| THX 1138 | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | George Lucas |
| Screenplay by |
|
| Story by | George Lucas |
| Based on | Electronic Labyrinth: THX 1138 4EB by George Lucas |
| Produced by | Lawrence Sturhahn |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography |
|
| Edited by | George Lucas |
| Music by | Lalo Schifrin |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 88 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $777,777[1][2] |
| Box office | $2.4 million |
THX 1138 is a 1971 American social science fiction film co-written and directed by George Lucas in his directorial debut. Produced by Francis Ford Coppola and co-written by Walter Murch, the film stars Robert Duvall and Donald Pleasence, with Don Pedro Colley, Maggie McOmie, and Ian Wolfe in supporting roles. The film is set in a dystopian future in which the citizens are controlled by android police and mandatory use of drugs that suppress emotions.
THX 1138 was developed from Lucas's 1967 student film Electronic Labyrinth: THX 1138 4EB, which he created while attending the USC School of Cinematic Arts. The feature film was produced in a joint venture between Warner Bros. and American Zoetrope. A novelization by Ben Bova was published in 1971.
The film received mixed reviews from critics and underperformed at the box office upon its initial release,[3] but it has subsequently received critical acclaim and gained a cult following, particularly in the aftermath of Lucas's success with Star Wars (1977). A director's cut prepared by Lucas was released in 2004.