The Black Hole...The Movie

[Russ]

I saw a video tape of the movie "The Black Hole" in the bargan bin at Walmart the other day. It had the words of the title sworling down into a black spot on the cover. It was $2.99. Has anybody seen this movie? Is it worth three bucks? I was wondering if it was an old, cheesey classic like "The Rocky Horror Picture Show". OR...is it just garbage in a video casset and that's why it's in the bargan bin?

You can give me your reviews, complete with spoilers, and I'll be REAL GREATFUL to ya. /phpBB/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif

[Mr. X]

Dude, it's three dollars... I don't know WHEN you were born but today it's just not an impressive sum anymore.

Just buy the dealy mkay? /phpBB/images/smiles/icon_razz.gif

http://us.imdb.com/Title?0078869

Ugh, I think it's this though.

If you like this title, we also recommend...

Event Horizon (1997)


UGH!

More of this...
http://www.stomptokyo.com/otf/Black-Hole/Black.htm

And this
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/TheBlackHole-1002497/reviews.php

Have fun... or not... rofl /phpBB/images/smiles/icon_razz.gif

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Mr. X on 2002-12-16 22:53 ]</font>

[nebularain]

If it's what I think it is, this movie is pretty old. Let's see, I was in elementary school when this came out, if I remember right, so that would be late '70's. (Just checked the link - yep, it's 1978.)

OK, the astronomy part of it is all wrong, at least by what we know now. I don't know how it compares to the knowledge back then. I didn't know a thing about black holes when the movie came out. (Duh!)

But, it was a good movie by the standards back then. By today's standards it might be a little cheezy, but it has some good drama, interesting plot twists, a lot of suspense (very chilling suspense at that!), and a few heart-pounding moments (boy, that scene when the meteoroid is passing through the tunnel while the crew is running across the bridge in front of its path. . . !). Actually, I think it safe to say the movie was of similar calliber as Tron, if you've seen that one (only a lot more suspenseful - the villain is so much better in The Black Hole).

I would say go ahead and see it for the fun of it. If nothing else, Old Bob's character is worth seeing. (He's still my favorite sci-fi robot. /phpBB/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif )


_________________
"Once again, we find that science is a two-headed beast. One head is nice, . . . but the other head of science is bad! Oh beware the other head of science, Arthur, it bites!" - The Tick vs. Dinosaur Neil

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: nebularain on 2002-12-17 00:10 ]</font>

[Rodina]

I'm proud to own that magnum opus of Moon Hoaxers, Capricorn One, which I bought out of a bargain bin for $4.

Bad science fiction can have its moments. OJ Simpson, Sam Waterston and James Brolin? This is quality stuff.

[g99]

wow, i am sorry this is a little to late, but the coincidence is too hard to ignore. I just caught the tail end of this movie on TNT tonight!!! I have not seen in for years and the moment it comes up on this board, Wham!! Here it is again!

[informant]

The special effects were good. The ships were very cool. And good ol' model work, not the cartoonish CGI of today. If nothing else, it's worth it for that reason.

[David Hall]

I believe The Black Hole was Disney's attempt to cash in on the space opera genre and cool special effects that Star Wars launched. Because Disney didn't really have much experience with non-family oriented shows at that time, it ended up being just so-so. It didn't really have the depth for adults, and it was too complicated for children. The SFX were pretty cool for the time though, especially the main space station.

But it shouldn't be completely overlooked. It did leave it's mark on society. I remember I was at just the right age at that time to be influenced by it. The idea of the black hole was "neat", and I wanted to learn more about the real thing. I'm sure this movie played a small but important role in the things I know and am interested in now.

It'a a great buy as a nostalgia piece, or as light, late-70's sci-fi adventure fun. But don't go into it expecting 2001 or you'll be disappointed.

[Russ]

Thanks to you all who have provided feedback.

