124) They Live (1988)

"The world may have blinded me, but the Lord has let me see."

Director

John Carpenter

Cast

Roddy Piper - Nada

Keith David - Frank Armitage

Meg Foster - Holly Thompson

Peter Jason - Gilbert

Raymond St. Jacques - the Preacher

Memes, clips, and all other types of references to John Carpenter's 1988 sci-fi thriller, "They Live" has consistently popped up on the internet for some time. 

I admit I had never heard of the movie until I started noticing this online attention approximately 10 years ago. Carpenter's movie certainly has a strong social message, or...call it what you will. 

Considering the current social political climate, where leaders don't bother with the hassle of hiding their political agendas these days like they did back in 1988, I'm not surprised. 

"They Live" has certainly gained a new large audience. Even as I write this, Italy just elected a new Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni (the nation's first female Prime Minister) who is quoted as saying in a 2019 speech, "They need us to be perfect consumer slaves." That about sums up the plot of "They Live." 

I don't want to be labeled a conspiracy theorist. Although, I will say it seems nowadays that the difference between a "conspiracy theory" and reality is at least six months. So, I understand why this movie has garnered a lot of attention, even today.

"They Live" is certainly no obscure movie. It has a lot going for it from John Carpenter directing, to its cast, plot, and the famous catchphrase spoken by the late, great pro wrestler "Rowdy" Roddy Piper in the lead role. 
"I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass... and I'm all out of bubblegum."

The out-of-place and eccentric humor has echoed throughout pop culture ever since.

For instance, in the episode "The Haunting of Heck House" (1990) from the animated series, "Slimer and The Real Ghostbusters," Peter Venkman declares in one scene, "I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ecto-plasm, and I'm all out of bubblegum."

On top of all that, there are some interesting Hollywood tidbits found in this movie. George Buck Flower and Norman Alden both appear in "They Live." These two actors also have small roles in "Back to the Future." 

And speaking of Ghostbusters, "They Live" utilizes Egon Spengler's "PKE Meter" as seen in the movie "Ghostbusters." While searching the news building for Nada and Frank, guards use alien communicators that are identical to the PKE meter.

The movie starts with a homeless drifter known as Nada (Roddy Piper) as he wanders into Los Angeles. He quickly finds a job at a construction site where he befriends a coworker named Frank (Keith David). 

Since Nada is homeless, Frank invites him to live in 

An alien disguised as human stands among
subliminal messaging in "They Live."

a shanty town that also operates a soup kitchen. It's all organized by a guy named Gilbert (Peter Jason). 

The town is across the street from a small Episcopal Church where a blind minister (Raymond St. Jacques) preaches. Nada saw this same preacher before, testifying on the street and claiming that "they" have recruited the rich and powerful among us to control humanity. 

During his first night in the shanty town, a bearded man takes over a TV signal and broadcasts from an undisclosed location. This mysterious face on the screen frantically states that secret television signals are entrancing people into a dream-like state, and that signal needs to be destroyed. 

"They are dismantling the sleeping middle class," he says. "More and more people are becoming poor. We are their cattle. We are being bred for slavery."

Those who catch this broadcast complain of headaches. 

The next day, Nada sees Gilbert and the blind preacher enter the church across the street. This piques his curiosity.

So, he sneaks over to check things out. Outside, it sounds like there's a service taking place with spiritual gospel music spilling through the windows. Inside, however, Nada discovers the music is playing over a loud sound system as a cover to what's really taking place in there.

In the basement, he finds scientific equipment and a lot of  boxes. 

Behind a false wall, there's even more boxes. 

He peeks through a hole in the wall and sees the T.V. hacker inside the main part of the church with Gilbert and the preacher. 

Nada keeps an eye on the church well into the night. But his vigil is cut short after a police raid barges in.

These cops destroy the church and demolish the shanty town. Clearly there's an agenda only the audience is in on.

Occupants try to flee. Some are arrested, and others manage to escape. Nada is fortunately among those who get away. The hacker and blind preacher are beaten mercilessly by cops.  

