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The Black Hole (1979) More at IMDbPro »

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175 comments in total

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58 out of 69 people found the following comment useful :-
Ahead of Its Time, 21 May 2005

Author: mwendel (mwendel@brainlink.com) from Kings Park, NY

With the advancement of movie technology today, I am awaiting a re-make of this film as I can see the enhancement of the Armageddon-like atmosphere of this movie.

Even though this film came out on the heels of Star Wars I feel that for its time and its budget it was awesome and very much overlooked. I think in this case, being a Disney film, didn't help its image either. As a kid this movie scared the pants off of me. It was dark and menacing and there was the big black hole staring me in the face the whole movie. (I can still recall the extent of the willies this movie game me).

While flawed I see this movie as an artistic and hard core science fiction classic. It uses many of what I see as key elements in science fiction - known science, theoretical science, possible futures, and our fear of the unknown (I personally think even with what we know, we still know very little about black holes).

This movie was made in the feel of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and Moby Dick, with the mad, yet brilliant captain, sailing a state of the art ship, knowingly, into certain and utter doom in the name of some idealistic obsession. And as it usually goes you have your idealistic yet rational unwilling passengers who want to get off the ship and survive the mad man's nightmarish dreams.

The robots, while used in a highly symbolic fashion, were original in their concept and design. I particularly liked the way V.I.N.C.E.N.T. and B.O.B. were constructed as the "avatars" of humanity - completely man-made with human-like eyes and a "soul", that only allowed them to see the "right" side of things - as we see them. While on the other hand Maximilian was brilliant as the epitome of evil and twisted humanity in this movie - a man silently trapped and condemned to an inhuman fate as part of a mechanical nightmare.

Lastly, I feel that the space backdrops and the internal renderings of the space ship, which I feel have somewhat of an impressionistic flair, are awesome and were very well done for the period. If you passed on this movie the first time I recommend giving it a second chance. Take in the movie - see its symbolism, its social commentaries and far reaching vision. I think some of the issues the movie quietly addresses are still relative today.

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53 out of 69 people found the following comment useful :-
A Forgotten Classic, 14 August 1998
Author: Andrew-31 from Boston, MA

Not only is The Black Hole beautifully made from a technical aspect, it has marvelous performances. Robert Forester (Jackie Brown), Anthony Perkins (Psycho), Ernest Borgnine, Maximillian Schell. It does get a little campy but it is a Disney movie after all and it can be forgiven its attempts at comic relief. This is a very unlikely sort of film for Disney, were it made today it would have been made under the Miramax header rather than Disney, and like another unlikely Disney film, Tron, it is tragically underrated. The special effects and set design are breathtaking, but it is the script which is the best part. The ending is one of the most surreal and haunting in any science fiction film (and especially bold for a Disney film) The characterizations are wonderful and the robots, especially Maximillian (in my book the greatest cinematic robotic villain to date), are unforgettable.

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48 out of 67 people found the following comment useful :-
Light at the end of the tunnel...., 23 August 1999

Author: George Litman from Marietta, OH USA

Back in 1979, when this first came out, this could be seen coming down Main Street as a "Star Wars" cash-in. Even I could see that (being 14 at the time).

At the time, it was being hailed by everyone whom had not seen it as a return to cerebral, thought-provoking space opera, with the same kind of reverberations as "2001".

Now, let me tell you the truth about "The Black Hole".

From a technical standpoint, the movie is impressive (moreso when you consider that Harrison and Peter Ellenshaw, virtuosos in matte paintings, did the background FX work). The ships all fly as they should, you can BARELY see the robots flying about on their strings and the wonder and mystery of what a black hole really is (physically as well as metaphorically) are explored satisfactorily.

But if the FX are exemplary, the flesh and blood on display are not. Each actor supplies their own black hole; empty, dark voids where there once was talent but now serve only to suck away all the life and energy surrounding it. A shame, since actors like Forster, Mimieux, Schell, Perkins and even Roddy McDowell (in voice only) have all done good deeds on film prior and since. In the acting sense, at least, this movie matches "2001".

But in the end, you see a movie like "The Black Hole" for the story itself. Is it worth watching? In that respect, I think so. What are the limits to which mankind can play God? Are the mysteries of the universe for Man to explore? Do black holes lead to anything? We are left to draw our own conclusions, but at least the ending here allows us to think seriously about what really is out there.

