tell your dad he and the others made someone in belgium VERY HAPPY I went all the way to italy to get the toys (the only place where the film was highly popular, don t ask me why) and I would carry the smallest version of vincent with me everywhere at all times
God bless you for R2D2s wilder cousin, Vincent! Best robo gunslinger west of Sol! And thank you for terrifying the hell out of us with that book-shredding, sausage maker, Max!
Well done! Thank your father! Maximillian (I don;t think of him as a "Max") was terrifying! Everyone I know LOVED the film and we (myself included) loved VIncent and Old Bob! Were they miniatures/animated or scaled as we saw- about half-human size?
I watched this movie at the cinema when it was first released. Four times. It fascinated me, and it's bleakness chilled me. It was one of those movies that I could not stop thinking about. The weird ending is more than a little disturbing, and very reminiscent of the 'Night On A Bare Mountain' segment of Disney's 'Fantasia', with Maximillian standing in for the Daemon Chernabog. Alan Dean Foster's novel is even bleaker, with nobody surviving, but being crushed out of existence. 1979 was a good year for him - he wrote the novelisations of 'Alien', 'Star Trek: The Motion Picture', and 'The Black Hole'. I have a set of Black Hole figures, and the pop-up book, the teaser poster, the cinema poster, the 'Fotonovel', and a set of lobby cards. There's still a place in my heart for this movie. Can you tell? My favourite line from the movie is Harry Booth talking to the limping humanoid gardener, asking if it can talk. Booth (Ernest Borgnine) answers himself: "No, that would make you too real, wouldn't it?" It further establishes just how very creepy the humanoids are.
Can you imagine a prequel that takes us from the construction and launch of the Cygnus through Reinhard's hollowing out of the crew, to the moments before the Palimino crew arrive on the bridge? What an epic that would be.
That would be fantastic. I'm trying to think who would be a good actor to portray Reinhard. Christoph Walz comes to mind. It would be amazing to see the Cygnus on earth so we can get a sense of how enormous it is. We could see BOB when he was new and in good condition too. This would be much better than a remake.
thank you so much, that film was so underated ! I was crazy about it when it came out (still am) and wrote a long article to defend it and wrote that no it was not a poor parent of star wars (which I love too) that it was pure disney as a "20 000 leagues under the sea" in space and a "fantasia" ending I sent it ot a magazine and got no answer then saw it in a hard cover book about science fiction, signed by someone else (they had changed a word here and there, meaning the same thing) not fair ! but still made me happy my big disappointment : no extras on the dvd ! so your video here more than compensates for it Joseph bottoms as mister special effects (well it was his name in french) was so forgotten that I was not sure of it anymore, I thought I had dreamed it, thanks for the color picture ! I just want to add than yvette mimieux was in another disney movie "monkeys go home", not one of the best but a delightful song by the shermans, sung by maurice chevalier, in the weakest disney period of time (you can even see that the meat stolen by the dogs is plastic, lol...and a few years later, wow, look at the black hole ! great art work poor dog actors, why not give them the real thing? THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU ( I still treasure my vincent robot, he s having tea with my R2D2 and BB8, and all the disney princesses, maximillian only invited from time to time, when he promises to behave)
Could have been much worse. In reality, blood would have been spraying everywhere. If this movie had been made five years later it would have been directed by James Cameron and definitely have been bloody and more gruesome.
The music is what always caught my attention with the Black Hole. It was simply amazing. It added to the atmosphere of the movie so well. I loved this movie as a kid. Your critique is dead on with the issues, and I would also love to see what a modern take of this story could do.
It is a beautiful score (if a bit repetitive at the beginning). The score broadens as we see more of the Cygnus, and the story unfolds. I love the track: "Durant Is Dead" I think my only other irk with an otherwise magnificent score is "Laser Battle". Something about it is off-putting when we see the Palomino crew shpoting it out with the sentries. The whole piece sounds prematurely victorious. No suspense to heighten the tension of the gunfights. That's just me. I love the score, and often sleep to it. 👍👍
There is a huge possibility for any remake to be a tragedy, I'm thinking of most of the remakes that have been done in the past 20 years. If a remake had the pacing, effects, and similar plot devices as Interstellar then it could work, but it shouldn't be just a quick cash-grab kids film, and any current-day politics would need to be kept out of it. I'd want it to follow the same basic story but with a few differences along the way.
40 years later, I'm _still_ torn over which Black Hole scene was scariest for me: The "Durant taking the crew member's mask off and there's a withered human gasping for breath beneath" scene, the "Maximilian ripping a hole through Durant" scene or the "Reinhardt and Maximilian becoming one in Hell" scene. Tough call, really.
@@BloodyBay Same, regarding the most scary scenes when I was kid, but as a grown up, I now get a shiver whenever I watch the scene where the captain strolls through the deserted barracks - a gripping metaphor of the soullessness of a totalitarian dictatorship [ where 'nobody's home', figuratively, and in this case, literally ]: what a "the end justifies the means" ethos leads to [ which Reinhardt explicitly states, a couple minutes prior ]. To me, this has become the core scene and message of the film - the actual 'black hole' where humanity ends. The haunting music of that sequence really drives home the point. I also appreciate the epic depiction of hell, at the end, which I never had a problem with and always made sense to me, even as a kid. Though, today, I can't help but think that it is a distinctly 'Calvinist' ( Anglo-Saxon! ) version of Hell, where even the enslaved crew of the Cygnus are damned just the same [ if that's indeed what the hooded masses in the inferno's canyons stand for ], through no fault of their own! ...They were never among the 'chosen'. That's kind of disturbing, the more I think of it, actually [ Hell being a Calvinist inferno ]! ...Or, an alternative interpretation might simply be that a "the end justifies the means" ethos, together with deception, which is the essence of military strategy and warfare, makes specters of us all. Note: I believe the project started in late 1975-early 1976, less than one year after the end of the Vietnam war, so the notion of "does the end justify the means?" must have weighed heavily on the writers' minds ( as it did Lucas ).
I agree with you on everything except V.I.N.C.E.N.T. I thought he was condescending and annoying. I think the movie would have been better without Vincent and more of Maximilian! 😂😂😂
George Lucas had nothing on Maximilian, when it came to evil robots. He was as great, as an evil robot, as Darth Vader was as an evil human character. In fact, Maximilian would have been awesome as a personal robot for Darth Vader. He looked very much like the Imperial Guard, which were dressed in red, who protected the Emperor and Vader when he was in his meditation chamber or Bacta Tank. I can also picture him traveling around with Vader, as both a body guard and servant. He would have needed the ability to talk though, with a voice as iconic as Vader's voice. It would also be cool if he wielded light sabers like General Grievous.
Between that and the skewering of Anthony Perkins is what freaked me out as a kid. The borderline creepy music in some scenes by John Barry didn't help either. Still, this is one of my all time favorite sci-fi flicks.
The ending makes perfect sense. Spoiler Below: When the movie's heroes get pulled into the black hole along with the bad guys, we see images of Hell. The bad guy doctor and the evil robot are fused into one being for their eternal torment. Then the good guys venture to heaven, see crystal archways and an angelic being, only to then be sent to a new world to live in peace.
I saw "The Black Hole" when it was released in cinema. Years later I saw Disney's "Fantasia". In my opinion the ending of "The Black Hole" is a SciFi-Version of the ending of "Fantasia", a combination of the "Night on a Bald Mountain"- and the "Ave Maria"-sequence.
@@Lumibear. Well because a lot of movies have meanings of our real world. Asking bigger question. Its far more intriguing than 'the heroes win and fly away'. Art imitating life. I'm guessing you aren't a 2001: A space odyssey fan?
I disagree, having seen both star wars and the black hole on the big screen during first run, I was disappointed. Of course I was 9 when it came out. My parents were expecting another star wars were really disappointed. Funny now. Back then Disney was competing for the attention of the kids of the era in action figure sales and copying Lucasfilms patented cinematography failing in the process. Now, they own it out right. Well if you can't beat them buy them works in guess.
The score of the movie remains one of my all time favourites and the gothic look and feel of the Cygnus. I can't believe the figures didn't sell. My friends and I loved them!
@@TheInflictedOops, you're right. Marvin Hamlisch filled in for usual Bond composer John Barry, as Barry was unavailable for work in the United Kingdom due to tax reasons
I saw the movie as a 12 year old. The Ending was so Hieronymous Bosch, I left the theatre thinking "WTF did I just watch?" Though I do think the scene of Reinhardt and Maximillian merging was well-done. Nowadays, people would be shouting, "Now kiss!"
As a kid I found the adult themes really compelling. Unlike usual Disney projects, this film was allowed to remain dark and mysterious in a way that generates a really emotional response.
The ending; If you've ever read "Dante's Inferno" (The Divine Comedy), then the end makes perfect sense. Even a little knowledge of that work explains a lot of what is going on in "The Black Hole". Borgnine's character even mentions "Dante's Inferno" by name in the opening of the film. The hellish vision followed by escape into what looks like heaven (complete with a guiding angel) all make more sense in light of the story that inspired it.
I've always felt that the final scene is Kate's psychic look into Reinhart's dying mind...he is forced to accept that Maximillian is a both a product and a part of himself and his personal hell is to be stuck forever in the defunct body of a killing machine while trapped with all those he has doomed...the image of the angel is Kate's mind rejecting that fate and rising above it...but hey, that's just my take...the scene is open enough to mean anything...
@@peterisnardi1197 I saw it as a wacky mystical duality, where Rinehart's personality is split into two fates as he both embraces and loathes his creation-turned-overlord; damned to a horrific imprisonment with Maximillian, and also liberated to celestial bliss. At least in any credible Western spiritual tradition, it is simply bizarre and un-credible.
a guiding angel? thank you so much for that explanation, I thought it was kate's soul (as she mentions her father she misses, aa second before) but I was not sure, thanks! I hadn t read dante's inferno at the time
Maximillian Schell did everything but portrait a blunt villain full of cliches. Dr. Reinhard was charismatic and menacing, and carried many chunks of the movie.
And his line, "The word 'impossible', Mr. Booth, is only found in the dictionary of fools" was one I heard used a lot after that movie, and actually became somewhat of an inspirational line for me through most of my life.
Many people have asked about the ending of the movie. The most coherent explanation was provided in the paperback book for the movie. They don't blatantly mention it, but Dr.Reinhard has an internal "esp" device allowing contact with Maximillian, just as Dr.Kate does with Vincent. The book describes that only "esp" linked people/robots are able to survive the Black Hole journey and make it through. Reinhard and Maximillian "combine" through their "esp" link, but as they have no vehicle, they remain stuck inside the Black Hole. The 4 crew members are able to link together via Dr.Kate and her "esp" link. Thus, they make it through safely in their vehicle. The "world" landscape inside the black hole is described as (more or less) fantasies of the mind. The "people" are the crew, and as they were changed by Dr.Reinhards machines, they survive, but unable to leave. Once through the black hole, (they survived) they speed towards a planet...end-of-movie.
