Review of THX 1138 (1971) by Douglas S — 28 Jun 2008

A fantastic sci-fi film, especially for a then-debuting director, George Lucas. It's dark. It's creepy. It's moody. It's a telling tale of the future, which metaphorically represents the then-present (the 70s), and is still applicable today.

This is not the sci-fi fantasy of Star Wars, with heroic characters that fit the mythological hero mold. Rather, this is a compelling, documentary-like look at the future and its oppression. The sets and design are phenomenal.

Credit should also be bestowed upon Walter Murch, who co-wrote the screenplay with Lucas and who also wrote the original script for the original student film "Electronic Labyrinth: THX 1138 4EB." Every nuance was thought about. From the look of the city to the name of the characters (LUH and THX -- homonyms for Love and Sex, which said characters are imprisoned for).

A beautifully written, directed and acted film, that is arguably Lucas' best. It's not nearly as famous as Star Wars and doesn't have nearly the scope of those films (which are fantastic in their own way), however, one can feel the passion in this film, that was pouring from Lucas. This film may have been influential in almost putting Coppola's American Zoetrope out of business, but it was damn influential on Lucas' future films and future sci-fi films of all types.