The Black Hole

1979
PG
1h 38m

IMDb RATING

5.9/10

29K

YOUR RATING

Play trailer3:22

1 Video

99+ Photos

Space Sci-Fi Action Sci-Fi

A research vessel finds a missing ship, commanded by a mysterious scientist, on the edge of a black hole.A research vessel finds a missing ship, commanded by a mysterious scientist, on the edge of a black hole.A research vessel finds a missing ship, commanded by a mysterious scientist, on the edge of a black hole.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

5.9/10

29K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Nominated for 2 Oscars
- 8 nominations total

Captain S.T.A.R.
(as Tommy McLoughlin)

Steven Banks

Sentry Robot
(uncredited)

Don Lewis

Sentry Robot
(uncredited)

Roddy McDowall

V.I.N.CENT.
(voice)
(uncredited)

Gary Nelson

Drone with Mask Removed
(uncredited)

Slim Pickens

B.O.B.
(voice)
(uncredited)

Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
The film was originally supposed to take place in a completely weightless environment. The technical difficulties prompted a re-write of the script so that when the Palomino ties up the Cygnus gravity returned.

Goofs
At the very start of the movie, when Vincent announces, "The largest black hole I have ever seen, Mr. Pizer," and Pizer replies, "Hmm. Let's look at it on the holograph," the viewer can see someone's hand turning Vincent by his left foot. The hand stays there for a moment before pulling back off-camera.

Quotes
V.I.N.CENT: A wolf remains a wolf, even if it has not eaten your sheep.

Alternate versions
The Anchor Bay DVD includes a space background in the overture.

Connections
Edited into The Devil and Max Devlin (1981)

User reviews325

Review

Featured review

6/10

I remember liking this as a kid

It's 2130 and Day 547 on board the USS Palomino with Captain Dan Holland (Robert Forster), Lieutenant Charles Pizer (Joseph Bottoms), Dr. Alex Durant (Anthony Perkins), Harry Booth (Ernest Borgnine) and Dr. Kate McCrae (Yvette Mimieux) with ESP abilities to talk to robots. Robot VINCENT discovers a large black hole and a lost ship the USS Cygnus. McCrae's father is suppose to be on board. The ship is not abandoned as first thought and is filled with robots run by the mad Dr. Hans Reinhardt (Maximilian Schell). He has been alone for 20 years refusing orders to return to Earth. His most formidable robot is Maximilian.

I remember really liking this as a kid. Watching it now, the science is wrong. What's with ESP? I can even see some of the wires. I do like some of the designs. I love the VINCENT and Maximilian robots. The special effects is a mix bag coming after Star Wars. Its 50s sci-fi motif is actually quite interesting for the era. I would love to see this story remade with the science redone. There is a fine mad scientist movie here.