Disney released 'The Black Hole' in theaters forty years ago today on December 21, 1979. It was the first Disney movie that received the PG rating. I originally watched this movie when it was released in theaters. I was only eight years old at the time. I forgot how creepy a couple of parts of this movie are until I watched it again in 1987 on VHS. Spoiler Alert! If you haven't seen this movie, you may want to stop reading.

This movie was inspired by 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea. It's about four men, a woman and a flying robot who are traveling through space in a ship called the U.S.S. Palomino. When they encounter a huge black hole, their ship is damaged. This forces them to dock with a much larger ship called the U.S.S. Cygnus.

The Palomino crew learn that the owner of the Cygnus is a mad man named Doctor Hans Reinhardt  After the Palomino is repaired, one of the crew members tries to escape in it alone. Reinhardt has it shot down but it collides with the Cygnus and explodes. This damages the Cygnus and a swarm of meteorites soon cause further damage to the Cygnus.

Reinhardt is accidentally killed when a giant screen falls on him. After battling Reinhardt's robots, the remaining Palomino crew members board Reinhardt's probe ship. But they are horrified to learn that it has been pre-programmed by Reinhardt to fly in and through the black hole. It does so and takes the crew to another dimension/universe.

Certain people disliked this movie but I enjoyed it. I actually like it better than the first Star Trek movie which was also released in 1979. The Black Hole was a box office disappointment for Disney so they probably hated it. One of my friends also hated it. This movie is no Star Wars but I don't think it sucks either.