Rating: 
Summary: yeah, well...
Review: This is the earliest film I remember seeing... Growing up, we didn't have a lot of movies at home, and living in Europe at the time, the television didn't have the greatest selection, so I would watch this and its sequal over and over and over and over and over again, never tiring of it. The first piece of music I ever learned to play was from the soundtrack to this film... It's simply beautiful. The horse is amazing; Cass Ole started my lifelong love for horses, and I still believe that horses are the most majestic animals there are, with the greatest spirit. Maybe I'm just a bit biased, but hey, that's what you get when you watch the races at the end so many countless times. I only read the book a decade or so after seeing the movie, and although the book is a great children's book too, I think the movie version is more suitable (ironically enough) for older viewers. Like the other reviewers mentioned, the scenery, the soundtrack, the whole direction (who can forget the moment where the Black goes to Alec for the first time and accepts the seaweed, (or whatever it was)... I only wish I had been able to see it in the theaters.
Rating: 
Summary: A boy and his horse
Review: Like "Fly Away Home," this movie isn't for audiences impatient with a slow pace: except for the shipwreck and the climactic race scene, most of it moves along in an almost leisirely fashion. And as has been mentioned, it makes the character of Alec Ramsey much younger than he was in the original book. Homeward bound on an ocean liner with his father from an unspecified journey in 1946, he is entranced by a fighting black stallion being carried aboard the ship by a group of Arabs. When the liner is wrecked, he helps the horse escape its stall, then grabs hold of its trailing ties to save himself in the churning waters. He awakens on a rocky island, where he soon finds that his only company is the horse. After "the Black" kills a cobra menacing him, the two become friends and playmates: soon Alec is riding bareback down the beach by day, pillowing his head on the horse's side by night. Rescued by Portuguese fishermen and returned to the US, they fall in with former race trainer Henry Dailey, who confirms the Black's true speed, arranges for a racing columnist to see him in action, and prepares them to take part in a three-way match race with the country's two greatest racers.Reno's biography gives his age as 13 at the time of release, but he looks closer to 10. The child of ranchers, he had been riding most of his life, and almost certainly did all his own horseback sequences (definitely the bareback ones on the island, which were probably the hardest). (IMDB lists the chief trainer as Bud Reno, possibly his father or older brother.) There's an almost mystical quality to the island sequences, and several memorable scenes, including Alec's father playing poker with a motley group of passengers (who put down stakes as strangely assorted as themselves), the Black's infuriated response to the incursion of a garbage collector on the Ramsey back yard where he's been temporarily lodged, his frantic gallop through the streets of the commercial district, and, of course, the racing scenes--from Belmont during a pouring nighttime rain, when the Black is invisible and your only hint of his presence is the distant rhythm of his hooves, to Santa Anita during the match race. The music might have been more majestic (I can't help wondering what Goldsmith would have done with it), and the pace isn't for everyone. But as a movie about "solitude, interdependence, survival, and achievement," as an IMDB.com reviewer expresses it, it's definitely a classic.
Rating:
Summary: A beautiful horse, a beautiful story, and a beautiful film
Review: "The Black Stallion" is one of those films that you will stop and watch when you are flipping through channels. Of course this time around I was struck by the scene where young Alec (Kelly Reno) asks old Henry Dailey (Mickey Rooney) if there are any jockeys good enough to ride the Black (Cass-Ole), and he tells the boy about George Woolf, "The Ice Man." I am sure everybody who has seen "Seabiscuit," a strong possibility since we are talking about another great movie about a horse, made the same connection and looked at the match race that the Mystery Horse is added to at the end of this 1979 film in a different light. I was also struck by the irony that Mickey Rooney, who was always the perfect size for a jockey, is in two of the greatest horse movies of all time (the other being "National Velvet" if for some reason you need to be told that bit of cinematic history), and in both he watches some kids ride to glory. Rooney was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for this role and no doubt his performance jogged the memory of the Academy enough that three years later he was given his honorary Oscar for his lifetime achievement in films. Alce is traveling on a ship with his father (Hoyt Axton) and the wide-eyed boy tacks in the exotic passengers, the high-stakes poker game his father spends all his time playing, and, most of all, the wild and beautiful black horse in the cargo hold. The boy has been sneaking the horse sugar cubes and when the ship is sunk by a storm, the horse rescues Alex and the two end up on lonely beach. There Alex, with all the time in the world, tames the horse and rides him up and down the shore, his arms flung wild in the joy of racing throw the sand and water. When the boy and his black stallion are rescued, they return home, and Alec meet Henry, a former trainer, who soon realizes what the boy already knows. This horse is something special and so is this movie. Most every one agrees that this is a beautiful film, and a lot of the credit goes to director Carroll Ballard (who also made "Fly Away Home") and cinematographer Caleb Deschanel (who, surprisingly, was not nominated for an Oscar for his work here but has been since then for "The Right Stuff," "The Natural," "Fly Away Home," and "The Patriot"). But I have to wonder how much of the credit also goes to Melissa Mathison & Jeanne Rosenberg and William D. Wittliff (I love how they do writing credits in films) who adapted Walter Farley's novel. Maybe they are not the ones who stripped a lot of the dialogue away, but whoever did contributed to the powerful effect this film has on viewers because there are so many key scenes where you do not have to listen to words and can just let your eyes feast on the images. The boy racing his horse along the shore, watching the starting point on the race track at night in the rain why waiting for the Black to complete a lap, and, of course, the big match race at the end, where thundering down the home stretch the boy, the horse, and the viewer are literally transported back to the beach where they became one. My pet theory remains, that most people truly fall in love with one horse in their lifetime. For some it is a horse they actually own and get to ride, and for others it is a real racing horse. For me it has always been Secretariat, a love born watching Big Red blow away the field on the back stretch in winning the final leg of the Triple Crown. But for others that horse can appear on the silver screen and whether we are talking the Black Stallion or the Pie from "National Velvet," or even the latest entry in the field, Seabiscuit, there remains for each of us that one special horse.
