MovieChat Forums > The Black Hole (1979) Discussion > Why all the hate? This is a Sci-Fi Class...

Why all the hate? This is a Sci-Fi Classic

posted 12 years ago by howardgrantrulz
37 replies | jump to latest

Everyone hates on this movie (and ST:TMP) - not realizing that both were ahead of their times in 1979.

The Black Hole is a very good movie: innovative, challenging, and it has very cool set-pieces. But people hate VINcent and hate on how some of the effects look...

Just like people hate ST:TMP and V'Ger. That concept was also ahead of 1979's audiences...

Both films have held up and are far superior to the sci-fi dreck that is currently flooding our cinemas.

The thing is - most films from the 70's hold up and people remember them....seriously, you can't remember 75% of the cinema from the 2000s but the 60s and 70s hold up and have classic after classic...sad, but true.

[–] kitchenaut-1 12 years ago

Couldn't agree more. I watch both now and admire their conceptual scope and the visual style, and the way the protagonists cannot 'defeat' the threat but try to understand it is more like real science fiction literature. I'd say there is very little real science fiction in cinemas - Transformers and superhero movies are more about action and synergy with other products, and Skyline and Battle: LA were just so shallow and ill-conceived. I suppose the next proper sci-fi film might be Prometheus, but the von Daniken theme has cheapened it.

[–] Humphrey_Fish 10 years ago

I suppose the next proper sci-fi film might be Prometheus, but the von Daniken theme has cheapened it.

Ugh...please don't remind me of that nitwit. I like Prometheus and don't need the stupid inspiration for it jabbed in my eye when I watch it.

Quien es mas macho?

Benedict Cumberbatch

O

Ricardo Montalban

[–] Iron_Eagle74 12 years ago

It was ahead of its time with special effects, no doubt about it. They obviously had to do things the hard way with practical effects, so it was a major challenge.

The biggest problem with this movie was the script suffered a bit I believe from most of the budget going into the effects department. But that doesn't make it any different than most modern movies because these days that's about all we get, a movie full of effects with a crap story and acting. I'm not interested in any of that. I want great effects, but not at the expense of good story-telling.

"The Black Hole" beats those modern movies though because while the story may suffer somewhat, they had to work a hell of a lot harder to make those shots happen. These days all the lazy film makers like Michael Bay have to do is get some dudes on a computer to draw up a few effects shots, none of which come close to looking real(think video game cutscenes), and that's it.

Finally, this movie had a memorable score. I know some people have an issue with it, but the fact that it's even talked about is a credit to it. Most movies these days sport generic scores that add nothing to the emotions of the film and are completely forgettable once you walk out of the theater.

[–] TMC-4 (19395) 4 years ago

https://www.quora.com/Why-is-Disneys-The-Black-Hole-largely-forgotten-Is-it-because-of-how-dark-it-is-Is-it-mediocre-or-both-I-was-surprised-to-see-it-on-Disney-Plus/answer/Jon-Mixon-1

It bombed, financially - If the film had been a success and sequels been made, then it would be remembered. However like all of the “proto-Star Wars” films made in the late 1970s/early 1980s, it was a failure and quickly forgotten by most people.

The film didn’t use any major stars - Yes…I know that Ernest Borgnine and Maximilian Schell were Academy Award winners. However neither one was a significant box office draw. For that matter neither were Robert Forster, Yvette Mimieux, Roddy MacDowell, Tony Perkins or Slim Pickens. Disney went cheap on the casting and the lack of box office success.

The film’s narrative didn’t lend itself toward a sequel - Even though the villain doesn’t die in the end, and only one major character does, the film essentially wraps itself up and didn’t leave a lot of room for a sequel. No sequel = No interest.

Disney dropped the merchandising ball - It’s virtually impossible to find any Black Hole memorabilia. Instead seeing how successful Star Wars merchandising was and attempting to copy it, Disney did the minimum amount of product sales and crossover ties and received a minimal return. Since there was never a demand for Black Hole memorabilia, interest in the film faded.

The movie was off the market for a number of years - Although I saw the film at the theater when it first came out, I don’t remember it being on television or cable for many years following its release and it’s exceptionally difficult to find the original VHS or DVD of it. Basically, Disney hid it away for a number of years and people simply forgot about it.

[–] ms-zanadu 12 years ago

It even had a well remembered all-star cast in this movie too ! Like Anthony Perkins , Ernest Borgnine , and Roddy McDowall ( as the voice of the robot Vincent ) . IMPO It's a very decent early Walt Disney Production too ( just like the 1982 movie TRON - even if Mr. Walt Disney himself wasn't here to see them through I think he would of approved of these films if he was still here with us - he is so missed ) . This film almost has a similar inspirational edge to that of the movie " Forbidden Planet " from 1956 IMPO . Thanks howardgrantrulz for your subject post .