The visual effects were, and still are, absolutely stunning... The Cygnus and the black hole itself were just phenomenal... And the burning asteroid rolling through the ship was just amazing to me as a kid. The film definitely has some campiness to it but all in all a decent movie
I saw The Black Hole when it opened in 1979 and absolutely loved it! Back then we didn’t judge a sci-fi or fantasy movie by critics or rotten tomatoes reviews! I still love it and have seen if multiple times!!!! Thanks for the video!
@@Skybaby79 I saw it as a kid and it scared the hell of out me. But I see what you are saying, it kind of does look like a turkey. I used to wonder what a remake of the movie would be like, with Hector as an essentially good robot, that ended up saving the three humans from some catastrophe or alien presence.
@@dewfall56 Fist thing that came to my mind! I definitely think Hector was scarier (and also more powerful) than Maximilian, especially since he was (literally) madly in love with the damsel in distress of the movie. Talk about psycho robots!
I saw this in the theater back in '79. I was 12, and absolutely LOVED it. I had all the records, half of the toys(they were rare back then, too), and have bought the movie on every format it's come out on. Both versions of VHS(full screen and letterbox), both versions of DVD, the Blu-Ray, and iTunes. Personally, I find the movie to be incredibly entertaining. Yes, it does have some flaws, but I feel they give the movie character/charm. Given how Hollywood has shit up remakes and reboots over the past 20 years, I'm going to pass on a re-make. Besides, they no doubt would completely alter the religious tones of the ending, and while I'm not a religious person, I feel that ending fit the narrative extremely well. Reinhart ending up forever trapped in Maximillian, his own creation, and overseeing his own personal Hell..... very fitting. Also, the crew who allowed it all to happen, being punished with him. One thing you didn't mention, is that Slim Pickins and Roddy McDowell were finally given proper voice credits starting with the DVD release. All in all, The Black Hole is a fine movie, and it stands alone with it's originality. While we have, since it's release, learned much more about Black Holes, and space in general, the movie still holds up in my opinion. Space movies of the era were always trying to "rip off" Star Wars, at least The Black Hole can only be accused of swiping the idea of robots as major characters. Even that wasn't an entirely new concept.
I had all the figures, but the internal rubber band that held each together was of poor quality, and broke on nearly all of them. I suspect this had added to their rarity.
Right on, it was awesome! I was 11 and nearly crapped my pants when Maximillian shredded Anthony Perkins, haha. What a year 1979 was for sci-fi with ALIEN and ST:TMP as well. Thankfully my parents were cool and took me to see all of them.
I haven't thought about this movie in years. Even though I've never seen it, I did visit Disneyland when it was coming out and they had elaborate window displays on Main Street that depicted scenes with models and animatronic figures. I think they pretty much gave away the ending of the movie in the last window but I was only 8 at the time so my memory is hazy.
Thanks for promoting this film, i was blown away with the film after watching your review. Easily one of the best sci fi movies, easy to watch, stunning visuals, one of the most intense and shocking plots ever.
@@k1productions87 Agreed. I think it's fair to look at both of those as sister scores. Barry was clearly working with the same depth and drama and ended up with some of the best music he ever composed. Outstanding music.
That movie always had a "Nautilus" feel to it, like in the novel "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea". With a Captain that is far away from society and a mysterious crew, doing something most scientists dream off. In the case of Nautilus to dive deep down in the ocean ... in the case of The Black Hole here being at the edge of a real Black Hole and trying to enter it, pass it and come out on the other side. What a Exhilarating idea.
I remember seeing this in the theater. It's such a highly underrated movie and I still love it today. I still have my Vincent, Maximilian and Old Bob figures.
Scariest moment for me was the moment when the humanoid has its mask removed by Dr Durant, and the human underneath gasps for air! Couldn't look for years!
I saw The Black Hole in theaters in 1979(I was 12 at the time). I am SO glad that I did, too. I love this movie! While Slim Pickins and Roddy McDowel weren't credited for their voice work at the time, they were added to the credits on the DVD/Blu-Ray/Digital releases. I don't remember if they were credited on the VHS release, and I no longer have the tapes to confirm. The "Overture" is amazing, and is an amazing piece of music. I know the movie has flaws... but dammit, I love it as it stands. I had many of the action figures, all of the records, and still have the novelization. Much of which I still have to this day. I swear, Disney needs to NEVER reboot/reimagine/etc this movie. Just leave it be... it's amazing as it is, and there is no way they could improve it. The FX flaws aren't a major issue, and the acting is perfectly fine. For the love of God, leave this one be.
I saw it in a theater when I was 5. And loooooved it. So much so, I begged and cried for my dad to take me back to the theater the next day to see it again. And he (very uncharacteristically) did! I remember also when they used to sell movie-specific merchandise in theaters, and I took home a very cool Black Hole T-shirt after the second viewing. There’s probably a photo of me in that T-shirt, somewhere…
I'm not sure it was MEANT to be a throwback, though- I think the producers simply weren't aware that big-budget science fiction movies could look modern in the '70s without harkening back to the cheese of the '50s. Watching it again, it's incredible that The Black Hole was made *after* Star Wars and Alien.
Forbidden Planet bore little resemblance to The big-screen Flicks of the 50s and early 60s. It was both envisioned and executed as the first true high-production-value sci-fi theater film. czcams.com/video/BD_Ns-GcnnI/video.html
@@TheInflicted I thought it looked modern enough for the time, keeping in mind that this was Disney dipping their toe into something darker and more grown-up than what they were known for. Comparing it to Star Wars(the original), it's not that different aesthetically.
FYI Star Trek the Motion Picture wasn't a summer release. They had production delays (I think due to SFX) and frantically pushed the film out on Dec 6, 1979 in order to qualify for the Oscars that year.
Star Trek had a locked-in release date of Dec. 7, 1979 because of the block booking Paramount had done with theaters. Had they missed that date they would have hit with a class action lawsuit.
All to produce the one movie Trek fans nigh-unanimously deny is canon: Star Trek: The mixed-up Picture Paramount quickly and smartly about-faced to the formula they knew worked, and the iconic crew crushed it with the able aid of Ricardo Montalban and the fantastic plastic chest.
The Black Hole has a special place in my heart. It was my first trip to the cinema at age 8. My dad tried to convince the ticket lady that I was 12 which was the minimum age allowed for the movie here in Denmark, and I remember correcting him. The ticket lady laughed and let us in - and I remember not understanding the odd look from my dad. Anyway - I loved the film, even though I did not understand much of it. I was in love with all things tech - and the buttons, the robots, the spaceships and costumes. It blew me away. And it scared me alot when Maximillian turned evil. But I loved the film. I still do to this day, even though it hasn't aged that well..
I like how you said "quality" remake. Given Hollywood's track record with big star, big budget remakes that were terrible or flops. The original script writers, directors, and crew had a vision and tried to tell that story as they saw it. With remakes they just take a classic story and do a cookie-cutter retelling without all of the vision of the original and none of the heart that made it a classic among fans to begin with. I would love a remake of this, but modern Hollywood would probably screw it up.
I dunno. This movie comes from a time when they had to work harder to sell disbelief. Now a days with the lazy generation it would only be a Michael Bay-esque nightmare. This is one of those movies where the musical score is so engaging. Not many movies now days utilize the soundtrack as much to sell the narrative.
@@HuntingTarg probably. Good point though as that movie along with all of Nolans movies use the soundtrack to emphasize the narrative. Probably the closes thing to a reimagining. But this movie in of itself is timeless. A remake would only diminish its quality. It's the same reason we dont see a remake of say Casablanca or Gone With The Wind.
My friends and I saw this film on 2 consecutive nights. Firstly because of the action, and secondly that it carried the trailer for The Empire Strikes Back which we thought was amazing.
11:33 Yes, it looked amazing on the big screen. I was 11 years old, when my older brother and me watched it on its release in Germany. I was so thrilled from the first second, i never forgot. Now as an adult, i'm seeing with other eyes and i am aware of all its flaws, but at the same time i remember, that this movie once sucked me in just like the black hole it deals with. I probably got never again immersed into a movie to this extent.
I've always loved this movie from the time I saw it in the theater. Later on I found this film to be very reminiscent of 20,000 Leagues with Dr. Reinhart as Capt. Nemo
I remember as a 12 year old going to my local Odeon to see this 5 or 6 times. Each time I had to make a difficult choice between this and The Spaceman and King Arthur. The Black Hole usually won!
9:15 "A title that appears to be both sexist and racist" I think I may have never facepalmed so hard in my life. Holy shit. Was this guy the original SJW prototype?
@@magneto44 Where did _that_ myth come from? You got it backward. It's SJWs who are triggered and offended by everything. The rest of us just use the term to describe such people. Yes, in casual conversation. Because SJWs are a thing and they are ridiculous.
@@magneto44 Evidence, please. Saying a thing does not make it so. SJWs, by definition, are the recently common group of pepetually offened and easily triggered people. It isn't a very sound argument to suggest that those who _refer_ to such people in casual conversation are, themselves, easily triggered and perpetually offended. The two groups could not be more different.
When I saw Star Wars in the theatre, I was 8 years old and my first impression of Darth Vader was that he was a badass villain. Two years later, Maximilian scared the shit out of me.
The Black Hole will forever be a classic film.Love it or hate it, it will always be a classic.Always!!!!😃Yes in 1979 i saw it on the big screen and it was awesome.I still 💘 love and respect the movie today.Peace.
@Dave Volsky No matter how many times I see this film, I have NEVER understood the significance if the "Hell" ending. It has always been my impression that near the final third of the film, someone else took over & went a TOTALLY different direction than was originally intended.
Nice video, Johnathan. Well done. Did you know that Alex Durant was killed three different ways across three different mediums? In the movie, of course, he is killed by Maximilian's cuisinart weaponry. In the novel, he is killed by Maximilian's laser arm. In the comic book, he is killed directly by Hans Reinhardt himself with a dual laser weapon. The Black Hole is definitely a guilty pleasure fave of mine. I think the two most cringe worthy lines in the film are: Kate McRae: U.S.S. Cygnus. It's mission to discover habitable life in outer space; same as ours. Then later.. Charlie Pizer: Maybe Reinhard lied. Maybe there are some survivors still alive. I love the differing designs of the ships. The Palomino looks like something from a possible near-future space probe mission. The Cygnus looks like something from the mind of Jules Verne.
