Man... how the time flies. Here's the latest Trash Can Gold Mine, wherein yours truly discusses one of his favorite childhood movies and my new favorite toy.
Yes, I purchased two Kubrick's on eBay: Old Bob and Maximilian from Disney's The Black Hole. Those old timers in the crowd might remember the movie. It's one of my favorites because of the amazing music, the creepy "haunted spaceship" vibe, and the robots of course.
Showing posts with label disney. Show all posts
Showing posts with label disney. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 24, 2017
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Atmosphere for the Win!
I'm a sucker for good atmosphere in fiction and film. My love for Disney's clunky sci-fi snoozer, The Black Hole is predicated primarily on the power of the movie's atmosphere.
God knows the "science" is stoopid, not to mention the dime-store dialogue.
But wow. There is a moment when our heroes (a small band of American explorers on board the Palamino, a chubby hypodermic needle of a spacecraft) escape the pull of the black hole (right) only to cruise by the supposedly derelict hull of the Cygnus (a cathedral in space...spooky as hell). The Cygnus is dark, dead. Little V.I.N.C.E.N.T. (a robot) is clinging to the outside of the ship, the Palamino's searchlights rove over the grey hulk of the larger ship...chills. Really.
God knows the "science" is stoopid, not to mention the dime-store dialogue.
But wow. There is a moment when our heroes (a small band of American explorers on board the Palamino, a chubby hypodermic needle of a spacecraft) escape the pull of the black hole (right) only to cruise by the supposedly derelict hull of the Cygnus (a cathedral in space...spooky as hell). The Cygnus is dark, dead. Little V.I.N.C.E.N.T. (a robot) is clinging to the outside of the ship, the Palamino's searchlights rove over the grey hulk of the larger ship...chills. Really.
Embedding is disabled, but here is the link to the scene via YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ts-v6AHr38 (the creeps start at around 3:45 as the Palamino makes another pass on the Cygnus)
I'm that big of a sucker for atmosphere.
So much so, that when I write, sometimes I find myself lost in the atmosphere. The story...meh. Who needs a story when you have atmosphere?
I love old Hammer films for the same reason. And Roger Corman? Don't get me started. No one used the cheesy plastic skull with cobwebs and rubber spiders as well as Corman.
Am I destined to be lost to a world of pulp movies with spooky vibes? The thing is, in a book, atmosphere can be magnificent. I've just picked up this year's Stoker winner for best first novel, The Gentling Box by Lisa Mannetti. Wow. Atmosphere so thick I almost have to chisel my way out.
In a word: heaven. If you like your heaven in a dark, scary place.
I'm that big of a sucker for atmosphere.
So much so, that when I write, sometimes I find myself lost in the atmosphere. The story...meh. Who needs a story when you have atmosphere?
I love old Hammer films for the same reason. And Roger Corman? Don't get me started. No one used the cheesy plastic skull with cobwebs and rubber spiders as well as Corman.
Am I destined to be lost to a world of pulp movies with spooky vibes? The thing is, in a book, atmosphere can be magnificent. I've just picked up this year's Stoker winner for best first novel, The Gentling Box by Lisa Mannetti. Wow. Atmosphere so thick I almost have to chisel my way out.
In a word: heaven. If you like your heaven in a dark, scary place.
Monday, March 31, 2008
I still love The Black Hole
The Black Hole (1979) as a classic monster film?
On my latest viewing of The Black Hole (a Disney--yes Disney--space adventure released in 1979) I focused on the dark, somewhat gothic atmosphere of the set, oddball design of the robots, and strange performance by Maximilian Schell as the mad Dr. Reinhardt. The film has a wonderful score and effective camera work that adds to the haunting feel. It may be a very uncomfortable space opera with a second rate script and questionable science, but the visuals and themes make this much more. It deserves to be considered a classic cult monster movie.
Ignore the weird, campy moments (e.g., ESP connection with robots--let alone robots voiced by Roddy McDowall and Slim Pickens). Watch for the truly creepy moments--the slow, mounting realization that the Cygnus I's crew was murdered and turned into some kind of zombie/cyborg hybrid by the mad Dr. Reinhardt. The John Barry score is powerful and mysterious, and enhances key moments in the film.The real monster in this film is Maximilian: a multi-armed, red giant of a robot who has a sinister glow from his "eye"--the corners of which turn slightly up to a point like the horns of a Faustian devil.
It is Maximilian that shreds Anthony Perkin's character with his spinning blades, and Maximilian "glances" back at his supposed master Dr. Reinhardt as the mad doctor is crushed by a giant view screen--if the robot had a mouth, you could almost see the slight curl of a smile. Add the surreal man/monster moment in the inferno at the end of the movie, and Maximilian becomes the embodiment of evil. The Black Hole has some flaws--but the "monsters," the look of the Cygnus--sparse and dark, along with the sweeping camera reminiscent of moments from Dracula (Universal 1931) make this movie a curiosity that no monster fan should miss. Even if it is from Disney.
On my latest viewing of The Black Hole (a Disney--yes Disney--space adventure released in 1979) I focused on the dark, somewhat gothic atmosphere of the set, oddball design of the robots, and strange performance by Maximilian Schell as the mad Dr. Reinhardt. The film has a wonderful score and effective camera work that adds to the haunting feel. It may be a very uncomfortable space opera with a second rate script and questionable science, but the visuals and themes make this much more. It deserves to be considered a classic cult monster movie.
Ignore the weird, campy moments (e.g., ESP connection with robots--let alone robots voiced by Roddy McDowall and Slim Pickens). Watch for the truly creepy moments--the slow, mounting realization that the Cygnus I's crew was murdered and turned into some kind of zombie/cyborg hybrid by the mad Dr. Reinhardt. The John Barry score is powerful and mysterious, and enhances key moments in the film.The real monster in this film is Maximilian: a multi-armed, red giant of a robot who has a sinister glow from his "eye"--the corners of which turn slightly up to a point like the horns of a Faustian devil.
It is Maximilian that shreds Anthony Perkin's character with his spinning blades, and Maximilian "glances" back at his supposed master Dr. Reinhardt as the mad doctor is crushed by a giant view screen--if the robot had a mouth, you could almost see the slight curl of a smile. Add the surreal man/monster moment in the inferno at the end of the movie, and Maximilian becomes the embodiment of evil. The Black Hole has some flaws--but the "monsters," the look of the Cygnus--sparse and dark, along with the sweeping camera reminiscent of moments from Dracula (Universal 1931) make this movie a curiosity that no monster fan should miss. Even if it is from Disney.
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