The Black Hole (1979 film)

"The Black Hole" redirects here. For other uses, see Black hole (disambiguation).
The Black Hole
Theatrical release poster
Directed byGary Nelson
Screenplay by
Story by
Produced byRon Miller
Starring
CinematographyFrank Phillips
Edited byGregg McLaughlin
Music byJohn Barry
Production
company
Distributed byBuena Vista Distribution
Release dates
  • December 18, 1979 (1979-12-18) (United Kingdom)
  • December 21, 1979 (1979-12-21) (United States)
Running time
98 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$20 million[1]
Box office$35.8 million
(domestic)[2]

The Black Hole is a 1979 American science fiction film directed by Gary Nelson and produced by Walt Disney Productions. The film stars Maximilian Schell, Robert Forster, Joseph Bottoms, Yvette Mimieux, Anthony Perkins and Ernest Borgnine, while the voices of the main robot characters are provided by Roddy McDowall and Slim Pickens (both uncredited). The music for the film was composed by John Barry. With a production budget of $20 million, plus another $6 million for advertising,[1][3] it was at the time the most expensive picture ever produced by Disney.[4]

In the early 1970s, the film was initially conceived as a space-themed disaster film. However, the script went through numerous iterations from various screenwriters. Disney's effects department used novel computerized camera technology to create the visual effects. The film was released on December 18, 1979, in the United Kingdom and on December 21, 1979, in the United States. It was the first film from Walt Disney Productions to receive a PG rating. The film received mixed reviews from film critics and grossed $35 million at the US box office. The film was nominated for two Academy Awards for Best Cinematography[5] and Best Visual Effects.[6]

  1. ^ a b Brown, Peter H. (November 25, 1979). "Hollywood Space Wars". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  2. ^ "The Black Hole, Box Office Information". The Numbers. Retrieved January 28, 2012.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Cinefantastique was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference remake was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Vittorio Storaro winning the Oscar® for Cinematography for "Apocalypse Now" - Oscars on YouTube
  6. ^ "Alien" winning the Oscar® for Visual Effects - Oscars on YouTube