OK, now I *LOVE* that bit of trivia. Guy didn't like the robot prototype model, so he beat it with a baseball bat until it looked battered enough, then they built the models off that. THAT is badass!
The ending is my absolute favorite part; everything during the final scene. The whole merging of the villain and max the robot then lording over hell is so strange and poetic and totally unique to the cinema world. This and TRON are two of my favorites and two of the most original Science Fiction movie concepts ever conceived, even though I only really like Black Hole for the final scene and that awesome devil robot.
I am glad others appreciate the ending. It seems some like symbolic imagery done brilliantly whilst others just want simple straight narrative, where no interpretation is required.
You're 100% correct. Movies that should be remade are those like this one. That had potential, but never lived up it in its entirety. Yet they keep remaking movies that are already perfect as they are.
It's one of my most favourite movies. I was totally frightened when I watched it as a kid. The score is amazing and the atmosphere is just so dark and grim... I really enjoy this movie today with my 45 years of age.
One correction - Star Trek The Motion Picture was also a Christmas 1979 release. Alien was summer 1979. The Black Hole looked good on the big screen, but even at 14 I could tell it was poorly made. The science was awful (no spacesuits as the Cygnus is collapsing around them).
I assumed the Cygnus's magical containment field (that protected the ship from the black hole's tidal forces) was still functioning & holding in the atmosphere in the crumbling ship.
ariel films inc No, Star Trek The Motion Picture did not come out in the UK 6 months before anywhere else. The production was so behind, they were literally editing right up to the premiere. Director Robert Wise says he took the just-finished print to the Washington DC premiere. The director cut that came out on DVD is a much better version of the film.
I grew up watching this as often as my parents would let me. Loved it. It couldnt be remade today though. The public didnt understand what blackholes really were. The kid friendly robots were my least favorite part, even as a kid. It always reminded me of 20,000 leagues under the sea, not (later) event horizon. EH the ship went somewhere and came back. BH the ship went somewhere after the new crew got onboard.
I saw it on the big screen in 1979, and I loved it. Obviously as I've grown up, I've seen the flaws, but I think a lot of people overlook the very good qualities of this film. It has a truly creepy feel. In general, I'm against remakes, but this is one that really should be remade.
What's confusing about the ending? The probe ship survived and is in an unknown part of the universe. Maximilian and Reinhardt are fused together in hell. No, this film shouldn't be remade. Try thinking of new plots rather than constantly redoing what's already been done before.
The problem is that Hollywood continues to insist on remaking good movies, or at least movies without significant flaws. If they're going to waste their time on such activity, at least remake a flawed one. The problem with that however is that they would just replace the wonderful analog FX imagery of the original with standard-issue CGI. The one positive thing about The Black Hole is that it definitely had a distinctive look.
@@satyr1968 Indeed, and a modern remake would doubtless just be an explosion/effects fest, or riddled with SJW/identity politics (which ruined SW), or both. Sometimes a good old movie should just be left alone. I can think of others which stand out like this, such as, "Colossus: The Forbin Project" (which Terminator and others ripped off), "The French Connection" and, "The Andromeda Strain". czcams.com/video/tzND6KmoT-c/video.html A great many movies back then had a certain punch which is utterly missing today. They knew better how to use music and other aspects of film making. I recommend, "The Fall of the Roman Empire" from 1964. Not scifi, just comes to mind because its outdoor shots and battle scenes are extraordinary, perhaps the largest number of real horses in one shot I can recall: czcams.com/video/3cYVLXric5E/video.html These days just about everything is CGI, so a scene in LoTR might look cool, but it isn't real, but back then they actually went location hunting and it does make a difference to one's sense of what one is watching, eg. the film has a lot of scenes filmed on location with real snow falling, while other places were just excellent choices for particular shots (today the sunshafts in the following part would be CGI, back then they found a good place and filmed at the right time of day & conditions): czcams.com/video/3cYVLXric5E/video.html
I was 9 at the time this unforgettable movie came out in theaters. My brothers and myself were all obsessed over the robots! Maximillion is in my opinion one of the most creative villains Disney has ever produced. Who cares what the critics banter on about! I still love this futuristic gem and my kids love it!!
I think the Cygnus is one of the absolute coolest looking space ships I've ever seen. It's like a Gothic cathedral in space. And Maximilian is hands down one of the most intimidating robots ever created, though I wonder why he lacks the ability to speak.
...Good On Ya Jonathan...Thank You for all your efforts in covering so meany classic personal memory's regained by your making of these look backs by yourself...Takes me right back to those days my Friend... Very Best Regards and Thanks out to you Jonathan... Good On Ya Mate Jigger
The Black Hole was my first Sci-fi movie. I had the read-along book long before I saw it. I remember bursting into tears because of old Bob at the end. I played with my Maximillian and Vincent toys. Good times.
My brother and I had both issues of the comic, and I had the novelization...Actually, a few yrs ago, I did a bit of searching on the internet, and found the novelization in .pdf form
I saw the movie in 79 when it came out, and it was as powerful as Star Wars to me (I was five at the time). One of the things that really impacted me was the opening title sequence. THAT was memorable. Looking at it as an adult, I do see several valid criticisms of the movie now, but that being said I still enjoy it. If it were to be remade, it would have to be done right (problem is that too many modern movies have become platforms for activism sermons or social propaganda instead of just telling a good story).
@@HuntingTarg No you are spot on as i was 23 in 1980 so pretty much full grown also i left home aged 16 and the 1st star wars was the 70s when i was 20 :) oh i forgot to mention the big pile of child like jawas that got incinerated
I like the idea of a remake. Of all the past properties that Disney is mucking about with making live-action remakes, The Black Hole is actually one film that could benefit from a fresh take. Mind you, not having the original cast would be a loss, but a modern remake could bring back the original VINCENT, music and ship designs (for nostalgia and continuity), and benefit immensely from a fresh script and modern SPFX.
This film always seemed like "20,000 Leagues Under The Sea" in space... but not nearly as good. The director of "Tron: Legacy" was supposed to do a remake, but I think Disney scrapped it after they bought Lucasfilm and started wasting everyone's time producing terrible Star Wars films.
20k Leagues-that's a great analogy. I enjoyed this film but it did manage to irritate me with several of the Disneyesque treatments. Vincent and bob were was just a little too cute, and the human actors were pretty stale. The overall theme was pretty cool though.
Man, that ending - confused me when I was 11, still confuses me at 51. Very brave of Disney to allow it. I don't have a theory as to what's happening, I just let it wash over me.
@@SWGhostbuster Exactly. Why do so few see this? An evil being trapped within his own evil creation; two entities in some effect becoming one. Maximillian is the cage from which Reinhardt will forever be part of in eternal torment. As you sat the alter ego.
Saw The Black Hole when I was 7 years old. Loved it. The scene where Durant removed the worker drone's face mask really freaked me out! :-) I remember seeing a cool VINCENT mockup at one of the theaters where the movie was showing.
I think your overall review is accurate, but too negative in parts. I watched this when I was about 8 or 9 and LOVED it. Already being a massive fan of Star Wars I lapped this film up. The music was so dark and some of the scenes disturbing...but mixed with light and funny moments. Vincent and B.O.B are genius creations. And the ending was so strange that I still think about it today. What a shame it didn't do as well as it deserved at the time...but the cult following since hopefully makes up for that.
I thought the ending had the heroes flying through heaven, but coming out alive on the other side of the black hole. The villain on the other hand did not survive the journey through the black hole. He ended up in hell forever imprisoned inside Maximilian.
Renhardt/Maximilian isn't just "in hell" they are positioned above the sous in torment, above the inferno, presiding over it. It is representative of what he did to th e Cygnus crew... they were tormented I tell hell Reinhardt created.... Reinhardt/Maximilian symbolically becomes the Devil... ne cou,d interpret the end sequence as everyone des, the bad guy goes where bad guys go, and the good guys g to the other place...
It wasn't a "bad" movie, it just didn't stand up to the original "Star Wars", and was clearly an attempt to jump on the "space" themed movies that did so well before. And as you pointed out, the two "cute" robots gave the movie a "kiddee movie" feel that ultimately hurt it rather than help.
Interesting bit of trivia that this is the movie that almost destroyed Mego the toy company. Mego licensed the rights to make Black Hole action figures but ended up owing much more money to Disney for the license then they made selling the toys. It would have put Mego out of business except Disney mentioned they were making a movie called Tron next. Mego held the toy trademark on the name Tron as part of the Micronauts toys, and sold the trademark to Disney in exchange for forgiving their Black Hole licensing debt!
I love the Cygnus ship and I actually built one in the Survival Craft that took me over 2 years to make that I posted on CZcams 7 video tour of the Cygnus. What I love about this move is it was a different type of the science fiction movie. It was a mystery, battle, Disaster and then the after life hell scene. Also I love how the laser guns sound. There a scene in the movie when that huge flat screen fell on Maximillion Schell and this is in I believe in 1979 and now today we have flat screen T.Vs I'm thinking wow! We didn't have those type of flat screen back then it was only the projection t.v. screens LOL
And now it's flipped again and we have small and cheap video projectors in our homes with cloth movie screens that don't weigh enough to hurt anything.
Though I was only 12 on the release of this movie, I liked it although I felt it was a bit scary and creepy at the time, especially the scene when Maximilian kills and the crushing of the ship as it entered the black hole.. I remember feeling that it was very dark for a Disney movie. This movie, Star Wars, and the Space:1999 t.v. show cemented my love for sci-fi to this day.
I did get to see this on the big screen when it came out in theatres. It was shown at the Alabama Theater in downtown Birmingham, AL. Absolutely fantastic presentation!
I already liked and sub'd in the 1st 10 seconds of this video as I do LOVE this old movie I grew up with. Hardly ANYONE recalls this movie except my brotha from anotha motha. A definite Disney cult classic that has been under played and forgotten. THANK YOU!!!
The first time I wasn't sure I liked it, but I was amazed by the effects watching it in the theater. I've seen it recently and it's impressive now. Edit: I’ve thought about this more, especially what impressed me. Having seen Star Wars, Star Trek TMP, and Alien before, I thought the visuals of space were much better than these, especially the black hole itself. The Cygnus was incredible as well. And while yes the script needed more work, comparing it to the Woke era I have no complaints.
I saw this when I was a kid and really liked the movie, I got a large model kit of the ship, built it and it was still hanging in my room when I left home to serve in the Army.
