Review of THX 1138 (1971) by Robert H — 23 Sep 2011

Really, the only reason to want to watch this movie is to see what George Lucas was like as a film-maker pre-Star Wars. And it's plain to see that he was an innovative and talented director, and that several visual themes and images cropped up later on in the original Star Wars trilogy.

Almost as interesting is the way post-Star Wars George Lucas affected THX 1138. I unwittingly watched the "special edition" of THX 1138 where some scenes have been conspicuously enhanced with CGI, much like Lucas did with the original Star Wars trilogy and in nearly every friggin' frame of the new trilogy. This only demonstrated once again his sad inability to leave well enough alone. Soon, he'll be adding new CG backdrops to American Graffiti.

But it's also important to note THX 1138's differences to Star Wars. If Star Wars is like a wonderful and complex piece of music (and thanks to John Williams, it is), then THX 1138 is like a single chord (but let this not reflect on Lalo Schifrin, whose Mission: Impossible theme is legendary, and who doesn't let us down here either). The former can be endlessly enjoyable to experience over and over again, pondered upon, and appreciated in many different ways. The latter can be interesting as well, insofar as it can be picked apart and have it different qualities appreciated, but in a finite way.

That's what you have here. The story is nothing but a simplified version of Brave New World, warning against the dangers of materialism to the hearts and minds of human beings, and Lucas creates this society with craft and style that serve his reputation well. However, the only major plot device present in the film is "escape" and it's a stretch to keep our interest engaged in one idea for so long- even in a film of as modest a length as this.

So when a very ling car chase sequences appears near the end of the film and refuses to go away, one has to assume that Lucas is trying to get some adrenaline pumping. But it's not working because everything else in the film up to that point has happened in a succinct way, and this interminable chase sequence is doing little to advance the story. Then one remembers that this movie came out in 1971; and that at that time, this chase would have been quite a feat; and that George Lucas has a habit of trying to push the bounds of what film can do, often at the expense of the very film he is making, which makes the chase scene even less interesting.

I kind of regret not finding out what happened to LUH, however, I liked the final shot and how it doesn't give away any of what was on the surface, leaving us with the impression of endless possibilities. That is until Lucas makes a sequel. Or a prequel.