THX1138 remake or special edition?

I've heard a few people say they'd like to see a remake of Lucas's first feature film.

I'm really not sure it's worth the trip.
It was an impressive debut and he did a good job, but the film was a financial failure, it was too artsy and intellectual for audiences and did not do well in rereleases after STAR WARS was success. Knowing Lucas, he might one day want to do a special edition of it! Oh no!

I have mixed feelings...any new version of THX would be interesting, but I don't think it would be successful. A sequel might be an idea with more potential.

Of course in some ways, as I've expressed in other threads, Star Wars itself is in some ways a sequel to THX. Example, look at the robocops in THX and then look how Jar Jar is poked with a truncheon in TPM. It's the same!

What do you think?

 

Well those are more like homages, so I wouldn't call it a sequel, though some basic ideas are similar.

A sequel probably wouldn't work because the movie is so old and unknown, how would you attract the general public. Hollywood would be more keen on remakes. They could even more car chases and stuff ;-).

 

I don't think that a remake of this film would do the original justice. Personally, if they did anything, maybe a special edition. But, the film is excellent as it is now. If it isn't broken, why attempt to fix it?

 

(I know this is a really old discussion, but...)

Technically, the theatrical THX-1138 is a remake of GL's student film THX 1138: 4EB, right?

 

I'm sure there were also 2 releases of the theatrical film, the 2nd one being technically a "director's cut" with extra footage. It's the director's cut that has been transferrd to VHS & DVD.

I'll try and find a source to back up this memory of mine, when I get the chance.

 

"It's the director's cut that has been transferrd to VHS & DVD"

DVD, you say? I wasn't aware there was a DVD edition of the film. Do you have any links to where this is available?
Thanks.

 

Ack. My mistake. Must have been thinking of Grafitti


Edit: That is, the DVD bit only - I'm still sure that there were a couple of different THX-1138 edits released. I would have read this in the Lucas biography "Skywalking" that I got out of the library a few months back.

I'll have to get it back out for the quote.

 

I personally hope that if this film is put onto DVD that GL does an audio commentary and fixes some SFX and improves the quality(of the audio/video) like they did with SW.

 

Where's the WIDESCREEN DVD of THX 1138??


I HAVE WANTED TO SEE IT !

 

I will personally "f" Lucas up if he changes anything to "THX 1138." It is one of my favorite movies ever and a true work of genius. I watched it three times this past week on the TRIO channel's "Easy Riders and Raging Bulls" month. It was great to see a widescreen print, as I only have the full screen VHS. A DVD release would be great, but even better would be if Lucas went and made three or four more films like this and "Graffitti" after he's done with Ep. III. Speilburg is doing some really good films every year or six months. I really miss the George Lucas that has these interesting ideas for plots and characters and strange phenomena, and then executes a really great small film.

 

I agree. THX-1138 was definitely an art-house flick, and though I liked the SW films more, I really enjoy art-house movies, so I will always remember THX as a good, ground-breaking film. I really enjoyed the whole "1984-ish" feel to the movie, and the last scene of the Robert Duvall character coming out of the underground to the surface with the sun in the background was incredible.

I hope this comes out on DVD at some point, with possible making of, director's commentary, etc. It would be very interesting.