THX 1138
I had heard a lot of commentary, both positive and negative, about George Lucas' first major film, and I decided it was time I had a look for myself. I was interested because I like the work from the early part of Lucas' career much better than the later stuff (ie - JarJar).

Particularly, I heard a lot of complaints that there was minimal dialog in the film. This made me want to see it, because less dialog can mean that the film shows what is happening rather than just explains through character conversations. A good example of this is "In the Bedroom."

Cinematography
As I suspected, Lucas shows what's going on through character action and visual context. This means that there are long sequences with little or no dialog. This does not mean it is an action genre film, although there are some compelling action sequences. In particular, there is a chase scene that is classic Lucas look, feel, and sound.

Compared to his newer stuff, THX 1138 is relatively devoid of special effects. This is not a bad thing, at least to me. It doesn't have that squeaky-clean sparkle of his most recent cinematic offerings. Since this is the digitally remastered version of the original, there are a few computer-animated touch-ups here and there, but they are not obtrusive and do not make up entire scenes/sequences.

Even though there are some action sequences and a love scene or two (although not conventional love scenes), this is not an action film nor a chick-flick.

Plot
The movie is set in a dystopic future where product consumption is mandated by the government and personal relationships are minimized. Jobs, living quarters, and room mates are all chosen by computers. The masses are kept in line through compulsory pharmaceutical sedation. Overall, the setting is reminiscent of Brave New World and 1984, with some creative new touches thrown in.

The main action of the film revolves around the main characters' rebellion against the status quo. They fall in love, which is forbidden, and try to escape the society in which they are trapped. I won't go into more specific plot detail, as I feel it would ruin the impact the film has on first-time viewers. Watching without foreknowledge of the main plot elements, and especially the ending, are critical to enjoying this film.

Nearly all the characters are themselves uninteresting. The focus of the film is really on how the society functions. The main character, played by Robert Duval, is single-minded and passionate, although also flat and boring, which reminded me of Howard Ruark from The Fountainhead.

The real irony of the film is that Lucas is attacking consumerism and corporate culture in the movie, but then he went on to become exactly what he was fighting against. The first time I watched THX, I thought to myself, "Holy crap! Lucas today is exactly what Lucas then was warning us about!" For this reason, even Lucas-haters will enjoy watching THX 1138.

Extras
I picked up the slick-looking 2-disc director's cut version because it had the original student film version of THX included, as well as a "making of" documentary. The extras on this set also include a documentary about the early days of Zoetrope Studios. The extras are worth the extra money.

The student film on the second disc is great. You can see the original idea in its raw form and then watch the complete, polished evolution of that idea in the form of the theatrical release. It is rare that you get to see how an artist shapes an somewhat simple idea into a complex, complete form.

One minor annoyance
For some reason, the subtitles magically turn themselves on for some chapters. I'm not sure if this is a "feature" or just something that's incompatible with my DVD player. However, it is annoying. The upside is that in the first chapter that the subtitles turn themselves on, there is a fair bit of whispering that would be impossible to decipher otherwise.

Overview
This is a great film with a lot of vision. It is a look into the past of one of America's most prominent directors. Some will not like the slower pace and minimal dialog of this film. Also, for a lot of people, this will be the kind of film that is great to watch once. I recommend renting it first if you aren't sure you'd like to watch it more than once or twice.

Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: None of the Above
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older