10 Seriously Weird Sci-Fi Movies That Deserve Your Attention

When people think of the name George Lucas, they picture movies like Star Wars, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and American Graffiti. One movie few people recall is his very first foray into the world of major motion picture directing with the 1971 social science fiction picture, THX 1138.

Lucas developed the movie from his student film, which was originally titled Electronic Labyrinth: THX 1138 4EB. When it was released, the movie was pretty much a dud, and it failed at the box office. After Star Wars became the cultural phenomenon of the science-fiction century, the movie got a second look and has developed into a critically-acclaimed cult classic.

The film is set in a futuristic dystopia, where natural reproduction and sex are strictly prohibited. All citizens are controlled via mind-altering narcotics, and the old ways of family and emotions are strictly taboo. Everything about this world is interlaced with one word: control.

The central character doesn't have a name, but a designation, as all names are long gone. THX 1138 works in a factory producing android police officers, but when his roommate LUH swaps out his drugs, he becomes sick, and sexually interested in her, leading to pregnancy, and his arrest.

In some ways, the film is a sort of high-minded sci-fi, but in others, its genius lies in its simplicity. Lucas used an overt lack of colors throughout the setting to establish tone, and this created a feeling of tension in nearly every scene. It's one of those movies that's definitively weird in its presentation but masterfully made by someone whose work would go on to influence generations of viewers.