Who is THX 1138?

[DM Corleone]

Ok, I know who THX 1138 is, my question is: whom does he represent.

I think he is the sad-sack everyman.  Some clues to this:

The Flash Gordon bit at the beginning.  Flash is described as an ordinary guy just trying to cope with technology.

Now, take THX:  He is just a poor Magnum Manipulator.  He goes to work, he comes home, he watches some chick on the TV jiggle and wiggle (obviously enjoying himself in the process), he eats, takes his pills (or what he thinks are HIS pills), sleeps, confesses and goes to work.

He really does not say much in the movie.  Until he decides to "escape" from the holding cell, he makes no move for himself.

LUH is screwing with his head (literally and figuratively).  She gets him naked by taking away his pills and getting naked herself (who could resist?).  SEN has his own plan, and THX is just trying to figure it out when he goes to SEN's room.

Freedom and Safety seem to be themes that wax and wane.  THX, before he escapes the holding cell has no freedom, but he is safe.  There seems to be no person-on-person crime.  There is no lock on his room door.  People walk in step, and ignore each other.

But, he is certainly not free.  He is restricted to what society says is right.  He can't even have sex with his roomate without feeling all eyes on him.

It is in prison that THX sees one person attack each other.  It is after prison that he is overwhelmed by the crowds in the corridor.  It is after prison that he himself is attacked.

When he climbs out and sees the sun, he is truly free, but as we have discussed, he may (or may not) be in danger.

Thoughts?  Comments?

Am I thinking too deeply?

-Don

[Julien Dupire]

Well, THX 1138 is certainly not a "hero" for the classic meaning (Campbell) of this term. He shows no willness at all until he gets angry in the cell and decides to leave. But he leads a heroic circle. He enters an unknown world when he is arrested and goes to "apotheosis" when he escapes.



THX 1138 figures by one part George Lucas. George, when he was 20-25, when he was student and was asking himself many politic questions (that's the 60's, Vietnam, social contest and later the Watergate). His psychologic represents Lucas' one. The themes are individual responsability, searching for freedom, fighting oppression. Oppression, for Lucas, is capitalism as communism or conservative values like... God.

(Sorry for my bad expression.)