Eight stars. Not a classic, but not that vacuous.

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57 out of 86 people found the following comment useful :-
Screw the reviews. Remember it for Maximilian., 23 January 2005

Author: Mario Lanza (mlanza1974@aol.com) from Upland, CA

I saw this movie in the theater when I was 6 years old. So you have to remember that frame of reference when you read these comments.

I saw The Black Hole when I was six years old and, of course, I loved it. Although what I remember the most about that experience was my first glimpse of Maximilian, the giant killer red robot. Maximilian terrified me. And he ended up being the first movie character to ever really scare the crap out of me.

If you were 6 years old kid in 1980, you would remember this film. Because even though it's silly to make the comparison today, at one time the Black Hole held a special place in the hearts of kids everywhere, mainly because it featured a character who was even scarier than Darth Vader.

That's right, Star Wars came 2 years earlier than the Black Hole, and Star Wars had a frightening guy in a black mask named Darth Vader. But let me tell you that to a kid growing up in 1980, Darth Vader was NOTHING compared to Maximilian. Darth Vader was a pansy compared to Maximilian, and I'm not just joking around. If you were a little kid in 1980, you knew about this movie. And you knew who Maximilian was. And you spoke about him in terms of reverence. Because you don't mock the robot who haunts your nightmares every single night.

That's how big a deal Maximilan was at the time.

Yes, The Black Hole has flaws. Yes, the rest of the robots are comical. And yes, the science fiction in the movie makes no sense. And sure, I'd agree that the sight of Ernest Borgnine in a tight turtleneck is disturbing and I never want to see it again. But none of that really matters to me. All I care about is that this movie features Maxmilian the bleeping killer red robot. And from a pop culture/movie history perspective, that makes this movie a classic.

Personally, I think that the Black Hole is a pretty lame movie. But in 1980 I would have ranked it alongside Star Wars as the coolest thing I had ever seen in my life. And of course, that is almost solely because of Maximilian. So don't make fun of this movie. Just remember that it cause a lot of nightmares in kids from the 70's and early 80's. And please give it props for featuring a villain that (at one time) was cooler and scarier than a guy named Darth Vader.

So here's to you, Maximilian.

Please don't Cuisinart me through a book.

Mario's Movie Rating: 5 out of 10 (at least it's somewhat entertaining)

Mario's Maximilian Rating: 10 of 10

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24 out of 31 people found the following comment useful :-
Disney's first PG film, 10 February 2003

Author: Wayne Malin (wwaayynnee51@hotmail.com) from United States

This was Disney's big Christmas release in 1979--a big budget, the first PG rating and big stars. It was a huge bomb which is too bad--it's pretty good.

A spaceship's crew (Anthony Perkins, Robert Forster, Joseph Bottoms, Yvette Mimieux) find a mad doctor (Maximilian Schell) in outer space ready to enter a black hole. He sets out to take them with him...or else.

Great special effects are the main attraction here. The debits are kiddie-like dialogue, bad acting, huge lapses in logic and two cutsey robots voiced by Roddy McDowell and Slim Pickens. Still, I liked the movie. It moves fairly quickly and there was always some impressive effects to look at--it's obvious that Disney spent a lot of money on this.

This is fine for kids--the PG rating is just for someone saying "damn" and three non-bloody, quick deaths. Adults should like it too.

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29 out of 42 people found the following comment useful :-
Disney gets it right. For once., 3 September 1999

Author: MrKearns-2

The Black Hole is probably the only Disney live-action movie (with the possible exception of Cool Runnings) that is even watchable. So the fact that it's incredibly fun just makes it all the more odd.

Perhaps it's the overabundance of mediocre effects (even by 1979's standards, considering it was preceded by Star Wars (2 years) and 2001: A Space Odyssey (11 years)), or it could be the overall impossibility of the robot VINCENT, but I am hooked on this movie.

Plotwise, there's some new stuff here for science fiction. In general, the black hole had never really been looked into, so combining that with the crazed genius (Maximillian Schell) just creates a story worth watching, despite some obvious speaking errors ("habitable life in outer space") and some scientific errors (the astronauts are exposed to the vacuum of space and nothing happens...).

