The Black Hole *** (1979, Maximilian Schell, Anthony Perkins, Ernest Borgnine, Yvette Mimieux, Robert Forster, Joseph Bottoms, Tom McLoughlin) – Classic Movie Review 3711

The Walt Disney Studio, under producer Ron Miller, commendably trying for something different in 1979, came up with director Gary Nelson’s extremely good-looking but rather poorly conceived sci-fi adventure about a group of American researchers (Anthony Perkins, Ernest Borgnine, Yvette Mimieux) who arrive on an explorer spacecraft called The Cygnus that is stuck precariously over a weird whirlpool.

Unfortunately the story soon turns out to be a tedious, downbeat and pretentious yarn, with half-baked characters, poor dialogue and a preposterous conclusion. However, to balance this, the movie has some strong virtues, including the spectacular, Oscar-nominated trick work, splendid cinematography by Frank Philips, striking production designs by Peter Ellenshaw and a fine score by John Barry.

And it is hard not to have a considerable affection for the hard-working actors, particularly Maximilian Schell as Dr Hans Reinhardt, the mad professor who runs The Cygnus with robots and perilously plans to explore the swirling black hole.

If Disney wanted to update their hit 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954) for the Star Wars (1977) generation, which this seems like it is, they could have done it better script wise than Jeb Rosebrook and Gerry Day’s struggling screenplay, though they could not have given it a better production or effects in 1979.

Also in the cast are Robert Forster, Joseph Bottoms and Tom McLoughlin.

© Derek Winnert 2016 Classic Movie Review 3711

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