Saturday, January 12, 2013

THX 1138 - Lalo Schifrin \ Walter Murch - "Serious Chemical Imbalance" (1971)

"The Future Is Now!" - "I Think We're All Bozos On This Bus!" - The Firesign Theatre

"THX 1138" was George Lucas's first full length film!

For some, like Tabonga, who are of the rubber monster persuasion, "THX 1138" is too arty,  slow, and dreary!

It might move at a paramecium's pace at first, but if nothing else, "THX 1138" is 86 minutes of pure eye taffy!!

The amazingly active and talented Robert Duvall as "THX 1138" has been nominated for 6 Oscars for either best actor or best supporting actor, and won the the gold statue once for best actor in "Tender Mercies!"

This is LUH 3417, THX's mate, as portrayed by Maggie McOmie! One of the stars of George Lucas's first feature and yet she has appeared in only one other feature film, four shorts, and one video!

The future doesn't show a lot of promise unless you've got a lot of help!

Home entertainment is provided by repetitious holograms and jungle rhythms provided by Lalo Schifrin!

The almighty ones make judgment upon anyone involved in illegal sexual activity like THX and LUH!

THX and LUH are permanently separated for their illicit behaviour and THX loses it!

Because of his distractions, THX almost turns the whole place into a nuclear nightmare!

The authorities cannot allow such conduct, and the robot security forces escort THX to his new home!

Desperation, despair, despondence, alienation, and a total mental whiteout wipeout are his earned rewards!


Donald Pleasence is Sen 5241, his name has been popping up a lot around here lately! 6' 4" Don Pedro Colley is the black hologram in a white world, and the only one who knows the way out, of course!

Reality is madness to the tenth degree! Maybe the insanity of solitude wasn't so bad compared to the overpopulated and insanely fast moving world of the outside!

How convenient is that? George Lucas's studios were in the Bay area, the home of the B.A.R.T. system, and the awesome looking underground rail system of the future! Sleek and stark, how absolutely perfect?

Unfortunately, holograms aren't such great drivers!

Panic, pursuit and pandemonium ensue!

Shades of "Vanishing Point," some odd number of years into the future!

Run THX, run! There has to be something better! There just has to! Head towards the light, and the possibility of a different existence, even if it means death, it will still be worth it!!

Light, warmth, sunshine, and the possibility of love, maybe? Life really is worth living, or is it? Maybe there's still time for tomorrow, or a sequel, but then, maybe not!

3 comments:

Ivan said...

Another great audio clip; thanks!

Some nerdy comments: I think mega-props should be given to soundman Walter Murch with this film--Schifrin provided music, but Murch mixed in/created all the other audio, which really makes the soundtrack for me.

Also: I hate, hate, hate the "revised"/updated/tweaked version Lucas made of this movie. The extra stuff just ruins what was a decent, cheapo sci-fi flick. The additional CGI, etc. just takes me right out of the movie--and Lucas refuses to rerelease the "original" version.

Final nerd note: the "whap-whap-whap" sounds at the end of your audio montage were cycled and amplified for the beginning of the Nine Inch Nails' song "Mr. Self-Destruction". (If you like that sort of thing...)

Once again, thanks!
--Ivan

Eegah!! and Tabonga! said...

Thanx Ivan! As you well know, we can't cover all the information about each of these films, so whenever anybody like yourself wants to chime in with extra details, it's always an added bonus and much appreciated!!

Brian D. Horrorwitz said...

I agree with Ivan, the re-mastered versions ruins the greatness of the original. It would've been more bearable if Lucas gave us a choice to watch either version but noooooooo! Just my 2 cents worth (some would say maybe 1 cent too much!)

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