The Black Hole (1979)

Director:

Gary Nelson

Writers:

Jeb Rosebrook (story) and
Bob Barbash (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

21 December 1979 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Family | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

A journey that begins where everything ends!

Plot:

A research vessel finds a missing ship, commanded by a mysterious scientist, on the edge of a black hole.

Plot Keywords:

Black Hole | Robot | Spaceship | Space | Reverse Footage

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 5 nominations

Cast

Maximilian Schell	...	Dr. Hans Reinhardt
Anthony Perkins	...	Dr. Alex Durant
Robert Forster	...	Captain Dan Holland
Joseph Bottoms	...	Lieutenant Charles Pizer
Yvette Mimieux	...	Dr. Kate McCrae
Ernest Borgnine	...	Harry Booth
Tom McLoughlin	...	Captain S.T.A.R. (Special Troops Arms Regiment) (as Tommy McLoughlin)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Roddy McDowall	...	V.I.N.CENT. (Vital Information Necessary CENTralized) (voice) (uncredited)
Gary Nelson	...	Drone with mask removed (uncredited)
Slim Pickens	...	Bob (voice) (uncredited)

Directed by
Gary Nelson

Writing credits
Jeb Rosebrook		(story) and
Bob Barbash		(story) &
Richard H. Landau		(story) (as Richard Landau)
Jeb Rosebrook		(screenplay) and
Gerry Day		(screenplay)

Produced by
Ron Miller	....	producer

Original Music by
John Barry

Cinematography by
Frank V. Phillips		(as Frank Phillips)

Film Editing by
G. Gregg McLaughlin		(as Gregg McLaughlin)

Production Design by
Peter Ellenshaw

Art Direction by
John B. Mansbridge
Robert T. McCall
Al Roelofs

Set Decoration by
Frank R. McKelvy
Roger M. Shook

Costume Design by
Bill Thomas

Makeup Department
Gloria Montemayor	....	hair stylist
Nadia	....	makeup artist
Robert J. Schiffer	....	makeup supervisor

Production Management
John D. Bloss	....	production manager (as John Bloss)
Christopher N. Seiter	....	unit production manager (as Christopher Seiter)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Christopher Disney Miller	....	second assistant director (as Christopher D. Miller)
Tom McCrory	....	assistant director
Joseph Paul Moore	....	second assistant director (as Joseph P. Moore)

Art Department
Robert Ayres	....	production illustrator
Leon Harris	....	production illustrator (as Leon R. Harris)
Gene Johnson	....	production illustrator
Fred Lucky	....	production illustrator
Wilbur L. Russell	....	property master

Sound Department
Wayne Allwine	....	sound effects editor (as Wayne A. Allwine)
Nick Alphin	....	sound re-recording mixer
Barney Cabral	....	dialogue replacement (as Bernard P. Cabral)
Norman Carlisle	....	dialogue replacement
George Fredrick	....	sound effects editor
Robert Hathaway	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Bob Hathaway)
Ben Hendricks	....	special sound effects (as Ben F. Hendricks)
John Jolliffe	....	sound effects editor (as John J. Jolliffe)
Stephen Katz	....	additional special sound effects
James MacDonald	....	special sound effects
Bud Maffett	....	sound mixer (as Henry A. Maffett)
Al Maguire	....	dialogue replacement
Joe Parker	....	sound effects editor (as Joseph Parker)
Frank Regula	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Frank C. Regula)
Herb Taylor	....	sound supervisor
Louis Terrusa	....	sound effects editor
John Van Frey	....	sound re-recording mixer
Bill Wylie	....	special sound effects (as William J. Wylie)

Special Effects by
Hal Bigger	....	assistant mechanical effects
Danny Lee	....	mechanical effects supervisor
Eric Allard	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
Gary D'Amico	....	special effects (uncredited)
Hans Metz	....	special effects foreman (uncredited)
Mike Reedy	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
Ken Speed	....	special effects (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Fred E. Branson	....	optical printer operator
Bob Broughton	....	optical photography coordinator (as Robert Broughton)
Art Cruickshank	....	director of miniature photography
Harrison Ellenshaw	....	matte artist
Harrison Ellenshaw	....	matte effects
Peter Ellenshaw	....	miniature effects creator
Peter Ellenshaw	....	miniature effects supervisor
Constantine Ganakes	....	assistant matte artist
Joe Hale	....	animation special effects
Ray O. Hoar	....	optical printer operator
Ted Kierscey	....	animator (as Ted C. Kierscey)
Bill Kilduff	....	operator: A.C.E.S.
Dorse A. Lanpher	....	animator
Eustace Lycett	....	composite optical photography
David Mattingly	....	assistant matte artist
Stephen McEveety	....	production assistant: miniatures unit (as Stephen M. McEveety)
Phil Meador	....	optical printer operator (as Philip L. Meador)
Arthur Miller	....	matte photography
Roger Redel	....	gaffer: miniatures unit (as Roger E. Redel)
Doc Reed	....	key grip: miniatures unit
Terence Saunders	....	chief model maker
Terence Saunders	....	miniature mechanical effects
Ed Sekac	....	matte photography
Robert R. Wilson	....	operator: A.C.E.S.
Thomas Baker	....	main title graphics (uncredited)
Mike Edmonson	....	special effects miniatures (uncredited)
Barry Seybert	....	graphic artist: opening titles (uncredited)

