THX 1138... worth watching?

[nobody]

Is "THX 1138" worth watching? Or is it tired and overhyped?

[trekgeezer]

I was thinking about posting on this myself. I just read on comingsoon.net today that  George Lucas is releasing a  directors cut DVD  and it will also be released in theaters in 20 cities around the country.

I saw this not long after it was first released and have seen it a couple of times since.  If  you are expecting some kind of action movie forget it. It is more of a psychological thriller.  Basic synopsis:  It 's a stark sanitary future and people are drug laden drones, they take a pill in the morning so they can work, take one at night so they can sleep. Robert Duvall decides not to take his one day and his mate rats him out.  He goes to the strangest prison you've ever seen  with Donald Pleasance and some other guys, they try to escape.

It was made in 1971, so the effects aren't much, and  you might like the ending if  you understand it.   It was based on his student film  "Electronic Labyrinth THX 1138 4EB", which won him a lot of kudos for the graphics,sound,  and camera work he used. I have seen it too and it doesn't look like much now , but it was impressive for a  1960's student film.

It is not for everyone, my guess is you will either love it or hate it.  It resembles nothing he has done since.

Trivia:  THX  1138 appears on the license plate of John Milner's hotrod in American Graffiti and  on Princess Leia's cell in Star Wars.

[AndyC]

Actually, it was Donald Pleasance who ratted on THX. It was his female roommate who decided to experiment with the meds, slipping THX another drug in place of the pill that suppresses his sex drive. He was unaware, but got arrested anyway.

I kind of like this movie. It has some good ideas, and a worthwhile message for its time. It's a classic 70s dystopia. Kind of a mirror on the time it was made and the social and technological changes going on, but I think a lot of it still applies today. I especially liked the suggestion that nobody really wanted a society like that, but it came along so gradually that nobody noticed. The low-budget feel seems to just give it atmosphere. Really, being a very sterile and functional setting, it didn't require a lot of money. Lucas made it effective by putting in a lot less - sparsely furnished white rooms, shaved heads, white pajamas.

Definitely worth seeing, but I agree that it has to be approached in the right frame of mind. Don't expect anything like Lucas' later work.

[BoyScoutKevin]

Yes. It's not a "great" film in the way that "Star Wars" is a "great film," but, as his first full-length film, it does show what George Lucas was capable of doing.

[Scott]

Yes, THX-1138 is definately worth checking out. Interestingly cold and sterile feel to it. Also notice the sound effects Lucas uses in the tunnel chase scene. It's the exact sound effects he used for the ty fighters in STAR WARS. Neat film.





Post Edited (05-22-04 22:47)

[Zombie Movie Fan]

Did George Lucas ruin the new DVD release of THX 1138 like he ruined his old Star Wars movies?

I don't want to see any singing robots or other such nonsense added into the original film.  I won't buy the DVD if he's added or altered any scenes.

[trekgeezer]

I 've seen the trailer and didn't see any obvious CG, but I did read on a DVD forum that he added 100 CG shots. From what I saw on the trailer these may be just the invisible stuff like expanding crowds and redoing some of the compositing.

I also read a review of the original release over at Rottem tomatoes that said the original cut of this film was  2hrs 45mins. That means a lot of cuts to make it down to the 96 mins  when it was released.

I'm going to watch it for sure.

[nobody]

It's disturbing how Lucas has a need to tinker with all his older movies.

[The Ghoul]

Actually there's a few "Star Wars bits" in THX 1138. In a tunnel chase over the address system they say..."there's a Wookie in the tunnel..." If you listen to the robot cop's staffs used to control THX (Robert Duval)  they sound exactly like a light sabre. And the tunnel chase its self smacks of the trench scene in the first Star Wars and yes, the sounds of the bikes and cars are very much like the tie fighters bearing down. Other then that it's a damn pretty slow moving moving. I always liked race cars used which were dressed up T-70 Lolas and if you ever drive round the bay area in San Francisco you'll recoginize the tunnels as the under ground highway as used in THX 1138.

[George]

I haven't seen the film but thanks for the pics.

Does anyone else think the guards/cops look like T2??

[Gerry]

I like it a lot.  I think of it as a more sterile, serious version of LOGAN'S RUN.

[Rumi]

I don't understand why Lucas can't release the new version and the old together in one package.Then people can compare them. The only way to watch THX is in widescreen format. If you watch it cropped you miss so much. I just hope that Walter Murch's original sound editing isn't tampered with too much. It was the best thing about the movie. And I agree that THX's low budget added to it's over all atmosphere, much the same way John Capenter's DARK STAR did. If they CGI in too many extras, it might ruin the sense of clausterphobia you get from the original sets. So why again George did you remake it?...yes...I understand...good...blessings of the state. blessings of the masses. Work hard and keep up productivity.