Electronic Labrynith

Posted on Aug 28, 2010

THX-1138 (1971)

Directed By: George Lucas

Review Written By: Peter Zimmer
Mondo Film & Video Guide Contributor
IMDb.com Link

THX 1138, I was skeptical at first. With good reason no doubt. But it has Robert Duvall in lead, it’s a Ford Coppola production, written and directed by George Lucas, alright so that last one should advise the wariness, nonetheless I persisted. The film has got a lot going on. There are drugs, TONS of them, they’re mandatory in fact. And everyone is bald which is kind of hot, right? Well, everyone except the midget, yes, there are midgets, errrr small people I mean. And baboon-cat type creatures that live on the outskirts of the underground civilization. Hell, there is even an army of C-3PO’s. The setting is a dystopian state policed by the 3PO look alikes.

Everyone must take their sedatives or be taken into custody. There is a set budget for the aquisition of each offender or escapee, society is ultimately and painfully utilitarian. Once that fee is surpassed your free to go into the great abyss, sweet deal huh? Except for the fact that all you’ve ever known is a world underground where you play with radioactive materials to create the bots that patrol your every move. On occasion one of the technicians, all doped up obviously, drops the radioactive material and… well, there is a serious meltdown.

Besides that synopsis what else is going on in the film, you may ask? Honestly, alot. THX is oddly much like a Godard film, think Vacation meets Star Wars or Blade Runner. On the emotional, abstract front there is a man and a woman, they make love, or something of the sort except they can’t figure how to make out since they haven’t developed feelings or human connections but at least they’re trying. Everyone being watched no doubt since it is a Brave New World 1984 kind of place. There is a general sense of unhappiness and crowded masses. And race plays into the society although I’m not quite certain how, liberal arts students, you figure it out and get back to me. The couple rebels against the current state of affairs and find themselves on the other side of the law. From here Duvall’s character, THX, encounters malicious policemen with a cool, calm demeanor trying to convince him that ‘all is well’ and they are there to protect him. THX has since dropped his medication and gone rogue. The narrative is unclear and jumpy, there aren’t any self reflexive moments like Goddard typically installs but the dialogue and story follow a similar trend of uneasiness, uncertainty and a serious attempt at illustrating emotion or its absence.

The visuals are equally interesting and discomforting. Much of the films takes place in an unknown and disorienting expanse. Other parts are highlighted with some pretty spectacular effects for the time period. I kind of believe that this was really a powerful step for American film making at the turn of the decade. Of course it draws alot on the European new wave influence but it isn’t Euro, it’s real Americana and I respect that. Lucas tries to get in touch with emotions and displays their fickle nature and puts it all in an interesting visual arts display. If you can go into it with an open mind then check it out. It’s narrative is incongruous and relatively inconsequential but telling, it is a cinematic attempt at art nonetheless.