The Black Stallion

Director: Carroll Ballard Carroll Ballard

Overview

"Carroll Ballard's classic The Black Stallion comes to DVD with a pair of transfers. The widescreen image preserves the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1 (allowing the viewer to take in all of Caleb Deschanel's stunning cinematography) and is superior in every way to the standard full-frame transfer. A closed-captioned English soundtrack is rendered in Dolby Digital Surround, while Spanish and French soundtracks have been recorded in Dolby Digital Mono. Subtitles are available in all three of these languages. Supplemental materials include the theatrical trailer. Although an anamorphic transfer would have made this disc better, what is here is still a visual feast."

Product Details

Release Date:	09/10/1997
UPC:	0027616626998
Original Release:	1979
Rating:	G
Source:	Mgm (Video & Dvd)
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[Full Frame, Wide Screen]
Sound:	[monaural, stereo]
Language:	English
Time:	1:57:00
Sales rank:	4,784

Special Features

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

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Kelly Reno	Alec Ramsey
Mickey Rooney	Henry Dailey
Teri Garr	Alec's Mother
Clarence Muse	Snoe
Hoyt Axton	Alec's Father
Michael Higgins	Neville
Doghmi Larbi	The Arab
Ed McNamara	Jake
John Burton	Jockey
John Buchanan	Jockey
Kristen Vigard	Becky
Fausto Tozzi	Rescue Captain
Carmine Coppola	Composer
Leopoldo Trieste	le prêtre
Tom Dahlgren	le vétérinaire
Daniel Henning	Danny

Technical Credits

Jeanne Rosenberg

Melissa Mathison

William D. Wittliff

Walter Farley

Carroll Ballard	Director
Jeanne Rosenberg	Screenwriter
Melissa Mathison	Screenwriter
William D. Wittliff	Screenwriter
Fred Roos	Producer
Tom Sternberg	Producer
Francis Ford Coppola	Executive Producer
Walter Farley	Screenwriter
Rick Kline	Sound Effects
Steve Maslow	Sound Effects

Editorial Reviews

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.