THX-1138 in '70s Horror and Sci-Fi Forum

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THX-1138

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Carnacki Ghostfinder	THX-1138	Lead	[-]
Jan 21 08 10:46 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I did a search on this forum and there was no discussion of this film specifically. You know if you told me a few years ago that there exists a George Lucas sci-fi movie that has good acting, sharp dialogue and a surprisingly deadpan wit to it, I'd have been looking around for the men in white coats to carry you off to the Asylum, but when I finally saw this a few years ago on DVD, I was shocked and amazed that once upon a time Lucas was actually a really damned good filmmaker. Now, I realize the DVD version is not the original theatrical version, but I never saw the original version so the differences aren't distracting to me (though from what I dee they are much better blended in than the "Special Edition" of Star Wars). How ever no matter what Lucas did, the sheer eerie vibe this film has really works on me in a way not many other science fiction films can. This truly feels like a society so removed in time to feel deeply alien to the viewer, and may I add that Donald Pleasance gives one of his best (if not THE best) performances in this film. I really sort of wish Star Wars wasn't as big as success as it was, that it would have allowed Lucas to move on and actually make more of these type of science fiction films. Not necessarily all dystopian visions, but using the genre to experiment with film storytelling techniques like he does here. Anybody else's thoughts? "It was at that point, that the Guignol became Grand". -- Devlin Waugh
borisandbelarule	THX 1138	#1	[-]
Jan 25 08 3:24 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Carnacki, I've had this movie on my shelf for probably 15 years without watching it. Seeing this thread made me take it out of the sleeve and throw it in the VCR. I've gotta be honest, this was one of the toughest two hours (Or was it 12? It seemed like it) I've ever spent watching a movie. The version I have was on TNT, so I don't know if it's all there. But the constant almost all-white setting, the monotone voices, the sentences that were repeated over and over... I guess I'm not into the bizarre as much as I thought I was. Now I WILL agree with you that Donald Pleasence was in fine form here. His lines were the only ones that kept my attention. But ultimately, they led to nothing. I will also throw out there that the female lead was perhaps the most beautiful bald woman I've ever seen on film. Otherwise, what was it all about? I know it's supposed to be some underground colony or something, but if there was actually a world above, why would anybody want to live down there to begin with? Was the world above destroyed at one point? There was at least one bird flying around at the end, so that doesn't appear to be the case. This was just weird, weird, and more weird. I've wondered about this movie for a long time. Thanks for spurring me on to watch it, and I respect your opinion that it was really good. I'll tell you what, though. I've never done hardline drugs in my life, but I think I would ask for some to get me through another viewing.
Tumak		#2	[-]
Jan 26 08 2:11 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	When I first saw THX 1138 in the late 70s, I thought it a smarter, and duller, LOGAN'S RUN. Or perhaps I should say LOGAN'S RUN is a flashier, emptier THX 1138. I keep expecting to read something about the similarities between these two movies, but never have...Am I the only one who sees this?
borisandbelarule		#3	[-]
Jan 26 08 3:58 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I saw Logan's Run at the theater, and don't remember wanting to fall asleep. There was much more color involved, as I recall. I do have it on VHS. Perhaps I'll revisit and get back on it in a couple of days. I'll bet an eyetooth it's more interesting
Grant		#4	[-]
Aug 7 08 12:51 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	"Dystopian" stories depress me, and the better-made they are, the more they depress me (the reason for that should speak for itself). And yet, I'm crazy about THX. It takes all those futuristic cliches, piles them on, and manages to still be very good (which should be almost impossible, without being a comedy, or at least "camp"). One of my favorite parts (and it's been left out of some showings) is the Buck Rogers excerpt at the beginning. It's almost an obvious gimmick, but it works.
