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The Black Hole

The Black Hole

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: the not so Disney movie
Review: Even if Disney was involved in this movie, i find it different from Disney's sf movies. This movie is of course older than old, but if you like old style sf, it is for you. As in every Disney movie, this one contains explicite symbolic scenes to show what happends in the minds... until you fear Maximilian.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Deep In Space It Gets Even Deeper & Deeper!
Review: The Black Hole was Disney's attempt in 1979 to get on the space band wagon after the release of Star Wars in 1977. The movie overall has a slow pace. But because of the interesting visuals - its not a hard thing to watch.

Technically it is a fantastic film. Peter Ellenshaw's graphics, illustrations and designs are wonderful. The ships are very detailed and the costumes - fit, but clever.

The characters that stand out are Ernest Borgnine's troublesome personality as well as Yvette Mimoux. My favorite is by far, was the vocalizations of Roddy McDowell as V.I.N.CENT (Vital Information Necessary Centralized).

The main bridge set was incredible and the robot Maximillian was very scary. The story is simple and not very detailed, but the movie overall was fun. The music is the best. A great score by John Barry. I loved the soundtrack.

The DVD extra's are cool too. The behind the scenes with cast and crew are fun and detailed. This one is a must for the Sci-Fi fan.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: 5 Stars For Two Scenes
Review: If you saw this as a kid, the two scenes you remember still hold up quite well - albeit in a giggly way now - including the sight of that big ol' nasty fireball crashing down through the ship and the finale, when we take a "trip" through the black hole, hands-down one of the looniest trance-out "movie rides" you're likely to experience. As for the rest of the movie, pure garbage. Rent it, go to the chapter list, play the scenes that hooked you as a kid. You weren't wrong (you were just wrong about the rest of it)

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: a strange film
Review: this film was done just to get money out of the star wars hype and it shows that not much planning in a creating a good script was there. i would put it in the camp status, but it really isnt campy enough to laugh at. it just isnt that good a film.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Disney's Space Epic
Review: A little independent film called STAR WARS came out in 1997 and paved the way for other science fiction adventures. Disney chose as their effort a re-working of their own film version 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. But this time, the amazing scientist is not Captain Nemo aboard the Nautilus. Now we have Max Reinhart aboard the Cygnus. And what a ship the Cygnus is...

The production values here are wonderful especially during an exciting meteor shower. Other highpoints in the film is the evil hench-robot Maximillian who to this day is one of the most menacing of science fiction machines. The animated black Hole itself is another special effect that stands up even today and all of this is surrounded by John Barry's luscious Adventure Score.

But, this film also has some of the stiffest dialogue and performances in recent memory as well as 2 droids designed for maximum toy sell ability. These elements and a deadly pacing mar the film for all but extreme Disney fans, Sci-fi fans, and young children. Still it is nice to have this on DVD.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Ever notice...
Review: ...that V.I.N.C.E.N.T. (who, as most people here have noted, is about the cutest robot since that little bugger from STAR WARS) looks a LOT like Eric Cartman of South Park fame? Wonder if Matt Stone and Trey Parker planned that...?

In any case, I like this movie. I just finished watching it and I have to say that though it scared the bejeezus out of me as a child (and is probably the flashpoint of my panic disorder..). I mean, really! It was a children's movie that had corpses spring up from the bottom of the screen, glimpses of Heaven and Hell, and the isolation of being flung to the far side of the universe (presumably) away from everything one has ever known. That's a lot foe a kid to take in.. especially from a Disney movie. After this "Altered Staes" seemed tame.

I view The Black Hole as a sort of homage (pronounced "OHM-ahzh" in the snooty French way) to classic Space Operas such as 2001 (which as great as it is, it's also one of the most elongated, boring movies ever made), Space: 1999, and Forbidden Planet. The Black Hole draws from the dated costuming, awkward (yet, at the time, trendy) "space" vocabulary, archetypal characterization (which does encompass wooden acting and somewhat trance-like line delivery) high-tech weaponry and robots-as-sentient-personalities that made the Space Operas a lasting American Institution. Yay.

I don't understand the ending at all.. I'm not sure anyone does, but it certainly plays along with the rest of the movie - philosophical quotes (don't you LOVE V.I.N.C.E.N.T.?? He's like the best part of the movie!), footnotes, scientific (and somewhat fantastical) theories and dropped plots (just what was that "Protect me from Maximillian" line all about?). Yum!

All-in-all, The Black Hole is classic sci-fi stuff - confused, bizzare, lacking plot goals all considered - I will watch it again and again.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Slightly above average DVD
Review: Well the most I can say about this DVD is that it;s a new print and both the picture and sound are quite good. regretfully this DVD does not have much else in the way of features. No movie trailer, or production notes, and is presented both in standard version on one side and widescreen on the other.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Disney's Attempt At STAR WARS
Review: This was Disney's attempted foray into the craze created by the film that was STAR WARS.

Disney had better stick to animated flicks.

Robert Forester and Joseph Bottoms, along with Maximillian Schell, star in this dreadfully paced story of space travellers (with no express purpose to be in space except to study a nearby black hole) who happen across the Cygnus, a magnificent ship that disappeared 20 or so years previously. Immediately, the astute viewer notices that the Cygnus (the old ship) appears far more futuristic than the later spaceship ... but forgive me my astuteness.

What follows is a maddened race against time for our space adventurers to escape the clutches of the ..Schell, who intends on piloting the Cygnus into the very heart of the black hole.

The film is worth seeing for Disney and sci fi afficianados. The special effects are eye-catching, with several impressive sequences. But the floating versions (speaking and with a Disney sense of humor, nonetheless) of R2-D2 should've inspired a [impersonation] ..of galactic proportions.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: REMEMBER WHEN IT WAS MADE
Review: THE MOVIE IS REALLY NOT SO GREAT, BUT IT'S REALLY NOT SO BAD EITHER. I GUESS YOU JUST HAVE TO REMEMBER WHEN IT WAS MADE TO UNDERSTAND WHY IT ISN'T AS TECHNICAL AS IT COULD HAVE BEEN. THEY PUSH THIS AS A KID'S MOVIE AND MANY OF US SAW IT AS KIDS... DOWNRIGHT SCARY!!!!!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Good to have in your collection
Review: Like many of these 70's sci-fi movies, this one had been crying out for a new release, especially with DVD coming along. The transfer is very good, with a good digital soundtrack, but the widescreen version is not anamorphic in the current edition which is a pity.

There is a lot of good special effects work, and some very impressive sets. The sombre tone is very effective, and Professor Rheinhart comes across very well. However, in my view the stilted dialogue and wooden performances by the other actors (and robots) come close to spoiling it. I tend to watch it with an ear closed to most of the talking.

These films are unique of course, and it's good to know they're better preserved now.


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