On a lazy Sunday evening, though a struggle, I fought through the urges to lay in bed for the rest of the evening, to attend a film night at a local film school in my neighborhood. I have always liked dystopian films and looked forward to the 1971 film THX 1138 by George Lucas.
For me the movie was great and I could see that George Lucas has a great mind that has influenced other movies such as Equilibrium. As the movie began (I was watching the director’s cut from 2004). It was for me a great parallel to what we as individuals might go through in order to conform or not to conform to the societal norms of today.
The movie begins with everyone being ritualistic and going about the very mundane, organized way of life, so minimal the emotions are, as the mind is super controlled by strong doses of drugs. However, for me, the heroine in this movie is LUH, that even though she is being controlled, she recognizes that this is not a society she yearns to be apart of and gradually wants to save THX as well from the mind control. She stops taking her drugs and without the knowledge of THX stops his dosage.
LUH longs to make love to THX but must control herself as THX struggles with the changes in his body, and struggles to comprehend is withdrawal symptoms. THX consults his “god” to understand his mind, but the audience recognizes these are mere recordings. At this point in time, it makes me critically think that there are many things in society that we are taught to believe in and trust in and in reality, these ideas are mere nothingness and worthless.
As THX finally withdraws from his dosage, he can feel the presence of LUH, and the two bodies connect, the natural tide of emotions yield against the conformities, boundaries set by this dystopian society, and they make love.
As with any film, the film must change its momentum and the two heroes are found out and are in someway being forced to change their ways or face punishment. There is no turning back for the two heroes, that taste of love, togetherness, is just too sweet a passion to go back to nothingness and a robotic way of life.
Other characters come into play throughout the movie, however, I parallel them to the constant battle of our subconscious. You have the part of the mind that seeks to hold you back and distract you from your goal (SEN) and then the other part of your mind that gives your hope and aids you in the fight of freedom(hologram SRT)
One of the things, I considered throughout the movie, is that no one is given a traditional name and everything is referred to in numbers and scientific, periodical assignment. I believe, George Lucas has done this to reinforce the state of conformity, that no one has a real identity, everyone is the same and should be the same. Also, no one raises their voice, there is always this constant monotone throughout the movie, again confirming the point of George Lucas, that there is one society, one idea and no one should be distinguishable.
As the movie continues, the struggle for freedom, togetherness is the main theme. The use of a white background draws the audience into the society momentarily giving them a grasp and taste of the state of frustration and confusion being in a society that forces them to think only one way. I can sense the desperation to escape, as I desire the white imagery to change to a different scene. George Lucas's use of the white screen is splendid and the message of the film is definitely conveyed.
Eventually THX escapes, however, LUH doesn’t make it and only her foetus remain behind to continue to be a part of that society. The theme of sacrifice immediately screams at me, LUH the heroine, sacrifices her life in order for THX to be somewhat free. However, both gain freedom, LUH through death, and THX through new beginnings.
Overall, I love the depth and abstractness of this movie, and was in some way able to parallel it to my life, the fact of being different, people trying to force you to conform to their ideas and wants. However, just like LUH, I yearn to break free and fly.
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