I encountered this nightmare on DVD while i had already screened "1984". Rarely have i seen such similar movies. Both of them can really be defined as a 'vision of a high-tech totalitarian society where an individual fruitlessly tries to enjoy the newly discovered miracle of love'.
THE GOOD In some fields, "THX" outscores the adaption of George Orwells novel. Robert Duvall is easier to root for than his paedophile counterpart, especially when his acting lives up to his portrayal of Robert E. Lee in "Gods and generals".
Even though it was shaped 13 years earlier, their futuristic world is more convincing , with a slick Klendathu look. Compare the misleadingly interactive Big Brother confession chapels with Orwells propaganda posters. Compare the dual approach to constant video surveillance to never seeing the forces behind it on screen. Decide whether the SS-like Thought Police sends colder shivers down your spine than the officers in THX. Their mouthless metallic faces seem to express different emotions according to their actions, and to the post- T2 generation they are creepily reminiscent of Robert Patrick's most memorable role.
THE BAD Donald Pleasance. He should've either switched parts with Duvall or tried to recreate his Dr. Michaels, also a bald guy in shiny white tights. As Sen-, he's too disgusting to like and too laughable to hate. I won't even waste two phrases on the holographic sidekick. Maybe it was intended not to put THX 1138 up against an adversary of flesh and blood as his real enemy is the system, but even an anti-hero needs a reliable or wisecracking companion. Lovable LUH'd been better: i shall get back to that.
THE UGLY I am facing one dilemma: compare the phony friendliness of the authorities with the openly brute attitude of Minluv. Most of the time, the communist attitude of public service as seen in "THX" works better, but once Duvall has been put in isolation, i'd have preferred to see the authorities drop the charade & get down to some refined psychological and physical torture. Sure, i wouldn't like sitting in the endless blank which serves him as a prison myself, but still.
The Car Chase. The execution is fairly good, although some quarterbacking between Duvall's vehicle and the motorcycles'd have been swell, while you're taking a break from the overall Orwellian calm, where rebellion is indulged in a soothing shawl of human warmth and governmental strikes are quick cuts rather than violent blows. However, is such an atmospheric break defendable ?
A perfectly open ending, what demons from the depths of Hell created thee ? THX 1138 standing all alone of the surface with capturers probably still on his heels on relatively short distance doesn't feel very cheery. The only hint to a happy ending is the sun, but it is a sunset which looks like it'll turn into solid blood any minute. A sunrise would've tipped the balance, but the sunset maintains a torturing equilibrium. This is why LUH should've still been around: an escape as a couple would've been as effective as a sunrise. This is where Orwell is once more the better man: there was simply no escape.
THE GOOD In some fields, "THX" outscores the adaption of George Orwells novel. Robert Duvall is easier to root for than his paedophile counterpart, especially when his acting lives up to his portrayal of Robert E. Lee in "Gods and generals".
Even though it was shaped 13 years earlier, their futuristic world is more convincing , with a slick Klendathu look. Compare the misleadingly interactive Big Brother confession chapels with Orwells propaganda posters. Compare the dual approach to constant video surveillance to never seeing the forces behind it on screen. Decide whether the SS-like Thought Police sends colder shivers down your spine than the officers in THX. Their mouthless metallic faces seem to express different emotions according to their actions, and to the post- T2 generation they are creepily reminiscent of Robert Patrick's most memorable role.
THE BAD Donald Pleasance. He should've either switched parts with Duvall or tried to recreate his Dr. Michaels, also a bald guy in shiny white tights. As Sen-, he's too disgusting to like and too laughable to hate. I won't even waste two phrases on the holographic sidekick. Maybe it was intended not to put THX 1138 up against an adversary of flesh and blood as his real enemy is the system, but even an anti-hero needs a reliable or wisecracking companion. Lovable LUH'd been better: i shall get back to that.
THE UGLY I am facing one dilemma: compare the phony friendliness of the authorities with the openly brute attitude of Minluv. Most of the time, the communist attitude of public service as seen in "THX" works better, but once Duvall has been put in isolation, i'd have preferred to see the authorities drop the charade & get down to some refined psychological and physical torture. Sure, i wouldn't like sitting in the endless blank which serves him as a prison myself, but still.
The Car Chase. The execution is fairly good, although some quarterbacking between Duvall's vehicle and the motorcycles'd have been swell, while you're taking a break from the overall Orwellian calm, where rebellion is indulged in a soothing shawl of human warmth and governmental strikes are quick cuts rather than violent blows. However, is such an atmospheric break defendable ?
A perfectly open ending, what demons from the depths of Hell created thee ? THX 1138 standing all alone of the surface with capturers probably still on his heels on relatively short distance doesn't feel very cheery. The only hint to a happy ending is the sun, but it is a sunset which looks like it'll turn into solid blood any minute. A sunrise would've tipped the balance, but the sunset maintains a torturing equilibrium. This is why LUH should've still been around: an escape as a couple would've been as effective as a sunrise. This is where Orwell is once more the better man: there was simply no escape.