Review of THX 1138 (1971) by Brendan G — 18 Feb 2009

Isn't it interesting to see how someone can get from point A to point B. Well, I guess sometimes, depending on who it is, but if that person goes against everything they originally stood for and decided to become nothing but a toy maker for kids then I guess we have a story. You hear that George Lucas? You're life is a very sad story.

I say this because THX 1138 (Oh god I'm gonna have to keep typing this) is a very original look at the "dystopian parallel future" idea. I mean, sure I would say that the movie isn't original but it's structured really well and it's points come across really well and this film get's back to what sci-fi is all about, the message of, "OH GOD, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO TREAT PEOPLE WITH RESPECT OR ELSE WE'RE GONNA HAVE THIS TO LOOK FORWARD TO.".

The film follows THX 1138 and his "mate" LUH somethingsomethingsomething and they both live in a future that is similar to the problems of today (spooky noises). Their world is underground, monitored by the government, and heavily medicated to the point where everyone is like Zach Braff in Garden State.

Eventually LUH tells THX that she's in love with him, and mixes up his medication so that he starts feeling the world around him. Which is done in this fantastic cocoon like way, and once he starts seeing the world around him everything starts going to shit. LUH is preggers and she's also kidnapped by the government, one of his friends "became alive" as well and is now growing very strong homosexual feelings towards THX 1138. THX is also imprisoned for "chemical imbalance" and the prison is nothing but white open space. He has to escape or die tryin'.

The story was very fun and it reminded me of "The Fugitive" but in space. The cast is nothing short of spectacular and the characters are interesting because they are products of the world they live in. And also you get this weird feeling through out the film that you are watching these people who are also being watched by more important people which makes you just cringe at the person you've become.

However the film isn't without it's flaws. During the beginning of the film, George Lucas decided to give you not just a peak into this world but a guided tour with a bunch of different spots. To the point where you wounder if the story will start soon. I know you need to set up a lot of stuff because your world is crazy deep in metaphor George Lucas but if there's 45min of intro I'm gonna start wondering when I should leave.

To add to that, most of the film is seen through the eyes of the government, which means, like 80% of the film is seen through 1970's TV monitors. Which must have been the shit at the time but now that America has HD on the brain I'm looking at this wondering if my eyes are gonna start going bad.

But the film overall is great. Spectacular if nothing. If you want modern Sci-Fi then you should start with THX 1138, that's if you don't forget what it's called at the rental house of your choice and start spouting off numbers like a dumb kid at a spelling bee.

However, once you watch it, don't get angry at Geogre Lucas for going back in time and adding GC. God knows and decent person would be furious. But I've thrown my hands up in the air and yelled my favorite expletive because I've surrendered. I know you believe in Kurosawa's saying, "A film is never finished, it's only abandoned." But let me tell you what you're doing wrong, don't give people something that they like, then take it away from them, then give it back to them with dodgy GC. It's not part of the time. You are the only director doing this. Coppala doesn't go back and say, wait, Marlin Brando's not in Godfather Pt. 2 or Pt. 3 let me add him in with some laughable CG. There we go all better. The fact that you think you can get away with this is hilarious and sad, because it makes me think that I've started following all these people to some sort of promise land that your showed for us in your vision of heavenly sci-fi but now I' starting to realize you're nothing but a man who just promises people what they want to hear and I've fallen for your trick as well. Now that we've all grown wise to what you're doing you're trying to trick our kids into following you but not if I have anything you say about it, you crazy, former genius who is now just a puppet of what he used to be.