THX 1138 (1970)

Writer/Director: George Lucas

Starring: Robert Duvall, Donald Pleasance, Don Pedro Colley Maggie McOmie

Okay, so it’s been quite a while and I apologize yet again for that.  I hope everyone’s Christmas break and if they're not, I hope they're hanging in there.  Now, a few installments ago I introduced a list of films spanning several decades. This week brings you another movie off that list with George Lucas’s THX 1138.

The film starts off with an opening of the show “Buck Rogers,” which for anyone not versed in science fiction is about man time tossed into the very distant future. There’s the cheesy opening which goes into incredible the future and how the main protagonist is a man simply trying to make his way through.

I didn’t notice it too much on the first viewing but the second time really had me thinking about how much that opening montage sets up the film’s main theme: the beautiful, advanced future is just window dressing.  

The world Lucas envisions for this movement is similar to what is seen in “Buck Rogers” but he somehow makes it incredibly boring. No one’s working on any further advancements of any kind, and human beings are drugged out worker bees capable of being subdued by some really weak robots.

Living in this world is THX 1138 or “Thix” (Duvall), a worker who’s unhappy with his level of sedation.  Unbeknownst to him, his “roommate” LUH has put fiddled with his medication, causing his state of discomfort and puts Thix on a path of self-discovery and awakening.

                Robert Duvall does an able job of carrying the film. He plays “Thix’s” awakening not as some over-the-top revelation but as a realistic progression of a man who’s been drugged most of his life. It’s part of the hero’s journey to become rooted to some cause against a great and tyrannical power. Lucas and Duvall wisely deviate from that journey and simplify “Thix’s” main desire, especially after the revelations he receives.

                Maggie McOmie does a decent of job carrying the uneven role of “Luh,” “Thix’s” roommate. Through merely her facial expressions we see the long dissatisfaction she’s had with the relationship between her and Thix and her motivations for her initial actions. After that, her appearances are somewhat sporadic and while her fate is interesting, the actress isn’t given much to do later in the film. 

             Donald Pleasance and Don Pedro Colley round out the supporting cast as a wannabe revolutionary and holographic actor. Pleasance does well with what he’s given and in my opinion has the only other complete journey in the entire film. Whether it’s satisfying or not is up to the viewer.

One of the interesting tricks that Lucas utilizes lies within editing. He displays some important scenes out sequence but instead of feeling confusion I was curious to see where they ended up on the timeline of the film. It’s another interesting take on manipulating the future.  There are also implications of how much one can truly control his destiny in a society where everything and everyone is being watched.

Lucas’s biggest strength, which is most evident in the Star Wars franchise, is his ability to build incredible worlds. Despite, a most likely limited set budget, he manages to the construct a world that is both familiar and amazing in many respects. The lighting of the outer city, reminded of Blade Runner, just on a smaller level.

Lucas also puts forth an interesting commentary on drug use that refers t to the past and future. Keep in mind, this film was made just after the sixties, where drug use was part of a vast subculture. However, the drug use he portrays in this film closely resembles our use of it in the twenty-first century to solve most of our personal issues ranging from depression to obesity.  

Lucas also explores the notion of religion. Throughout the story, most of the key characters express their insecurities and uncertainties to photos of Jesus Christ (I could be wrong, but it looks like him). They’re either completely unaware that the voice behind the photo is simply a standard recording or know but don’t really care. It’s a subtle commentary on our beliefs but it’s very noticeable. Furthermore, there are some subtle hints to Lucas’s better known work. They may be reaches but fans will know them when they see them.

Now, whenever I heard about this film, I always assumed that it was an early version of Star Wars. I came into my viewing expecting to see a grittier version of a futuristic war. What I got was an earlier version of movies and novels such as Equilibrium and 1984, but on a much more intimate scale.  Does it make it better? Somewhat. 

THX 1138 has no grand rebellion and no singular antagonists;  there's just an ordinary man finally waking up to the world and finding his own place in it. That rings true especially in these uncertain times where people are trying to carve new niches for themselves after a great deal of unwelcome change.