Picked up a Black Hole!

Those TV trailers probably hooked a few kids into wanting to see it. Your talking 1979!! 🤣 Most people didn't have cable at that time.🤣

Havent really thought about the flick much since it was out in theatres.. Premiered in London December 18, 1979. Opened in the United Staes December 21, 1979.
I think I saw it awhile after opening, for some reason. Must of been a busy holiday season, I guess. That was probably not the best releases date for that film. That film probably would of done better with a different release date.
Whoa, there were some heavy hitters released that month December 1979
Star Trek The Motion Picture had just been released on Dec 7, Electric Horseman, 1941, The Jerk, Being There,Kramer Vs. Kramer, Roller Boogie, Going in Style, All That Jazz, Scavenger Hunt
Those Box Office days were cut throat Brutal
,

I think Star Trek Featuring "a bald woman" burned that film. Star Trek wasn't very good, probably soured the movie going public on space movies for awhile. At least it did me.

Now I remember, Critics burned that film. It started gettindg trashed by critics.
I do remember hearing people say it was a bust? but was apparently made for 20 million and grossed 35.8 million?
Interesting
1979-12.png
Disney's Black Hole Opened on the 21st of Decemember 1979, The First day schools let out for Winter Recess. The kids were probably so jazzed about of being out of school they did'nt go to see it. Then The Holidays rolled in. Most Schools reopened Jan. 7, 1980.
🤣
 
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Those TV trailers probably hooked a few kids into wanting to see it. Your talking 1979!! 🤣 Most people didn't have cable at that time.🤣

Havent really thought about the flick much since it was out in theatres.. Premiered in London December 18, 1979. Opened in the United Staes December 21, 1979.
I think I saw it awhile after opening, for some reason. Must of been a busy holiday season, I guess. That was probably not the best releases date for that film. That film probably would of done better with a different release date.
Whoa, there were some heavy hitters released that month December 1979
Star Trek The Motion Picture had just been released on Dec 7, Electric Horseman, 1941, The Jerk, Being There,Kramer Vs. Kramer, Roller Boogie, Going in Style, All That Jazz, Scavenger Hunt
Those Box Office days were cut throat Brutal
,

I think Star Trek Featuring "a bald woman" burned that film. Star Trek wasn't very good, probably soured the movie going public on space movies for awhile. At least it did me.

Now I remember, Critics burned that film. It started gettindg trashed by critics.
I do remember hearing people say it was a bust? but was apparently made for 20 million and grossed 35.8 million?
I went to see The Black Hole. I liked it, but the ending was confusing.

I also went to see Star Trek - The Motion Sickness, I mean Picture. That was Persis Khambatta who played Lt. Ilia, the first and as far as I know, the last Deltan to appear in Star Trek (although I could be wrong). She was playing Captain Decker's previous girlfriend and the science officer if memory serves.

The entire sequence going inside V-GER was a special effects disaster. Too long, too slow, it stretched so far that even my young kidneys had to take a bathroom break.

The ending where they walk out onto the top of the saucer section was so out of scale that you would have had to be 3' tall to serve on the ship.

I could go on, but nobody cares. It was a terrible movie that could have killed the brand, but somehow didn't.
 
Black Hole Pinball Subject Matter
Actually havent checked the weather for the 21-23 for around most of the country but the weather might of been part of the reason the film got burned.
🤔
Anyways cool Pinball Machine
Hmm, Disney must of panicked about the opening of that film. Contacted Gotlieb to order a Pinball to promote the film? Gotlieb probably took some time getting that pinball out. 1981? basically a year after the film was released, really odd.
 
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Black Hole Pinball Subject Matter
Actually havent checked the weather for the 21-23 for around most of the country but the weather might of been part of the reason the film got burned.
🤔
Anyways cool Pinball Machine
Hmm, Disney must of panicked about the opening of that film. Contacted Gotlieb to order a Pinball to promote the film? Gotlieb probably took some time getting that pinball out. 1981? basically a year after the film was released, really odd.
There honestly doesn't appear to be any tie-in to the film at all.

I think Gottlieb thought "Hey, we can make this Pinball on this theme" and ran with it. But I'm spitballing here, I have no proof either way.

Consider the following:
The side logo - could have been similar, isn't.
USS Cygnus, or the Palomino - not part of the theme at all.
The actors involved - not part of the theme at all.

So I think it's just a random occurrence or someone at Gottlieb thinking "This would be COOL!"
 
There honestly doesn't appear to be any tie-in to the film at all.

I think Gottlieb thought "Hey, we can make this Pinball on this theme" and ran with it. But I'm spitballing here, I have no proof either way.

Consider the following:
The side logo - could have been similar, isn't.
USS Cygnus, or the Palomino - not part of the theme at all.
The actors involved - not part of the theme at all.

So I think it's just a random occurrence or someone at Gottlieb thinking "This would be COOL!"
I suppose Its possible, but that backglass really resembles a scene in the film. if anything the Film was part of the inspiration for the game? Probably have to get the exact story from Gotlieb, though. Pretty much everything on this one is "spitballing".

A far as the film goes, I think I caught it as part of a Duck & Dodge Double Feature along with The Jerk. Immediately forgot about it after watching the Jerk.
It was ok. Now that I think about it School wasn't in session, so there would'nt of been much word of mouth about "The Black Hole" at the time of release. By the time kids got back to school they were probably over the film and were talking about something else.
🤣
Probably should of made a pinball machine called The Jerk
now that would of been huge
🤣
 
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I suppose Its possible, but that backglass really resembles a scene in the film. if anything the Film was part of the inspiration for the game? Probably have to get the exact story from Gotlieb, though. Pretty much everything on this one is "spitballing".

A far as the film goes, I think I caught it as part of a Duck & Dodge Double Feature along with The Jerk. Immediately forgot about it after watching the Jerk.
It was ok. Now that I think about it School wasn't in session, so there would'nt of been much word of mouth about "The Black Hole" at the time of release. By the time kids got back to school they were probably over the film and were talking about something else.
🤣
Probably should of made a pinball machine called The Jerk
now that would of been huge
🤣
I remember that scene!
 
More Speculation
Possibly Disney was still pumping the film for a Cable Release? Maybe to get more from HBO, SHOWTIME, CINEMAX? In 1980 Pay Cable was just starting to hit. Not sure about VCR's and Rentals and Sales? Probably mostly in its infancy.
I'm sure Disney was going to try and eek out as much money, out of that 20 Million dollar film that it could. Most likely after the bad reviews started, Disney probably went on the Offensive.

Interesting Subject
Actually It looks like The Black Hole had a lot of English funding? Why it premiered in London?
After looking at the numbers I didn't realize Star Trek was number 1 for that long? Wow. Probably the main reason The Black Hole bombed, aside from the fact that it just wasn't a very good movie.
 
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