Thoughts on THX 1138

Friday, October 22, 2010 4:42 PM By Simon


-How rad is that poster?

-In George Lucas' first feature film (y'know, before he got all George Lucas 21st Century-y), Robert Duvall stars as a man living in (what else?) a dystopian, underground society where people roam about with shaved heads and white clothes, taking pills to both suppress sexual desires and allow them to work their long shifts at dangerous machinery. Of course, he stops taking his pills, and begins to fall in love with his female roommate (Maggie McOmie), who has also stopped taking her's. If you're thinking this is some freaky-ass love child of 1984 and Brave New World, then I'd say you're fairly astute with vague descriptions, and you might have a future in this business. This parentage, of course, is not necessarily a bad thing.

-While not exactly a defining film in the dystopian genre, or even particularly notable, there are some notably shining moments here (as all films have, even the ones starring fat suits). The messy, chaotically edited, gloriously schizophrenic opening scene, wherein we're introduced to all the major characters, the society, and the mechanics of the bureacracy in maybe one minute. All scenes in the so-called 'Limbo', where law breakers are sent for the rest of their days. The wonderfully weird facial twitches of McOmie. Don Pedro Colley.

-Almost a comedy, guys. Everything, especially death, is left ambiguous.