The Black Hole

"A journey that begins where everything ends."

1979 1h 38m EN

😐

5.8

MID

🥫

44%

ROTTEN

😬

METACRITIC

⭐

5.9

IMDB

★5.8TMDB · 577🥫44%Rotten Tomatoes●52Metacritic★5.9IMDB · 29,955

AdventureScience FictionAction

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

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.

“A journey that begins where everything ends.”

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Cast

Maximilian Schell
Dr. Hans Reinhardt
Anthony Perkins
Dr. Alex Durant
Robert Forster
Captain Dan Holland
Joseph Bottoms
Lieutenant Charles Pizer
Yvette Mimieux
Dr. Kate McCrae
Ernest Borgnine
Harry Booth
Tom McLoughlin
Captain S.T.A.R.
Roddy McDowall
V.I.N.CENT. (voice) (uncredited)

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Gary Nelson
Writers: Jeb Rosebrook, Gerry Day, Bob Barbash
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 7

ERA

Did you know

47 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Gary Nelson, shot by Frank V. Phillips. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by John Barry. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor G. Gregg McLaughlin shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

CAST

Did you know

Maximilian Schell and Anthony Perkins and Robert Forster carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "A journey that begins where everything ends.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0078869 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Gary Nelson directs. Frank V. Phillips behind the camera. John Barry scores. G. Gregg McLaughlin cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Profitable at the box office. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

147 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
2Directed by Gary Nelson, shot by Frank V. Phillips. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
3Original score by John Barry. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
4Editor G. Gregg McLaughlin shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5Maximilian Schell and Anthony Perkins and Robert Forster carry the top of the cast.
6Marketing tagline: "A journey that begins where everything ends.".
7IMDB entry: tt0078869 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Classified under 8 themes, including "space marine", "killer robot", "space travel", "ghost ship".

The technical file

Cinematography: Frank V. Phillips
Original score: John Barry
Editing: G. Gregg McLaughlin
Production design: Peter Ellenshaw
Costume design: Bill Thomas
Makeup / hair: Gloria Montemayor
Sound: Robert Hathaway
Runtime: 98 min · 1h 38m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $20,000,000
Box office: $35,841,901
Return: 179% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): PG
IMDB: The Black Hole (1979)
Rotten Tomatoes: 44% 🥫 Rotten
Metacritic: 52/100
IMDB rating: 5.9/10 · 29,955 votes
MPAA: PG

Awards

Nominated for 2 Oscars. 8 nominations total

Also by

Gary Nelson

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

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Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

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Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2023-06-05
★ 7/10
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"

Production companies