Cadaverino		#5	[-]
Aug 7 08 7:27 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Carnacki Ghostfinder wrote: You know if you told me a few years ago that there exists a George Lucas sci-fi movie that has good acting, sharp dialogue and a surprisingly deadpan wit to it, I'd have been looking around for the men in white coats to carry you off to the Asylum, but when I finally saw this a few years ago on DVD, I was shocked and amazed that once upon a time Lucas was actually a really damned good filmmaker. American Graffiti (1973), even more so.
lobo67.thelatarniaforums		#6	[-]
Aug 9 08 8:00 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I love THX1138. I used to watch this on TV everytime I saw it on. I am guessing it was in the 70's. Anyway, I stumbled on the dvd used at a shop a couple or so years ago. It's still a great movie to me, but Lucas did dilute it a little when he added a CGI creature at the end. I haven't seen the original version in many years, so I don't recall what happened at that segment comparativley. I am disappointed that he had to mess with and add anything to it(same with the classic 3 Star Wars). I hate CGI. But for THX1138, it's not enough to ruin it, and it's still a great movie to me, and the DVD looks good. Carl
Godziwolf		#7	[-]
Oct 25 09 7:32 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Cadaverino wrote: Carnacki Ghostfinder wrote: You know if you told me a few years ago that there exists a George Lucas sci-fi movie that has good acting, sharp dialogue and a surprisingly deadpan wit to it, I'd have been looking around for the men in white coats to carry you off to the Asylum, but when I finally saw this a few years ago on DVD, I was shocked and amazed that once upon a time Lucas was actually a really damned good filmmaker. American Graffiti (1973), even more so. I totally agree. I finally watched THX in its entirety last night, and it was a revelation. I'm not sure what happened to George Lucas, but the the guy who made this died in 1977. Good breakdown on special edition vs theatrical :http://www.maverick-media...38_1971/changes_001.html I will admit, though, that I would have made the same bargain Lucas did: If someone had told me that I could make an unending string of great movies and due penniless, or make three good movies and have everything after turn to crap, but make mind-blowing amounts of money doing so, I would have. Apparently Lucas would have, too.
Rick		#8	[-]
Oct 25 09 8:05 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Yeah, but I never thought money was Lucas's demon or his downfall. I think he was done in by playing to his own weakness--writing--and his own passion--technology.
Ichigo Kurosaki		#9	[-]
Oct 26 09 4:25 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Logan's Run was more of a post-apocalypse film than THX-1138.
hermanthegerm		#10	[-]
Oct 27 09 2:22 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	The original version was a short film, which I haven't seen, and was extended into feature length for theatrical release. I am curious to see the new-improved version of this (not curious enough to plop down 5 bucks, and it was on the bargain bin some months ago.) The version I saw some years back was still pretty empty of meaning with noise masquerading as depth. Read my review of the ROTJ book for some insight into why Lucas didn't direct any more films (like this.) http://monsterkidclassich...rum.yuku.com/topic/27048 "There is a lot of money tied up in this film and people expect to hear a boom when something blows up, so I'll give them a boom." George Lucas as quoted by Harlan Ellison's WATCHING
Rivergoat		#11	[-]
Oct 28 09 7:31 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I remember THX1138 especially because a guy from my schooldays was in it, albeit briefly. He had to shave his head for the part, and had no speaking role as I recall....
Monsterpal		#12	[-]
Oct 30 09 12:10 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	One of Johnny Weismuller Jr's finest performances.
Godziwolf		#13	[-]
Oct 31 09 2:46 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	hermanthegerm wrote: The original version was a short film, which I haven't seen, and was extended into feature length for theatrical release. I am curious to see the new-improved version of this (not curious enough to plop down 5 bucks, and it was on the bargain bin some months ago.) The version I saw some years back was still pretty empty of meaning with noise masquerading as depth. Read my review of the ROTJ book for some insight into why Lucas didn't direct any more films (like this.) http://monsterkidclassich...rum.yuku.com/topic/27048 "Scriptwriting classes were the worst of times. I did terribly. I hated stories and I hated plot, and I wanted to make purely visual films that had nothing to do with telling a story. It's hard to explain. I didn't have a natural feeling for plot and scripts and whatnot. I just didn't find them that interesting." Lucas That makes a lot of sense, actually. Explains where American Graffiti came from.