[–] Astrolupine 12 years ago

I admit that the story's a bit wobbly and the characters are rather underdeveloped, but I still think the effects, score and that ending hold up quite well. Deserves a 6.4 rating at least.

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[–] Rowley9050 11 years ago

This is a joke right? The Black Hole is in the running for the worst movie I have ever seen. This pile of crap came out the same year as Alien and you're telling me it's "innovating" haha whaa?!

[–] jstover07 11 years ago

If The Black Hole is in the running for the worst film you've ever seen, then you have been blessed with a lifetime of great movie watching.

Or, you just haven't seen very many films to begin with....

[–] sonnythefat 10 years ago

This is the worst film I ever paid to see at a cinema, and everyone booed at the end, The only time that has happened in my life I was twenty when I saw this 1979, do the math, and I have seen a lot of films in my life, at least "The Core" made me laugh !

[–] hecantune 10 years ago

Wow, "The Core". I had completely blocked that one from my memory.

Back off! ... Way off!

[–] TheSolarSailor 11 years ago

Science Fictions classics are films like 2001 or The Day The Earth Stood Still. The Black Hole is not a science fiction classic by any stretch of the imagination. It could arguably be called a cult classic, but that is an entirely different beast, and the only reason it could categorized as such is because of the impressive visual effects for it's time. I do love the film for nostalgic reasons, as well as appreciating it's visual accomplishments, but lets not pretend like this film truly succeeded on any other level. It did not. It has been pretty well forgotten except by a few fans such as myself who grew up on it, as well as a handful of others who are just discovering it. But overall, it is considered a bad film that had a nice production value. That does not a science fiction classic make.

- - - - - - -
Whose idea was it for the word "Lisp" to have an "S" in it?

[–] 11 years ago

[deleted]

[–] lisztnet 9 years ago

No, your qualifying as "cult classic" preferentially to Sci-Fi classic makes no sens, since this is a Sci-Fi movie in case you didn't noticed this. End of story.

[–] mikenolan2us 10 years ago

I loved this movie as a child. At the time, I was into all things space, Star Wars, Star Trek, and this too. So even though it doesn't quite hold up, I can't hate on it. It's a nostalgic thing for me.

[–] TheSolarSailor 10 years ago

I loved this movie as a child. At the time, I was into all things space, Star Wars, Star Trek, and this too. So even though it doesn't quite hold up, I can't hate on it. It's a nostalgic thing for me.

I like many films that are flawed or get a lot of hate for various reasons. I just hate it when some people think that their liking it means that the flaws don't exist and spend their time rejecting any criticism as if their life depends on it. Why be so deluded over something like this when it is so easy to acknowledge flaws and understand the criticisms while STILL liking it.

The Black Hole, like so many other films from those days, is highly nostalgic and will always have a place with me, even though I find certain elements of it to be ludicrous today!

- - - - - - -
Whose idea was it for the word "Lisp" to have an "S" in it?

[–] wlonkausky1 10 years ago

got to agree, i was about 9 when this came out and i remember going to the theater to see it, i loved it, loved everything about it, i mean it was a disney movie that was really made for younger kids, thought it was a great movie, gota download it now so my kids who are about the same age i was when i saw it to have a go at it, im sure my son will love it just like i did, i also remember getting the black hole pop up book, each page had a little item that could be moved or popped up, was basically the movie in book form, man i loved that book

[–] Toddbul5 10 years ago

I had that pop-up book, too.
Wish I still did.
I remember there was one page where you could pull Reinhardt from under the collapsed video panel on the bridge of the Cygnus.

--Todd

[–] Blueghost 10 years ago

by howardgrantrulz » Mon Jan 2 2012 09:35:28
IMDb member since June 2009
Everyone hates on this movie (and ST:TMP) - not realizing that both were ahead of their times in 1979.

The Black Hole is a very good movie: innovative, challenging, and it has very cool set-pieces. But people hate VINcent and hate on how some of the effects look...

Just like people hate ST:TMP and V'Ger. That concept was also ahead of 1979's audiences...

Both films have held up and are far superior to the sci-fi dreck that is currently flooding our cinemas.

The thing is - most films from the 70's hold up and people remember them....seriously, you can't remember 75% of the cinema from the 2000s but the 60s and 70s hold up and have classic after classic...sad, but true.

Well, it is a Disney film, and has Disney production values, and has a couple of screenwriters who were used to writing westerns and police drama, and not sci-fi. Therefore the movie comes off as a caricature of sci-fi films after a fashion.

You have a mad scientist with en evil robot that is his servant. A friendly robot that has lots of smarts, the beautiful female lead who has telepathic abilities, the greedy member of the crew, the young gallant, and the older seasoned veteran.

They're stock characters, and the story is kind of an an older monster and haunted house kind of tale. Ergo it comes across as old fashioned in a Disney kind of way, with Disney's classic visual style.

It's a pretty decent film for what it is.

[–] nbreyfogle-1 9 years ago

This movie has got to be one of Disney's worst.