I was 12 when it came out. I LOVED it! I saw it several times and bought the soundtrack album. I also bought some model kits of characters from the film. I probably have the comic books and other publications about it. At the time, one of my favorite movies of all time was 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, and The Black Hole felt to me like a very exciting update to that story. The visual effects really impressed me, too. Best of all, the movie had Anthony Perkins and Roddy McDowell (whose voice was unmistakable despite his lack of an on-screen credit). I adored both of them.
Although I really did love this video, I was kinda hoping a closer examination of the ending. That was without a doubt one of the weirdest endings to a sci fi film ever! Did Maximillian actually absorb that guy and they rule in hell? Was there an angel leading them out? How many drugs were consumed to make that ending???
I first saw this movie when I was nine years old. I always thought the ending was the flaming wreckage of the Cygnus. Notice as the camera moves down what looks like a canyon as it approaches the massive fire, just before it exits the 'canyon', there are what look like scorched electrical conduits and electrical cables on the right, and on the left what looks like two sets of ultra high voltage power junctions. The massive fire we see next resembles the big control center Reinhardt had shown them much earlier in the movie. Remember Reinhard's narration in that scene: "There is enough instant energy down there to power all of Earth". That's how I always interpreted the 'hell' scene. Here's what nine year old me was thinking the first time I ever saw that scene: "What a total, senseless waste of a beautiful ship. Smooth move Dr. Reinhardt, ya fucking jackass!!"
@@jjohn2k If that is the Cygnus, it almost looks like it's made of rock. I think it was meant to resemble both a wrecked Cygnus and a hellish "city" of towers and walkways over a lake of fire.
I was 15 years old when I saw this in the movies. I saw it multiple times in the Theater. I bought everything related to the film. The Soundtrack is still one of my favorites of all time. I also saw another favorite film of mine,' Star Trek the motion picture that also came out in December of 1979. Two movies that I still love ❤️ today.
8:38, The complete series of comics *was* released in South America as six issues, and Europe as three double-sized issues. The crew arrives in an alternate universe where they are "reunited" with Old Bob, Kate's father, and unfortunately Reinhardt and Maximilian too. I *think* the story ends with the crew heading back through the Einstein-Rosen bridge and onward to Earth. (I wanted to check this for you, but I can't find the comics in my collection right now! When I do, I'll edit my comment!)
Walt disney was a mason, he was a pedaphile, he was also a jew........so there were demons in every corner and what better cover for a masonic pedaphile jew than to run a company for children and call it family entertainment the whole of hollywood is like this but disney is the flagship !!!!!!!
Appreciate this review/synopsis, thank you. A couple of things: The narration is rather sing-songy and its being read from a script comes across obviously (minor). Regarding the movie reviewer who declared the movie title to be "racist and sexist": I can't imagine an idiot more ill-suited for reviewing movies. Thanks!
This was actually a fairly decent movie, it just had some stiff competition, and the biggest issue with the film was that they seemed to make the change from a serious film for adult audiences to a family friendly film younger audiences late in the production. This can be seen with the soundtrack being more lighthearted despite the more serious situation. Also Vincent is imo the best robot sidekick off all time, surpassing even R2D2, from Roddie McDowell's voice, to the simple design of the eyes that surprising manage to convey some emotion. The scene where BoB dies actually feels tragic and you can actually see sadness being expressed in Vincent's eyes, and when he takes one last look back at him as he's forced to leave him behind gets me every time, all this with a robot whose only facial features are square eyes with only the pupils moving.
I was drug to this flick by my young son, but after watching it, I must admit I liked it. I'm surprised no one has commented on the one great line of dialogue from battered robot Bob: "There are old pilots and bold pilots, but there are no old, bold pilots". A classic bit of wisdom I'll long remember.
I do feel this one was greatly underrated. The haunting score was amazing; I'll have to dig it up. The special effects were outstanding for the time. I thought the comic robots with their cartoonish eyes were a bit silly though. The disconnect between all the adult-toned scenes versus the more kid-oriented robot scenes reminds me of a similar disconnect in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. That, too, seemed like a kids' movie and an adult movie tied together by a string. Just curious, for those who got the DVD: are there adult scenes that were left out of the theater release? Any chance for an improved director's cut?
It's such a strange film. You can tell it's been through development hell because it jumps from one genre to another mid-movie; somebody senior at Disney in 1978 clearly said "we need our own Star Wars", but the film's premise is closer to a creepy episode of Star Trek. And the film literally ends in hell, which is just bizarre and guaranteed to give any children in the audience nightmares.
My dad worked on making Maximillian and other robots in The Black Hole
tell your dad he and the others made someone in belgium VERY HAPPY
I went all the way to italy to get the toys (the only place where the film was highly popular, don t ask me why)
and I would carry the smallest version of vincent with me everywhere at all times
WOW! Awesome ~V~
God bless you for R2D2s wilder cousin, Vincent! Best robo gunslinger west of Sol! And thank you for terrifying the hell out of us with that book-shredding, sausage maker, Max!
Well done! Thank your father! Maximillian (I don;t think of him as a "Max") was terrifying! Everyone I know LOVED the film and we (myself included) loved VIncent and Old Bob! Were they miniatures/animated or scaled as we saw- about half-human size?
I find it ironic that this film was made to compete against Star Wars, yet now Disney owns LucasArts, which made the Star Wars franchise.
I watched this movie at the cinema when it was first released. Four times. It fascinated me, and it's bleakness chilled me. It was one of those movies that I could not stop thinking about. The weird ending is more than a little disturbing, and very reminiscent of the 'Night On A Bare Mountain' segment of Disney's 'Fantasia', with Maximillian standing in for the Daemon Chernabog. Alan Dean Foster's novel is even bleaker, with nobody surviving, but being crushed out of existence. 1979 was a good year for him - he wrote the novelisations of 'Alien', 'Star Trek: The Motion Picture', and 'The Black Hole'. I have a set of Black Hole figures, and the pop-up book, the teaser poster, the cinema poster, the 'Fotonovel', and a set of lobby cards. There's still a place in my heart for this movie. Can you tell? My favourite line from the movie is Harry Booth talking to the limping humanoid gardener, asking if it can talk. Booth (Ernest Borgnine) answers himself: "No, that would make you too real, wouldn't it?" It further establishes just how very creepy the humanoids are.
The enormity of the Cygnus was breathtaking.
Can you imagine a prequel that takes us from the construction and launch of the Cygnus through Reinhard's hollowing out of the crew, to the moments before the Palimino crew arrive on the bridge? What an epic that would be.
That would be fantastic. I'm trying to think who would be a good actor to portray Reinhard. Christoph Walz comes to mind. It would be amazing to see the Cygnus on earth so we can get a sense of how enormous it is. We could see BOB when he was new and in good condition too. This would be much better than a remake.
It would be worth it just to see the Cygnus on the big screen again.
I can imagine an R rated prequel that is a horror movie!
@@NH1973 My first thought for a reboot (or prequel) actor to play Dr. Reinhardt was Mads Mikkelsen, but I like your idea, too!
@@MrDuneedon yes, he would be excellent too
One of the most underrated sci-fi movies of all time!
Shawn Savage defn. one of my childhood’s special movies
thank you so much, that film was so underated ! I was crazy about it when it came out (still am) and wrote a long article to defend it and wrote that no it was not a poor parent of star wars (which I love too) that it was pure disney as a "20 000 leagues under the sea" in space and a "fantasia" ending
I sent it ot a magazine and got no answer
then saw it in a hard cover book about science fiction, signed by someone else (they had changed a word here and there, meaning the same thing) not fair ! but still made me happy
my big disappointment : no extras on the dvd ! so your video here more than compensates for it
Joseph bottoms as mister special effects (well it was his name in french) was so forgotten that I was not sure of it anymore, I thought I had dreamed it, thanks for the color picture !
I just want to add than yvette mimieux was in another disney movie "monkeys go home", not one of the best but a delightful song by the shermans, sung by maurice chevalier, in the weakest disney period of time (you can even see that the meat stolen by the dogs is plastic, lol...and a few years later, wow, look at the black hole ! great art work
poor dog actors, why not give them the real thing?
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU ( I still treasure my vincent robot, he s having tea with my R2D2 and BB8, and all the disney princesses, maximillian only invited from time to time, when he promises to behave)
Even for a Disney film it's complete rubbish
Sexobscured
Not within the genre it isn't. As sci-fi space opera goes, its absolutely awesome.
Overrated. Horrible, horrible movie.
Rienheart in Hell Because he's Played by Maximilian Schell, as an Irony Ends up in a Maximilian Shell, L.O.L
wow I never noticed before
do you think it s intentional?
Hilarious observation, LOL! 😄
Moonbeam 87's comment is made of win 😎
Maximilian's Hell
HUH HA!
The murder of Anthony Perkins by Maximilian was one of the most haunting pieces of imagery in sci-fi.
Monkey Mutant Boss Agreed! That scene was burned into my mind as a child. I think the movie is brilliant, dark and haunting.
I don't like the movie, but you remind me of the scene, and you are correct.
So, was it a Kid's Movie?
@Daniel Appleton star wars 7 & 8 suck.
Did you notice also, when Durant spins the Humanoid robot around is a reference to Psycho and Mrs Bates' big reveal?
Could have been much worse. In reality, blood would have been spraying everywhere. If this movie had been made five years later it would have been directed by James Cameron and definitely have been bloody and more gruesome.
The music is what always caught my attention with the Black Hole. It was simply amazing. It added to the atmosphere of the movie so well. I loved this movie as a kid. Your critique is dead on with the issues, and I would also love to see what a modern take of this story could do.
The music is amazing
It is a beautiful score (if a bit repetitive at the beginning). The score broadens as we see more of the Cygnus, and the story unfolds. I love the track: "Durant Is Dead" I think my only other irk with an otherwise magnificent score is "Laser Battle". Something about it is off-putting when we see the Palomino crew shpoting it out with the sentries. The whole piece sounds prematurely victorious. No suspense to heighten the tension of the gunfights. That's just me. I love the score, and often sleep to it. 👍👍
@@martok2112 same here, it seems like it was not planned for this part of the movie
There is a huge possibility for any remake to be a tragedy, I'm thinking of most of the remakes that have been done in the past 20 years. If a remake had the pacing, effects, and similar plot devices as Interstellar then it could work, but it shouldn't be just a quick cash-grab kids film, and any current-day politics would need to be kept out of it. I'd want it to follow the same basic story but with a few differences along the way.
June 20th 2022 I discovered a v.i.n.cent pin at Disney's California Adventure theme park. Hopefully a portent of things to come!
I was 9 when this came out. The ending used to scare the hell out of me.
