Electronic Labyrinth THX 1138 4EB

This was the student film that George Lucas did way before he became successful in cinema.

4 years before he made the THX 1138 film. He created this short film which is very well written.

The whole short has to do with THX, an individual trap in a sick twisted world. Which he tries escape throughout the whole short.

It's very different from the full length film. But those who are curious to know what the earlier version is. This one's definitely an early version.

All great director start somewhere in their careers. And this is a fine example of a student film.

It's available on the THX Director's Cut DVD.

Although very little happens in terms of action in George Lucas's best-remembered student film "Electronic Labyringth THX 1138 4EB", there is already plenty to be admired in the visual look alone, considering the assumed small budget they had to work with at the USC. As in all of Lucas's early shorts, the film is very well-made with lots of good craft on display: the locations and costumes, while not overly elaborate, give enough of an atmosphere to suggest an otherworldly environment. The editing is skillful as well, being an almost abstract mishmash of shots and snippets of audio which add to the intensity of the action a little, although it certainly doesn't possess the type of intensity Hollywood would make use of. That aside, the plot itself is rather skimpy and carries plenty of repetition in the images and soundtrack; to expect a greater narrative would be admittedly absurd for fifteen minutes, yet the fact that Lucas took even that long to convey what plot he had shifts the focus to the atmosphere and setting built into it, rather than specifically the plot.

The context of the story is rather unclear, although it is made more interesting simply because we are left to decipher what is happening. The film seems to be occurring in a Dystopian setting as the likes of George Orwell would come up with - a time when the higher powers have taken over, enslaving and ruling over those below them with an iron fist. In this version, the setting is an Electronic Labyrinth in a presumed future when technology has taken over to control the lives of others. The film follows a man, given the designated number 1138, as he attempts to do the unspeakable - escape the slavery of technology, running through shiny white hallways to make it out before he is destroyed by his oppressors. With consistent intercoms blaring instructions on how to stop him mixed with security cam footage and scenes of men in headsets pulling switches, the film's atmosphere is a unique one, repetitive yet oddly surreal, with enough creativity to the settings and costumes to make give it a futuristic feel. The unanswered questions are many, yet they add to the experience - so much so that I doubt I would benefit much if at all from seeing Lucas's 1971 feature film "THX 1138" which elaborates on things. Little plot definitely, yet enough to play with the viewer's mind while simultaneously giving clues through a well-built environment. Certainly remarkable for a student's work, technically and analytically speaking.

George Lucas developed this film during his days in film school. It impressed his teachers and eventually gave him the courage to make "THX 1138," a full-length spin-off which was his theatrical debut and featured the talents of Robert Duvall and Donald Pleasence.

This was the basis for that spin-off, which is much shorter and doesn't feature any of the complicated themes of the semi-remake. Personally I feel the remake is far superior because of its advanced storytelling, visuals, acting, and love story, but that's just me (and I have a feeling most people probably like the remake better, too, but...).

The point remains that without this, George Lucas might never have impressed anyone. He might never have made "THX 1138." He might never have made "American Graffiti," and there would be no "Star Wars" because he wouldn't have convinced anyone to lend him the money.

There would be no THX sound on DVDs. There would be no ILM. There would be no Indiana Jones, no Luke Skywalker, nothing.

Hard to imagine, isn't it? All because of one small 15-minute, cheaply-produced short film...

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.

After seeing the theatrical THX 1138 and enjoying its feel very much, I was hyped to be able to see this student project. Let me say that, first and foremost, most of the shots in this film are of absolutely nothing happening. Shots of mainframe computers and other such gadgetry probably lent this film quite an alien feel in 1967, but now it merely fills time waiting for the plot to advance. For 15 minutes, you watch as the story of THX slowly unfolds, how he runs to escape his sterile surroundings and finally reaches his goal.

Probably the most remarkable thing I noticed about this movie is how things changed and how they stayed the same for Lucas in his later pictures. He still treats his actors like action figures. However, I noticed the utter lack of 'cute ideas' that spiced up even the theatrical release of this film. Very monochromatic in emotion and execution, but still gripping in a very real way.