project film school

pfs meeting 6/5/07 : thx 1138 (directed by george lucas)

dystopian future!

generally speaking i try to avoid george lucas and his partner in crime steven spielberg...their films tend to make me angry and for the most part their engagement within the hollywood system always manages to push my buttons. but nonetheless for our last projectfilmschool we sat down to watch the first feature of mr. star wars himself george lucas.

i was suprised to learn during the opening credits of thx 1138 that walter murch not only edited the film, but also co-wrote it. i generally like walter murch and his views on editing. he has a good handle on how we read films emotively - and his presence made me feel better about spending so much times in the hands of george. but i digress..back to thx

throughout the film and its exploration of a futuristic world where everyone is bald and no one has sex, i kept thinking about how films of "dystopian future" have changed as of late. thx 1138 portrays the future as one of high tech cars, constant big brother presence and a clean and controlled aesthetic. dystopia is portrayed through restrictive visuals and possible technologies taking the place of emotion. while films like this tend to create genuine discussion of possible totalitarian tomorrows, they also tend to distance the audience emotionally.

recent films such as children of men (cuaron) and code 46 (winterbottom) display grim futures but with a sense of reality. gone are the gadgety cars and white walls. instead we have soldiers and much tighter immigration laws. the fear and reasons for the heightened sense of security come from reproduction woes (no children for cuaron's, no procreation for genetic doubles in winterbottom's) - something that has been a topic of debate since roe v wade.

this isn't to say i necessarily prefer children of men to thx 1138 - just that it hits different emotional markers. seeing people that dress like us being locked up and killed and seeing people in military uniforms doing the locking and the killing makes dystopian scenarios seem much more likely. connections to current political situations seem impossible to miss.

the visuals and sound of thx 1138 may provide a disconnect, but they also help to create a true cinematic experience. personal sentiment aside, i will admit that nobody creates a world quite like george lucas - his ability to transform space is something that not many people can touch.

beyond penning the project and cutting it together, murch played a major role in the sound of the picture - and his unique soundtrack helps to make thx a film that resonates. the film may have a touch too much student art film in its blood - but brushes of antonioni and the presence of robert duvall help overshadow the cliches. it's hard not to believe robert duvall when he's on the screen. here he commands your attention and makes a world of white walls, pills and silver faced cops work.

i should add here that i once had the pleasure of interviewing robert duvall and upon parting he shook my hand and wished me good luck - never before was i so positive that good luck was actually headed my way.