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{{short description|1979 film by Carroll Ballard}} {{Use American English|date=January 2025}} {{Infobox film | name = The Black Stallion | image = Black stallion poster.jpg | caption = Theatrical release poster | director = [[Carroll Ballard]] | producer = {{ubl|[[Fred Roos]]|Tom Sternberg}} | based_on = {{based on|''[[The Black Stallion]]''<br>1941 novel|[[Walter Farley]]}} | screenplay = {{ubl|[[Melissa Mathison]]|Jeanne Rosenberg|[[William D. Wittliff]]}} | starring = {{ubl|[[Kelly Reno]]|[[Teri Garr]]|[[Clarence Muse]]|[[Hoyt Axton]]|[[Michael Higgins (actor)|Michael Higgins]]|[[Mickey Rooney]]}} | music = [[Carmine Coppola]] | color_process = [[Technicolor]] | cinematography = [[Caleb Deschanel]] | editing = [[Robert Dalva]] | studio = [[American Zoetrope]] | distributor = [[United Artists]] | released = {{Film date|1979|10|17}} | runtime = 118 minutes | country = United States | language = English | budget = $2.7 million | gross = $37.8 million<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/1979/0BKSN.php|publisher=The Numbers|title=The Black Stallion, Box Office Information|access-date=January 28, 2012}}</ref> }} '''''The Black Stallion''''' is a 1979 American [[adventure film]] based on the 1941 classic children's novel [[The Black Stallion|of the same name]] by [[Walter Farley]]. The film starts in 1946, five years after the book was published. It tells the story of Alec Ramsey, a boy who is shipwrecked on a deserted island with a wild [[Arabian horse|Arabian]] stallion that he befriends. After being rescued, they are set on entering a race challenging two champion horses. The film is adapted by [[Melissa Mathison]], Jeanne Rosenberg, and [[William D. Wittliff]]. It was directed by [[Carroll Ballard]] in his feature directional debut and stars [[Kelly Reno]] in his film debut, [[Teri Garr]], [[Hoyt Axton]], [[Michael Higgins (actor)|Michael Higgins]] and [[Mickey Rooney]] with the [[Arabian horse]] [[Cass Ole]] playing the eponymous Black Stallion. The film features music by [[Carmine Coppola]], the father of Hollywood producer [[Francis Ford Coppola]], who is credited as executive producer. In 2002, ''The Black Stallion'' was included in the annual selection of 25 motion pictures for preservation in the United States [[National Film Registry]] by the [[Library of Congress]] as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".<ref>{{Cite web|title=Complete National Film Registry Listing |url=https://www.loc.gov/programs/national-film-preservation-board/film-registry/complete-national-film-registry-listing/|website=Library of Congress|access-date=2020-05-20}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> ==Plot== In 1946, Alec Ramsey is travelling by steamer off the coast of [[North Africa]], where he sees a wild black [[stallion]] being forced onto the boat. Captivated, Alec sneaks to the horse's stall to feed him some [[sugar cube]]s, but he is caught by the horse's supposed owner, who tells him in Arabic to stay away from ''Shetan''. Later, his father shows Alec his winnings from a card game and gives him a pocket knife and a small statue of [[Bucephalus]], telling the story of how [[Alexander the Great]] became Bucephalus's master. Later that night, Alec is thrown out of his bunk during a storm. The ship is engulfed in flames and is sinking. In the chaos, Alec makes his way to the black stallion and frees him. The horse then jumps into the sea. Alec is thrown overboard by the waves and grabs the ropes of the stallion's restraints just as the ship explodes, rendering him unconscious. Alec wakes on the shore of a deserted island and starts to explore. He finds the stallion caught in his restraints. With his knife, Alec frees the stallion again. As Alec suddenly faces a cobra, The Black kills the snake, only to run off. Alec decides to get closer to the horse and offers him some seaweed. The hungry stallion eventually finds himself unable to resist, and the bond between them is sealed. After many failed attempts, Alec rides the stallion, and they travel the beaches, united as one. One day, a fishing ship arrives, rescuing the two. Back in America, Alec is given a hero's welcome. The Black has a temporary home in his back yard, but a garbage man startles the horse, who races off. The next day, Alec finds the stallion in the barn of Henry Dailey, a retired racehorse [[jockey]]. Alec arranges for The Black to stay at the barn. When Alec wonders how fast the horse is, he and Henry decide to train The Black for the racetrack, while Henry teaches