THX 1138: The George Lucas Director’s Cut (Blu-ray Review)
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Loading ..."Thou art a subject of the divine, created in the image of man, by the masses, for the masses."
CG killed the filmmaker. At least in the case of George Lucas. Watching THX 1138, Lucas's 1971 feature-length film debut, it's clear that character and story were once far more important to the Maker than Gungan land wars and Kaminoan clone facilities. Lucas has always fancied himself a world-weaver, but a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, his worlds were more tangible, more evocative, more intriguing, more... meaningful. Even with its polished, 21st century Director's Cut mak...
Video
THX 1138 underwent an extensive, Lucas-supervised restoration in 2004, and the results are most impressive. The film isn't laser-sharp, nor does it look as if it were produced yesterday, but it does look far better than its thirty-nine years suggest, and even holds its own against more recent, high profile catalog overhauls. David Myers and Albert Kihn's sterile photography is both startling and striking; its eerie white spaces and fittingly oppressive shadows a testament to their commi...
Audio
The quality of Warner's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track isn't as readily apparent, but it's just as satisfying. Dialogue is clean, intelligible and relatively clear, and the strange, dystopian psychobabble that floods every room and hall of Lucas's underground metropolis, intentionally garbled as it is, sounds fantastic. As it stands, Walter Murch's hypnotic, altogether unnerving sound design has never been more engaging, and overcomes its humble origins and era-specific limitations to s...
Supplements
The Blu-ray edition of THX 1138: The George Lucas Director's Cut arrives with the same arresting and thorough supplemental package that adorned Warner's 2004 2-disc DVD. Yes, the content is still presented in standard definition, but with five-plus hours of pitch-perfect special features like these, it hardly matters. This is exactly the sort of treatment every catalog title of this caliber should receive.
- Audio Commentary: C...
Final Words
Different films appeal to different people in different ways. THX 1138 will never unite the masses, nor is it likely to leave the same lasting mark as cinema's future dystopia classics. However, it's an intelligent slice of sci-fi in its own right, and a greater testament to Lucas's talent than many of his... let's just say less-than-beloved films. Warner's Blu-ray release isn't perfect either, but that shouldn't dissuade anyone from adding it to their cart. Its video transfer is fit ......
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THX 1138: The George Lucas Director's Cut (Blu-ray Review)
(4.67 out of 5)
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