The Young Black Stallion
Encyclopedia
The Young Black Stallion is a 2003 Disney made-for-IMAX film that debuted in select IMAX
theaters in the United States on December 25, 2003. It was directed by Simon Wincer
. Noted for its beautiful scenery and wide-angle shots, the 45-minute movie was filmed in various settings in Africa. The movie stars Biana Tamimi as Neera, a young girl who befriends a young black stallion, and Patrick Elyas as Aden, although his voice was mapped-over by Eric Grucza, who, for his performance was nominated in 2004 for the Young Artist Award for Best Performance for a Voice-Over Role.
The film is based on Steven Farley’s 1989 novel of the same name. It is also Disney’s first production made specifically for IMAX theaters, and a prequel to the 1979 film, The Black Stallion
. The original film won an Academy Award for Best Sound Editing and received nominations for Film Editing and Supporting Actor Mickey Rooney, but it doesn’t appear Disney has such lofty expectations for The Young Black Stallion. According to reports, the film was originally scheduled for release in fall 2002, then was postponed until September 2003, and then was shelved yet again.
Neera greets her grandfather Ben Ishak (Richard Romanus
) and her cousin Aden (Patrick Elyas) eagerly, but is disappointed and upset when she find out that her grandfather's horse breeding days are over. Ben Ishak informs Neera that because of the shootings in the desert, his fields are ruined, and he can no longer afford to keep any of his horses. He kept an old plow-horse, Abha, and set his most precious mare Jinah free. We find out later that Jinah was Shetan's mother.
A year passes, but the black stallion does not return. Neera’s grandfather tells her that the horse was probably nothing more than a product of her imagination. But Neera knows better. She thinks the stallion is the lost horse of the desert, a legend born of the sands and sired by the night sky. Then, one night, the colt appears again. In an attempt to help her grandfather start a breeding farm again, Neera joins a grueling cross-country race against the finest horses of Arabia for a purse of the most exceptional Arabian mares. Shetan, the black stallion, is trained, and Neera rides him in the competition to restore her grandfather's money and respect. In the end, Neera wins, and Shetan is reunited with his mother.
IMAX
IMAX is a motion picture film format and a set of proprietary cinema projection standards created by the Canadian company IMAX Corporation. IMAX has the capacity to record and display images of far greater size and resolution than conventional film systems...
theaters in the United States on December 25, 2003. It was directed by Simon Wincer
Simon Wincer
Simon Wincer is an Australian film director and film producer. He attended Cranbrook School, Bellevue Hill, Sydney from 1950 to 1961. On leaving school he worked as a stage hand at TV Station Channel 7. By the 1980s he directed over 200 hours of television. In 1986 he directed the made for TV...
. Noted for its beautiful scenery and wide-angle shots, the 45-minute movie was filmed in various settings in Africa. The movie stars Biana Tamimi as Neera, a young girl who befriends a young black stallion, and Patrick Elyas as Aden, although his voice was mapped-over by Eric Grucza, who, for his performance was nominated in 2004 for the Young Artist Award for Best Performance for a Voice-Over Role.
The film is based on Steven Farley’s 1989 novel of the same name. It is also Disney’s first production made specifically for IMAX theaters, and a prequel to the 1979 film, The Black Stallion
The Black Stallion (film)
The Black Stallion is a 1979 American film based on the 1941 classic children's novel The Black Stallion by Walter Farley. It tells the story of Alec Ramsey, who is shipwrecked on a desert island, together with a wild Arabian stallion whom he befriends...
. The original film won an Academy Award for Best Sound Editing and received nominations for Film Editing and Supporting Actor Mickey Rooney, but it doesn’t appear Disney has such lofty expectations for The Young Black Stallion. According to reports, the film was originally scheduled for release in fall 2002, then was postponed until September 2003, and then was shelved yet again.
Plot
The Young Black Stallion follows the adventures of Shetan, a young black colt. After a band of robbers separates an Arabian girl named Neera (Biana Tamini) from her father, she finds herself alone in the desert. Before long, a mysterious black colt comes to her rescue. The two quickly form a special bond, and the horse returns Neera to her grandfather. Once Neera is back home, the stallion disappears.Neera greets her grandfather Ben Ishak (Richard Romanus
Richard Romanus
Richard Romanus is an American actor of Lebanese descent. Among other roles, he has appeared in Martin Scorsese's Mean Streets, and provided voices for Ralph Bakshi's animated films Wizards and Hey Good Lookin'. He played Lorraine Bracco's ex-husband, later husband again, in three episodes of The...
) and her cousin Aden (Patrick Elyas) eagerly, but is disappointed and upset when she find out that her grandfather's horse breeding days are over. Ben Ishak informs Neera that because of the shootings in the desert, his fields are ruined, and he can no longer afford to keep any of his horses. He kept an old plow-horse, Abha, and set his most precious mare Jinah free. We find out later that Jinah was Shetan's mother.
A year passes, but the black stallion does not return. Neera’s grandfather tells her that the horse was probably nothing more than a product of her imagination. But Neera knows better. She thinks the stallion is the lost horse of the desert, a legend born of the sands and sired by the night sky. Then, one night, the colt appears again. In an attempt to help her grandfather start a breeding farm again, Neera joins a grueling cross-country race against the finest horses of Arabia for a purse of the most exceptional Arabian mares. Shetan, the black stallion, is trained, and Neera rides him in the competition to restore her grandfather's money and respect. In the end, Neera wins, and Shetan is reunited with his mother.
Cast
- Richard RomanusRichard RomanusRichard Romanus is an American actor of Lebanese descent. Among other roles, he has appeared in Martin Scorsese's Mean Streets, and provided voices for Ralph Bakshi's animated films Wizards and Hey Good Lookin'. He played Lorraine Bracco's ex-husband, later husband again, in three episodes of The...
as Ben Ishak - Biana Tamim as Neera
- Patrick Elias as Aden
- Gérard Rudolf as Rhamon
- Ali Al Ameri as Mansoor
- Andries Rossouw as Kadir
See also
- The Black StallionThe Black StallionThe Black Stallion, known as "the Black" or "Shêtân", is the title character from author Walter Farley's bestselling series about the stallion and his young owner, Alec Ramsay...
novels - The Black StallionThe Black Stallion (film)The Black Stallion is a 1979 American film based on the 1941 classic children's novel The Black Stallion by Walter Farley. It tells the story of Alec Ramsey, who is shipwrecked on a desert island, together with a wild Arabian stallion whom he befriends...
1979 film - The Black Stallion ReturnsThe Black Stallion ReturnsThe Black Stallion Returns is a 1983 film adaptation of the book of the same name by Walter Farley, and is a sequel to The Black Stallion. It is directed by Robert Dalva and produced by Francis Ford Coppola. The movie stars Kelly Reno, Vincent Spano and Teri Garr...
1983 film