Custom Car Legend George Barris Dead At 89

http://www.c-we.com/piranha/

@RideHeight Thanks RH!

@THX1136 I just figured out why your name sounds familiar. The student film project of Lucas was THX1138, wasn't it. But if so, then why THX1136, instead? Or are they totally unrelated?

@VolandoBajo You are correct, sir (or madam as the case may be). I chose 1136 figuring other fans who might want to use the handle would choose 1138. This way I'm two entities earlier in the series, so to speak. I had heard about the film in Eye Magazine and it sounded like an interesting story. It never made it to my area - central Iowa - so I didn't see it until several years later on the CBS Late Night Movie. Enjoyed it thoroughly. I eventually got it on VHS tape, but Warners did a poor job on the "pan and scan" in places. Was happy to see it on DVD, but wish George would have included the original cut along with his tweaked out director's cut.

@THX1136 What a coinkydink, that's where my username got its number too. Pared down to 3 digits to fit a 12-character space.

@THX1136 I figured it must be something like that. FWIW, I am a man (and have been all my life except for the time I as a boy). Volando Bajo means "flying low" in Spanish, what it feels like to be highway cruising, especially at night, in my 97 Grand Marquis. Since both of the words have gender in Spanish, the "o" ending indicates masculine. If it were feminine, the two words would have ended in "a" instead of "o". I first saw THX 1138 while I was in college, not that many years after Lucas was. It was the first official release cut. I later saw the director's cut, but it was so long after I saw the original that I didn't really have a feel for what had changed. It was probably the first sci-fi film I ever saw. Godard's Alphaville was the second, though it also can be classified as a French nouvelle vague film; both are atypical...preludes to the first main stream one, at least to me: 2001 A Space Odyssey.

@ VB: I didn't want to just assume you were a guy as I am certain there are women who are into cars also. George added a bit more to the overall "feel" of the underground environment - expanded roadway systems, larger cityscapes, etc. He also re-edited a few scenes dialogue wise - like when THX confronts SEN at SEN's living quarters. As I mentioned, while I like the DC I wish he would have included the original cut also. I was a huge fan of 2001. I've seen it on everything from Cinerama to outdoors on a bed sheet to regular TV. For me it was the first "serious" sci-fi film dealing with space. Most that proceeded it seemed less so. I bought the book "The Making of 2001" which came out on paperback shortly after the film. After reading all the things that the film innovated and the detail to which Kubrick went to get "things right", I was even more impressed and enamored. I have not seen Alphaville although your mention has encouraged me to seek it out.