40 years later, I'm _still_ torn over which Black Hole scene was scariest for me: The "Durant taking the crew member's mask off and there's a withered human gasping for breath beneath" scene, the "Maximilian ripping a hole through Durant" scene or the "Reinhardt and Maximilian becoming one in Hell" scene. Tough call, really.
Same.
Same. The "humanoid" reveal was a bit much for me when I saw it, about the same age as you. That bothered me more so than any other part.
@@BloodyBay Same, regarding the most scary scenes when I was kid, but as a grown up, I now get a shiver whenever I watch the scene where the captain strolls through the deserted barracks - a gripping metaphor of the soullessness of a totalitarian dictatorship [ where 'nobody's home', figuratively, and in this case, literally ]: what a "the end justifies the means" ethos leads to [ which Reinhardt explicitly states, a couple minutes prior ]. To me, this has become the core scene and message of the film - the actual 'black hole' where humanity ends. The haunting music of that sequence really drives home the point.
I also appreciate the epic depiction of hell, at the end, which I never had a problem with and always made sense to me, even as a kid. Though, today, I can't help but think that it is a distinctly 'Calvinist' ( Anglo-Saxon! ) version of Hell, where even the enslaved crew of the Cygnus are damned just the same [ if that's indeed what the hooded masses in the inferno's canyons stand for ], through no fault of their own! ...They were never among the 'chosen'. That's kind of disturbing, the more I think of it, actually [ Hell being a Calvinist inferno ]! ...Or, an alternative interpretation might simply be that a "the end justifies the means" ethos, together with deception, which is the essence of military strategy and warfare, makes specters of us all.
Note: I believe the project started in late 1975-early 1976, less than one year after the end of the Vietnam war, so the notion of "does the end justify the means?" must have weighed heavily on the writers' minds ( as it did Lucas ).
@Satanic Panic Fun and Games anybody in hell doesn't rule anything.
It has flaws but, for my money, this is a masterpiece. The musical score and the visual effects are just amazing.
Watching this as a kid, the lobotomized crew reveal was stuff of nightmares. V.I.N.CENT is still my favorite movie robot to this day.
I agree with you on everything except V.I.N.C.E.N.T. I thought he was condescending and annoying. I think the movie would have been better without Vincent and more of Maximilian! 😂😂😂
Condescending, to be sure, but likable in my book. It was Roddy McDowall, and there was no way I was going to dislike any of his roles
George Lucas had nothing on Maximilian, when it came to evil robots. He was as great, as an evil robot, as Darth Vader was as an evil human character. In fact, Maximilian would have been awesome as a personal robot for Darth Vader. He looked very much like the Imperial Guard, which were dressed in red, who protected the Emperor and Vader when he was in his meditation chamber or Bacta Tank. I can also picture him traveling around with Vader, as both a body guard and servant. He would have needed the ability to talk though, with a voice as iconic as Vader's voice. It would also be cool if he wielded light sabers like General Grievous.
Between that and the skewering of Anthony Perkins is what freaked me out as a kid. The borderline creepy music in some scenes by John Barry didn't help either. Still, this is one of my all time favorite sci-fi flicks.
BOB was cooler.
The ending makes perfect sense.
Spoiler Below:
When the movie's heroes get pulled into the black hole along with the bad guys, we see images of Hell. The bad guy doctor and the evil robot are fused into one being for their eternal torment. Then the good guys venture to heaven, see crystal archways and an angelic being, only to then be sent to a new world to live in peace.
I saw "The Black Hole" when it was released in cinema. Years later I saw Disney's "Fantasia". In my opinion the ending of "The Black Hole" is a SciFi-Version of the ending of "Fantasia", a combination of the "Night on a Bald Mountain"- and the "Ave Maria"-sequence.
And all that occurred when they entered a black hole because... ?
@@horrorcocktail
Never thought of that !! nice
@@Lumibear. Because of a line of dialogue near the beginning of the film where they are wondering what would be on the other side....
@@Lumibear. Well because a lot of movies have meanings of our real world. Asking bigger question. Its far more intriguing than 'the heroes win and fly away'. Art imitating life. I'm guessing you aren't a 2001: A space odyssey fan?
It did look great on the big screen. 79’ was a great year.
I disagree, having seen both star wars and the black hole on the big screen during first run, I was disappointed. Of course I was 9 when it came out. My parents were expecting another star wars were really disappointed. Funny now. Back then Disney was competing for the attention of the kids of the era in action figure sales and copying Lucasfilms patented cinematography failing in the process. Now, they own it out right. Well if you can't beat them buy them works in guess.
I watched it on a BIG Videocassette back in the day.
@David Topchiev I remember him attempting re-entry!
@@jonnyshanon2103 yes they were big, and boxes bad breakable plastic lol
I still have it (half broken)
The score of the movie remains one of my all time favourites and the gothic look and feel of the Cygnus. I can't believe the figures didn't sell. My friends and I loved them!
You should listen to some of John Barry's other "space" music, like for "Moonraker" and "You only a Live Twice".
The only one I bought back in 79 was Maximillian...and I still have it today, because it's so damn cool.
@@TheInflicted also the spy who loved me
@@dvlarry I didn't think Barry did the music for that one.
@@TheInflictedOops, you're right. Marvin Hamlisch filled in for usual Bond composer John Barry, as Barry was unavailable for work in the United Kingdom due to tax reasons
Black hole was a great movie, John Barry's music was fantastic, especially the into the hole sequence.
Hopefully you grabbed Intrada's remastered expanded edition soundtrack. The score sounds more amazing.
Yes I did ;)
@@classic3511
That little score cue "Bob and Vincent" gets me every time. 😢
I liked it.
LOL yes, goodbye Bob..
The ending was scary with the bad guy becoming the robot in hell.
Yeah, I have never rewatched this film, and one of the main reasons was that ending....
John Barry’s music for that scene was amazing
I saw the movie as a 12 year old. The Ending was so Hieronymous Bosch, I left the theatre thinking "WTF did I just watch?" Though I do think the scene of Reinhardt and Maximillian merging was well-done. Nowadays, people would be shouting, "Now kiss!"
This movie gave me nightmares, but it also really stuck with me all these years. I love it now.
Same! And I have always been in love with the music!!
That Hell scene really scared me at the time LOL
Agreed- this and Something Wicked This Way Comes were both scary AF for Disney movies.
czcams.com/video/Wdoc-eavtw0/video.html
czcams.com/video/8_03R5oZIuo/video.html
I miss 'dark Disney' movies and animations like this. The ending with themes of heaven and hell also are haunting.
Well this a-hole BLEW IT with ME at 11:21! Ohhh God, so HE actually ENDORSES this shitty current Hollywood REMAKE TREND?!!!!!!!
Well said.
@@coleslaw9181 No! NO!! NO!!!
NO REMAKES! This is a classic that does not need to be fucked up like every other remake being done today. 👍👍👍😉😉
The part where the villain floated off screen then back on at the end scared the shit out of me
Black caldron comes to mind for me
As a kid I found the adult themes really compelling. Unlike usual Disney projects, this film was allowed to remain dark and mysterious in a way that generates a really emotional response.
I was 10 , I hated the robots . It was too far awzy from the tone which I liked
I know it's kind of randomly asking but do anyone know of a good place to watch new series online?
@Jaxxon Johnathan flixportal :)
@Korbyn Holden Thanks, I went there and it seems like they got a lot of movies there :D I appreciate it !
@Jaxxon Johnathan glad I could help xD
The ending; If you've ever read "Dante's Inferno" (The Divine Comedy), then the end makes perfect sense. Even a little knowledge of that work explains a lot of what is going on in "The Black Hole". Borgnine's character even mentions "Dante's Inferno" by name in the opening of the film.
The hellish vision followed by escape into what looks like heaven (complete with a guiding angel) all make more sense in light of the story that inspired it.
That ending made the movie even a bigger mess. It's a great turkey now ofcource, but back then it was just terribad.
I remember Harry Boothe (Ernest Borgnine) mentioning Dante’s Inferno.
I've always felt that the final scene is Kate's psychic look into Reinhart's dying mind...he is forced to accept that Maximillian is a both a product and a part of himself and his personal hell is to be stuck forever in the defunct body of a killing machine while trapped with all those he has doomed...the image of the angel is Kate's mind rejecting that fate and rising above it...but hey, that's just my take...the scene is open enough to mean anything...
@@peterisnardi1197
I saw it as a wacky mystical duality, where Rinehart's personality is split into two fates as he both embraces and loathes his creation-turned-overlord; damned to a horrific imprisonment with Maximillian, and also liberated to celestial bliss. At least in any credible Western spiritual tradition, it is simply bizarre and un-credible.
a guiding angel? thank you so much for that explanation, I thought it was kate's soul (as she mentions her father she misses, aa second before) but I was not sure, thanks! I hadn t read dante's inferno at the time
Maximillian Schell did everything but portrait a blunt villain full of cliches. Dr. Reinhard was charismatic and menacing, and carried many chunks of the movie.
And his line, "The word 'impossible', Mr. Booth, is only found in the dictionary of fools" was one I heard used a lot after that movie, and actually became somewhat of an inspirational line for me through most of my life.
He was right up there with Ming the merciless
Agree, especially when he started whispering to Maximilian.
@@classic3511 Something about wanting to fuck Joan Allen's character
@@DukeFan1971 Ive heard that quote before, petty sure it was Napoleon. fwiw.
Many people have asked about the ending of the movie. The most coherent explanation was provided in the paperback book for the movie. They don't blatantly mention it, but Dr.Reinhard has an internal "esp" device allowing contact with Maximillian, just as Dr.Kate does with Vincent. The book describes that only "esp" linked people/robots are able to survive the Black Hole journey and make it through. Reinhard and Maximillian "combine" through their "esp" link, but as they have no vehicle, they remain stuck inside the Black Hole. The 4 crew members are able to link together via Dr.Kate and her "esp" link. Thus, they make it through safely in their vehicle. The "world" landscape inside the black hole is described as (more or less) fantasies of the mind. The "people" are the crew, and as they were changed by Dr.Reinhards machines, they survive, but unable to leave. Once through the black hole, (they survived) they speed towards a planet...end-of-movie.
The visual effects were, and still are, absolutely stunning... The Cygnus and the black hole itself were just phenomenal... And the burning asteroid rolling through the ship was just amazing to me as a kid.
The film definitely has some campiness to it but all in all a decent movie
It is regarded as the worst movie ever made.
@@hannothephoenician633 >Plan 9 from outer space< is regarded as the worst movie ever made.
@@hannothephoenician633 Along with hundreds of others
I saw The Black Hole when it opened in 1979 and absolutely loved it! Back then we didn’t judge a sci-fi or fantasy movie by critics or rotten tomatoes reviews! I still love it and have seen if multiple times!!!! Thanks for the video!
