DVD Review HTF Review: The Black Hole (1 Viewer)

The Black HoleStudio:Disney Year:1979RunTime:97 minutesAspect Ratio:16x9 encoded 2.35:1 OAR Audio:DD 5.1 English, 5.1 DD French, Spanish (mono)Subtitles:English for the hearing impairedSpecialFeatures:Extended Trailer (4x3), Making-of featurette (16 mins)ReleaseDate:August 3, 2004





The Feature...


What an ambitious project, and what a bad movie. But for those of us who were of the 1970’s generation, movies like this can be enjoyed in the present in a sort of amicable blend of romantic nostalgia and camp fun. But even without the childhood-memory-loyalism (the same loyalism that bonds me to Krull and Beastmaster), Disney’s The Black Hole has much to recommend it. While I don’t think that the movie succeeds as a take-it-serious “film” by an adult audience, it can still be experienced and enjoyed on many legitimate levels.

The Black Hole represents Disney’s attempt to capitalize on the Sci-fi momentum of Star Wars which had been released just a few short years before. Though many of the effects shots appear dated (along with visible suspension wires supporting actors and robots in many scenes), Disney Studios did manage to capture a stunning visual language with The Black Hole that was surprisingly original in its look and concept. When you consider the number of effects shots contained in this film (almost every scene it seems), “ambitious” is indeed the word that keeps coming back to me to characterize this endeavor. Extensive use of matte painting delivers some very seamless and dramatic visuals, and while some effects-shots appear obvious, many more will slip by you unnoticed. The unique scaffold-glass design of the main ship is beautiful, and particularly respectful given that the effects team really did manage to achieve a self-defined and original visual style on the heels of so many other sci-fi influences. In terms of pure imagery, some compositions inspire with their rich aesthetics (the glowing meteor rolling down the main corridor towards the bridge) and are worth spending time with this film to experience. And who can deny that Maximilian is one of the most sinister and fear-inspiring robots to come along in a *long* while (at least since Gort from The Day The Earth Stood Still). Oh…and did anyone else notice the “hell scene” with Maximilian standing atop the rocky spire and how remarkably similar it is to the scene with Satan standing on a similar spire in South Park Bigger Longer Uncut? Watch and tell me if you think Trey and Parker were drawing a connection.

Well that’s an awful lot of talk about special effects and visual style. That’s because those are the good things about The Black Hole. Despite some well-seasoned names, acting in this film feels over-dramatized and stale, and the screen-play dialog is about as hokey as a junior-high comic strip. Which is a real shame because with a bit of talent and intuition, the script, acting, and direction could have been tweaked just enough to land this film into a nice solid “B” sci-fi category like many other films that didn’t quite make the “A” list, but ended up being good movies none-the-less (Disney’s next similar effort Tron is a good example of a film that may not have brought in the bucks from contemporary audiences, but ultimately ended up being a genuinely good film). The allusion to Captain Nemo from 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea with the crazed-genius scientist was a bit too obvious, and the “cute” levitating robots still felt like R2D2 rip-offs. Never-the-less…if you’re a sci-fi enthusiast, enjoy camp-classics and playing science-fiction-theater 3000 in your living room, or if you’re just curious as to what all the talk is about with this off-the-radar film, I encourage you to give it a try.



Picture...

I boycotted the original non-anamorphic DVD version so all my comments are focused on this new transfer since I’m unable to compare (however, there is little doubt in my mind that this new 16x9 version easily supersedes the previous disc, and Peter’s review at dvdfile attests to this as well).

Aside from what looks like a bit too much high-frequency filtering (reducing fine picture detail in mid and far-ground shots), the image of The Black Hole looks mighty good on my 100” screen. I just upgraded to a new “Dalite Hipower” screen and haven’t had a chance to recalibrate my projector yet, but even so the impression of the image of this disc was more-than-watchable and at times breathtaking. Despite all the rather challenging material, black level is solid and grayscale smooth and naturally gradient. Almost all “artifacts” that I can detect (aside from the image softness from filtering) appear to be film-source related. Some of the effects scenes have an inordinate degree of noise from the optical processes of production, but nevertheless compression seems confident and the DVD is merely demonstrating the appearance of the best-quality film-source available to the mastering engineers. Given the grain and optical noise in many of these effects shots, I can understand the engineers’ temptation to apply a bit of liberal HF or DNR filtering, and in this case I won’t come down hard on them for it though I still personally would have preferred a little more mid/far-ground image detail at the expense of image “cleanliness”. Of course, I’m talking about the impression on a 100” screen from about a 1.6:1 viewing distance:screen width ratio (which was still a very pleasant experience); viewers watching on large-screen HDTVs or plasmas from 2+ screen-widths distance will undoubtedly find the image sharp and well defined, and those watching on more traditional direct-view sets will likely find the image to be “reference” given the limitations of the source.