Rating:
Summary: The Best Horse Movie Ever Made
Review: It is with great pleasure I can tell you that I have sat through nearly every horse movie ever made and that "The Black Stallion" is still the best one I have ever seen. Not just the best horse movie, but overall the best movie to use horses in a significant role. Every aspect of the film is superlative; the casting, the acting, the adaptation to screenplay, the music, the sounds, the editing, the characterization and most especially, the cinematography. But the real genius of the film lies in director Carroll Ballard's exquisite ability to render his main character, namely the black stallion himself, on the screen. As a horse person myself, I am sensitive to how any films portrays its equine actors. Errors in horse characterization, handling, ability and expression are immediately apparent. This film does not have any. Every time the horse is onscreen, his performance is flawless. His reactions and expressions in any given scene are perfect. Credit, of course, goes to Corky Randall, who so beautifully trained his animals and also to the superb decision to cast Kelly Reno and Mickey Rooney, natural horsemen themselves, into the main human roles.
In what other movie does the chosen actor have the ability to ride his equine counterpart at full speed without bridle or saddle? In what other movie is the horse actor a stallion well trained enough to permit a child to be astride them without any means of control? In the real world of horses, a stallion of such training and temperment and a rider of such ability is astouding. To see it in a movie is so wonderful and so validating to genuine horse-men and -women; a film that captures true horsemanship as no other has done since. One need only look to "The Horse Whisperer," a film which decided to use an experienced stunt horse as the main horse actor - a plain chestnut Quarter horse gelding - instead of going to the trouble of finding a suitable black bay Morgan gelding to play the role. Or to the most recent of the "Black Beauty" films, who also had a black gelding playing the title role - but another Quarter horse instead of the Thoroughbreed breed the role was based on. Or even to the well done "Seabiscuit" whose main human actor was not a horseman at all and whose onscreen mount was therefore a very calm, plain animal who came across on screen as dull and characterless. Tremendous credit goes out to the filmmakers for making the effort to secure animals who would fit the role so well - actual black arabian stallions. Most would not have had the courage, preferring to work with geldings who are so much more predictable in temperment, or with any breed of horse with the necessary color and training to make the role. Seeing as how rare the black color is in the arabian breed, it would have been tempting. Indeed, in their worldwide search, trainer Corky Randall did chose a black arabian, Cass-Ole, but had to dye the stallion's 4 white socks and the star on his forehead for the movie; in the close shots, you can see the white star under the makeup if you look closely enough. Fae-Jur, the main double for the film, was rumored to not even be a true black, but a dark grey who had to be dyed extensively to play the role. One of the prime examples of the film's genius is the scene in which Alec and "The Black" first become friends. The film shows Fae-Jur, who played that portion of the scene, retreating each time the boy walks toward him, then advancing each time he walks away. By degrees of advance and retreat is Alec finally able to get close to the horse. Such behavior mimics a horse's natural response perfectly; indeed, the modern horse gentling technique popularized by Monty Roberts is built on just such a principle. Here it is replayed on screen, 17 years beforehand. But that is not the full wonder of it; it is how Fae-Jur acts his part that is so astounding. The horse does not simply walk forward and backwards - he jigs, he circles, he rears, he tosses his head. In short, he is a gorgeously trained animal obeying his off-screen commands but displaying the high spirits and impatience typical of a healthy horse being put through a difficult series of steps; obedient but with powerful character. On film, this highly charged personality mimics perfectly the anxiety and anger of a wild stallion trying to cope with coming close to a being he regards with suspicion. The film gets my highest recommendation for both adults and children. Some may be frustrated by the artistic slant of the story - it rolls past like a dream, especially the island sequences. Children who have read the book may be disappointed by any changes they perceive in the story. But the film is quite simply a masterpiece of storytelling - of children, of animals, or otherwise.
