The Black Hole (remake)

I love The Black Hole. It's a guilty pleasure. With Sci-Fi Channel revising Battlestar Galactica and Dune. Why not revise TBH? George Clooney should be cast as Captain Dan Holland. Ben Afleck should be cast as Lt. Charlie Pizer. Not sure who should be cast as the new Kate McCrae. Sean Connery as Dr. Hans Rheinhardt. The spacecraft interior designs need some retooling, but the spacecraft exterior designs are mostly OK. Juice up the blocking with more andrenline and bingo! The only thing that must not change is Ol'Max. That blood red mechanical Frankenstien is perfect. Heck Ol' Max could out do the T-800's chrome skeleton in the creepy dept. Anyone agree with me that TBH is begging to be remade?

 

I also really love the Black Hole although I have not seen it in awhile. I thibk it's the most shocking Disney film ever made.

****SPOILERS****
Anthony Perking's murder was quite brutal for a Disney flick.As much as I love the film the ending is weird. Did everybody die with the good people going to Heaven and the evil people going to hell? I heard that they filmed 5 different endings to keep it secret.
****End of SPOILERS****

I would love to see a remake and turn it into a trilogy. Here's some titles and a summary of the plots for each film.

The Black Hole (The Black Hole is discovered. The Cygnus and the crew of the Palimino go thru the hole and we are left hanging as to what has happend to them.)
Beyond The Black Hole (They discover a new galaxy on the other side of the Black Hole. Where an evil race of aliens rule. The crew of the Palimino form an friendship with other humans who are at war with the aliens.)
Battle of The Black Hole (The aliens try to enter the Black Hole and take over earth. The forces of good try to stop them in a full scale battle.)

 

The film (as originally written and shot) had the Palomino crew being fused together into some kind of new superbeing. The Alan Dean Foster novelization had them being ripped apart, atom by atom, and each atom formed a star in a brand-new universe.

Disney opted for a nice 'n tidy ending, one that reflected its' (then) wholesome Christian values. Reinhardt was sucked into Hell (Dante's Inferno, as Harry Booth put it). Finding Maximillian's empty robot body, he squeezed himself into it to protect himself from the demons. Thus he would spend all eternity trapped in the robot he created, staring out of Max's red visor in terror at the nightmare landscape of an evil man's afterlife...

...while the Palomino crew, guided by a kindly angel of God, safely flew out the other end of the black hole (a "white hole") back into the universe and towards a blue planet that may or may not be Earth. The End.

A short-lived Marvel comic series (titled, you guessed it, "Beyond the Black Hole") tried to continue the story in much the way you suggested, Gobi-1. The record storybook of the film suggested the Reinhardt/Hell/Angel sequence was a dream the Palomino crew shared after they were knocked out in the transit through the hole. They came to as they flew toward the blue planet.

And as for a possible remake, Ashley Judd would make a perfect Kate McCrae. Rounding out the cast would be Eric Idle as the voice of V.I.N.CENT, Sam Elliot as the voice of Old B.O.B., Matt Dillon as Dr. Alex Durant, and William Shatner (with a mustache and WITHOUT a wig for the first time in his career) as Harry.

 

In 1999 on the 20th anniversary of TBH Anchor Bay released a tin collection. You got a VHS tape and some rare collectibles. The booklet inside the tin reveals the alternative ending to TBH. The ending involves the Sistine Chapel! You might want to find this item. Also the pre-production and production schedules and notes are revealed in the booklet.

I'm serious about a remake of TBH. Yes I've thought much about full-length sequels and a couple of prequel sequences. I can not reveal too much about my sequel theories. As for the prequel sequence I plan on showing the Cygnus mutiny with Kate McCrae's father. This prequel sequence should come as no big surprise. After all Old B.O.B. told the Palimino crew about that event. I want to take it to the next step and film it as a lead in to TBH remake. I'm currently writing a screenplay or two.

My take on TBH's ending is that the surviving Palimino crew members exited the 'white hole' singularity to discover they were back in their own star system. The eclipsed planet you see in the last image is Earth. The protagonists were rewarded and allowed to return to Earth alive. They were morally 'good'. While Rhienhardt was punished and given a taste of what he put the Cygnus's crew through. He was imprisoned within a machine (Max).

Yeah TBH is most certainly a very grim film for Disney. Dr. Durant's death is very unsettling. Max I think is still a very strong iconic character. I even place him right next to Vader as a villian with brute style. Don't worry. If my remake is ever done Max will not be changed.

