In an underground city in a dystopian future, the protagonist, whose name is "THX 1138 4EB", is shown running through passageways and enclosed spaces. It is soon discovered that THX is escaping his community. The government uses computers and cameras to track down THX and attempt to stop him; however, they fail. He escapes by breaking through a door and runs off into the sunset. The government sends their condolences to YYO 7117, THX's mate, claiming that THX has destroyed himself. Electronic Labyrinth: THX-1138 4EB is a 1967 science fiction short film written and directed by George Lucas while he attended the University of Southern California's film school.
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Sorry, this movie sucks
Plenty to Like, Plenty to Dislike
A lot of perfectly good film show their cards early, establish a unique premise and let the audience explore a topic at a leisurely pace, without much in terms of surprise. this film is not one of those films.
. . . or is there more here than meets the ear? A careful analysis of ELECTRONIC LABYRINTH's plethora of on-screen numbers provides an answer to this query. When you painstakingly add together ALL the numbers presented here (be sure to include the ones in the binary computer printout), the sum is 11,142,017. Some folks may dismiss this total as "eleven million something." But those of us trained to think outside the Cube will immediately see a date: Nov. 14, 2017. The big news happening that day, of course, was the release of EPIC-MAR's poll indicating that 54% of 2,102 leading American political scientists believe that the USA will be forced to "French" American Czar Vlad "Mad Dog" Putin's mouthpiece--Sean Hannity--and lop off his noggin via a Public Guillotining to restore some semblance of Poetic Justice to the Annals of Our News. (However, 37% of those surveyed opined that Hannity would emulate Adolf "Fartso" Hitler in offing himself before his date with the Chopping Block, while 9% were Undecided--Margin of Error, 3.1%.) ELECTRONIC LABYRINTH will make a lot more sense if you view THX 1138 as a fleeing but doomed Hannity, slimmed down by his two-year Solitary Confinement diet of baked beans and gutter water.
Having seen the feature length version first, it's hard not to see this short in light of it. The connection between the two is strong and obvious. Both have style over story, and the style is intentionally confusing/busy, dystopian and impressive. In my review of the feature length movie, I especially focused on how well picked the locations were, and the same has to be said (though in an understandably lesser degree) for the short.I'm more forgiving for a weak story in a short movie like this, as it is in no way in focus. You're only meant to put together what few details you are given, and not expected to become (that) emotionally involved in the world it is set in.Consdering it is a (cheaply made) student film, Lucas does a remarkable job showing of his visual chops, and using the sci-fi genre to point out negative aspects of his own time.
In the late 1960's, Hollywood was starting to go downhill. Movies were being made to please an older audience and not branch out towards a younger audience and just get more people. It was in California that the revolution would take place. This student film was one of the starting points in the right direction.A young man attending USC by the name of George Lucas made a little film that would change his life and others around him. He called it Elecrtic Labyrinth THX 1138 4EB. It is only 15 minutes long but it gets across a message that was just right for the time. That rebel yell that the people were waiting to scream out. To rise up against authority. This film was the launch pad for Lucas and his career as a film maker.Electric Labyrinth is about one man's escape from the grip of oppression in a futuristic society. He and everyone else it seems is under surveillance and the only way to get out is to run. THX 1138 is the name or title of the man on the run. Although the movie is short, it seems like we connect to the person. We all feel like just running away sometimes. Although we don't know much about the man, we feel for him. All attempts at stopping his man seem futile. They can dish out anything, but little can stop the determination of someone.This is what would spawn a feature length production of the film starring Robert Duvall as THX 1138 and also would help Lucas on his way to directing bigger things like American Graffiti and what would make him a house hold name...Star Wars. In 15 minutes Lucas was able to shock the cinema world and help change the industry to what we see it as today. This little project would lead to advances in movie making, editing, and overall appeal of a movie. Lucas, Francis Ford Coppola, Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorcese, and many more were part of the revolution in cinema that would bring people back to the theaters.
I was fortunate enough to get a copy of this on video. It is very interesting and even more surreal than the feature film. Some things about George's directing never change even after 32 years.
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