Rating:
Summary: The Black Stallion
Review: This is a great story for kids of all ages. I'm so glad that the DVD is available because I've clear worn through my VHS copy! I've taught myself to draw on this movie thanks to the haunting island images and the heart-pounding race scene. I've seen this movie more than a 100 times since my parents bought it for me as a child and my pulse always skyrockets during the race. What kid wouldn't want to be Alec Ramsey? I don't know how many times I wished the Black would show up at my grammar school and whisk me away to adventures beyond the Chicago streets. The movie was beautifully filmed and I can't believe that it was not awarded an Oscar nomination for Cinematography (all it got I believe were nominations for Best Supporting Actor - well deserved! - and Best Film Editing -?!-). The island was wonderfully shown, forbidding at times, haunting at others. The scene when the Black and Alec meet for the first time never fails to bring a smile to my face: what wonderful training! Kudos to the trainers of Cass Ole! That horse should have gotten a nomination... The story follows pretty closely to the book, aside from the fact that, in the book, Alec is visiting an uncle, and not on a trip with his father. Still, everything from the island on seems pretty right on. Mickey Rooney was great: the crotchety ol' trainer convinced to return to the sport of kings one last time. "And now, here he sits, a hero among boys [and girls!!], with the love of a horse, much more than mere toys...."
Rating: 
Summary: the girl
Review: i will like a boook on the girl. i will buy it for $5.00
Rating:
Summary: Absolutely gorgeous!
Review: This is by far one of the greatest horse movies ever made! It starts off when a boy named Alec (played by Kelly Reno) sees a gorgeous black stallion boarding the ship he is traveling on. The boat then sinks, stranding him and the stallion on an island. There is a 45-minute sequence where the boy and the horse are existing on the island together, getting to know each other and form a bond. Eventually they get rescued and Alec takes the black stallion home with him. He befriends a horse trainer played amazingly well by Mickey Rooney. They begin training the black stallion to race and eventually it ends in a climactic racing scene (as all horse racing movies do!). The cinematography is just amazing in this movie.. the scenes on the island are especially beautiful. One of my favorites is where Alec finally rides the Black and they race down the beach...its beautiful. The racing scene was extremely well done also - even though I've seen it a million times, my heart still pounds and I find myself cheering out loud for the Black. The acting is wonderful, the filming is wonderful, the story is wonderful... I can't think of anything I DON'T like about this movie!!
Rating:
Summary: What horse lovers dream of..
Review: I've been a horse lover for my entire life and as a kid I watched just about every horse movie ever made. But I have to admit, as much as I loved the horse in this movie and thought he was beautiful, I was bored out of my mind for most of the movie! There isn't really a lot of dialogue in this movie, which can make it really hard on a little kid or anyone with a short attention span. But now that I'm 21, I really appreciate this movie for what it is: a stunning picture about an ordinary boy on a magnificent adventure with a horse I see as one of the most beautiful horses ever.
Rating:
Summary: If this is not the most beautifully filmed movie of all time
Review: ... then it is at least in the top ten. This is one of those movies I put in to watch when I just want to feel good. Though I know the movie by heart, I still get caught up in it, and completely engrossed. It makes me laugh, and sniffle. It's a movie I'll watch with my grandchildren. When I was a young lad in Kentucky (the land of corn liquor, fast women, and beautiful horses) my ninth grade English teacher taught us how to write short stories. His guidance was simple; write a draft as though you are telling the story verbally, then re-write, taking out any and every word that doesn't contribute something to the story. Then rewrite again, until you have the story in it's purest form. This film was (imho) quite obviously filmed with the same kind of guidance in mind. Every sequence, scene, and camera shot contributes something to the story. The island sequence was, in it's day, (and may still be) the longest sequence in any feature movie with no dialogue. In that sequence, the music and the images narrate perfectly. It may not be on anyone else's list of "The 100 Best Moviesof All Time", but it ought to be ....... An interesting footnote: I recall seeing someting about Kelly Reno a few years ago. It seems the only two movies he made were this and the sequel. As I recall, his ambition was not to be a movie star, but a horse rancher, which is what he does to this day.
Rating:
Summary: Best animal cinematography ever done
Review: The relative obscurity of this film has been a boon to a generation of film makers, who have shamelessly ripped off the stunning shooting of Caleb Deschanel ("The Natural") and especially the film editing of John Dalva, who inexplicably failed to get the Oscar that year. Much as I enjoyed 'Seabiscuit' visually it wasn't even close, frankly I wish people would steal from 'Black Stallion' a little more. I say this as a horse nut, mind you, who sat in her youth through every horse movie ever made! Cinematographers, even great ones, never seem to quite 'get' how to film horses, this is the textbook not only on dramatic filming of animals but valuable to study for cutting generally. The action sequences particularily thrust you right into the scene in very original ways-- I much prefer the gritty way the shipwreck was handled here, to the slicker, colder editing in Titanic. Horsey girls need no persuading to see this movie; I'd rather urge film students to brave chortling roommates and take a good long look. On a horsey note though, how on EARTH did they get that horse to do all that stuff?!
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