I’d really like to sing the praises of one aspect of this DVD transfer/mastering in particular, and that is color. Colors are vibrant, bold, and saturated. It’s rare to watch a film produced in the 1970’s and see color preserved so richly. Reds are deep and don’t looked “faded orange” like so many other films from this era. Fleshtones appear natural and, especially in close-ups, I found myself amazed at the enormous variation in tone and hue. No artifact like Color-banding is anywhere to be seen to my eyes. And how often have you heard me say this…I noticed no distracting edge enhancement from my 1.6 screen-width viewing distance (some minor ringing on hard edges in certain scenes if you looked for it...but nothing to bring attention to itself).

Yes folks, In between the laughs from the corny dialog and untenable suspension of the laws of physics, the image of The Black Hole on my projection screen garnered quite a few “ooohhhss” and “aaaahhhs”. Excepting the slight image softness for large-screen viewers, this DVD really does deliver.



Picture: 4/ 5
:star::star::star::star:




Sound...


I’m pretty impressed with what Disney has done. Those of you with the current non-16x9 disc are already familiar with this 5.1 mix, but watching and listening to this dvd was my first exposure and it was a pleasant one. Clearly the limitation is with the source material, the most crippling aspect being the very “dubbed” and canned sounding dialogue (fits the quality of the screen-play ). However, that caveat aside, it’s remarkable what the folks responsible for this 5.1 mix have done. Frequency response is wide and the orchestral presentation is smooth and non-fatiguing. Surround use is also employed more prodigiously than I would have imagined with effects scenes filling out the rear channels nicely when appropriate. I don’t have a center-surround set-up so I’m not certain if the rear channels are discrete or paired together in mono…so those of you with center-rear decoding be mindful of this and if you’re surround field collapses into the single rear channel be sure to disable EX decoding.

The most impressive thing of all about this soundtrack is the unexpected deep bass response. I was watching this film late the other night and kept turning down the volume to make sure that the bass wasn’t disturbing the neighbors…a good thing.


Sound: 4/ 5
:star::star::star::star:




Special Features...


You got two! Try to stay calm:

[*]Extended Trailer: A trailer on a Disney title…for the DVD title of the same name? Yes folks. Here we see the thrilling and audience-gripping trailer that thrust The Black Hole into becoming the most successful science-fiction/fantasy films of all time. All in glorious 4x3 full-frame. I always enjoy the historical context created by watching these trailers and I’m sure that fans will too.

[*]Through The Black Hole Featurette: Hosted by effects supervisor Harrison Ellenshaw, this 16-minute 4x3 full-frame documentary is a welcome addition to the admittedly slim-bonus features on this disc. The discussion focuses wisely on the technical aspects of special effects production and design choices, which are this movie’s strengths. Despite its relatively short running length, this documentary is solid and really conveys a much deepened sense of respect for the creative process behind this film and the dedication that went into its production. Worth repeated watching. Highly recommended for both casual and serious fans.
[/list]

All Together...



Camp classics like The Black Hole should be enjoyed for exactly what they are...misguided efforts that usually started out with a really good idea that managed to get a bit drailed in execution. Those of you, like me, who have a fondness for this film from our childhood exposure can safely grab ahold of Disney's new 16x9 disc without fear...whether upgrading from your non-anamorphic copy or buying for the first time. The rest of you who are curious to learn more about this movie... while I can't recommend The Black Hole as a "film" per-se, I can recommend watching it as an *experience* that you won't forget: Laugh at the campy dialog, cringe as the laws of physics are bent beyond recognition, and sigh as the stunning visuals and creative-concept work remind you of just what an ambitious film this set out to be.

Enjoy!

Thanks for the review, David.

I saw this as a kid in the theater, and loved it! Perhaps I'll rent it for a dose of campy nostalgia.

Great review David.

This has long been one of my favorite guilty pleasures. I have fond memories of seeing this on the big screen way back when. And although campy a lot of the time, it does have some truly great scenes as well. The climax with Maximilian has always been a favorite of mine. It is quite intense for a Disney film.

I will be glad to retire my original dvd, although it does have the distinction of being the first dvd I purchased. My only complaint is why couldn't they keep the original artwork, it was so much better.

Although quite tame by today's standards if you put this film in context, it's quite a departure for Disney. There's death, murder, and destruction. Although not actually shown on camera, the guy killed by Maximillian dies a rather gruesome death.

There isn't any gore and the general theme of the movie is still quite family friendly, so the PG rating is warranted. But, The Love Bug this movie is not.