The exterior design of the Cygnus would also remain much the same. The interior of the Cygnus would have to be updated. I'd add some rotating sections for gravity purposes and some nifty combat acrobatics. For instance the greenhouse section would now rotate and not be static. The command tower would also rotate in places. The power generator would be given a major updating.

The exterior design of the Palimino would have a few changes. The thrusters would be shaped differently. The command module would rotate. All in all the ship would retain it's original look. The interior would be updated to look more like the Nostromo from ALIEN.

The sentry robots would lose their humanoid shape. Ever notice how the Droideka Destroyers from the SW prequels look like the sentries from TBH? Not in shape, but in color and gun design.

The Cygnus crew end up pretty much the same as we remember them. I might suggest the mirror polish faceplates retract via cgi morphing.

Oh and in my remake the Palimino crew would have access to full body space suits.

Vincent and Bob would not change much. Maybe a few updates in detailing.

When the Palimino is shot by the Cygnus the resulting explosion will be nearly flameless. Instead the P. will shatter violently.

The 'black hole' singularity would be updated with what we now know. A red giant star would be nearby to so the 'black hole' singularity can feed and thus be seen.

Star will not be a repainted sentry. Star will be unique in design.

 

Thanks for the info. Isn't the film on DVD except not from Disney. I think Anchor Bay released it, which means Disney really doesn't care much about the film so maybe they would sell the rights to another studio.

The opening credits with the early CGI and the music score were also quite good as I remember. John Barry famous for scoring many of the James Bond films wrote the score for the film.

Here's the entry on the film in Disney A to Z: The Official Encyclopedia by Dave Smith.

The explorer craft U.S.S. Palomino is returning to earth after a fruitless 18-month search for extraterrestrial life when the crew comes upon a supposedly lost ship, the magnificent U.S.S. Cygnus, hovering near a Black Hole. The ship is controlled by Dr. Hans Rienhardt and his monstrous robot companion, Maximillian. But the initial wonderment and awe the Palomino crew have for the ship, and it's resistence to the power of the Black Hole, turns to horror as they uncover Reinhardt's plan, which involve turning his former crew into robots and flying through the Hole. As they try to escape, a meteorite shower damages the ship, the survivors hang on as they are plunged into the most powerful force in the universe, heading towards the blinding light that holds whatever eternity awaits them. Premiered in London on December 20, 1979. Directed by Gary Nelson. First film made by the Disney Studio to receive a PG rating. 98 min. Stars Maximilian Schell, Anthony Perkings, Robert Forster, Ernest Borgnine, Yvette Mimieux, Joseph Bottoms. The film was 5 years in development, 14 months in production, and a cost of $20 million. It failed to recoup its terrific cost, but wowed audiences with the dazzling special effects created by A.C.E.S. (Automatic Camera Effects Systems). All the sound stages at the Disney Studios were occupied by the production. Nearly 14 months of simultaneous and postproduction filming and processing were required by the studio's photographic process laboratory and special effects departments. In some scenes, as many as 12 different photo processes were used simultaneously on the screen. Four Academy Award winners supervised the special effects: Peter Ellenshaw, production designer and director of special effects; Eustace Lycett and Art Cruickshank, special photographic effects; and Danny Lee, special visual effects. The film was nominated for Academy Awards for Cinematography (Frank Phillips) and Visual Effects. the films original producer, Winston Hibler, died during production. Released on video in 1980 and 1983.

The film was already in production before Star Wars was! Do you think Lucas took the Star Wars script to Disney who turned it down because they were already planning a space film?

 

This is very odd. The Black Hole is on DVD here in the US but it was not released by Disney but by Anchor Bay. However Disney has released the film on DVD in Australia!

You can go here to check it out. http://www.disney.com.au/disneyvideo/newreleases/black_hole/

Maybe Disney will release a 25th Aniversary DVD next year.

 

he squeezed himself into it to protect himself from the demons.

Negative...he didn't squeeze into anything. I've encountered alot of people who had this misconception. Dr. Reinhardt did indeed go to hell. His punishment in hell was to become a living robot just as he had done to so many of the Cygnus' crew.

The angelic figure floating down the hall of glass was representative of the crew of the Cygnus being released, through death, from their "life" as Reinhardt's pawns.

I can only speculate about what happened to the crew of the Palomino.

Who here besides me saw this movie in its original theatrical release?

 

There already is one. It's called Event Horizon.

 

There already is one. It's called Event Horizon.

'Event Horizon' is a great movie. The novel adaptation of it is a LOT better, though.

 

The ending of TBH was way cool.

