Disney" live-action feel--a similar classic sci-fi plot and mood as found in their great 1954 film version of "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea". It also tries to appeal to the Star Wars crowd, with great fx laser battles, and (unsuccessfully)"cute" robots. At the same time, it gives us a "2001" type ending, heavy on symbolism.

I was looking for a great space movie for my first DVD player, and I was very satisfied with this one. Despite the flaws, this movie has fantastic atmosphere--enhanced by the combination of awe-inspiring FX and a magnificent John Barry score. Even with the clunky dialogue and overly cute robots, this movie really captures the awe and wonder that a great sci-fi movie should. If this movie failed in some respects, at least it failed in the attempt of greatness in the best tradition of classic sci-fi, which cannot be said about most sci-fi movies out today. The picture and sound of this DVD are awesome--this is the kind of movie that makes you really appreciate DVD technology.

Rating:
Summary: Even today, hard to beat...!
Review: Well, this is a strange movie, but a very good one. The story is great, very good FX, good music, and remarkable ambience... Even if you compare the dated special effects (since 1979) you will realize that are very good done... In special the oustanding black hole... (There are some obvius mistakes: a real balck hole is invisible, the people exposed to the empty space die, the meteors move fast and nothing human made could "drive" one: like the big one which run inside the Cygnus...) That mistakes, and some little bugs on the picture never take away your attention from this good movie... Simply: a must have.

Rating:
Summary: AHEAD OF IT'S TIME
Review: Like most other reviewers- I havn't seen this movie in twenty years or so. I was suprised that the special effects did not look "dated" (the black hole, meteors,ect.) Maximilian the robot is terrifying. An all star cast and excellent special effects make this movie worthwhile. This will make up for the very disturbing and confusing ending.

Rating:
Summary: Uncle Walt makes a Doozy!
Review: Disney really pushed the envelope on this unique space opera that was waaaay ahead of its time. This movie fronts a killer (and expensive) cast whose talents pretty much pale when placed up against the backdrop of such exquisite production design, mesmerizing robots, and sheer staggering scope of "The Black Hole." The basic story was pinched in "Event Horizon," wherein a black hole turns out to be the gate to Hell! Whoa! Uncle Walt musta' been spinnin' in his grave for this one!