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Bald: The Making of 'THX 1138'

Name: Bald: The Making of 'THX 1138'
Director: George Lucas
Released: 1971
Duration: 8 min

Representation Score

4.5/10

Fair

1971

Director

George Lucas

Runtime

8 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

This documentary primarily focuses on the study of aesthetic uniformity and the deconstruction of individuality. It effectively presents a thematic critique of institutional control through the visual erasure of the cast's hair. However, the film lacks meaningful representation of multiple aspects of identity. While it explores anti-authoritarian themes, it provides limited insight into racial, gendered, or LGBTQ+ identities beyond the physical stripping of aesthetic markers. Ultimately, the work offers a specialized look at production design and conceptual science fiction rather than a diverse social portrait.

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Category Breakdown

Does Bald: The Making of 'THX 1138' have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The documentary does not include any LGBTQ+ characters or themes. It focuses solely on the technical and aesthetic preparation for the feature film.

How does Bald: The Making of 'THX 1138' portray gender?

Fair

Female actors like Maggie McOmie go through the same head-shaving process as men, indicating an effort to remove gender-specific aesthetics. However, the film lacks deeper exploration of broader gender hierarchies.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Bald: The Making of 'THX 1138'?

Limited

The footage centers on specific actors and their physical transformations. There is no indication of a diverse cast or intentional racial blending within this documentary.

How does Bald: The Making of 'THX 1138' represent religion and culture?

Good

The film explores the 'used future' concept, challenging utopian science fiction clichés. The shaving of actors symbolizes the loss of personal identity to systemic authority.

Does Bald: The Making of 'THX 1138' include disability representation?

Fair

The documentary captures Marshall Efron preparing to portray a character marked by psychological instability. While it touches on the theme of mental fragmentation, the character's role and impact remain unclear.

Present on Screen

Strong thematic exploration of anti-authoritarianism and the tension between the individual and the state.
Effective use of visual metaphors, such as head shaving, to represent the loss of identity.
Insightful dialogue regarding the 'used future' concept in science fiction.

Limited or Absent

Lack of explicit racial and ethnic diversity within the featured cast and footage.
Minimal representation of LGBTQ+ identities or themes.
Limited depth in exploring gender hierarchies or the ability to act of female participants.

Official Synopsis

The film features a conversation between Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola, producer of THX 1138. They discuss Lucas' vision for the film, including his ideas about science fiction in general and in particular his concept of the "used future" which would famously feature in his film Star Wars. Intercut with this discussion is footage shot prior to the start of production of THX 1138 showing several of its actors having their heads shaved, a requirement for appearing in the film. In several cases the actors are shown being shaved in a public location. For example, Maggie McOmie is shaved outside the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco, while Robert Duvall watches a sporting event as his hair is cut off. Another actor, Marshall Efron, who would later play an insane man in the film, cut off his own hair and was filmed doing so in a bathtub.

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