Maximilian
scariest robot in cinema history
Ever see Saturn 3 with Hector? That thing was pretty scary too.
@@dewfall56 :
The Turkey-head on it always made me giggle.
@@Skybaby79 I saw it as a kid and it scared the hell of out me. But I see what you are saying, it kind of does look like a turkey. I used to wonder what a remake of the movie would be like, with Hector as an essentially good robot, that ended up saving the three humans from some catastrophe or alien presence.
@@dewfall56 Fist thing that came to my mind! I definitely think Hector was scarier (and also more powerful) than Maximilian, especially since he was (literally) madly in love with the damsel in distress of the movie. Talk about psycho robots!
Ever see Spare Parts?
Nah, didnt think so.
That was a creepy 'bot.
I saw this in the theater back in '79. I was 12, and absolutely LOVED it. I had all the records, half of the toys(they were rare back then, too), and have bought the movie on every format it's come out on. Both versions of VHS(full screen and letterbox), both versions of DVD, the Blu-Ray, and iTunes. Personally, I find the movie to be incredibly entertaining. Yes, it does have some flaws, but I feel they give the movie character/charm.
Given how Hollywood has shit up remakes and reboots over the past 20 years, I'm going to pass on a re-make. Besides, they no doubt would completely alter the religious tones of the ending, and while I'm not a religious person, I feel that ending fit the narrative extremely well. Reinhart ending up forever trapped in Maximillian, his own creation, and overseeing his own personal Hell..... very fitting. Also, the crew who allowed it all to happen, being punished with him.
One thing you didn't mention, is that Slim Pickins and Roddy McDowell were finally given proper voice credits starting with the DVD release.
All in all, The Black Hole is a fine movie, and it stands alone with it's originality. While we have, since it's release, learned much more about Black Holes, and space in general, the movie still holds up in my opinion.
Space movies of the era were always trying to "rip off" Star Wars, at least The Black Hole can only be accused of swiping the idea of robots as major characters. Even that wasn't an entirely new concept.
I had all the figures, but the internal rubber band that held each together was of poor quality, and broke on nearly all of them. I suspect this had added to their rarity.
Right on, it was awesome! I was 11 and nearly crapped my pants when Maximillian shredded Anthony Perkins, haha. What a year 1979 was for sci-fi with ALIEN and ST:TMP as well. Thankfully my parents were cool and took me to see all of them.
What blu-ray?
I haven't thought about this movie in years. Even though I've never seen it, I did visit Disneyland when it was coming out and they had elaborate window displays on Main Street that depicted scenes with models and animatronic figures. I think they pretty much gave away the ending of the movie in the last window but I was only 8 at the time so my memory is hazy.
@@fortniteharambe John Linde must be mistaken, there's unfortunately no blu ray release for this movie.
Thanks for promoting this film, i was blown away with the film after watching your review. Easily one of the best sci fi movies, easy to watch, stunning visuals, one of the most intense and shocking plots ever.
A great soundtrack by John Barry
And he does fairly similar work on the James Bond film "Moonraker" that same year
Epic soundtrack!
@@k1productions87 Agreed. I think it's fair to look at both of those as sister scores. Barry was clearly working with the same depth and drama and ended up with some of the best music he ever composed. Outstanding music.
@@LatitudeSky Oh absolutely, similar themes and approach, and hauntingly beautiful. Easily the best part of both films
One of a very small few I own on vinyl. It’s great.
I miss the times when Disney took risks and made movies like this one, Dragonslayer and my favorite Tron.
You're right, unfortunately not the new Star Wars, which is nightmares!
@@cmkwan59 For me Star Wars ended with ROTJ.
You failed to mention the design and filming of the iconic spacecraft. A beautiful design, equalled but not surpassed by any other sci-fi design.
The Cygnus is still the most beautiful spaceship ever put on film.
That movie always had a "Nautilus" feel to it, like in the novel "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea". With a Captain that is far away from society and a mysterious crew, doing something most scientists dream off. In the case of Nautilus to dive deep down in the ocean ... in the case of The Black Hole here being at the edge of a real Black Hole and trying to enter it, pass it and come out on the other side. What a Exhilarating idea.
I remember seeing this in the theater. It's such a highly underrated movie and I still love it today. I still have my Vincent, Maximilian and Old Bob figures.
The FX were pretty good for 1979. I can't see the strings moving Maximillian at 7:31.
Yes when I first saw it no strings. It's more visible on DVD release
It's like the War of the Worlds. On VHS you could not see the strings for the martian ships but they stand out on the DVD.
Meanwhile the strings holding up VINCENT and BOB are far more visible
Maximillian scared the poop out of me
Scariest moment for me was the moment when the humanoid has its mask removed by Dr Durant, and the human underneath gasps for air! Couldn't look for years!
Andreas Lopez oh yeah that was scary 😂
Fun fact, that crew member was actually the film director Gary Nelson
I saw The Black Hole in theaters in 1979(I was 12 at the time). I am SO glad that I did, too. I love this movie!
While Slim Pickins and Roddy McDowel weren't credited for their voice work at the time, they were added to the credits on the DVD/Blu-Ray/Digital releases. I don't remember if they were credited on the VHS release, and I no longer have the tapes to confirm.
The "Overture" is amazing, and is an amazing piece of music.
I know the movie has flaws... but dammit, I love it as it stands. I had many of the action figures, all of the records, and still have the novelization. Much of which I still have to this day. I swear, Disney needs to NEVER reboot/reimagine/etc this movie. Just leave it be... it's amazing as it is, and there is no way they could improve it. The FX flaws aren't a major issue, and the acting is perfectly fine. For the love of God, leave this one be.
I saw it in a theater when I was 5. And loooooved it. So much so, I begged and cried for my dad to take me back to the theater the next day to see it again. And he (very uncharacteristically) did! I remember also when they used to sell movie-specific merchandise in theaters, and I took home a very cool Black Hole T-shirt after the second viewing. There’s probably a photo of me in that T-shirt, somewhere…
The Cygnus is beautiful: an interstellar Crystal palace.
With a class dining room! Eddie Alston.
I love this movie. It is a total throwback to the late 1950s/early 1960s sci fi films like Forbidden Planet, with 1970s FX.
nova1972x Forbidden Planet was much better.
Well this a-hole BLEW IT with ME at 11:21! Ohhh God, so HE actually ENDORSES this shitty current Hollywood REMAKE TREND?!!!!!!!
I'm not sure it was MEANT to be a throwback, though- I think the producers simply weren't aware that big-budget science fiction movies could look modern in the '70s without harkening back to the cheese of the '50s. Watching it again, it's incredible that The Black Hole was made *after* Star Wars and Alien.
Forbidden Planet bore little resemblance to The big-screen Flicks of the 50s and early 60s. It was both envisioned and executed as the first true high-production-value sci-fi theater film.
czcams.com/video/BD_Ns-GcnnI/video.html
@@TheInflicted I thought it looked modern enough for the time, keeping in mind that this was Disney dipping their toe into something darker and more grown-up than what they were known for. Comparing it to Star Wars(the original), it's not that different aesthetically.
FYI Star Trek the Motion Picture wasn't a summer release. They had production delays (I think due to SFX) and frantically pushed the film out on Dec 6, 1979 in order to qualify for the Oscars that year.
Star Trek had a locked-in release date of Dec. 7, 1979 because of the block booking Paramount had done with theaters. Had they missed that date they would have hit with a class action lawsuit.
@@ToxicCrayon Robert Wise delivered the print to the premiere himself I believe.
All to produce the one movie Trek fans nigh-unanimously deny is canon:
Star Trek: The mixed-up Picture
Paramount quickly and smartly about-faced to the formula they knew worked, and the iconic crew crushed it with the able aid of Ricardo Montalban and the fantastic plastic chest.
ST:TMP sucked. Boring AF. ALIEN is light years better.
A wonderful film and one I tend to watch each Christmas. Fabulous score.
The Black Hole has a special place in my heart. It was my first trip to the cinema at age 8. My dad tried to convince the ticket lady that I was 12 which was the minimum age allowed for the movie here in Denmark, and I remember correcting him. The ticket lady laughed and let us in - and I remember not understanding the odd look from my dad. Anyway - I loved the film, even though I did not understand much of it. I was in love with all things tech - and the buttons, the robots, the spaceships and costumes. It blew me away. And it scared me alot when Maximillian turned evil. But I loved the film. I still do to this day, even though it hasn't aged that well..
This movie deserves a quality remake..
I like how you said "quality" remake. Given Hollywood's track record with big star, big budget remakes that were terrible or flops. The original script writers, directors, and crew had a vision and tried to tell that story as they saw it. With remakes they just take a classic story and do a cookie-cutter retelling without all of the vision of the original and none of the heart that made it a classic among fans to begin with. I would love a remake of this, but modern Hollywood would probably screw it up.
I dunno. This movie comes from a time when they had to work harder to sell disbelief. Now a days with the lazy generation it would only be a Michael Bay-esque nightmare. This is one of those movies where the musical score is so engaging. Not many movies now days utilize the soundtrack as much to sell the narrative.
Or a 'reimagination'...
Although a reimagination of the story concept for modern viewers would probably resemble _Interstellar_ ...
@@DeathMetalViking
@@HuntingTarg probably. Good point though as that movie along with all of Nolans movies use the soundtrack to emphasize the narrative. Probably the closes thing to a reimagining. But this movie in of itself is timeless. A remake would only diminish its quality. It's the same reason we dont see a remake of say Casablanca or Gone With The Wind.
NO. No more remakes.
Great review. I was 8 when it came out and saw it at the cinema. Maximilian scared the living flip out of me!
My friends and I saw this film on 2 consecutive nights. Firstly because of the action, and secondly that it carried the trailer for The Empire Strikes Back which we thought was amazing.
11:33 Yes, it looked amazing on the big screen. I was 11 years old, when my older brother and me watched it on its release in Germany. I was so thrilled from the first second, i never forgot. Now as an adult, i'm seeing with other eyes and i am aware of all its flaws, but at the same time i remember, that this movie once sucked me in just like the black hole it deals with. I probably got never again immersed into a movie to this extent.
I've always loved this movie from the time I saw it in the theater. Later on I found this film to be very reminiscent of 20,000 Leagues with Dr. Reinhart as Capt. Nemo
I remember as a 12 year old going to my local Odeon to see this 5 or 6 times. Each time I had to make a difficult choice between this and The Spaceman and King Arthur. The Black Hole usually won!
