Questions
What is The Black Hole and when did it come out?
It is a science fiction film released by Walt Disney Productions on December 21, 1979, directed by Gary Nelson. It follows the crew of the spacecraft USS Palomino as they discover the long lost USS Cygnus hovering near a black hole.
Was this really a Disney movie?
Yes. It was made by Walt Disney Productions, but it was the first Disney film ever to earn a PG rating, reportedly due to profanity and violence.
Who starred in it?
Maximilian Schell played the mad scientist Dr. Hans Reinhardt, with Robert Forster, Joseph Bottoms, Yvette Mimieux, Anthony Perkins, and Ernest Borgnine as crew members. Roddy McDowall and Slim Pickens voiced the robots.
What do the robot names V.I.N.CENT. and B.O.B. actually stand for?
V.I.N.CENT. stands for Vital Information Necessary CENTralized, and B.O.B. stands for BiO-sanitation Battalion. The menacing enforcer robot Maximilian has no acronym.
Who voiced V.I.N.CENT. and B.O.B.?
Roddy McDowall voiced the optimistic hero robot V.I.N.CENT., while Slim Pickens voiced the weathered, grumpy old robot B.O.B.
How expensive was the movie to make?
At roughly $20 million, it was the most expensive picture ever produced by Disney at that time, with an additional $6 million reportedly spent on marketing.
What is the story about?
The USS Palomino finds the long lost USS Cygnus near a black hole and discovers Dr. Reinhardt still alive after 20 years. He has turned his human crew into lobotomized drones and plans to fly the ship straight through the black hole.
How does it end?
The probe ship enters the black hole, where the survivors pass through a crystalline tunnel toward a new world while Reinhardt faces a hellish landscape.
Did the movie set any technical firsts?
Yes. It was the first film score ever to be recorded digitally, and it pioneered a computerized ACES (Automated Camera Effects System) that let the camera shoot double exposure photographs of miniature models while moving across matte paintings.
Who composed the music?
James Bond veteran John Barry composed the orchestral score, which is celebrated for its ambition and was the first film score recorded digitally.
How many matte paintings were made for the film?
Reportedly 150 matte paintings were created under the supervision of Harrison Ellenshaw, but only 13 of them were actually used in the finished film.
How did it do at the box office?
It earned about $35.8 million domestically, opening to $4.7 million, which was reportedly a Disney record at the time.
Did Anthony Perkins survive the movie?
No. His character, Dr. Alex Durant, tries to flee with Dr. McCrae but is killed by the robot Maximilian.
Was there a novelization, and did it have a different ending?
Yes. Alan Dean Foster wrote a novelization that features an alternate ending in which the three humans and the robot merge together.
Did it get any awards recognition?
It received Academy Award nominations for Best Cinematography and Best Visual Effects, plus a Hugo Award nomination and four Saturn Award nominations.