The next day, Nada goes back into the church to check out what the cops managed to do. 

While most of the building is gutted, the boxes behind the false wall are still there. 

He grabs one of them and takes off to a secluded alley far from the church. 

Nada opens the box and finds nothing but sunglasses. 

So, he grabs a pair and hides the rest of the glasses in a garbage can. 

When he puts the glasses on, everything he sees is monochrome. But what's more curious is that the glasses make subliminal messages visible. Everything around him has otherwise unrevealed messages to consume, reproduce, and conform. 

Surreptitious messages such as "Watch T.V.," "Do not question authority," and "Obey" are plastered everywhere, on just about every medium. 

Even currency has the message "This is your God" hidden underneath the ink. 

And what's more shocking, the glasses make some people appear as they really are - aliens. 

As Nada reacts to some of these aliens, they communicate to some higher authorities through their watches, describing him and indicating that he "can see." 

In one scene where Nada walks into a store shortly after putting on the sunglasses, an older woman accidentally bumps into him.

"Excuse me," she says in a condescending tone.

Seeing that she's an alien, he says "You know, you look like your head fell in the cheese dip back in 1957."

He then turns and sees a normal woman about to pay for her items. 

"You, you're okay," Nada says. "This one- real fuckin' ugly."

He then starts to get upset about what he's experiencing.

"You see, I take these glasses off, she looks like a regular person, doesn't she? Put 'em back on... formaldehyde-face!"

The cashier threatens to call the cops if he doesn't leave.

Roddy Piper as "Nada" in "They Live."

The alien speaks into her watch and says, "I got one that can see." Soon, all the aliens in the store are starring at him and speaking in their watches.

Within minutes, the cops show up. 

Carpenter certainly puts a disturbing, unforgettable face to the mysterious "they" (those really in control) so often blamed for all social ills and injustices. "They" conspire against us. "They" want discord. "They" are watching us. "They" want to divide and conquer. "They" need us to be perfect consumer slaves.

"They Live" is part 1950s sci-fi flick with flying saucers used as invisible surveillance, mixed with a dystopian storyline that's told with a lighter tone than most other dystopian films. The aliens are the most far-fetched aspect in the story. But, then again, leadership such as our own that hold beliefs similar to those of the aliens in the story aren't acting as humans should. They might as well be unsympathetic and malicious entities from some hell-scape. 

The social commentary isn't very shocking, at least by today's standards. 

I've discussed cult films on this blog before, questioning whether specific films are actually "cult classics" or not. I've attempted to tackle that age old question - just what is a cult movie, anyways?

I'll add that "They Live" deserves to be a "cult classic." It feels like a "Twilight Zone" episode. Not necessarily any particular episode, but it has the right formula to be a segment on the show.

While Carpenter's warning message is loud and clear, the movie is a little flat and underwhelming as far as effects, acting, and action are concerned. The constant slow bluesy soundtracks gives the whole movie a feeling as though we're drudging through the story. It all adds some unwanted absurdity to Carpenter's movie and message.

The nostalgia, overall message, Carpenter's name, Roddy Piper's presence, and the five and a half minute long fist fight scene between Piper and David has given this movie the "legacy" it carries today. And, really, I wouldn't deny it that legacy. 

The movie deserves the following it has, and all the homages it has received since its release. Carpenter gets his point across, and it's a message that's not hard to swallow. There's a lot to take away from this movie. Just put on the glasses! Their "agenda" lies underneath the seductive glamour and constant flashes all around us. It's something "they" don't want you to see. There's some truth to that. 

In the meantime, I have been away from my blog for most of September. Despite my absence, I have actually been very active on this blog since June. 

October is just a few days away. And for me, that means it's Halloween season. I'm dedicating October 2022 to the Monster King, Godzilla! I have written up reviews for the first 15 Godzilla movies filmed between 1954 to 1975, collectively known as the Showa era. I'm calling this set of dedicated reviews, "Halloween 2022's Godzilla-Maniapalloza Extravaganza...For the Love of Godzilla. All Hail, the Monster King!" Those are coming in October!