The Black Hole

1979
PG
1h 38m

IMDb RATING

5.9/10

29K

YOUR RATING

Play trailer3:22

1 Video

99+ Photos

Space Sci-Fi Action Sci-Fi

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

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

5.9/10

29K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Nominated for 2 Oscars
- 8 nominations total

Captain S.T.A.R.
(as Tommy McLoughlin)

Steven Banks

Sentry Robot
(uncredited)

Don Lewis

Sentry Robot
(uncredited)

Roddy McDowall

V.I.N.CENT.
(voice)
(uncredited)

Gary Nelson

Drone with Mask Removed
(uncredited)

Slim Pickens

B.O.B.
(voice)
(uncredited)

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The Black Hole

Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
The film was originally supposed to take place in a completely weightless environment. The technical difficulties prompted a re-write of the script so that when the Palomino ties up the Cygnus gravity returned.

Goofs
At the very start of the movie, when Vincent announces, "The largest black hole I have ever seen, Mr. Pizer," and Pizer replies, "Hmm. Let's look at it on the holograph," the viewer can see someone's hand turning Vincent by his left foot. The hand stays there for a moment before pulling back off-camera.

Quotes
V.I.N.CENT: A wolf remains a wolf, even if it has not eaten your sheep.

Alternate versions
The Anchor Bay DVD includes a space background in the overture.

Connections
Edited into The Devil and Max Devlin (1981)

User reviews324

Review

Featured review

7/10

Bad Choices

This is a movie with a great premise, a superb villain in Maximillian Schell as both Dr. Hans Reinhardt and his alter ego Maximillian the robot. Some of the staging and shots are among the best of any science fiction movie. And the ending comes close to the ambiguity of A Space Odyssey especially with its shot of the melding of Reinhardt and his robot ending up in a Dantesque vision of Hell, which is incredible given this is a Disney film. Do not forget the haunting music by John Barry which echoes a faint James Bond sound.

The weakness, and there are too many to note, are best seen in the V.I.N.CENT robot and his mentor bot, Bob. These characters were obviously meant to appeal to the kiddies who were no doubt the target audience.

I imagine there were some mighty discussions on the set of this film as to whether they should be making a classic or childish crap. Unfortunately the latter choice seems to driven the bottom line.