Stunts
Bill Couch	....	stunts
Howard Curtis	....	stunts
Len Glascow	....	stunts
Bob Herron	....	stunts
Billy Bob Jackson	....	stunts (as Billy Jackson)
Melvin Jones	....	stunts
Katee McClure	....	stunts
Stevie Myers	....	stunts
Terry Nichols	....	stunts
Alan Oliney	....	stunts
Ron Oliney	....	stunts (as Ronald Oliney)
Conrad E. Palmisano	....	stunts (as Conrad Palmisano)
Regina Parton	....	stunts
Don Pulford	....	stunts
Bobby Sargent	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Lloyd Ahern II	....	camera operator (as Lloyd N. Ahern)
Bernie Bayless	....	best boy (as Bernard F. Bayless)
Carl Boles	....	gaffer
Donald Capel	....	key grip
Howard Hagadorn	....	second grip (as Howard L. Hagadorn)
Robert LaBonge	....	first assistant camera
Cecil Wilson	....	second assistant camera (as Cecil R. Wilson)
Dan Delgado	....	lighting technician (uncredited)
Wynn Hammer	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Brian L. McCarty	....	video assist operator (uncredited)
Peter McEvoy	....	set lighting technician (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Mary Dye	....	costumer
Chuck Keehne	....	costume supervisor
Jack Sandeen	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Nicholas Vincent Korda	....	assistant film editor

Music Department
John Barry	....	conductor
Evelyn Kennedy	....	supervising music editor
Helen Sneddon	....	music editor
Dan Wallin	....	music scoring mixer
Albert Woodbury	....	orchestrator (as Al Woodbury)

Other crew
George F. McGinnis	....	creator: robots
Tom McLoughlin	....	coordinator: sentry robots (as Tommy McLoughlin)
Sandy Nelson	....	script supervisor
Dana Winseman	....	video playback services (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Walt Disney Productions (presents)

Distributors

• Buena Vista Distribution Company (1979) (USA) (theatrical)
• Toho-Towa (1980) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Walt Disney Pictures (1980) (France) (theatrical)
• Abril Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (1999) (USA) (VHS)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (BVHE) (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (2003) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (2002) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Gativideo (Argentina) (video)
• Nothing's New Video (2005) (USA) (VHS)
• Suomi-Filmi
• Walt Disney Home Video (1981) (UK) (VHS)
• Walt Disney Home Video (1980) (USA) (VHS) (as Walt Disney Home Entertainment)
• Walt Disney Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)

Special Effects

• A.C.E.S. Automatic Camera Effects Systems (special effects photography)

Other Companies

• Continental Camera Systems  pitching lens relay systems by (as Continental Camera)
• Buena Vista Records  soundtrack

Also Known As:

Space Station One (USA) (working title)
Abismo Negro (Portugal) [pt]
Czarna dziura (Poland) [pl]
Das schwarze Loch (West Germany) [de]
Det sorte hul (Denmark) [da]
Det svarta hålet (Sweden) [sv]
El abismo negro (Spain) [es]
El agujero negro (Venezuela) [es]
Het zwarte gat (Netherlands) [nl]
I mavri trypa (Greece) [el]
I mavri trypa sto diastima (Greece) (reissue title) [el]
Il buco nero (Italy) [it]
Le trou noir (France) [fr]
Musta aukko (Finland) [fi]
O Buraco Negro (Brazil) [pt]

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby (35 mm prints) (RCA Photophone Sound Recording)

Certification:

Singapore:PG | Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Chile:TE | Finland:K-12 | Norway:12 | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | USA:PG | West Germany:12 | Canada:G (Nova Scotia) (original rating) | Canada:PG (Nova Scotia) (re-rating) (2004) | UK:A (original rating) | Iceland:L

Filming Locations:

Walt Disney Studios, Burbank, California, USA

Company:

Walt Disney Productions

Trivia:

It was popular around this time to release a 12-inch, 33 1/3 long-playing record containing a film's dialogue, sound effects, and score, with narration taking the listener from scene to scene. The record released of The Black Hole (1979) featured dialogue not present in the theatrical release of the film.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Meteorites flying through the universe are frozen rocks that would only appear to glow if they were to enter an atmosphere or fly close to a sun, yet the ones flying into the black hole are glowing. Since black holes swallow everything, even light, it is scientifically impossible that it would be generating heat or an atmosphere.

Quotes:

V.I.N.CENT: I don't mean to sound superior, but I hate the company of robots.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Distribution of Low Budget Films or The Gardener's Seeds of Evil Killed My Million Dollar Dream (1980) (V)

Disney Movie Mania! The Black Hole.

The Black Hole (1979) was one of the first films that I can remember watching in a movie theater. A small cinema near to where I lived played Disney films and I saw this one there. A fun film about a group of astronauts and a robot who are welcomed aboard a gigantic spaceship manned by Maximillian Schnell. Sadly he's as mad as a hatter and has some unsettling plans for his guests. The leader of the space travelers is portrayed by one of my b-movie favorites Robert Forester. Creepy Anthony Perkins is also along for the ride as well as several other familiar faces. When I was a lad I was really into this genre. The robots were cool and the special effects were quite impressive.

Not a bad film except it confused me a bit when I was younger (especially the end). Entertaining for a Disney film and I wouldn't mind seeing it again in the near future. I have to give this one a passing grade. Not one of my truly favorites but a great time killer. If this one was on video for rent at my local rental store I wouldn't hesitate to watch it. But stay away from T.V. or Cable versions because this film was shot in Cinemascope.

Recommended for camp value.