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Information

Year
1971
Runtime
86 min.
Director
George Lucas
Genres
Sci-Fi, Thriller
Rating *
6.8
Votes *
34,259
Checks
6,247
Favs
302
Dislikes
119
Favs/checks
4.8% (1:21)
Favs/dislikes
3:1
* View IMDb information

Top comments

  1. kolybry's avatar

    kolybry

    movie looks great, but falls flat in every other aspect. the only thing it has going for itself besides the visuals is the promising premise/concept, which was ruined through a half-assed script, techno-mumbo-jumbo-dialog and awful pacing. the timer says 1:30 h. my gut said 2h. when i was halfway through. 12 years 6 months ago
  2. Siskoid's avatar

    Siskoid

    Before George Lucas changed the direction of movie sci-fi, he swam WITH the current, writing and directing a 1970s dystopian film called THX 1138. Fitting somewhere between 1984 and Brave New World (and seemingly an inspiration for the Paranoia RPG as much as those two books are), the film paints a bleak, antiseptic portrait of the future where we live underground, where conformity is the rule of law, and where love and sex are banned. The plot, such as it is, follows Robert Duvall's THX 1138 getting off the meds and into his roommate's bed, and getting punished for it. Donald Pleasance is another non-compliant whose agenda is never completely understood. While I respect the world building, it goes so far as to create the tedium of this world, and the characters' tedium sort of becomes our own. The movie is LANGUOROUS and yet, somehow, manages to end in an interminable car chase. Intriguing, but sleep inducing and ultimately, unsatisfying. The 2004 edition has Lucas return to insert bad CG shots that feel extremely out of place in the otherwise remorselessly raw footage, because he can never ever leave a movie he's made alone. These aren't works in progress, George! I don't need to tell you they don't add anything important to the film. 6 years 3 months ago
  3. greenhorg's avatar

    greenhorg

    The "directors cut" version I watched had a bunch of dumb CGI crammed in. I'm sure I will like the low-fi original much more. I'm far from the first person to notice that Lucas is an expert at ruining his own masterpieces. 11 years 3 months ago
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In 5 official lists

  1. This movie ranks #83 in BFI's 100 Science Fiction Films
    BFI's 100 Science Fiction Films's icon

    BFI's 100 Science Fictio…

    83
  2. This movie ranks #92 in Total Sci-Fi's The 100 Greatest Sci-Fi Movies
    Total Sci-Fi's The 100 Greatest Sci-Fi Movies's icon

    Total Sci-Fi's The 100 G…

    92
  3. This movie ranks #148 in Butler's Fantasy Cinema: Impossible Worlds on Screen
    Butler's Fantasy Cinema: Impossible Worlds on Screen's icon

    Butler's Fantasy Cinema:…

    148
  4. This movie ranks #224 in Jennifer Eiss's 500 Essential Cult Movies
    Jennifer Eiss's 500 Essential Cult Movies's icon

    Jennifer Eiss's 500 Esse…

    224
  5. This movie ranks #901 in The Guardian's 1000 Films to See Before You Die
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    The Guardian's 1000 Film…

    901
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