THE BLACK HOLE (1979)

98 minutes

Director: Gary Nelson

Producer: Ron W. Miller

Cinematography: Frank Phillips

  

Too horrific to be considered a children’s film yet too hokey to be shown back to back with ‘Halloween’, ‘The Black Hole’ over the years has entered obscurity due to its unclassifiable nature.

obscure-film-the-black-hole-3

A modest success on its release in 1979, this is Disney at its darkest. Involving its first on screen death (Bambi’s mother doesn’t count), and body / machine fusion-ing (where does a human end and a machine begin?) it’s a film that is as raw and unsettling as it is beautiful.

Despite clunky dialogue and trance like acting from Ernest Borgnine and Anthony Perkins, Maximilian Schell’s deranged scientist in chief, Dr. Hans Reinhardt, creates a spellbinding character both empathetic as well as delirious in his intentions: creating a master race from man and machine.

obscure-film-the-black-hole-1

With special effects superior to the Dykstraflex system that was employed in Star Wars, The Black Hole is a film that is as mesmerising (including possibly the first steam punk all glass spaceship to grace the screens) as it is unsettling (is that a robot limping?).

Rather than HAL in 2001 who has a personality, the Black Hole hints that the future is personality-less due to Cyborg uniformity. It’s a bleak take on where mankind is heading and has one of the weirdest film endings you’re likely to see.

 

Tips to enjoy The Black Hole (1979) – Spoilers

-Enjoyed this 70s Sci-Fi film? Try watching John Carpenter’s Dark Star (1974), The Andromeda Strain (1971), or Westworld (1973).

 

-Liked Maximilian Schell in this film? Try watching him in Cross of Iron (1977).

 obscure-film-the-black-hole-2

Can’t find it? You can buy it here.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Black-Hole-Maximilian-Schell/dp/B000094P3Q

 

Other Links for Trivia and Info on The Black Hole (1979):

Wikipedia entry

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Black_Hole

 

Rotten Tomatoes

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1002497-black_hole/

 

IMDB entry

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078869/

 

IMDB Trivia page

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078869/trivia

 

 

 

 

Leave a comment

Subscribe Scroll to Top css.php