Thx 1138

Thx 1138 - 1971

Thx 1138 is a visually stunning futuristic sci-fi film that follows one citizen’s escape from a brainwashed sedated, underground dystopia. Citizen Thx 1138 played by Robert Duvall slips out of his mandated but functional sedation and is being sought after by the authorities for his violation of mandatory sedation. A couple of things are instantly eye catching, first, the authority  figures are bumbling, generic robot cops and second, is how everybody looks. All the citizens are bald including the women; they are all draped in white karate gis; everyone kind of resembles David Carradine from Kung Fu. In this sedated society emotions like love are extinct, sex is a crime and life revolves around work and consumption. The sterility of the society ensures the expected behavior so instantly it feels uncomfortable and we can relate to Thx 1138 and Luh’s journey, it's only natural that we want them to make it across the threshold of suppression. Visually Thx 1138 is similar to 2001 in that it feels very geometrical and balanced, long shots that at times start to feel very uncomfortable. The vast, white prison purgatory scenes are very interesting giving a dramatic feeling of infinite nothing that has been replicated in several movies including the matrix.

The cerebral, psychological aspect of this film is a very strong component that provides depth and dimension to the overall story; the idea of being trapped underground with no real control of your natural human instinct is terrifying. The cast and crew minus the newest revisions capture this world perfectly, Thx 1138 is it beautiful imaginative piece of art that leave us questioning our own reality boundaries.