THX 1138

source: THX 1138

Trailer—THX 1138

THX 1138

I love the aesthetic of this film, with its dystopia that isn't completely explained, but whose horrifying aspects are filled in like an impressionist painting via snippets of dehumanizing imagery, eerie sounds, and robotic commentary. If a group of people could do this to the masses in order to exploit and control them, would they? I wondered as I watched. (Hahaha of course they would, and therein lies part of the power of these kinds of stories). The film is strong early on in immersing us into this world, but weakens somewhat in the middle - that giant white space didn't seem to fit as well. It finishes strong, however, especially with that final image, which is brilliant. Overall, I loved the darkness, and the marvelous restraint Lucas showed in giving it to us.

What a way to start a meteoric career. The first major project written and directed by George Lucas. Sci-Fi from the expanding corners of a mastermind. A look so far into the future, it is still timeless. We get a view of a very technical, mechanized society in a subterranean world in the 25th century. Forget looking for a reason or purpose; if there are any questions to be answered...they change with each viewing of this classic. Top shelf Sci-Fi. The cast includes:Robert Duvall, Donald Pleasence, Ian Wolfe and Maggie McOmie. Permission to access is granted.

Anyone looking for an early George Lucas should be advised to view the first few minutes, then the last 10. The first few will clue you in to the emptiness of the rest of the movie (trust me - NOTHING interesting happens). The last 10 minutes has some CGI, an interesting car chase scene, and an ending which might supply some meaning. In between is a high-school-level movie with acting, scenery and script barely reaching that level. More art-house than anything approaching 1984 and the like

In a dystopian future, people are controlled in every aspect of their lives with the use of drugs and technology. THX 1138 (Robert Duvall) is paired with LUH 3417 (Maggie McOmie). LUH replaces their drugs and they start to feel for each other. SEN 5241 (Donald Pleasence) takes LUH away from him. THX turns SEN in for his illegal shifting. THX is struggling at work and they place a mindblock on him. THX is sent to holding. LUH tells THX that she got pregnant. THX is joined by SEN while imprisoned. They escape with the help of SRT who turns out to be a hologram. The version I saw was remastered by George Lucas. The obvious CGI does take away from the sense of 70s sci-fi. It's got interesting style and a compelling premise. The story is a little muddled and it needs to be more of a driven thriller. Duvall and Pleasence should stick together. When they split up, some of the tension is lost. The premise works but the story needs a little bit more work.