Black Stallion

UPC: 027616626998

Studio: MGM

MPAA Rating: G   Contains:[Child Classic, Excellent For Children]

Summary: This beautifully mounted adaptation of Walter Farley's story for children tells the tale of Alec (Kelly Reno), a young boy touring the world with his adventurous salesman father (Hoyt Axton). While travelling back to the United States by ship, Alec discovers a wild, beautiful Arabian stallion being brought along in the cargo hold. When disaster strikes at sea, the ship sinks, and Alec and the stallion are the only survivors. Alone together on a nearby island, the boy and the horse develop a relationship; wary of each other at first, they learn to trust each other, and they become close friends. When a rescue party finally finds Alec, he refuses to leave the island without the stallion, and the horse goes with Alec to the small town that is his home. Alec's mother (Teri Garr) is at a loss about what to do with this remarkable but difficult animal. Henry Dailey (Mickey Rooney), an elderly horse trainer who lives in the neighborhood, senses a special connection between the boy and his horse; he's soon convinced that with the right training, and the boy as his jockey, the horse could be a champion on the race course. First-time director Carroll Ballard captures the mysterious relationship between humans and animals, treating the stallion with the same intelligence and respect as the rest of his cast; he also draws fine, understated performances from Kelly Reno and Mickey Rooney, and Caleb Deschanel's photography makes this a feast for the eyes. The Black Stallion is that rare contemporary family film that will fascinate adults as much as their kids, if not more so. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Category: Adventure

Awards: New Generation Award – Los Angeles Film Critics Association Best Cinematography – Los Angeles Film Critics Association Best Music Score – Los Angeles Film Critics Association Best Original Score – null Best Editing – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Special Achievement – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Supporting Actor – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Original Score – Hollywood Foreign Press Association U.S. National Film Registry – Library of Congress

Features: Four-page booklet with trivia, production notes, and the making of the film
Original theatrical trailer

Black Stallion

Format: Digital Video Disc (DVD)

Release Date: 01/19/1999

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Theatre Wide-Screen, 1.33:1 Pre-1954 Standard

Audio: 2 PCM stereo, 1 USA & territories, Canada

Runtime: 117 Minutes

Sides: 1

Number of Discs: 1

Language(s) English,French,Spanish

Subtitles: English,French,Spanish

Region: USA & territories, Canada

Chapters: Scene Selections
0. Scene Selections
1. Logos/Main Title [:11]
2. The First Encounter [1:20]
3. Raising The Ante & Alec [2:07]
4. Sugar For The Black [2:16]
5. Bucephalus [2:47]
6. The Storm Hits [:45]
7. Overboard [3:13]
8. Waking Ashore [3:34]
9. Alone In Paradise [1:49]
10. Re-Encountering Black [:21]
11. Beauty And The Beach [2:02]
12. Terror Underfoot [2:51]
13. The Offering [3:13]
14. Playing Tag [:52]
15. Friendship [1:28]
16. Underwater Ballet [4:19]
17. Thrill Of The Ride [1:26]
18. The Boat/ Rescue [2:50]
19. Home [1:41]
20. Born To Run [1:11]
21. In The Barn/Henry [1:23]
22. Henry's Glorious Past [1:07]
23. Training The Black [2:38]
24. Early Morning Trial [4:04]
25. Alec's Rope Burn [1:23]
26. Thunder and Reins [2:46]
27. The Little Jockey [5:53]
28. Mom & The Mystery Horse [6:19]
29. Train Ride/ Weigh-In [2:04]
30. Horseplay [1:15]
31. The Match [4:25]
32. End Credits [2:16]

Michael Betzold

One of the most visually stunning family films ever made, Carroll Ballard's The Black Stallion is a fantastic tale about the liberation of a wild Arabian horse who saves Alec, a shipwrecked boy, and becomes his best friend. The film's first half-hour is daring, with no dialogue and breathtaking underwater photography of the horse and the boy. The reverie is broken by the more conventional second half, which features Mickey Rooney in a pleasing comeback role as a horse trainer who helps Alec race the untamed stallion. Kelly Reno is superbly authentic as Alec, but the real stars are the horse and the brilliant cinematography of Caleb Deschanel. The craftsmanship of the film, including a graceful score by Carmine Coppola, puts most child-and-animal films to shame. Ballard's background as a cinematographer influences the beauty of this and all his films, including Fly Away Home. He was not on board for the inferior sequel, The Black Stallion Returns, which lacks the original's beauty and charm. ~ Michael Betzold, Rovi

Cast and Crew: Carroll Ballard  Director 
Carmine Coppola  Composer (Music Score) 
Francis Ford Coppola  Executive Producer 
Melissa Mathison  Screenwriter 
Fred Roos  Producer 
Jeanne Rosenberg  Screenwriter 
Tom Sternberg  Producer 
Shirley Walker  Composer (Music Score) 
William D. Wittliff  Screenwriter 
Kelly Reno  Actor 
Mickey Rooney  Actor 
Teri Garr  Actor 
Clarence Muse  Actor 
Hoyt Axton  Actor 
Michael Higgins  Actor 
Ed McNamara  Actor 
Doghmi Larbi  Actor 
John Burton  Actor 
John Buchanan  Actor 
Kristen Vigard  Actor 
Fausto Tozzi  Actor 

Country: USA