Review: They Live

A drifter named Nada (‘Rowdy’ Roddy Piper) finds his way into a shantytown suggested by his co-worker (Keith David) at the construction site. Before long he notices a revolutionary group meeting inside an old church nearby, including their foreman Peter Jason. Before long, the authorities bust into the church, and in escaping, Piper picks up a box of sunglasses. Later putting them on he finds out something extraordinary: the world he knows is just a cover for the real world, a B&W visage where aliens have invaded and are turning us into mindless consumers and unquestioningly obedient drones via subliminal messages on billboards and the like. Once he uncovers the aliens’ scheme of using television to hypnotise humanity, he tries to convince David to aid him in tearing down the nefarious plot. David doesn’t want any trouble, he won’t put the damn glasses on. Meg Foster (and her pale eyes) turns up as a woman Piper turns to when wanted by the authorities. George ‘Buck’ Flower plays a fellow construction worker, Raymond St. Jacques plays a ranting preacher, and Sy Richardson briefly appears as a revolutionary.

 

This 1988 alien invasion/political satire from John Carpenter (“Halloween”, “The Thing”, “Big Trouble in Little China”, “Escape From New York”) is a film I’ve always been a touch mild on. Until my most recent viewing where it has finally won me over. Films are funny like that sometimes, you might not be ready for them the first time around (or even the second). The late Roger Ebert would re-visit films from time to time and change his rating, for instance. Based on a short story by Ray Nelson and scripted by Carpenter himself under a pseudonym, this is classic 50s sci-fi conspiracy theory stuff for the Reagan Era. The message is abundantly clear but important even today: Forget preachers, TV anchors and politicians. Trust no one. Think for yourself. This time around I was really engaged in the messed up socioeconomic situation on display here. So far as alien invasion stories go, this one seemed relatively credible. Carpenter seems to argue that complacency, selfishness, and blind trust in the government are dangerous and gives us an extreme result of such a situation. As schlocky and pulpy as this kinda is, the worldview here is genuinely terrifying if you think about it. I don’t necessarily think we need to worry about blind trust – or aliens for that matter – but complacency and selfishness? Yeah, those could lead to our downfall as a civilisation. Sunglasses are the perfect symbolic choice for the instrument that allows people to see what’s truly going on. What is a more iconic 80s accessory than Ray-Bans? I also loved the billboards subliminally telling people to marry and reproduce. Priceless. Meanwhile, once this plot kicks into gear it’s also quite scary seeing how quickly it devolves from there.

 

There may not be much of the ‘Rowdy’ Roddy Piper persona in the character of ‘Nada’ here, but there’s quite a bit of Roderick Toombs here as a guy who had a rough upbringing and is still doing it tough. Piper had a pretty rough upbringing and I get the feeling he never quite recovered from it. Instead of the wild and crazy wrestling persona, we get a somewhat quiet, slow-burn as a down-on-his-luck average Joe. Piper was actually a fairly decent actor so far as wrestlers go, and although still a big guy he wasn’t some gigantic steroid freak. That helped him in playing a down-on-his-luck, blue collar drifter like this. Occasionally the ‘Hot Rod’ persona will sneak in whenever Nada insults one of the aliens, whilst the film’s signature line apparently came from Piper’s own list of wrestling promo ideas. It’s a classic. Carpenter was smart to pair him with Keith David, who is not only a genuinely good actor, he's also able to credibly size up against Piper during their extended brawl. It’s a magnificently ridiculous scene that utilised Piper’s brawler in-ring style, it’s so hilarious that I don’t even care that it stops the film dead. An underrated actor, David is excellent as a guy who just wants to clock in, clock out and be left the fuck alone. He doesn’t want to know anyone else’s business and he’d like it if you stayed out of his. In addition to those two we get good character work from Carpenter regulars George ‘Buck’ Flower (very funny as a total sellout of the human race) and especially latter day Meat Loaf-lookalike Peter Jason. Meanwhile, pale-eyed Meg Foster is briefly but effectively used. Her otherworldly looks have you wondering whether she’s on our side or not. In a cast that features cameos by Tommy Morrison and Al Leong (you’ll only see them for a second or two), we also get a brief appearance by Sy Richardson, and a memorable cameo by Raymond St. Jacques as a ranting priest.

 

The makeup is creepy as hell, but the decision to mostly show the aliens in B&W was the correct one as colour shows the budget a touch. If you’re gonna find any flaw here, that might be an element you consider a bit too dated. It didn’t really worry me, however. Terrific Ry Cooder-esque blues score by Carpenter and associate Alan Howarth (“Escape From New York”, “Big Trouble in Little China”, “Prince of Darkness”).

 

Classic 50s sci-fi themes dressed up for the Reagan era with a slight sense of humour and a slight sense of terror. Good fun, but also a little bit thoughtful and still relevant.

 

Rating: B-