Alec how to be a jockey. The Black surprises Henry with his speed. Henry starts planning to get The Black into a match race between the country's current two champions. To do that, he sets up a secret demonstration at night where a prominent reporter can witness his speed. The news spreads about the ''mystery horse'' and The Black is entered into the race. At first Alec's mother is totally against him racing the Black Stallion in a race, because of the dangers involved. However, after Alec tearfully explains to his mother the secrecy, does the mother relent. Before the horses enter the starting gate, The Black gets into a fight with one of his opponents, wounding his leg. Alec does not see the injury until he is in the gate. As he begins to dismount, the bell rings and the horses take off. Alec desperately stays on his horse while trying to stop him. He falls far behind, but The Black will not stop. Alec starts urging him to run, and The Black catches his opponents to win. ==Cast== {{castlist| * [[Kelly Reno]] as Alec Ramsay * [[Mickey Rooney]] as Henry Dailey * [[Teri Garr]] as Mrs. Ramsay, Alec's Mother * [[Hoyt Axton]] as Mr. Ramsay, Alec's Father * [[Clarence Muse]] as Snoe * [[Michael Higgins (actor)|Michael Higgins]] as Jim Neville * [[Ed McNamara]] as Jake * [[Larbi Doghmi]] as Arab * [[John Burton (actor)|John Burton]] as Jockey #1 * John Buchanan as Jockey #2 * [[Kristen Vigard]] as Becky * [[Fausto Tozzi]] as Rescue Captain * [[John Karlsen]] as Archeologist * [[Leopoldo Trieste]] as Priest * Frank Cousins as African Chieftain * [[Don Hudson]] as Zaurog * [[Marne Maitland]] as Drake Captain * Tom Dahlgren as The Veterinarian }} ===Horses=== [[Cass Ole]], a champion Arabian stallion, was featured in most of the movie's scenes, with Fae Jur, another black Arabian stallion, being his main double. Fae Jur's main scene is the one where Alec is trying to gain the trust of The Black on the beach. Two other stunt doubles were used for running, fighting, and swimming scenes. [[El Mokhtar]], an Egyptian Arabian racehorse, was the producers' first choice to portray The Black, but they were unable to secure his services for the film from his owners, who declined any offers. He does appear in ''[[The Black Stallion Returns]]'', alongside Cass Ole, by which time the studio bought out the syndicate of owners to secure El Mokhtar's services. Napoleon was portrayed by Junior, that previously appeared in ''[[National Lampoon's Animal House]]'' as Trooper, Niedermeyer's horse.<ref>{{cite web |title=Junior|publisher =Internet Movie Database |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078872/fullcredits#cast|access-date=2011-02-02}}</ref> ==Reception== The film was positively received by critics. On [[Rotten Tomatoes]], it holds a 91% approval rating based on 32 reviews, with an average rating of 7.8/10.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/black_stallion | title=The Black Stallion | website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]}}</ref> ===Awards and honors=== ====Academy Awards==== The film received two nominations for the [[Academy Awards]]: * Mickey Rooney was nominated for [[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor|Best Actor in a Supporting Role]]. * Robert Dalva was nominated for [[Academy Award for Best Film Editing|Best Film Editing]]. In addition, [[Alan Splet]] was awarded with a [[Academy Special Achievement Award|Special Achievement Award]] for [[Sound editor (filmmaking)|sound editing]]. ====Golden Globe Awards==== Carmine Coppola was nominated for [[Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score|Best Original Score]] at the [[Golden Globe Awards]]. He later won the award in this category for his score of ''[[Apocalypse Now]]''. ====British Academy Awards==== Caleb Deschanel was nominated for [[BAFTA Award for Best Cinematography|Best Cinematography]] by the [[British Academy of Film and Television Arts]] Awards. ====LA Film Critics Awards==== The film received two awards from the [[Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards]] for Best Cinematography (Caleb Deschanel) and Best Music (Carmine Coppola). ====Others==== The film also won the [[National Society of Film Critics Awards 1979|1979]] [[National Society of Film Critics]] award for Best Cinematography. In 2002, it was selected for preservation in the United States [[National Film Registry]] by the [[Library of Congress]] as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.loc.gov/item/prn-02-176/librarian-of-congress-adds-25-films-to-national-film-registry/2002-12-17/|title=Librarian