As a 7 year old in 1979 I absolutely loved this film. The dark sides of this movie (while clearly only PG) are strong enough that, for a 7 yr old, it's like seeing an R film. Yet, it has great fun adventure. And hey, those spaceships (both the Cygnus and the Palamino) were pretty darn cool. I even built a Maximillian robot from a hobby kit back then.

The Black Hole is a lot of fun. If you've never seen this movie before, it might seem hard to swallow, but take it for what it is - fun, campy, adventure with some cool robots and spaceships. Never once have I worried about the laws of physics when watching this film. Especially not back in 1979. Hey, it's just a movie for crying out loud!

thanks for the review David!

i was well aware of this film when it was released, but it being a Disney production, and not a well reviewed on at that, made me ignore it until curiousity got the better of me a couple years ago.

from an adult, 2002 perspective there wasn't alot to sink my teeth into, but i find myself still wanting to check it out again.
i agree that some of the gorgeous production design almost mitigates the inane SW-riffs (the Roddy MacDowell robot, etc).

good to hear that the 16:9 transfer looks decent on a Benq at 100" and 1.6x back.
i don't run my screen quite that large, but the old AB disc barely cut it on the 53" RP i watched it on

one thing i am curious about, does the trailer begin with the green grid?
i remember being knocked out by the simplistic computer graphics of that when i saw it at the theater- that was the first bit of CGI i was ever expsosed to and it was quite thrilling at the time

Doesn't the Anchor Bay disk have an isolated score track (or am I crazy)? I assume the new release doesn't?

Also, is the overture included before the film?

Yes, it is.

As always, great review Dave!

What I dug about the film was the atmosphere which outweighed any lame dialog etc... The vibe was cool.

D

The Black Hole has, at times, some of the most awe inspiring production design I have ever seen. its easy to overlook the glaring shortcomings, and enjoy this film for its strengths. John Barry's score is fantastic, most of the matte effects are flawless... and the image of the swirling black hole outside windows are very creepy. As a youmgster, I always thought this movie captured what deep space would look like; dark, cold, and filled with an endless panorama of stars.

The opening minutes of this movie, especially their first pass over the darkened spaceship, is truly wonderful to watch. You almost think its going to be good movie!

Sadly there isn't an isolated score track on the Anchor Bay release. This is the first digitally-recorded score and the one that got me interested in film music in general, so I'd love to see Disney allow somebody to release it on CD.

Can anybody determine if this is the same 5.1 mix that Anchor Bay used? I think the Anchor Bay DVD has a decent mix, though some of the sound effects seemed to be very loud.

Nice review, I liked this much more when I was younger, but it is still enjoyable on that camp level. I'll probably have to pick this up.

I'm pretty sure it does. I'll double check when I get the chance. Agreed that the effect is moving despite the simplistic graphics. Tron hits me the same way.

And yep...the overture is there in tact.

Glad to see so many of you enjoy this film. When you get your copy please post your impressions of the disc back here in this thread.

The crazy finale, which explores the divided good and evil aspects of the Mad doctor's soul (and even suggests sex between the evil Maximillian and the Mad Doctor) is downright giddy in its combination of poetry and kitsch. Its like a clown trying to read a Shakespeare sonnet. You watch it and think, "Silly clown, that was terrible, but we still love you."

as i recall, the first Anchor Bay release had a defect in the 5.1 track--i think one channel was missing, perhaps?

anyway, AB fixed the disc and reissued it with a sticky red dot beside the barcode to tell which was the fixed product. however, the defective discs stayed on the shelves...

is the audio track on the Disney disc coreect?

The original Anchor Bay DVD was missing the right front channel.

Neil

Just watched this last night. Looked better than I expected, but some scenes still showed some softness. Still not bad looking, considering it's a very dark movie.

On the AB releases, I originally had a 1.33:1/2.35:1 flipper that came in a red keep case, which I believe was the defective disc, although the only time I ever watched it was prior to getting a 5.1 setup. I then replaced it with a newer AB version that came in a black keep case and only had the widescreen version-the disc had artwork on one side. I believe this was the corrected version.

the correct version had a red dot sticker on the back of the case.
i dont remember if it was on the insert or actually on the plasctic dvd case.

Ernest, that was probably the most apt description of why I still enjoy films like THE BLACK HOLE and TRON. Perfect!

This movie can never be discussed in my presence with out my Maximilian Schell impression (complete with faked echo)...."In...through....and beyond..."

Funny story about the ending...

I was watching this movie with a friend and the final shot of the dcotor floating in space trapped in Maximillian made my friend remark, "What is he, some kind of Maximillian Shell?" However she had no idea that was the actor's name and didn't believe me until the credits ran. We had a good laugh over it.