When I watched the prison break episodes in "Andor", I felt there was something familiar about the set design but couldn't put my finger on it. Eventually, the buried memory surfaced. The all-white prison interior is almost certainly a conscious reference to THX1138, which was George Lucas' first feature film, released in 1971, before "American Graffiti" won him wide critical acclaim. Actually he made a short film THX1138 at USC and later expanded it to feature length, casting Robert Duvall in the lead role.
Of course, THX1138 was hardly the first dystopian science fiction movie, and the influence of 1984, Brave New World, and the Cold War was unmistakable. Super original it was not. Nevertheless, the aesthetics was quite stunning.
Compare this visual style with the set of prison in Andor.
The orange stripes are the only visual relief from the oppressive whiteness in this world. After all, this is a Disney series, not an experimental art film.
The question of whether Tony Gilroy talked to Lucas before making Andor remains unanswered. It tickles me to death what the latter thinks of Andor, although I doubt he would comment publicly.
Coincidentally (not!), THX1138 is, at least metaphorically, also a prison break movie. L.O.L.
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