The Black Stallion is one of the few movies that justifies the word "sublime." It casts an immediate pictorial spell of wonder and discovery and sustains it until a fadeout that leaves you in a euphoric mood, lingering over images whose beauty and emotional intensity you want to prolong and savor. [9 Dec 1979, p.G1]
The relationship between man and beast develops slowly and mystically - the island interlude, utterly without dialogue, lasts 50 minutes, and is one of the most sustained, lyrical, rapturous sequences in the history of motion pictures, a visual symphony whose beauty cannot be oversold. [15 Mar 1980]
why doesn’t anyone talk about this movie? Unbelievable script , acting, cast and cinematography. I was so tired at 9 pm thinking this movie is old and may put me to sleep, but boy was I wrong. It was exciting from the beginning, didn’t know what to expect so kept watching, the little boy is soooo good, acting is so organic but the **** did Coppola do these shots back then with no CG? The little boy did 80 percent of the stunt work.
It’s really a must see. I loved this so much that I am searching to watch the second one. Wish we saw more of the boy actor, he is so good! Some of the scene of the horse and the boy is just magnificent to watch. Must must see.
This is such a great movie i cannot express how surprised and entertained I was by every minute of this movie. 5 star photography meets 5 star music and direction. It's sad also, the little boy only made 1 other movie before getting mutilated in a car accident and he is so good in this.
Generations from now, when people talk about horse movies, they won't be talking about "National Velvet" or "My Friend Flicka," they'll be talking about the majestic beauty of Carroll Ballard's The Black Stallion. [07 Feb 1980]
This touching and beautifully photographed, if slightly overlong, tale of a boy and his horse follows the escapades of young Alec Ramsey (Reno), who is traveling across the ocean with his father.
Shot in stunning color by a gifted cinematographer named Caleb Deschanel, beautifully scored by Carmine Coppola in moods ranging from Arabian Nights impressionism to Wagnerian exaltation, the first hour of The Black Stallion is a state-of-the-art demonstration of film as a purely visual medium, a formal exercise that is nonetheless suffused with feeling. [29 Oct 1979, p.105]
For all its pretty glimpses of the desert island, the film never offers a clear, overall sense of what the place looks like; neither the camera nor the boy really goes exploring.
Though the freckle-faced Reno and Mickey Rooney (as the horse's crafty old trainer) are well cast, their scenes together are perfunctory and impersonal. Emotions are provided in stead by a busy and overbearing musical score. The film's story begins to move in fits and starts.
Great adventures, The horse is great and talented, and a fighter. He can win a race in any way possible. The silks are cool. This is one of the best horse movies ever, and uses Micky Ronny very well.