Black Hole Maximilian: Kate's father?

[ctc]

>but then they have all those dark elements in it.

We were discussing that here a while back. When the film was under production there was a lot of friction between the folks who wanted something serious and heavy, and the folks who wanted something kid friendly. Hence the jumps between things like wacky robot shooting contests, to Norma Bates getting his guts ripped off by RoboSaw.

For me, that's one of the things that makes it such a unique movie.

Don C.

[mightyquinn]

I was creeped out as well, very dark film for Disney. Would have made a good horror movie if they wanted to go that direction. Found this interesting, Disney spent a record $20 million (plus another $6 million for the advertising budget), it was at the time the most expensive picture ever produced for that time.

[Brazoo]

If they could do a Tron type revisit that would be pretty cool I think.

A "Black Hole" remake was listed as "in Development" way back in the same weekend "Tron: Legacy" was a hit - with the same director - Joseph Kosinski. I think Disney's other major sci-fi flops (particularly John Carter) have put this on pause though - and they only seem to be moving forward with: "Untitled Tron: Legacy Sequel".

Personally, the only enjoyment I got out of "The Black Hole" was how disjointed and accidentally strange it was. To me it was just right out of the most cheesy, basic, sloppy B-movies from the 50s: adventurers stumble into a mad scientist working on the brink of civilization - how many countless movies have done that exact plot? Then it seemed like they were trying to shoehorn in stuff from Star Wars - like the cute robots - which just made it nuttier to me. I picture some 80 year old producer hearing that Star Wars was 'big with the kids' so he blows the dust off this old screenplay he was using to prop up his craftmatic bed remote and hands it off to a spry young 60 year old to make into "the next Star Wars".

Maybe you guys are right about Maximilian, It fits in with the typical mad scientist story, but usually there would be a big scene near the end with the chick SEE'S it's her dad trying to kill her and screams, so maybe the filmmakers were just too unfocused to iron that detail out?

[ctc]

>the only enjoyment I got out of "The Black Hole" was how disjointed and accidentally strange it was

So we agree then. 'Course I suspec that it's more awesome for me than you, but that's okay too. I don't think there's a "right" way to do entertainment, and I think the value comes from whatever it is you get from it. I love stuff like this 'cos it's so different. Not GOOD, but different.... and that means a lot more to me than quality.

Don C.

[Mikey]

Personally, the only enjoyment I got out of "The Black Hole" was how disjointed and accidentally strange it was. To me it was just right out of the most cheesy, basic, sloppy B-movie's from the 50s: adventurer's stumble into a mad scientist working on the brink of civilization - how many countless movies have done that exact plot? ?

True, it's basically Captain Nemo in space

[mego73]

Most do not know That The Black Hole was in development before Star Wars hit. I have a feeling that Vincent and Old Bob were adding in there because of Star Wars.

[Brazoo]

>the only enjoyment I got out of "The Black Hole" was how disjointed and accidentally strange it was

So we agree then. 'Course I suspec that it's more awesome for me than you, but that's okay too. I don't think there's a "right" way to do entertainment, and I think the value comes from whatever it is you get from it. I love stuff like this 'cos it's so different. Not GOOD, but different.... and that means a lot more to me than quality.

Don C.

Yeah - I didn't think this one was too awesome at all. I just thought it was kinda funny because of how out of touch it seemed.

Sometimes I like watching bad movies because they're just sticking together 3 elements and coming up with a flavor of stew I've never had before. Especially when I've seen a few carbon copy movies in a row.

[mego73]

Another question:

If Reinhardt dehumanized and robotisized his crew, why do an about face and give them a reverent funeral when they die?

[ctc]

>why do an about face and give them a reverent funeral when they die?

I got the impression that was the humanoids themselves doing that. Like maybe some vestigial bits of their original minds remained so they still felt connections to each other, and the need for stuff like that. Reinhardt wouldn't have cared, or even noticed; them being so far beneath him, and his faith in his lobotomizing process.

Don C.

[Mikey]

When they show the holograms of the other ships ever noticed they all looked like 1950's crap compared to the Cygnus ?

[MegoCapnMike]

I don't get so many folks calling this "dark" for a Disney movie. Anyone remember Bambi's mom getting shot? Or that sad, sad pound scene in Lady and the Tramp? Those always left me more psychologically scarred and upset much more than anything in this movie.

But to touch on the original topic, I get the feeling that this was a metaphoric interpretation by the screen writer and or director. There is all the playing God references in the film. I don't think Max is Kate's father. I think that was our good doctor being merged or trapped inside Max in a symbolic way to show he would live through the hell he had put the crew through. I am pretty sure it is the doctor's eyes we are seeing at the end in Max's visor. We then see a silhouette of Max with multiple appendeges that he (I believe) did not have before (two more arms nd two more legs). I take this to symbolize the joining of the two.

I am not sure about the angel though. Perhaps that symbolizes the crew, which we saw trapped in hell, being set free at last and then we get a quick transition to show the survivors approach some unknown planet. Of course they may not have survived at all and this could represent their arrival in heaven rather than hell.

All up to viewer interpretation of course though.

[johnmiic]

Another question:

If Reinhardt dehumanized and robotisized his crew, why do an about face and give them a reverent funeral when they die?

I always thought it was a bad plot point. The crew was lobotomized to be controlled yet they can have a funeral service on their free time. It only seems to promote more suspicion of the good Dr. among the Palomino crew. The large hydroponics garden is a much better clue. You can't have both and even if Reinhardt allowed it certainly he should've stopped it with those meddling kids aboard his ship.

When they show the holograms of the other ships ever noticed they all looked like 1950's crap compared to the Cygnus ?

Yeah. I wonder if those other ships were from other, older, Disney films or theme park rides like the Trip to Mars attraction. Maybe they were in-jokes.