Lalo Schifrin's soundtrack for THX 1138 is as far from John Williams's symphonic sweep for Star Wars as one can get, but Lucas's first musical collaborator proved to be no less imaginative than his most-used one. Schifrin provided an eclectic blend of styles, from Baroque-influenced choral work for the main titles, to liturgical cues, to brooding strings for the oppressive society, to the use of Bach's St. Matthew's Passion for the end credits. There are strange, avant garde sounds for the film's memorable creations - buzzing organ for the white-on-white prison and menacing percussion for the robot policemen - an evocative love theme for alto flute and harp, and multiple source cues meant to sound like "drugged-out" Muzak.

This premiere release of the THX 1138 soundtrack is a fascinating musical journey of Schifrin's score and source music, ranging from avant garde soundscapes to cheeky plays on his Latin jazz of the 60s. The CD includes passages not heard in the finished film and is entirely in stereo, remixed from the original Warner Bros. elements.

Packaging & Liner Notes
Standard jewel case. Liner notes by Jeff Bond and Lukas Kendall include a history of the film's production and Schifrin's comments.