WHV Press Release: THX 1138 Director's Cut (Blu-ray) (1 Viewer)

SIX SCI-FI ACTION FAVORITES DEBUT ON BLU-RAY DISC™ FOR THE FIRST TIME · FORBIDDEN PLANET · MARS ATTACKS! · THX 1138 DIRECTOR’S CUT · LOST IN SPACE · A SCANNER DARKLY · MATRIX RELOADED AVAILABLE SEPTEMBER 7, 2010 Burbank, Calif., May 10, 2010 – A wave of six science fiction action favorites are blasting onto Blu-ray Disc for the first time on September 7, 2010. Presented by Warner Home Video, each film has been selected to showcase the stunning technical brilliance of Blu-ray™. With its crisp sound and spectacularly vibrant colors, there is simply no better way to watch movies at home. Each title is individually priced at $24.98 SRP. Orders are due August, 3, 2010. The upcoming wave of sci-fi titles includes the much anticipated release of Forbidden Planet on Blu-ray, one of the most influential science fiction films in cinematic history. The grandfather of sci-fi movies, Forbidden Planet features a number of Oscar®-nominated special effects, groundbreaking use of an all-electronic music score and the first screen appearance of both Robby the Robot and the C-57D flying saucer starship (this was the first film in which humans are depicted traveling in flying saucers of their own construction). A 50th anniversary version of the film was restored by the Warner Bros.-MGM reconstruction crew before its HD DVD release in 2006, and since then there has been an enormous consumer demand for its Blu-ray debut. Another title making its long-awaited Blu-ray debut is Mars Attacks! the comic science fiction hit directed by Tim Burton (Alice in Wonderland) and based on the cult trading card series of the same name. Mars Attacks! features a huge ensemble cast which includes Jack Nicholson, Lukas Haas, Annette Bening, Jim Brown, Pierce Brosnan, Sarah Jessica Parker, Glenn Close, Martin Short, Michael J. Fox, Jack Black, Natalie Portman, Rod Steiger, Tom Jones, Danny DeVito and more. With their mind boggling special effects and futuristic themes, sci-fi movies are some of the most sought after Blu-ray titles in the marketplace. Other titles being released on Blu-ray as part of Warner Home Video’s science fiction action promotion include THX 1138Director’s Cut, Lost in Space, A Scanner Darkly and Matrix Reloaded *. According to DEG: The Digital Entertainment Group, with input from all major motion picture studios, Blu-ray software continued to see significant growth in the first quarter of 2010, with sell-through up 61 percent and rental up 36 percent, compared to the same period last year. The DEG also announced that Blu-ray hardware sales experienced remarkable growth, with set-tops up an astounding 125 percent versus first quarter 2009, indicating a strong consumer demand for Blu-ray. About The Films THX 1138 Director’s Cut Master filmmaker George Lucas (Indiana Jones, Star Wars trilogies) makes his directorial debut in this futuristic sci-fi thriller. Academy Award® and Golden Globe®-winner Robert Duvall (Falling Down, A Civil Action) stars in this story of a computerized subterranean world, where sex is forbidden and emotions have been eradicated. When one computer-matched couple discovers love, this perfectly controlled world is turned upside down. Co-starring Tarzan’s Johnny Weismuller. Director: George Lucas Starring: Robert Duvall Donald Pleasence Special Features Include: 1. Commentary with George Lucas and Walter Murch 2. Theater of Noise (Sound Effects Only Track) 3. Master Sessions with Walter Murch 4. A Legacy of Filmmakers: The Early Years of American Zoetrope 5. Artifact from the Future: The Making of THX 1138 6. Electronic Labyrinth TXH 1138 4EB 7. BALD 8. Theatrical and Re-Release Trailer THX 1138 DIRECTOR’S CUT (BLU-RAY) TRT: 100 minutes MPAA Rating: R Language: English U.S. Street Date: September 7, 2010 Order Date: August 3, 2010 Catalog / UPC: 1000152002 / 883929130931 $24.98 SRP Academy Awards® is the registered trademark and service mark of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences GOLDEN GLOBE(S)® is the registered trademark and service mark of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association

September is going to be an expensive month for me.

Can't wait to get this one as well. Glad they went with the 2-disc art work.

