Editing THX 1138 (section)

===2004 director's cut===
[[File:THX 1138 DC.png|upright=1.6|thumbnail|right|''The George Lucas Director's Cut'' includes completely new footage, such as this shot of the factory where THX works.]]
In 2004, ''The George Lucas Director's Cut'' of the film was released. Under Lucas' supervision, the film underwent an [[film restoration|extensive restoration]] and [[digital intermediate]] process by [[Lowry Digital]] and [[Industrial Light & Magic]] (ILM), where the film's [[negative (photography)|original negative]] was scanned, digital [[color correction]] was applied and a new [[digital master]] was created.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://lucasfilm.com/thx-1138|title=THX 1138 by Lucasfilm|work=lucasfilm.com|access-date=December 27, 2016|archive-date=December 10, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161210065550/http://www.lucasfilm.com/thx-1138|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Computer-generated imagery]] and audio/video restoration techniques were also applied to the film.<ref>{{cite interview |interviewer=Bill Desowitz |subject1=Paul Hill |subject2=Henry Preston |date=October 11, 2004 |url=https://www.awn.com/vfxworld/back-future-thx-1138 |title=Back to the Future with 'THX 1138' |work=AWN.com |access-date=December 27, 2016 |archive-date=January 15, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170115151748/http://www.awn.com/vfxworld/back-future-thx-1138 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.maverick-media.co.uk/movies/thx_1138_1971/changes_001.html |title=THX 1138 (1971)—Changes |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090502060328/http://www.maverick-media.co.uk/movies/thx_1138_1971/changes_001.html |archive-date=May 2, 2009 |publisher=Maverick Media |access-date=2012-09-24}}</ref>

At Lucas's request, the previsualization team at Skywalker Ranch worked with ILM throughout mid-2003. The team also executed a single-day shoot to form the basis for new digital visual effects, mostly to expand scenes by extending crowds and adding detail to settings and backgrounds for many scenes.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.movie-censorship.com/report.php?ID=541751|title=THX 1138 (Comparison: Original Version - Director's Cut)|date=May 28, 2010|access-date=November 12, 2020|archive-date=November 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112015807/https://www.movie-censorship.com/report.php?ID=541751|url-status=live}}</ref>

These changes increased the runtime of the film to 88 minutes. This [[director's cut]] was released to a limited number of digital-projection theaters on September 10, 2004, and then on [[DVD]] on September 14, 2004. The film was released on [[Blu-ray]] on September 7, 2010.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=4591|title=Warner Announces Sci-Fi Blu-ray Wave|last=Calonge|first=Juan|date=May 10, 2010|publisher=Blu-ray.com|access-date=2010-07-26|archive-date=May 13, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100513062734/http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=4591|url-status=live}}</ref> With the addition of the added content,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wurm |first=Gerald |title=THX 1138 (Comparison: Original Version - Director's Cut) - Movie-Censorship.com |url=https://www.movie-censorship.com/report.php?ID=541751 |access-date=2023-08-28 |website=www.movie-censorship.com |archive-date=October 24, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211024101749/https://www.movie-censorship.com/report.php?ID=541751 |url-status=live }}</ref> the film's [[Motion Picture Association of America|MPAA]] rating was changed from GP (now known as PG) to R for "sexuality/nudity". It is the only film directed by Lucas to carry an "R" rating.<ref>{{Cite web |title=George Lucas |url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/117164%7C58957/George-Lucas/ |access-date=2023-08-06 |website=Turner Classic Movies |language=en |archive-date=June 5, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230605210119/https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/117164%7C58957/George-Lucas |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Ravalli|first=Richard|date=2016|title=George Lucas Out of Love: Divorce, Darkness, and Reception in the Origin of PG-13|journal=The Historian|volume=78|issue=4|pages=690–709|doi=10.1111/hisn.12337|s2cid=151821638}}</ref>