Dr Acula		#14	[-]
Jan 16 11 3:19 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I hadn't been aware of this previously: http://consumedandjudged.blogspot.com/2010/12/story-of-synanon-1963.html Like all organizations that are (or eventually become) cults, Synanon depended on a rather drastic "intake" procedure that involved breaking down the addict/inductee's sense of identity (they would eventually require all members to shave their heads, which landed many of them parts in George Lucas' sci-fi "student-like" film, THX-1138 (1971). Philip K. Dick, in his persona of Horselover Fats, would later blame Synanon for the suicide of a close friend in his hallucinated novel Valis (1981). Another article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_Synanon The film director George Lucas needed a large group of people with shaved heads for the filming of his movie THX 1138, and so he hired some of his extras from Synanon. Robert Altman hired members of Synanon to be extras for the gambling scenes in his movie, California Split.
bipolarber		#15	[-]
Jan 16 11 8:52 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I'm not so much entertained by THX-1138, as I am facinated by it. Every time I pop it in, I notice something I've missed, either visually or on the soundtrack. @lobo67: Lucas did a good deal more to expand the current edition than just the CGI critter at the end. There were several major upgrades, including the "holograms," Duvall's masturbation machine, and an expansion of the underground city in several shots. The factory explosion too, was expanded, and made far more horrific, with the bodies being pulled out by the robot police. Of course, the chase sequence also got an upgrade. Actually, with this film, the improvements work. They actually increase the scope of the story, and the visuals make various story points much more vicereal. I think it's still an aquired taste. If you are not someone who enjoys experimental filmmaking, and would rather just sit back and watch a good ol popcorn muncher, they you should probably avoid this, along with Logan's Run, Zardoz, and a few other non-conventional films. To me, THX-1138 is one of a handful of REAL science fiction films. (Andromeda Strain, Metropolis, 2001, Colossus the Forbin Project being a few of the others.) Movies that put the zap guns and cute robots aside, and tried to tell you a story about a possible future. "[The audiance] will populate the darkness with more horrors than all the horror writers in Hollywood could think of. If you make the screen dark enough, the mind's eye will read anything into it you want! We're great ones for the dark patches." -VAL LEWTON
Rider		#16	[-]
Jan 17 11 12:53 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I like both versions of this movie for different reasons. I think the CGI work improved the story many things that were vague or just missing in the original are helped by the CGI. Making the storyline much smoother. I do however love the cinematography and film making in the original. You can see all of Lucas' influences plain as day, for example you can see him borrow directly from Arthur Lipsetts 21-87 and see how that developed into scenes in Star Wars. It's one of the best and clearest examples of totally experimental short films influencing someone and playing a small but pivotal part that is still recognizable is a major commercial picture. Also of note though is if you listen to the commentary track even that early in his carer Lucas was failing to really connect with audiences. There are several places where Lucas thought he was making a comedic scene that was just not funny at all. For example the scene where the robot officer is broken and walking into the wall. I always thought that was a very dark comment on a broken future society, Lucas intended it to be comic relief.
blackbiped		#17	[-]
Jan 18 11 1:45 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I think I saw this on THE CBS LATE MOVIE. That may have been the greatest movie show ever--you never knew what was going to show up on it. Legend, oh legend, the third wheel legend...always in the way. Porfle's Secret Blog HK and Cult Film News Andersonvision.com
unclefred		#18	[-]
Jan 18 11 12:09 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	The film may have less impact on audiences today. After all we have masturbation machines in every house, big screen televisions and take our pills everyday.
Jonatwork		#19	[-]
Jan 19 11 6:12 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	The original short is cool, and just what you would expect from a film school short of the era. The original movie was excellent as-is. The added CGI isn't bad, except for the fake looking creatures, but it is pointless--what do you do with a movie that is about paranoia, claustrophobia and being closed-in until the final frames? Well, you add CGI to make the enclosed world...bigger? I think this one deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as the very few SF films of serious intent. It's never mentioned along with 2001, SOLARIS and BLADE RUNNER, but when I mention it to folks who like those, they invariably say, "Oh, yeah, that was good." Whatever my conclusions about Lucas, I think trashing him is such an easy shortcut. When I look at the movies he and Spielberg directed, he still has more that I consider among my favorites (three) than Spielberg (one), though I agree with many that I wish he stuck to directing and not becoming a mogul.
Rider		#20	[-]
Sep 23 11 1:02 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	So it disappeared for awhile but it's back. Arthur Lipsettes 21-87: EDIT: Now that I have just watched this again I should warn that there are some very fleeting but very graphic real images in this. There is what appears to be a shot of a real autopsie on a burnt body and later what appears to be real footage of a man immolating himself. They are very very brief though maybe one or two seconds. http://www.nfb.ca/film/21-87/ To me it's kind of shocking how much it reminds me of THX. Last Edited By: Rider Sep 23 11 1:14 PM. Edited 1 times.

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