THX-1138

 

 

Screenplay by       George Lucas

          Walter Murch

 

Produced by       Lawrence Sturhahn

 

Directed by       George Lucas

 

 

 

Cast List:

 

Robert Duvall     THX 1138

Donald Pleasence    Sen 5241

Don Pedro Colley   SRT

Maggie McOmie    LUH 3417

Ian Wolfe      PTO

Sid Haig        NCH

Marshall Efron         TWA

John Pearce      DWY

 

 

 

BLACK

 

Barely audible, an organ plays a haunting theme. The title credits appear. They are simple green lettering on a black background.

 

BLACK

 

 

TV MONITOR

 

Point of view from inside a small medicine cabinet. The door is opened creating a low hum, and throwing light on THX 1138, a man about thirty-five years old. He has a closely shaved head: which makes him appear bald. The image is distorted as seen over a TV monitor.

 

MALE VOICE

What's wrong?

 

THX takes a bottle of blue pills out of the cabinet and talks directly into the camera.

 

THX

Nothing... nothing really. I just feel kind of lousy. I need something stronger.

 

MALE VOICE

If you have a problem, don't hesitate to ask for assistance. CALL 348-853

 

THX

Yes... Thank you, I'll be all right. I'm all right.

 

He takes two of the pills and returns the bottle the cabinet.

 

FEMALE VOICE

For more rapid results use your new D code on your Mercicontrol card. Thank you.

 

THX closes the cabinet.

 

BLACK

 

 

TV MONITOR

 

The door to the cabinet begins to open – hesitates – then closes.

 

MALE VOICE

What's wrong?

 

The door opens revealing LUH 3417, a 20 year old woman, also with a closely shaved head. She is nervous and struggle to maintain her composure.

 

MALE VOICE

What's wrong?

 

LUH takes the bottle of pills THX has just consumed and becomes frightened.

 

LUH

... never mind. I'll replace these later.

 

She slams the door closed.

 

BLACK

 

 

HOLOGRAM ROOM

 

CLOSE ANGLE

 

A bald man dressed in white, huddles in a bare, dimly lit room, Two large leather clad policemen beat the man with long chrome nightsticks, making a dull thudding sound.

 

 

BATHROOM

 

LUH also dressed in white stands in the corner of a very small bathroom. It is very modern, with many fixtures not in an ordinary bathroom; outstanding of these is a small medicine cabinet with a small sign on the face which reads: "SEDATION SP9, USE WHEN NECESSARY"

 

 

CLOSE ANGLE

 

She stands facing the wall. She is crying. The thudding sound of the policemen can be heard in the background.

 

 

MED ANGLE

 

LUH stops crying, dries her eyes and looks into the mirror. She regains her composure and pores the pills down the toilet. The camera TRACKS with her as she walks into the mainroom. She passes by the Hologram room where the thudding sounds of the policemen are originating.

 

 

MAINROOM

 

LUH enters the small, white, plastic looking room. One wall is filled with small compartments. She opens one of the cabinets and pushes a series of buttons; which light up.

 

 

CLOSE ANGLE

 

LUH sits for a moment having now regained control of herself. She takes a cellophane packet of pills out of one of the compartments and carefully removes the pills and replaces them with pills from her pocket. She puts the packet back into the compartment. She becomes aware of the sounds of the policemen in the Hologram room.

 

 

HOLOGRAM ROOM

 

FULL ANGLE

 

The room contains two over-stuffed reclining chairs, with control panels on the arms. THX is sitting in one of the chairs watching the policemen beat the huddled man. LUH enters and stands by the doorway, slightly repulsed by the beating. THX is aware of her presence, but neither speak.

 

 

CLOSE ANGLE

 

Upon closer inspection, we see the policemen have smooth chrome faces and are actually robots.

 

 

MED ANGLE

 

THX reaches for the volume knob and twists it up one notch. Another robot appears beating the man. LUH walks over and sits in the vacant chair. She fidgets nervously.

 

LUH

You ought to eat.

 

THX looks over to her, but does not respond. LUH reaches for the volume knob, and turns it down, one of the policemen disappears.

 

LUH

I started your dinner for you. It's probably ready by now.

 

THX

I'm not hungry.

 

LUH

Well it's fixed, so you'll have to eat it.

 

LUH becomes angry.

 

LUH

No, your going to eat it, or it will go to waste.

 

THX

What's the matter with you?

 

LUH turns back to watching the policemen. THX sits quietly, and after a few moments, he gets up and leaves the room. LUH immediately flips the switch on the arm of the chair.

 

An intense flash of light fills the room and gives way to a naked negro female mannequin, with no genitals, dancing exotically to driving, sensual afro-electronic music. She flips the switch again, and the flash fades into a newscaster comfortably seated in a chair directly across from her. He is dressed in white, and his head is closely shaven; as are all of the people in this society.

 

NEWSCASTER

... in the constant striving for perfection in the AIA.PB848's which have been built this year. Five felons have been caught fleeing rehabilitation center dd2. All five have been undergoing treatment for drug offenses, two of the felons were products of the sex act, the other three...

 

LUH

What?

 

NEWSCASTER

Two of the felons are products of the sex act, the other three are from reproduction clinic nineteen. The quintet escaped from compound 545 and were all subsequently destroyed. Reports indicate...

 

THX returns to his chair carrying his dinner on a tray. The food looks like multi-colored foam rubber.

 

THX

What's this? Why did you change it?

 

LUH

You've seen enough.

 

THX

You know I don't feel well.

 

LUH

Eat your dinner.

 

LUH flips the switch revealing a drama involving two male negro mannequins standing next to a low, sleek car with a massive, complicated jet engine on the back.

 

MANNEQUIN ONE

... and then my request for new arms and legs finally came through.