(in highly pollished Valley Boy voice)Heeeeyyyy Doooooood, like I know 3 bucks is like a paltry sum. Like it's about like 30 cents was when I was like a dooooood.(returns to normal human voice)

My primary reason for asking about it was not the monetary investment, in this case $2.99, but the time investment, I'm guessing 2 hours. I totally wasted two valuable hours of my life watching "Doomsday Rock", which was soooooo lousy it wasn't worth the callories burned to throw it in the trash. I was hoping to avoid a repete of that.

I sounds from your feedback that it'd be worth it for the guilty pleasure of a fun story. If it's still there it's mine! /phpBB/images/smiles/icon_evil.gif

[Hale_Bopp]

Let's not forget the other history that The Black Hole made...it was the first movie released under the Walt Disney name with a PG rating! Everything up to this poinnt had been G from Disney!

Rob

[Mr. X]

Russ, you're just going to waste 2 hours on the board and the 'net trying to learn about it anyway! And if you decide to see it it will be 4 hours! And 4 trips!

Now had you bought it the first time around...

Besides who says you have to sit through 2 complete hours if the first 25 minutes blow? /phpBB/images/smiles/icon_razz.gif

[Russ]

On 2002-12-17 13:58, Mr. X wrote:
Russ, you're just going to waste 2 hours on the board and the 'net trying to learn about it anyway! And if you decide to see it it will be 4 hours! And 4 trips!

Now had you bought it the first time around...

Besides who says you have to sit through 2 complete hours if the first 25 minutes blow? /phpBB/images/smiles/icon_razz.gif

I beg your pardon! Time spent on the BABB is NOT WASTED!! /phpBB/images/smiles/icon_evil.gif (straightens tie, puts away nuclear missles)
I guess I can't argue with you about Walmart, except I go there for other reasons, office supplies and ammunition, I'll just wait until I go for those and pick it up then. /phpBB/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif

Again, thanks to those who gave proper reviews. /phpBB/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif /phpBB/images/smiles/icon_lol.gif

[daver]

On 2002-12-16 23:56, nebularain wrote:
OK, the astronomy part of it is all wrong, at least by what we know now. I don't know how it compares to the knowledge back then. I didn't know a thing about black holes when the movie came out. (Duh!)


It was wrong back then, too.


But, it was a good movie by the standards back then. By today's standards it might be a little cheezy, but it has some good drama, interesting plot twists, a lot of suspense (very chilling suspense at that!), and a few heart-pounding moments (boy, that scene when the meteoroid is passing through the tunnel while the crew is running across the bridge in front of its path. . . !). Actually, I think it safe to say the movie was of similar calliber as Tron, if you've seen that one (only a lot more suspenseful - the villain is so much better in The Black Hole).



Well, i'll be a stick in the mud. It wasn't a particularly good movie by the standards back then, unless your standards were limited to "Disney Sci-Fi adventure movies". It's better than most Star Wars ripoffs. It's got the Disney film-by-committee type of blandness. It's an ok film, with the obligatory goofy robot sidekick. The special effects were ok, i suppose. The ship was better than the black hole. The ending sucked. It's not a bad film (it might be more watchable if it were laughably bad, but it isn't). It's probably in the same range as Tron or The Last Starfighter. Better if you like annoying robot sidekicks.

[Mr. X]

What were you doing playing with those toy nuclear missiles anyway? /phpBB/images/smiles/icon_razz.gif

[g99]

On 2002-12-17 17:47, Mr. X wrote:
What were you doing playing with those toy nuclear missiles anyway? /phpBB/images/smiles/icon_razz.gif


That information is classified.

[nebularain]

On 2002-12-17 15:38, daver wrote:
It's not a bad film (it might be more watchable if it were laughably bad, but it isn't). Well, it all depends on what you enjoy in a film.

Better if you like annoying robot sidekicks.
Au contrair, they were the best part of the movie /phpBB/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif .

[Mr. X]

Better if you like annoying robot sidekicks.


LOL! /phpBB/images/smiles/icon_razz.gif I gotta steal that, it's comedy gold!

[Jetmech0417]

I guess I can't argue with you about Walmart, except I go there for other reasons, office supplies and ammunition,

You don't work for the USPS, do you?

