Once one of the most respected merchandisers of cinematic fantasy, the Walt Disney Studios have recently fallen into critical disfavor as producers of durable cinefantastique. Over the years, the studio has been typed as purveyors of a bland form of family cinema, relegating Disney classics such as 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA and FANTASIA to the shelf of memory. With the current production of THE BLACK HOLE, their most technically and financially ambitious film to date, there is every reason to hope that the Disney Studios will revive their past reputation with a vengeance.
The original concept for THE BLACKHOLE began in 1974 with Winston Hibler, a producer at the studio. At that time, THE BLACK HOLE seemed to be an idea largely ignored despite Hiblds interest, though there were periodic attempts by other studio personnel to initiate the project. But Hibler died before he could produce it.
Then, early in 1977, obviously stimulated by the success of STAR WARS, THE BLACK HOLE was picked up by producer Ron Miller as a definite project at the studio. Miller has produced nearly all the television shows and features for Disney during the past seven years. At the time when Miller began active production on THE BLACK HOLE, it was announced under the title SPACE PROBE I. Further marketing research, however, under the guidance of ad chief Martin Rabinovitch, dictated a change. After considering over 500 titles (at one time, nearly all Disney Studio employees were asked to make suggestions), THE BLACK HOLE was finally settled on as giving the proper image, conveying the power and mystique that Disney hopes will be captured in the final film, budgeted at $20 million.
[…]
