They Live... and they Fight!

They Live (1988)

Director:  John Carpenter

Last night I watched John Carpenter's 1988 film They Live.  I was encouraged to see it after reading in Defining Moments in Movies:  The Greats Films, Stars, Scenes and Events that made Movie Magic that it was "the last Hollywood sci-fi movie to meaningfully indict contemporary reality."

Since I am interested in both the intentional and unintentional messages of movies, I was intrigued.

In some ways I enjoyed this film.  It was not the horror movie I imagined but pretty entertaining nonetheless.  Roddy Piper, plays George Nada, a down and out man struggling due to the hard economic climate of the 80s.  He finds and puts on a pair of sunglasses that allow him to see society for what it is.  Instead of advertisements on TVs or billboards he sees words like "CONSUME," "REPRODUCE," or "OBEY."

He also sees what society's leaders really look like, with  metal bloody skulls and hair.  Carpenter really hits you over the head with his message.  We are being controlled by the media and society leaders and are involved in a sort of class struggle.

It's no surprise that lead actor Roddy Piper was a pro wrestler in the 70s and 80s.  The fight sequences have a bit of a Naked Gun feel because they just keep going and going long past the point of ridiculous.  They do put to good use Piper's skill set though.

Rock on Roddy Piper.