[Mr. X]

ROFL! I knew he was a mailman! **cough** disgruntled **cough**! Should have guessed with these weird outbursts and nuclear missiles, ammunition and whatnot! /phpBB/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif


<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Mr. X on 2002-12-19 13:26 ]</font>

[SeanF]

Nah, I don't think he's USPS. After all, what kind of self-respecting postman would refer to "office supplies and ammunition," as if ammunition were not in fact, a regular office supply. /phpBB/images/smiles/icon_wink.gif

[daver]

On 2002-12-19 15:01, SeanF wrote:
Nah, I don't think he's USPS. After all, what kind of self-respecting postman would refer to "office supplies and ammunition," as if ammunition were not in fact, a regular office supply. /phpBB/images/smiles/icon_wink.gif




So the phrase should have been "office supplies and other munitions"?

[SeanF]

On 2002-12-19 15:15, daver wrote:

On 2002-12-19 15:01, SeanF wrote:
Nah, I don't think he's USPS. After all, what kind of self-respecting postman would refer to "office supplies and ammunition," as if ammunition were not in fact, a regular office supply. /phpBB/images/smiles/icon_wink.gif




So the phrase should have been "office supplies and other munitions"?


"Ammunition and other office supplies." /phpBB/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif

[Mr. X]

Or office supplies (ammunition)... /phpBB/images/smiles/icon_wink.gif

For ammunition, shop at AMMU-NATION!

5 Mr. X points to whoever finds where AMMU-NATION comes from... /phpBB/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif

[Roy Batty]

I think its definately worth $2.99... if nothing else but for the soundtrack composed by the excellent John Barry (think James Bond space themes) /phpBB/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif

_________________
N6MAA10816

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Roy Batty on 2002-12-20 06:42 ]</font>

[Big Chris]

I've got the soundtrack!

[Roy Batty]

On 2002-12-20 06:56, Big Chris wrote:
I've got the soundtrack!


Welcome to the board Chris!

So have I, you taped it for me /phpBB/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif /phpBB/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif

[Big Chris]

Did you?

I must've been Brahms!

[Colt]

I just remember the massive, creepy, ship. And something about the insane Austrian merging with the robot.. /phpBB/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif

Does anyone know where the thing about postal workers came from? I am not even sure what to search for on Google about it, thanks. -Colt

[David Hall]

I really hate web searches for terms like these. They are so common in our daily life that it's almost impossible to narrow it down to what you are looking for.

I'm not sure of the exact events that led to the creation of the term "going postal", but it came about after a series of incidents in the early 90's(?), where USPS workers got angry/went insane/snapped/whatever and attacked their co-workers.

Here's what the Online Slang Dictionary (http://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~wrader/slang/g.html#top) says:

go postal v 1. to perpetrate acts of premeditated violence. 2. to go insane. Notes: the term originated from the cases of United States Postal Service employees who, due to job stress or other traumatic influence, have murdered coworkers on the job, usually with a firearm. Only later did the definition open up to general insanity, but still has connotations of violence. Notes by Michael Venables, USA.


Of course, this kind of thing is not limited to postal workers, but there were several well-publicized incidents involving them in a short period of time, so people started thinking it must have something to do with the post-office environment. If this phrase had started today, it might instead have been "going educational", or something like that, due to the high incidence of school children currently shooting up their schools.

[Colt]

Thank you, that clarifies things a bit. /phpBB/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif -Colt

[Mr. X]

Going postal... that takes me back...
The year is 1997, the game is "POSTAL", the developer is "Running With Scissors"...

Ahhh.... good times, how have we laughed playing this...

POSTAL is now a very respectable number 2 in Senator Joseph Lieberman's three worst things in america today, right next to Marilyn Manson.

"It's always funny until someone gets hurt...
...and then it's absolutely friggin' hysterical!"

[Krel]

I read a few months ago that they are suppose to be comming out with a "Postal 2" game. Just think of the mayhem they can do with current graphics engines.

David.

