Dec 08 2008
Quick Recommendation: They Live (1988)
The late 1980s was what many can consider a time of high paranoia. Drugs and metropolitan violence were on the rise, poverty was becoming a major concern, and the nuclear arms race was at a point of no return. John Carpenter capitalized on those fears when he made They Live (1988), a story where paranoia is justified.
George Nada (Rowdy Roddy Piper) is a homeless drifter on the outskirts of Los Angeles. He gains employment as a construction worker. He meets Frank (Keith David), a fellow construction worker, when on the job. Frank brings Nada to a tent city outside of the city where he can find shelter and a warm meal. He meets the families who live there, along with some mysterious characters.
One night, a S.W.A.T. team moves in for unexplained reasons, beating and killing the residents, and destroying their homes. Nada escapes and survives. He returns the next day when all is calm. He stumbles upon a box of sunglasses. Assuming that they are normal sunglasses, Nada puts them on, and goes into the city.
To Nada’s surprise, just about every other person (especially those in positions of authority) is hideously different from humans when the sunglasses are on; when he takes them off, they appear human. All media (including television, newspapers and magazines) have messages that are invisible to the naked eye (“sleep” and “obey;” money has a message on it reading “this is your god”).
After a long alley fight with Frank, he convinces him to try on the glasses and see the truth. They meet up with survivors of the S.W.A.T. raid, who are planning a counter attack on the aliens. However, a second raid begins…..
They Live stands out as one of the last great horror films directed by John Carpenter. It contains elements of suspense and restrained use of special makeup effects. The few times that the alien antagonists are revealed lead the viewer to believe that they see more; this is a result of effective use of suggestion, not all too unlike the type used in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974).
John Carpenter’s They Live is available from Universal. It is a barebones disc, but features a crisp 2.35:1 presentation; this is very well worth the low retail price.
