Walt Disney Studios takes the biggest risk in their history, unveiling a $20 million voyage into one of modern science's most profound mysteries ... a black hole in space. "I suppose you could call this a big risk on our part," says Ron Miller from his office in the Burbank, California, Walt Disney Studios complex. "But we like to think of it as an ambitious experiment." Silence. "Alright," he laughs. "A risky ambitious experiment." Miller, executive vice president in charge of production and creative affairs at the Disney complex, is speaking of The Black Hole, Disney's biggest movie to date, both in terms of budget and scope. The science fiction adventure cost the studio some $20 million and the graphic realization of a black hole in space required the Disney crew to invest nearly 14 months of simultaneous and post-production filming and processing. Directed by Gary (Washington: Behind Closed Doors) Nelson and featuring some of the most phenomenal space effects ever concocted for the screen, The Black Hole is a very bold cinematic venture on the part of the family-oriented Disney crew; a movie geared to win back the more sophisticated moviegoers that have fallen away from the Disney trade. "With The Black Hole," says Miller, "we're trying to attract a slightly older audience. The audience we used to have a few years ago. Lately, a lot of teenagers and young adults have stayed away from Disney films. They feel embarrassed to be there. They consider it kiddie material. Well, The Black Hole is not a kiddie film. It's a science fiction adventure on a grand scale. It stands on its own, with or without the Disney logo. We want to let people know that this is a different kind of movie than they're used to seeing from us." […]
