Wednesday, September 12, 2012
The Black Hole of Cal Cutter
An old school pal posted a "review" of Disney's "The Black Hole" some time ago. It was a very interesting review - I had this to say on the topic:
I recall I had to pester my father for WEEKS to get him to bring me to see TBH, in the Astor cinema. This tells you a number of things:
1) Yes, there was a time when even a second rate film could play in the same cinema for WEEKS at a time.
2) My father hates going to the cinema. He complained bitterly for days afterward to anyone that would listen about the fact that the SHORT film before the main film about surfing was much better than the "feature". He complained in precisely the same way THE OTHER time (yes, the OTHER time) he took me to the cinema, which was to see Star Wars. I'm not counting 'The Cat From Outer Space' double bill with 'Herbie Goes Bananas' debacle in the Metropole.
2.1) The fact that going to the cinema was an event you could talk about for days afterwards tells you a lot about the state of the entertainment to be had in, as they say on the shite radio stations ('you'll have to be more specific') "Eye-yurhr-lahnd" then.
3) This was even from BEFORE the Astor was known for dodgy x-rated films.
4) I loved TBH long before I saw anything of it apart from tiny clips on programs like 'Clapperboard'.
Minor geeky point: the name of the ship, Cygnus, is so called because the first ever observationally suspected black hole is called Cygnus X1. As for the film the Ahab thing is way off base IMHO. It’s got to be based on an unholy miscegenation of the Jules Verne notions of "20k Leagues Under the Sea", AND, the lesser known "Master of the World". Yes, it’s a kid’s film but, being a kid, I couldn't get enough of it. Yes, it's laughable now, but in the same way that your old Teddy or Action Men, or Steve Austin dolls are "laughable". Robots, spaceships, lasers, black holes!, murder, mayhem etc, what more could you ask for?
I think you're right to highlight the darker gothic elements, but I think that may have been Disney trying to build in something for adults into the storyline - consciously trying to ape the (extremely hidden, "Hero With a Thousand Faces" type) depth that emerges from Star Wars, but failing. The special affects have that disappointing cartoon Disney flavor, nothing like the innovation of ILM in Star Wars. But that's the point - Disney were hopping on a band wagon, having to pump out this product, in order to be seen to be playing in that market for their shareholders.
Interestingly, as you point out it made money, but it’s poor performance relative to Star Wars, may have given rise to the idea (eventually) of Touchstone Pictures (wholly owned by Disney, but not with the Disney trademark). That allows them to make adult themed/violent/horror/proper sci fi, without impinging on cuddly Disney brands. I say that because if it HAD been made 10 years later by Touchstone, they may have been able to go much further with the gothic angle than the Disney brand ever could have, and hence made a much more interesting film.
It occurs to me that in some senses "Event Horizon" owes at least SOMETHING to the TBH, wouldn't you say?As a film, TBH is indelibly printed in my memory - especially Perkins' "floba-loba" gurgling demise. And as well - you forgot to mention the short lived Black Hole ice pop, and the utterly ludicrous notion of a black hole looking like a swirling bath of dandruff flecked molasses draining down a plughole.
And as for TBH cards - I recall a certain Mr. M being more than miserly with any cards that so much as contained a circuit of robot (Bob, Vincent and Maximilian in that order), thus stifling the ability of the true collector/connoisseur to enrich his completeness as a human being in the struggle towards card-set fulfillment. Thanks for that!
I still haven't gotten number 89 or whatever the last one is, so if anyone wants to donate it to my otherwise complete collection, feel free.
# posted by Flann O'Brien @ 4:25 AM