 

Event Horizon' is a great movie. The novel adaptation of it is a LOT better, though.

Amen to that. I always loved the concept of the darkness having a name, a face, and that creature in the novelization that taunted Laurence Fishburne after shedding the Weir disguise was just plain creepy.

As far as TBH, it was the first disney movie I ever saw that scared me silly. I was little when I first saw it, and my parents rented it for me when we got back from our first trip to Disney World. I have the novelization around somewhere, and I recall correctly, the crew was fused into a single entity in the book that still retained the identities of all the original crew, and also had V.I.N.C.E.N.T. fused into them. Their bodies were destroyed, but they became an eternal entity. The last line of the novelization went something like:

"....they now had an eternity to contemplate the universe which they had become...."

Good stuff. Brillian suggestions in the opening post of this thread.

Peace,

V-03

 

I too have thought that The Black Hole needs to be remade. You people have put up great,well thought-out ideas there. I don't know what I could contribute,except maybe have the Cygnus crew look more cyborgish,like they were assimmilated by the Borg,just to show how mad Reinhardt has become.

 

The Black Hole (The Black Hole is discovered. The Cygnus and the crew of the Palimino go thru the hole and we are left hanging as to what has happend to them.)
Beyond The Black Hole (They discover a new galaxy on the other side of the Black Hole. Where an evil race of aliens rule. The crew of the Palimino form an friendship with other humans who are at war with the aliens.)
Battle of The Black Hole (The aliens try to enter the Black Hole and take over earth. The forces of good try to stop them in a full scale battle.)

Can anyone say Deep Space 9?

I always thought that he went to hell, but then he allowed the Palamino to pass through safely, and went to heaven. I must admit, I've not seen it for a LONG time

Go BOB and VINCENT!

 

I've never seen Deep Space Nine.

 

Beyond The Black Hole (They discover a new galaxy on the other side of the Black Hole. Where an evil race of aliens rule.)

DS9: They discover a new quadrant on the other side of the wormhole, where an evil race of aliens rule

Battle of The Black Hole (The aliens try to enter the Black Hole and take over earth. The forces of good try to stop them in a full scale battle.)

DS9: The aliens try to enter the wormhole and take over earth. The forces of good try to stop them in a full scale battle

 

Like I said I've never seen Deep Space Nine. Is that the series set on a space station instead of a starship?

 

Indeed it was. It's ST's attempt at a B5 story arc. Really quite good, but no B 5.

 

It's funny cos people said B5 copied DS9 (with the idea of a space station), although after B5's popularity with an on-going arc, DS9 copied that! (but I love them both so nyeh)

 

Here's a good Black Hole site I found thru google. If you have trouble getting to it try again later. Sometimes it comes up and sometimes it doesn't. Here's the address.

http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Shire/6822/

 

I too saw TBH in it's theatrical release. Pretty mazin stuff. I still have a metal trash can with max, vincent and bob on it.
As for a remake... I feel the same way, it needs to be done. I always liked the fact that although it takes place in space, the film is really just a gothic/mad scientist tale. There were some pretty drak elements just under the surface that deserve to be explored.

 

A short-lived Marvel comic series

I think it was Gold Key.

 

That movie seriously freaked me out as a little kid. It warped my fragile little mind.

 

I agree that it should be re-done.

 

Come on up. . .

 

Thanks for unlocking the thread.

Last week Disney re-released The Black Hole on dvd.

Here's the cover.

[image=http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0001I55SS.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg]

I haven't got it yet (Hopefully I'll get it today) but I've read that this Disney release is much better then the one from Anchor Bay. The film is sharper, clearer and the colors pop out more. Here's a few photos to show off the new transfer.

[image=http://dvdmedia.ign.com/dvd/image/HOL0NNM1-0_1091569561.jpg]

[image=http://dvdmedia.ign.com/dvd/image/HOL0NNM1-10_1091569561.jpg]

[image=http://dvdmedia.ign.com/dvd/image/HOL0NNM1-2_1091569562.jpg]

[image=http://dvdmedia.ign.com/dvd/image/HOL0NNM1-6_1091569563.jpg]

[image=http://dvdmedia.ign.com/dvd/image/HOL0NNM1-7_1091569563.jpg]

[image=http://dvdmedia.ign.com/dvd/image/HOL0NNM1-8_1091569563.jpg]

[image=http://dvdmedia.ign.com/dvd/image/HOL0NNM1-9_1091569564.jpg]

It looks great. I've only seen the film on video and that was one from the mid 80s so this looks much, much better.