The Black Hole (1979)
The explorer craft USS Palomino is returning to Earth after a fruitless 18-month search for extra-terrestrial life when the crew comes upon a supposedly lost ship, the USS Cygnus, hovering near a black hole. The ship is controlled by Dr. Hans Reinhardt and his monstrous robot companion, but the initial wonderment and awe the Palomino crew feel for the ship and its resistance to the power of the black hole turn to horror as they uncover Reinhardt's plans.
- Gary Nelson
- Sandy Nelson
- Tom McCrory
- Jeb Rosebrook
- Gerry Day
- Bob Barbash
- Jeb Rosebrook
- Richard H. Landau
Rating: 5.8/10 by 482 users
Alternative Title:
Space Station One - US
Space Probe - US
Η Μαύρη Τρύπα στο Διάστημα - GR
O Abismo Negro - BR
Het zwarte gat - NL
El agujero negro - VE
黑洞 - CN
Η Μαύρη Τρύπα - GR
El abismo negro - ES
Country:
United States of America
Language:
English
Runtime: 01 hour 38 minutes
Budget: $20,000,000
Revenue: $35,841,901
Plot Keyword: space marine, killer robot, space travel, ghost ship, black hole, zombie, robot, deep space
A little like the "Godi" in "Island at the Top of the World" I vividly recall the first time that I set eyes on "Maximilian" the menacing robot in this far darker Disney film from 1979. The "Palomino" discovers the long lost "Cygnus" on the precipice of a black hole and they board her. Once there, they discover that the captain - an excellently eerie Maximilian Schell ("Reinhardt") and our aforementioned robot are determined to take their ship through the spatial anomaly. Soon, though, our visitors discover there is something far more sinister going on and it becomes a test of wits as they and their own - rather more friendly - robots try to escape in one piece. It is not a film seen too often nowadays which is a shame; it shows that back then, Disney could on occasion do more "adult" films with good SFX, a decent, intelligent, script and a cast - including Anthony Perkins, Joseph Bottoms, Ernest Borgnine with something to get their teeth into and Roddy McDowell has good fun as the wise-cracking, laser-toting hover-bot "V. I. N. cent"
