Slated by critics of the time as Disney’s Star Wars cash-in, in reality, The Black Hole takes its inspiration from TV shows like Battlestar Galactica and Lost in Space; however, it’s the disaster movie roots of its screenplay and several religious overtones that make it truly fascinating. The Black Hole is available to rent, buy or stream.
On December 21, 1979, Disney’s science fiction gamble, The Black Hole, premiered at the Odeon Leicester Square in London. Released the same month as the hotly anticipated Star Trek – The Motion Picture, The Black Hole was a massive gamble for Disney’s live-action studio as its first foray into big-budget science fiction. The Black Hole began its cinematic journey in 1979 under the title Space Station One, a space-set disaster movie. The idea was formed during the 70s resurgence of disaster movies, with box office hits such as Airport (1970) and The Poseidon Adventure (1972).
Science fiction would play a minor role in the original screenplay, second to the classic disaster movie format. However, by late 1977, Star Wars fever had arrived, bringing a resurgence in the traditional space opera and a new toy frenzy that immediately caught Disney’s attention. However, Disney’s live-action movies were unable to match this new public appetite. After all, their live-action stable remained firmly in the 60s and early 70s, with films like Freaky Friday (1976) and the Herbie series.
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This raised an important question: could Space Station One help Disney enter the Hollywood space race? Work quickly began realigning the screenplay, stripping back the disaster movie themes in favour of an action and adventure space odyssey. The screenplay adjustments were complete by the end of 1977, and Emmy Award-nominated director Gary Nelson took the helm. However, significant challenges still lie before the Disney team.
At the time, Disney had no experience in producing large-scale science fiction movies and was unable to compete with the effects of Star Wars. Therefore, initial conversations centred on Disney using the newly formed Industrial Light and Magic (Lucasfilm) for model work. However, these negotiations were to fail, leading Disney to develop in-house solutions to address the effects required. This would push the film’s budget to a cool $ 20 million, making The Black Hole the most expensive Disney film ever produced at the time and a substantial financial gamble.
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Therefore, expert casting with big names would become essential in ensuring The Black Hole delivered box office returns. Here, Disney would approach several Hollywood veterans, with Maximilian Schell (Judgement at Nuremberg) as the mad scientist Dr Hans Reinhardt alongside Anthony Perkins (Psycho) and Yvette Mimieux (The Time Machine). However, in the casting of Ernst Borgnine (The Poseidon Adventure), Robert Forster (Avalanche), and the uncredited Roddy McDowall, The Black Hole would give a knowing wink toward its disaster movie roots. However, this casting wasn’t the only nod to its original Space Station One screenplay. Opening with a rare musical overture, The Black Hole would offer audiences a unique blend of science fiction and disaster movie, while also telling a dark tale of religious and moral judgment.
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Slated by critics of the time as Disney’s Star Wars cash-in, in reality, The Black Hole takes its inspiration from TV shows like Battlestar Galactica and Lost in Space; however, it’s the disaster movie roots of its screenplay and several religious overtones that make it truly fascinating. Nelson’s movie captures the claustrophobia of The Poseidon Adventure and the race against time of Airport as survivors, villains, instigators and reluctant heroes take centre stage in a film that spirals towards disaster from the first scene.
Even more fascinating is The Black Hole’s commentary on scientific discovery, which is layered with a complex and multifaceted subtext that incorporates both religious and moral themes. Here, Nelson’s swirling black hole represents heaven and hell, with the fate of those entering its clutches predetermined by their life choices. The film’s final scenes subvert the fun of the adventure as the space opera becomes a moral message on the danger of humans playing God.
Director: Gary Nelson
Cast: Maximilian Schell, Anthony Perkins, Robert Forster, Yvette Mimieux, Ernest Borgnine
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