 

MANNEQUIN TWO

Well that's great then.

 

MANNEQUIN ONE

No. It's terrible. I ordered two arms and a new leg, and they sent me two legs and a new arm.

 

Raucous canned laughter is inserted as the two mannequin get into the autojet.

 

 

CLOSE ANGLE

 

THX is expressionless.

 

THX

That was very funny.

 

LUH

What?

 

 

OBSERVATION CELL

 

We view THX in an OPERATING ROOM via a TV monitor. He is working at an electronic control panel in a small glass boot. He manipulates two mechanical hands working on the disassembled body of a chrome policemen.

 

THE CAMERA PULLS BACK, to reveal several monitors which scan other operating rooms. In another row are sedation cabinets, mostly black, because the boxes are closed.

 

 

FULL ANGLE

 

We now see many rows of TV monitors, surrounded by gages, dials, and switches. Two workers are sitting at the control board facing the monitors. We recognize LUH as one of the workers. A man, SEN 5241, is the other operator.

 

 

MED ANGLE

 

This is an observation cell, where all phases of life are under continual surveillance. LUH operates the controls at her panel and types what she observes into a computer. On one of the monitors is a man in a bathroom alcove similar to the one we saw in THX's home.

 

VOICE

What's wrong?

 

The man is hysterical and screams at the monitor.

 

MAN

Help me... HELP me...

 

VOICE

What's wrong?

 

The man takes the pills out of the cabinet and begins to eat them a hand full at a time.

 

 

CLOSE ANGLE

 

LUH is tense and pre-occupied. She reacts by pushing a button which programs a new recording.

 

VOICE

Take four red capsules, in ten minutes take two more. Help is on the...

 

LUH reports the incident into the computer. The image on the monitor observing one of the operating rooms is shaken, and turns white as though there has been an explosion. THX continues his work and is oblivious to what has happened.

 

 

MED ANGLE

 

LUH has slipped into a daydream. SEN notices the accident and studies LUH for a few moments. Suddenly a voice cackles over the intercom.

 

INTERCOM VOICE

Concourse 5... Cross 3... Monitor concourse 5... 3417 are you there? Relate... relate...

 

LUH awakens from her trance, and fumbles, to discover what has happened. She presses buttons that spread the accident among five monitors.

 

 

CLOSE ANGLE

 

LUH reaches for a container of yellow pills, she thinks for a moment, then returns the pills to the container. On the monitors there is much confusion in the destroyed passageway. People move along the corridor to get a better look at the accident. LUH pushes a button and a tape activates.

 

TAPE VOICE

Do not enter this area without consuming j23. This is a traumatic area. Do not enter this area without...

 

Policemen are seen carrying parts of bodies out of a destroyed operating room.

 

INTERCOM VOICE

Radiation suppress. Seal chamber 5G, seal chamber 5G. Exterminate occupant.

 

On the monitors, LUH watches a man bang on the door to his work cell. Slowly he fades, collapses, and dies. As she watches the disaster scene, tears come to her eyes. She dries them quickly and glances at SEN to see if he has noticed her. He is busy typing a report. A voice brings her back to the monitors.

 

MALE VOICE

What's wrong?

 

A man from an industrial section is on one of the TV monitors, screaming hysterically. There are flames and smoke in the background.

 

MAN

Fire in sub-station 35k, command 13, we've got 73 men down here...

 

LUH quickly punches a button on the tape respond panel.

 

VOICE

You are a true believer, blessings of State, blessings of the masses Thou art a subject of...

 

LUH is taken by surprise, and fumbles for the retract button. There is a moment before the correct tape is heard, SEN looks up at LUH, who is unaware she is being watched.

 

VOICE

Stay calm, correct procedure is essential. Do not fail to remove auxiliary command circuit before evacuation. Vacuum detail and suppression units for your area have been notified and are on their Way.

 

LUH finishes typing her report and becomes aware that SEN is watching her. She looks up at him, and he quickly goes back to work.

 

 

PRAYER BOOTH

 

THX sits in a small cube which features a desk facing a large photograph of the prophet OMM. The image is similar to a renaissance painting of Jesus.

 

VOICE

My time is yours, go ahead.

 

THX mumbles a short prayer; which is cut short by the recorded voice.

 

VOICE

Very good, proceed.

 

THX is uneasy, and fumbles for the right words.

 

THX

Well... I slipped on a T5 transfer this morning. It's never happened before. I wasn't concentrating enough. Things haven't been...

 

VOICE

Yes.

 

THX

... going well. How could I be so wrong.

(pause)

SCO 1202 cross wired a 904. He's been receiving extra credit. He offered me some. But you must already know about that... Why do I bother you with such...

 

VOICE

Yes.

 

THX

I did not accept any.

(pause)

I... I wanted... to. But I didn't. You know I didn't. Don't you?

 

There is a pause as THX waits for an answer.

 

VOICE

Yes.

 

THX

My mate has been acting very strange. I can't explain it... but I haven't been feeling very well myself. I don't know, maybe it's me. I needed an SP9 last night. I feel as if something odd were happening to me. Something...

 

VOICE

Yes.

 

THX

 I can't understand. The sedatives...

 

THX pauses, and tries to think of what he wants to say.

 

THX

... I'm taking SP5, but it doesn't seem strong enough. I have a hard time concentrating. Please forgive me, slipped on...

 

VOICE

You are a true believer. Blessings of the state, blessings of the masses. Thou art a subject of the divine. Created in the image of man, by the masses, for the masses. Let us be thankful we have an occupation to fill. Work hard; increase production; prevent accidents, and be happy.

 

THX slumps, exhausted by the effort of communicating with OMM.

 

 

SCHEDULING OFFICE

 

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