of Congress Adds 25 Films to National Film Registry|last=Cannady|first=Sheryl|date=2002-12-17|website=Library of Congress|access-date=2017-02-04}}</ref> Also, the film is recognized by [[American Film Institute]]: * 2006: [[AFI's 100 Years...100 Cheers]] β #64<ref>{{cite web|title=AFI's 100 Years...100 Cheers |url=http://www.afi.com/Docs/100Years/cheers100.pdf |publisher=[[American Film Institute]] |access-date=2016-08-20}}</ref> ==Music== In August 2009, [[Intrada Records]] released a three-disc special edition of the soundtrack containing the entire score from the film plus bonus material, including unused cues and alternate takes of some tracks as well as a restored re-issue of the original 1979 soundtrack album. This release was limited to 1,500 units.<ref>{{cite web|work=Soundtrack.net|title=The Black Stallion Soundtrack (1979)|url=https://www.soundtrack.net/album/the-black-stallion/|access-date=27 March 2022}}</ref> ==Home media== The film was released on [[RCA]] SelectaVision VideoDisc (CED) in 1981. The film was released on Laserdisc and VHS by [[Magnetic Video]] in 1985. It was re-issued on VHS as part of the MGM/UA Family Entertainment Collection in 1994 and the MGM Family Entertainment Collection in 1997. The film was released on DVD by MGM Home Entertainment in 2004 and re-issued in 2013. A restored print of the film was released on [[Blu-ray]] by [[20th Century Fox Home Entertainment]] in 2013. [[The Criterion Collection]] released a special edition of the film on DVD and [[Blu-ray]] in 2015. This release features a new [[4K resolution|4K transfer]] supervised by [[Caleb Deschanel]], five short films directed by [[Carroll Ballard]], new interviews with Deschanel, Ballard, film critic Scott Foundas and photographer [[Mary Ellen Mark]] as well as an essay written by film critic [[Michael Sragow]].<ref>{{cite web|work=[[The Criterion Collection]]|title=The Black Stallion|url=https://www.criterion.com/films/28685-the-black-stallion|date=14 July 2015|access-date=27 March 2022}}</ref> ==Legacy== The film was followed in 1983 by a sequel, ''[[The Black Stallion Returns]]'', which also starred Kelly Reno and Teri Garr. There was also a [[television series]] called ''[[The Adventures of the Black Stallion]]'', which aired from 1990 to 1993 and starred Mickey Rooney and [[Richard Ian Cox]]. In 2003, a 50-minute prequel called ''[[The Young Black Stallion]]'' was shot and released for [[IMAX]] theaters. ==See also== * [[List of fictional horses]] * [[List of films about horses]] * [[List of films about horse racing]] ==References== {{reflist}} ;Further reading * ''The Black Stallion'' essay by Keith Phipps at [[National Film Registry]]. [https://www.loc.gov/static/programs/national-film-preservation-board/documents/black_stallion.pdf] * ''The Black Stallion'' essay by Daniel Eagan in America's Film Legacy: The Authoritative Guide to the Landmark Movies in the National Film Registry, A&C Black, 2010 {{ISBN|0826429777}}, pages 758-759 [https://books.google.com/books/about/America_s_Film_Legacy.html?id=deq3xI8OmCkC] * [https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/3627-the-black-stallion-nirvana-on-horseback ''The Black Stallion: Nirvana on Horseback''] an essay by [[Michael Sragow]] at the [[Criterion Collection]] ==External links== {{wikiquote}} {{commons}} * {{official website|https://theblackstallion.com/web/movies/the-black-stallion/}} * {{IMDb title|0078872}} * {{TCMDb title|17454}} * {{AFI film|56225}} * {{rotten-tomatoes|black_stallion}} * {{mojo title|blackstallion}} {{The Black Stallion}} {{Carroll Ballard}} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Black Stallion (film), The}} [[Category:1979 films]] [[Category:1979 children's films]] [[Category:1979 directorial debut films]] [[Category:American children's films]] [[Category:American horse racing films]] [[Category:American Zoetrope films]] [[Category:Films about horses]] [[Category:Films directed by Carroll Ballard]] [[Category:Films produced by Fred Roos]] [[Category:Films produced by Francis Ford Coppola]] [[Category:Films scored by Carmine Coppola]] [[Category:Films set in 1946]] [[Category:Films set on islands]] [[Category:Films shot in Sardinia]] [[Category:Films that won the Best Sound Editing Academy Award]] [[Category:Films with screenplays by Melissa Mathison]] [[Category:Media containing Gymnopedies]] [[Category:United Artists films]] [[Category:United States National Film Registry films]] [[Category:1970s English-language films]] [[Category:1970s American films]]
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