Robert Duvall at his best

Hmm, is the listed running time of 100 minutes a typo? The "George Lucas Director's Cut" released a few years back (which I own) runs 88 minutes. Probably just a typo; I can't imagine George Lucas doing another cut so soon.

I agree that the running time discrepancy is probably just a typo. But it's been 6 years since the previous director's cut, which is only one year less than passed between the Special Edition and DVD versions of the Star Wars trilogy.

Seems like WHV need to wake up their copy editors - there was a running time discrepancy on the Lost in Space press release, too.

Co-starring Tarzan’s Johnny Weismuller.

Click to expand...

Huh? Is this a mistaken reference to to Chrome Robot #1 being played by Johnny Weissmuller Jr? BTW, is Johnny Weissmuller Jr. any relation to Johnny Sr. of Tarzan fame? The Tarzan yodel would certainly add a little pizazz to the film.

Don't give George any ideas! He's tortured people enough using it twice in the Star Wars films.


And Weissmuller Jr. is the son of the most famous screen Tarzan. Besides THX, he pops up in small roles in American Graffiti and even one of the Ewok tv movies.

This disc seems to have died on me. Won't work in three different players and can't get it to even mount in the blu-ray drive.

Check for disc rot (?) and there is a link on the DVD Not Working thread to who you can contact for a replacement

Website Zavvi has a Steelbook edition of THX 1138 coming out on March 8th. Looks like the same extras as the older 2010 release but comes with a replica A3-sized theatrical poster. Not sure if it is a all region or region B but does not matter to me since i have a all region player.

I recently re-watched the THX-1138 GL Director's cut. This is the first time I've seen the film in years. Beautiful print/great restoration - and a truly fantastic & underrated film. I strongly prefer this 2004 Director's cut to the original 1971 version (which I've only seen once on VHS tape, circa the 1990's). The enhancements/added scenes really improve the film & make it more epic/detailed. This is especially notable in the factory/assembly line scenes & the great car chase scene towards the end of the film.

In addition, the "shell dwellers" in the director's cut (that attack THX after he has to abandon his vehicle) are CGI mutant-like creatures. And, as such - they are definitely more menacing than the little people in the original cut.


I remember seeing this 2004 Director's cut for the first time theatrically in a local art-house theater back in early Fall '04. Great experience. And, this limited theatrical cut was followed by the first DVD release soon afterwards.

I‘m not a fan of Lucas’ CG tinkering. The most annoying part is that there’s no decent version of the original, not even on DVD. The laserdisc is as good as it gets. Maybe some intrepid fan will scan an old film print and post it online like they did with the original Star Wars films.

Worth said:

I‘m not a fan of Lucas’ CG tinkering. The most annoying part is that there’s no decent version of the original, not even on DVD. The laserdisc is as good as it gets. Maybe some intrepid fan will scan an old film print and post it online like they did with the original Star Wars films.

Click to expand...

Though I definitely prefer the 2004 Director's cut, I agree it would be nice to have a decent/remastered print of the 1971 original THX-1138 as well. IIRC this hasn't been on physical media since the VHS days.

I think Lucas did a revision of THX 1138 after its original theatrical release but before the first home video edition so I’m not sure the old VHS copies are the original version either.

Thanks - good point(s). Quoted from Wikipedia:

1971 studio version​

The 1971 studio version, distributed to theaters, had five minutes removed (against Lucas' wishes) by Warner Bros. This 81-minute version has never been released in any home-media format.

1977 restored version​

In 1977, after the success of Star Wars, THX 1138 was rereleased with the footage restored that had been deleted by Warner Bros., but it still failed to achieve popularity.[29] This version was later released in VHS (88 minutes) and LaserDisc (86 minutes) formats.

The Drifter said:

Per the above, it's interesting that the LD version is 86 minutes long vs. the 88-minute VHS tape version.

Click to expand...

That’s probably more a discrepancy in how the studio measured the running time in those days rather than being indicative of different versions. Listed running times tended to be less accurate on older VHS and LD releases compared to today.

Josh Steinberg said:

I think Lucas did a revision of THX 1138 after its original theatrical release but before the first home video edition so I’m not sure the old VHS copies are the original version either.

Click to expand...

Well they have the old Kinney Shield WB logo plastered over with the worm logo at least so there's one alteration.