THX 1138 (1971)

Set in the 25th century, the story centers around a man and a woman who rebel against their rigidly controlled society.

Director:

George Lucas

Writers:

George Lucas (story), George Lucas (earlier screenplay)

Stars:

Robert Duvall, Donald Pleasence, Don Pedro Colley

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Robert Duvall	...	THX
Donald Pleasence	...	SEN
Don Pedro Colley	...	SRT
Maggie McOmie	...	LUH
Ian Wolfe	...	PTO
Marshall Efron	...	TWA
Sid Haig	...	NCH
John Pearce	...	DWY
Irene Cagen	...	IMM (as Irene Forrest)
Gary Alan Marsh	...	CAM
John Seaton	...	OUE
Eugene I. Stillman	...	JOT
Jack Walsh	...	TRG (as Raymond J. Walsh)
Mark Lawhead	...	Shell Dweller
Robert Feero	...	Chrome Robot

Storyline

In an undefined future, a dystopian underground society is oriented to production and consumption in the malls. The population is controlled by drugs and people do not feel affection or sympathy for others. Sexual intercourse is absolutely forbidden and roommates are chosen by a computer. Faceless androids are responsible for the surveillance of the behavior of the dwellers and people pray in Unichapels for their god OMM 0910 that responds through recorded electronic messages. The worker THX 1138 handles radioactive materials in a factory and lives with his roommate LUH 3417. When she decides to stop using drugs, she becomes lucid and replaces the drugs of her partner for harmless pills. THX becomes emotional again and falls in love with LUH. He plans to escape with LUH to the superstructure, where they expect to live in freedom. But when SEN 5241 manipulates the computer to live with THX, he reports a complaint to the authorities and SEN is arrested. When THX commits a mistake in his...

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Plot Keywords:

drugs | escape | factory | underground city | roommate | 

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Taglines:

A Love Story Filmed on Location in the 21st Century

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Genres:

Drama | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some sexuality/nudity

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 March 1971 (USA)

Also Known As:

THX-1138

Filming Locations:

One Maritime Plaza, Financial District, San Francisco, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$777,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

American Zoetrope, Warner Bros.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

86 min 88 min (director's cut) 81 min (1971 Studio Theatrical Cut)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the computer room near the end of the film, the lights on one computer can be seen flashing the word "TILT".

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Goofs

At the end of the car chase, the view from within the car shows it sliding into the scaffolding and the right side of the car hitting first. But the next shot from outside the car shows the car sliding into the scaffolding with the left side of it hitting the scaffolding first.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Male voice (medicine cabinet): What's wrong?
THX 1138: Nothing. Nothing really. I just feel that I need something stronger.
Male voice (medicine cabinet): If you have a problem, don't hesitate to ask for assistance.
THX 1138: Yes, thank you, I'll be alright.
Male voice (medicine cabinet): Call 3485...

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Crazy Credits

The Warner Bros. logo is preceded by a trailer for a Buck Rogers serial (or in early versions, a one-minute scene from Things to Come (1936)).

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Connections

Referenced in Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)

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Soundtracks

St. Matthew Passion
Written by Johann Sebastian Bach

User Reviews

George Lucas presents a grim Kubrick-style vision of the future - "Star Wars" fans will be surprised!

This is simply a solid, well-made film, produced on a low budget and directed by George Lucas based on his early student film of (roughly) the same title. (Which is included on the Director's Cut edition of the DVD.) Fans of "A Clockwork Orange," "1984," "Brazil," and similar films about oppressive bureaucracies will love this. It's a grim and gritty vision of the future in which people are controlled and monitored (think Big Brother on a large scale). Robert Duvall (THX 1138 being his "assigned name") breaks the laws of the world by falling in love, engaging in sex and therefore rebelling, placing him and his love in danger.

This is a very clear moral story and allusion to politics and so on and so forth. It excels as both story and study. Duvall gives a good performance (his breakthrough role in "The Godfather" would come next year) but the real surprise here is Lucas, who goes for a Kubrick-like edge to his film that really separates it from his later work. You won't believe this is from the guy who created Jar-Jar Binks.

If anyone accuses George Lucas of being the schmaltzy sell-out he has now become, direct them to this film in order to prove that, at one point in his life, he really did have a bleak outlook on life and the future, and it didn't start with the words "A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...".