9:15 "A title that appears to be both sexist and racist"
I think I may have never facepalmed so hard in my life. Holy shit. Was this guy the original SJW prototype?
They were just starting to pop up from the manure pile. Too bad they were given water and sunshine.
it was a bad joke, but it’s the people throwing around “SJW” in normal conversation who are triggered and offended by absolutely everything
@@magneto44 Where did _that_ myth come from? You got it backward. It's SJWs who are triggered and offended by everything. The rest of us just use the term to describe such people. Yes, in casual conversation. Because SJWs are a thing and they are ridiculous.
Recon.777 it’s not a myth, comments like yours are a prime example
@@magneto44 Evidence, please. Saying a thing does not make it so. SJWs, by definition, are the recently common group of pepetually offened and easily triggered people. It isn't a very sound argument to suggest that those who _refer_ to such people in casual conversation are, themselves, easily triggered and perpetually offended. The two groups could not be more different.
When I saw Star Wars in the theatre, I was 8 years old and my first impression of Darth Vader was that he was a badass villain. Two years later, Maximilian scared the shit out of me.
The Black Hole will forever be a classic film.Love it or hate it, it will always be a classic.Always!!!!😃Yes in 1979 i saw it on the big screen and it was awesome.I still 💘 love and respect the movie today.Peace.
It's still one of my favourite movies. I saw it in the theatre in 1979 when I was 17 🌌🚀
@Dave Volsky What did you think of it, old man? 🚀😉
@Dave Volsky No matter how many times I see this film, I have NEVER understood the significance if the "Hell" ending.
It has always been my impression that near the final third of the film, someone else took over & went a TOTALLY different direction than was originally intended.
I did too.
I remember loving this as a kid. It seems so unwatchable now which makes me wanna see it again
EXCEPT FOR A HORRIBLE PLOT, SHITTY ACTING, AND BAD SPECIAL EFFECTS, NO, IT JUST FUCKING SUCKED!
Nice video, Johnathan. Well done.
Did you know that Alex Durant was killed three different ways across three different mediums?
In the movie, of course, he is killed by Maximilian's cuisinart weaponry.
In the novel, he is killed by Maximilian's laser arm.
In the comic book, he is killed directly by Hans Reinhardt himself with a dual laser weapon.
The Black Hole is definitely a guilty pleasure fave of mine. I think the two most cringe worthy lines in the film are:
Kate McRae: U.S.S. Cygnus. It's mission to discover habitable life in outer space; same as ours.
Then later..
Charlie Pizer: Maybe Reinhard lied. Maybe there are some survivors still alive.
I love the differing designs of the ships. The Palomino looks like something from a possible near-future space probe mission. The Cygnus looks like something from the mind of Jules Verne.
Lol, they always spoke those lines so fast I never noticed!
I remember seeing this as a kid in the theater the black hole effect was really cool on the big screen
Made me dizzy. It was awesome!
OK, now I *LOVE* that bit of trivia. Guy didn't like the robot prototype model, so he beat it with a baseball bat until it looked battered enough, then they built the models off that. THAT is badass!
Puppet robots and stain glass spaceships are no match for a good blaster at your side kid.
oh shut up han solo you handsome lovable annoying guy
The ending is my absolute favorite part; everything during the final scene. The whole merging of the villain and max the robot then lording over hell is so strange and poetic and totally unique to the cinema world. This and TRON are two of my favorites and two of the most original Science Fiction movie concepts ever conceived, even though I only really like Black Hole for the final scene and that awesome devil robot.
I am glad others appreciate the ending. It seems some like symbolic imagery done brilliantly whilst others just want simple straight narrative, where no interpretation is required.
You're 100% correct. Movies that should be remade are those like this one. That had potential, but never lived up it in its entirety. Yet they keep remaking movies that are already perfect as they are.
It's one of my most favourite movies. I was totally frightened when I watched it as a kid. The score is amazing and the atmosphere is just so dark and grim... I really enjoy this movie today with my 45 years of age.
This film has always stayed with me, so absorbing and the ending was dark man.
One correction - Star Trek The Motion Picture was also a Christmas 1979 release. Alien was summer 1979.
The Black Hole looked good on the big screen, but even at 14 I could tell it was poorly made. The science was awful (no spacesuits as the Cygnus is collapsing around them).
I was just about to post this.
I assumed the Cygnus's magical containment field (that protected the ship from the black hole's tidal forces) was still functioning & holding in the atmosphere in the crumbling ship.
Maybe UK release dates were different PLUS Star Trek ONE DID not do well
ariel films inc No, Star Trek The Motion Picture did not come out in the UK 6 months before anywhere else. The production was so behind, they were literally editing right up to the premiere. Director Robert Wise says he took the just-finished print to the Washington DC premiere. The director cut that came out on DVD is a much better version of the film.
@@arielfilmsinc1926 The Motion Picture made $139 million in the box office. The Wrath of Khan? $97 million box office. How is that not well?
I grew up watching this as often as my parents would let me. Loved it. It couldnt be remade today though. The public didnt understand what blackholes really were. The kid friendly robots were my least favorite part, even as a kid. It always reminded me of 20,000 leagues under the sea, not (later) event horizon. EH the ship went somewhere and came back. BH the ship went somewhere after the new crew got onboard.
I saw it on the big screen in 1979, and I loved it. Obviously as I've grown up, I've seen the flaws, but I think a lot of people overlook the very good qualities of this film. It has a truly creepy feel. In general, I'm against remakes, but this is one that really should be remade.
I first saw this on TV in the UK back in the early 80s I was awed by the SFX and loved it
What's confusing about the ending? The probe ship survived and is in an unknown part of the universe. Maximilian and Reinhardt are fused together in hell.
No, this film shouldn't be remade. Try thinking of new plots rather than constantly redoing what's already been done before.
The problem is that Hollywood continues to insist on remaking good movies, or at least movies without significant flaws. If they're going to waste their time on such activity, at least remake a flawed one. The problem with that however is that they would just replace the wonderful analog FX imagery of the original with standard-issue CGI. The one positive thing about The Black Hole is that it definitely had a distinctive look.
@@satyr1968 Indeed, and a modern remake would doubtless just be an explosion/effects fest, or riddled with SJW/identity politics (which ruined SW), or both. Sometimes a good old movie should just be left alone. I can think of others which stand out like this, such as, "Colossus: The Forbin Project" (which Terminator and others ripped off), "The French Connection" and, "The Andromeda Strain".
czcams.com/video/tzND6KmoT-c/video.html
A great many movies back then had a certain punch which is utterly missing today. They knew better how to use music and other aspects of film making.
I recommend, "The Fall of the Roman Empire" from 1964. Not scifi, just comes to mind because its outdoor shots and battle scenes are extraordinary, perhaps the largest number of real horses in one shot I can recall:
czcams.com/video/3cYVLXric5E/video.html
These days just about everything is CGI, so a scene in LoTR might look cool, but it isn't real, but back then they actually went location hunting and it does make a difference to one's sense of what one is watching, eg. the film has a lot of scenes filmed on location with real snow falling, while other places were just excellent choices for particular shots (today the sunshafts in the following part would be CGI, back then they found a good place and filmed at the right time of day & conditions):
czcams.com/video/3cYVLXric5E/video.html
The last time I saw it was in 1979. Me, my parents, and my Aunt Kitty. My dad slept through the whole movie. I told him he didn't miss anything.
I was 9 at the time this unforgettable movie came out in theaters. My brothers and myself were all obsessed over the robots!
Maximillion is in my opinion one of the most creative villains Disney has ever produced. Who cares what the critics banter on about!
I still love this futuristic gem and my kids love it!!
The Black Hole is one of my favorite SCIFI movies of all times.
So?
@ Brian , it's right up there with Forbidden Planet
I think the Cygnus is one of the absolute coolest looking space ships I've ever seen. It's like a Gothic cathedral in space. And Maximilian is hands down one of the most intimidating robots ever created, though I wonder why he lacks the ability to speak.
doesn t speak, it makes him even scarier, you never know what he thinks (but can have a good guess)
...Good On Ya Jonathan...Thank You for all your efforts in covering so meany classic personal memory's regained by your making of these look backs by yourself...Takes me right back to those days my Friend...
Very Best Regards and Thanks out to you Jonathan...
Good On Ya Mate
Jigger
The Black Hole was my first Sci-fi movie. I had the read-along book long before I saw it. I remember bursting into tears because of old Bob at the end. I played with my Maximillian and Vincent toys. Good times.
When I was a kid I had one of the robot sentry action figures and the comic books. I wish I'd held onto them.
I had a V.I.N.Cent action figure he fit in nicely with all my Star Wars action figures
I had the tape read-along!
@@hhluvzmagik I had that, too. I was obsessed with this film lol.
My brother and I had both issues of the comic, and I had the novelization...Actually, a few yrs ago, I did a bit of searching on the internet, and found the novelization in .pdf form
I saw the movie in 79 when it came out, and it was as powerful as Star Wars to me (I was five at the time). One of the things that really impacted me was the opening title sequence. THAT was memorable.
Looking at it as an adult, I do see several valid criticisms of the movie now, but that being said I still enjoy it. If it were to be remade, it would have to be done right (problem is that too many modern movies have become platforms for activism sermons or social propaganda instead of just telling a good story).
so you saw obi wan cut a guys arm off ,a crispy fried uncle owen (aged 3) and solo spill the guts of a tauntaun aged 6 then?
@@johnjames4834 Yes indeed I did. I don't think my parents realized that scene (the arm slice) was in there. But I enjoyed it just the same.
@@johnjames4834
I welcome correction if I'm wrong, but something tells me you didn't grow up in a typical household in the 80s...
@@HuntingTarg No you are spot on as i was 23 in 1980 so pretty much full grown
also i left home aged 16
and the 1st star wars was the 70s when i was 20 :)
oh i forgot to mention the big pile of child like jawas that got incinerated
One of my favorite movies as a kid. Gonna have to rent this tonight
I like the idea of a remake. Of all the past properties that Disney is mucking about with making live-action remakes, The Black Hole is actually one film that could benefit from a fresh take. Mind you, not having the original cast would be a loss, but a modern remake could bring back the original VINCENT, music and ship designs (for nostalgia and continuity), and benefit immensely from a fresh script and modern SPFX.
This film always seemed like "20,000 Leagues Under The Sea" in space... but not nearly as good. The director of "Tron: Legacy" was supposed to do a remake, but I think Disney scrapped it after they bought Lucasfilm and started wasting everyone's time producing terrible Star Wars films.
The old formula of if you can't beat them buy them works too you know.
Disney produced ONE terrible Star Wars film.
@@suttercane6 Your bad taste and lack of discernment is showing. Probably a result of your lack of education. Seek help.