[Comixx]

Well, back on the topic of The Black Hole:

I watched it when I was a young boy, easily impressed by Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica, and anything else in space. I didnt know the science was bad...but the robots were one of the coolest parts of that move to me, especially the evil one that gets merged with the bad-guy at the core of the black hole.

There is a scene where people are on an assembly line, laying down, with tin-foil on their heads, being trundled towards a laser. This is how the bad-guy erases people's minds to be used as his faceless crew-members. (I assume because any sane person would up and leave after hanging around with the loony bad-guy) Well, our female lead gets seduced and lured into a situation where she's on said assembly belt getting ready to be zapped into oblivion. It's a creepy scene, and it gave me nightmares for years! One of several parts of that movie which got extended screen-time inside my mind's eye until well into my teens.

It's a worthwhile buy, to me, as something I grew up with, and now as something to laugh at and wonder why it scared me so badly.

[Mr. X]

Yes! OH YES!
Postal 2! UNREAL WARFARE ENGINE!

I think Marilyn Manson may be about to lose the first place... /phpBB/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif

I mean who can resist setting on fire a whole marching band, complete with the "stars and stripes forever", elephants included... And how about using a cat as a silencer! GENIUS!

Well... sorry about the OT post... but this brings back so many great memories and so much hope for the future! /phpBB/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif

[Avatar28]

On 2002-12-20 02:12, Mr. X wrote:
Or office supplies (ammunition)... /phpBB/images/smiles/icon_wink.gif

For ammunition, shop at AMMU-NATION!

5 Mr. X points to whoever finds where AMMU-NATION comes from... /phpBB/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif


It's from Grand Theft Auto 3. A game trying to bump Postal off Leiberman's list of worst things in America.

[Mr. X]

Good! At least I managed to elude the board's three top searchers, SeanF, ToSeek and garbOraft (hee hee!)...

As for bumping Postal... that's going to be tough! I mean flaming a marching band and using a cat as a silencer aren't easy to beat!

[SpacedOut]

As for bumping Postal... that's going to be tough! I mean flaming a marching band and using a cat as a silencer aren't easy to beat!

I guess I'll find out if its possible on Wednesday when my son starts to play GTA-Vice City.

[Mr. X]

Yes, Vice City's all good... thank god they said goodbye to GTA3's deaf-mute-constantly-puzzled-looking guy! /phpBB/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif

[Russ]

/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_lol.gif I can't believe how much attention this topic got! Things must be a little slow this Christmas. /phpBB/images/smiles/icon_lol.gif

/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_lol.gif "Ammunition and other office supplies" You guy crack me up! /phpBB/images/smiles/icon_lol.gif

As far as "Going Postal" goes, I haven't tried that so far. I was mighty tempted when Clinton was in the White House with her moronic (even for a polotician) husband. /phpBB/images/smiles/icon_lol.gif (that was intended to be a joke for those not following the plot)

When I went back to Walmart for some more "office supplies" /phpBB/images/smiles/icon_wink.gif Not only was the movie not there, the whole bargan bin was dixie. (gone) Oh well, I guess I'll just have to catch it on "Mystry Science Theater 2003"

Hope you all have a Happy New Year /phpBB/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif /phpBB/images/smiles/icon_cool.gif

[Conrad]

I think you could classify this movie as "Big Dumb Fun". Doesn't say anything profound but enjoys not saying it. Plus, Max Schell makes a good villain, as does his Evil Robot Sidekick.

[maryellenandtom]

This thread sure has staying power.

I saw this when my sons were young. Admission was probably $3!

I don't remember any astronomy except at the end. They go into the black hole and come out the other side. Even back then, I think it was well known that black holes don't work like that. Probably some Disney exec canned the title "The Wormhole", which would have been better astronomy.

Of course, if the title was Wormhole, the allegory with the bad robot and its interaction with Old Bob would have taken on a different dynamic ... Oh stop it! OK, sorry.

The biggest impression I had at the time was that it had a female sci-fi lead. That was surely unusual at the time, and maybe unprecedented.

And finally, I though Tron was the first non-little-kiddie Disney movie.