All in all, the fighting, the story, and the utterly bizarre 1970s sets and costumes make this one of my closet favorites. If you are even vaguely interested, buy the video today, because it took 20 years to see it come out to the mainstream. Don't miss this!

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17 out of 19 people found the following comment useful :-
A true science fiction masterpiece, 24 February 1999

Author: Plissken-4 from United States

In a day when garbage like ID4 (Independence Day) and Fifth Element are considered good sci-fi, it's refreshing to see renewed interest in the overlooked classic The Black Hole. I have loved this movie ever since I first saw it in 1979. Is it a Star Wars ripoff? Of course. So what? It is still a classic in every sense of the word. Great performances and a script that is actually thought provoking. It has not only a morality tale, but some first class adventure. How many sci-fi films today have that? Finally, the visual effects are as stunning today as they were 20 years ago. The shot of the giant meteor rolling down the length of the Cygnus toward our heroes remains one of the greatest fx pieces of ALL time! I for one can't wait for the DVD of this movie to come out. With all the Star Wars hype going on these days, it's time for this classic to have its day in the sun too.

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14 out of 14 people found the following comment useful :-
Dark, Brooding and DISNEY?, 31 May 2001

Author: gelefiche (gelefiche@madasafish.com) from Northampton, England

Dark, Brooding and DISNEY? Can it be true? It's not exactly Disney's normal view-point, but it works. I'll start with the robots, the dark & formidable 'Max' and the lovable & quirky 'Vincent', are both great, as is the majority of the acting. The haunting theme sets the scene for what I can only describe as Disney's best live-action film to date. There are scientific gaps in the story, but it is a kids film (I didn't know anything about astro-physics at the age of TEN).

I understand that to some people, the subject of BLACK HOLES, is not exactly the most enthralling, but they have paid the bills of many a Sci-Fi writer. If the school holidays catch you by surprise, and your kids still have some imagination, then this could be just the thing your looking for, you may want to watch it with them, if they are paticually young, but you never know, you may end up liking it yourself.

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15 out of 16 people found the following comment useful :-
Unfairly Criticized Gem of A Sci-Fi Space Drama, 31 August 2004

Author: Jeffrey Russell (agent1rod@aol.com) from Villa Rica, GA USA

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

WARNING: POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD!!! As a kid of 7 when The Black Hole came out in December of 1979, I found it utterly fascinating and a unique movie going experience. Later, when I realized what a flop the movie had been, it sort of made me like it even more. Disney turned its back on this little gem of a movie and pretended it never existed, burying it and making all merchandise connected with it highly collectable.

In viewing it years later, I can see the obvious mistakes made within the film(the crew being exposed to space with no breathing equipment, burning meteorites, etc.), but hey it's just a movie, and not nearly as bad as some have made it out to be. Sometime in the distant future, the starship U.S.S. Palomino is returning to Earth after a fruitless 18-month mission to search for life in outer space. The 5 crewmembers and one robot, V.I.N.Cent(voiced by Roddy McDowell) stumble upon a deadly black hole and a supposedly lost earth ship known as The Cygnus. From here, the story is an adventure that tells the story of a madman, his henchman robot Maximillian(still looking ominous even today IMO) and an army of robot "slaves" known as Humanoids. The scene that has always stuck with me is that of Dr. Alex Durant getting cut down by Maximillian's blades and thrown into the elevator shaft. You saw no blood, but still a powerful scene left to the imagination. Atmosphere is everything in this movie, and it has plenty of it. I find it less a rip-off of Star Wars and more of a throwback to Sci-Fi Dramas of the 50s, particularly Forbidden Planet. The soundtrack by John Barry is eerie and fits the movie perfectly. Only the ending left me a bit dismayed, seeming to not know where to conclude, but taking us on a journey through Heaven and Hell(if only in the crewmembers' minds). The novel by Alan Dean Foster explains this a little more as well as other items such as character's motivations, etc.

In closing I will say that I still really like this left-over treasure from childhood and am able to enjoy it even today despite seeing its flaws as an adult. The atmosphere, mood, and style of this buried gem has held up well. Worth another look! My Score: 7 out of 10

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21 out of 28 people found the following comment useful :-
Disney Movie Mania! The Black Hole., 9 October 2004

Author: Captain_Couth (sirjosephu@aol.com) from Sacramento, CA

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.

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