20k Leagues-that's a great analogy. I enjoyed this film but it did manage to irritate me with several of the Disneyesque treatments. Vincent and bob were was just a little too cute, and the human actors were pretty stale. The overall theme was pretty cool though.
Terrible starwars films
Man, that ending - confused me when I was 11, still confuses me at 51. Very brave of Disney to allow it. I don't have a theory as to what's happening, I just let it wash over me.
Max's merge to become ONE
Maximilian was an alter ego of Reihardt , the two merge in purgatory and Reinhardt is forced to relive his poor choice in purgatory.
More confusing than 2001's ending.
@@SWGhostbuster Exactly. Why do so few see this? An evil being trapped within his own evil creation; two entities in some effect becoming one. Maximillian is the cage from which Reinhardt will forever be part of in eternal torment. As you sat the alter ego.
Saw The Black Hole when I was 7 years old. Loved it. The scene where Durant removed the worker drone's face mask really freaked me out! :-) I remember seeing a cool VINCENT mockup at one of the theaters where the movie was showing.
I saw this in the theaters in the 70's as a kid and it did look really good. We enjoyed this film as young kids.
I think your overall review is accurate, but too negative in parts. I watched this when I was about 8 or 9 and LOVED it. Already being a massive fan of Star Wars I lapped this film up. The music was so dark and some of the scenes disturbing...but mixed with light and funny moments. Vincent and B.O.B are genius creations. And the ending was so strange that I still think about it today. What a shame it didn't do as well as it deserved at the time...but the cult following since hopefully makes up for that.
I couldn't agree more. The ending is brilliant and the host of this video really should be able to grasp the imagery and it's meaning.
I thought the ending had the heroes flying through heaven, but coming out alive on the other side of the black hole. The villain on the other hand did not survive the journey through the black hole. He ended up in hell forever imprisoned inside Maximilian.
If I went through a Blackhole? I would probably be imprisoned inside my Fleshlight for eternity?
Renhardt/Maximilian isn't just "in hell" they are positioned above the sous in torment, above the inferno, presiding over it. It is representative of what he did to th e Cygnus crew... they were tormented I tell hell Reinhardt created.... Reinhardt/Maximilian symbolically becomes the Devil... ne cou,d interpret the end sequence as everyone des, the bad guy goes where bad guys go, and the good guys g to the other place...
For the longest I thought that Maximilian was her father. Like one of those mindless drones, just in a robot body.
It wasn't a "bad" movie, it just didn't stand up to the original "Star Wars", and was clearly an attempt to jump on the "space" themed movies that did so well before. And as you pointed out, the two "cute" robots gave the movie a "kiddee movie" feel that ultimately hurt it rather than help.
Interesting bit of trivia that this is the movie that almost destroyed Mego the toy company.
Mego licensed the rights to make Black Hole action figures but ended up owing much more money to Disney for the license then they made selling the toys.
It would have put Mego out of business except Disney mentioned they were making a movie called Tron next. Mego held the toy trademark on the name Tron as part of the Micronauts toys, and sold the trademark to Disney in exchange for forgiving their Black Hole licensing debt!
I love the Cygnus ship and I actually built one in the Survival Craft that took me over 2 years to make that I posted on CZcams 7 video tour of the Cygnus.
What I love about this move is it was a different type of the science fiction movie. It was a mystery, battle, Disaster and then the after life hell scene. Also I love how the laser guns sound. There a scene in the movie when that huge flat screen fell on Maximillion Schell and this is in I believe in 1979 and now today we have flat screen T.Vs I'm thinking wow! We didn't have those type of flat screen back then it was only the projection t.v. screens LOL
czcams.com/video/8_03R5oZIuo/video.html
And now it's flipped again and we have small and cheap video projectors in our homes with cloth movie screens that don't weigh enough to hurt anything.
Though I was only 12 on the release of this movie, I liked it although I felt it was a bit scary and creepy at the time, especially the scene when Maximilian kills and the crushing of the ship as it entered the black hole.. I remember feeling that it was very dark for a Disney movie. This movie, Star Wars, and the Space:1999 t.v. show cemented my love for sci-fi to this day.
1999!
I did get to see this on the big screen when it came out in theatres. It was shown at the Alabama Theater in downtown Birmingham, AL. Absolutely fantastic presentation!
I already liked and sub'd in the 1st 10 seconds of this video as I do LOVE this old movie I grew up with. Hardly ANYONE recalls this movie except my brotha from anotha motha. A definite Disney cult classic that has been under played and forgotten. THANK YOU!!!
VINCENT is by far my favorite robot.
The first time I wasn't sure I liked it, but I was amazed by the effects watching it in the theater. I've seen it recently and it's impressive now.
Edit: I’ve thought about this more, especially what impressed me. Having seen Star Wars, Star Trek TMP, and Alien before, I thought the visuals of space were much better than these, especially the black hole itself. The Cygnus was incredible as well. And while yes the script needed more work, comparing it to the Woke era I have no complaints.
@George Orwell Agreed! I'd love to know how they filmed the black hole visuals, which really are impressive from an all-optical era.
Flat Earth Math they were. The effect of the black hole on the big screen was mesmerizing. It looked.......real.
I saw this when I was a kid and really liked the movie, I got a large model kit of the ship, built it and it was still hanging in my room when I left home to serve in the Army.
I was 12 when it came out. I LOVED it! I saw it several times and bought the soundtrack album. I also bought some model kits of characters from the film. I probably have the comic books and other publications about it.
At the time, one of my favorite movies of all time was 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, and The Black Hole felt to me like a very exciting update to that story. The visual effects really impressed me, too. Best of all, the movie had Anthony Perkins and Roddy McDowell (whose voice was unmistakable despite his lack of an on-screen credit). I adored both of them.
Even if u didn't like the movie(i did myself) u have to admit the score was nice!
Although I really did love this video, I was kinda hoping a closer examination of the ending. That was without a doubt one of the weirdest endings to a sci fi film ever! Did Maximillian actually absorb that guy and they rule in hell? Was there an angel leading them out? How many drugs were consumed to make that ending???
I first saw this movie when I was nine years old. I always thought the ending was the flaming wreckage of the Cygnus.
Notice as the camera moves down what looks like a canyon as it approaches the massive fire, just before it exits the 'canyon', there are what look like scorched electrical conduits and electrical cables on the right, and on the left what looks like two sets of ultra high voltage power junctions.
The massive fire we see next resembles the big control center Reinhardt had shown them much earlier in the movie. Remember Reinhard's narration in that scene: "There is enough instant energy down there to power all of Earth".
That's how I always interpreted the 'hell' scene.
Here's what nine year old me was thinking the first time I ever saw that scene: "What a total, senseless waste of a beautiful ship. Smooth move Dr. Reinhardt, ya fucking jackass!!"
@@jjohn2k If that is the Cygnus, it almost looks like it's made of rock. I think it was meant to resemble both a wrecked Cygnus and a hellish "city" of towers and walkways over a lake of fire.
I was 15 years old when I saw this in the movies. I saw it multiple times in the Theater. I bought everything related to the film. The Soundtrack is still one of my favorites of all time. I also saw another favorite film of mine,' Star Trek the motion picture that also came out in December of 1979. Two movies that I still love ❤️ today.
8:38, The complete series of comics *was* released in South America as six issues, and Europe as three double-sized issues. The crew arrives in an alternate universe where they are "reunited" with Old Bob, Kate's father, and unfortunately Reinhardt and Maximilian too. I *think* the story ends with the crew heading back through the Einstein-Rosen bridge and onward to Earth. (I wanted to check this for you, but I can't find the comics in my collection right now! When I do, I'll edit my comment!)
I am not a big fan of the Evil Disney Corporation, but I like The Black Hole.
Disney is not "evil".
MeTube Sure they are, just type in the search bar Evil Disney and educate yourself.
Me Tube.........disney is the MOST EVIL OF CORPORATIONS actually.........look into it !!!!!
That's right metube their company executives are demon possessed and worship Satan you didn't know that😰😰😰
Walt disney was a mason, he was a pedaphile, he was also a jew........so there were demons in every corner and what better cover for a masonic pedaphile jew than to run a company for children and call it family entertainment the whole of hollywood is like this but disney is the flagship !!!!!!!
Appreciate this review/synopsis, thank you.
A couple of things:
The narration is rather sing-songy and its being read from a script comes across obviously (minor).
Regarding the movie reviewer who declared the movie title to be "racist and sexist": I can't imagine an idiot more ill-suited for reviewing movies.
Thanks!
I'd rather listen to "sing-songy" than that twit from Minty Comedic Arts. Can't stand him.
It's gotten even worse on youtube in the year since this was posted. There's another sci-fi channel where the guy is borderline singing.
This was actually a fairly decent movie, it just had some stiff competition, and the biggest issue with the film was that they seemed to make the change from a serious film for adult audiences to a family friendly film younger audiences late in the production. This can be seen with the soundtrack being more lighthearted despite the more serious situation. Also Vincent is imo the best robot sidekick off all time, surpassing even R2D2, from Roddie McDowell's voice, to the simple design of the eyes that surprising manage to convey some emotion. The scene where BoB dies actually feels tragic and you can actually see sadness being expressed in Vincent's eyes, and when he takes one last look back at him as he's forced to leave him behind gets me every time, all this with a robot whose only facial features are square eyes with only the pupils moving.
beautifully written!! thank you!
I was drug to this flick by my young son, but after watching it, I must admit I liked it. I'm surprised no one has commented on the one great line of dialogue from battered robot Bob: "There are old pilots and bold pilots, but there are no old, bold pilots". A classic bit of wisdom I'll long remember.
It's a great line, but it was old even in 1979. My bet is goes back to the barnstorming days; WWII at the latest.
I really liked the Black Hole
I do feel this one was greatly underrated. The haunting score was amazing; I'll have to dig it up. The special effects were outstanding for the time. I thought the comic robots with their cartoonish eyes were a bit silly though. The disconnect between all the adult-toned scenes versus the more kid-oriented robot scenes reminds me of a similar disconnect in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. That, too, seemed like a kids' movie and an adult movie tied together by a string. Just curious, for those who got the DVD: are there adult scenes that were left out of the theater release? Any chance for an improved director's cut?
It's such a strange film. You can tell it's been through development hell because it jumps from one genre to another mid-movie; somebody senior at Disney in 1978 clearly said "we need our own Star Wars", but the film's premise is closer to a creepy episode of Star Trek. And the film literally ends in hell, which is just bizarre and guaranteed to give any children in the audience nightmares.
As an eight year old, this film epitomised the cinema experience for me.