Honestly in terms of "cultural relevance" They Live might be a lot more relevant than anything Carpenter has ever given us. The scene where Keith David is literally fighting to not see is so poignant. P.S. This is said as a die hard Halloween fan that realizes Carpenter has at least 5 movies that are pop culture icons but They Live has something to say
Literally down to the glasses and go figure the government has banned diyacin the chemical made from coal tar that was used to make those glasses to read people's auora
@@ReverendSam1the fight between roddy and keith caused actually injuries to both too...roddy seperated his shoulder. and keith got a concussion..that bruise on it shown later in the film was legit
@@Chuck_EL What is that a fun fact😁? Why did he have a name in the story but no one said it in the movie 🤔.......he never introduced himself to anyone either.
@@dobermanownerforlife3902 “I was taking a dump in an alley and saw these sunglasses. I used them to wipe my butt and a dog stole them.” -Governator Teflon Uranium 3023 This speech received a standing ovation from the human cattle.
They Live is definitely my favorite Sci-Fi Action-Horror hybrid, and probably my favorite John Carpenter film. Such an iconic cult classic. Fun Fact: The fight scene between Roddy Piper and Keith David was inspired by the great fight scene from The Quiet Man (1952), which was between legends John Wayne and Victor McLaglen. It's a great film directed by the great John Ford, another one of John Carpenter's heroes like Howard Hawks.
I remember my dad renting this on VHS & telling me this is the same guy that made Halloween. I was like 8 years old & remember almost falling asleep bc the beginning of the film starts a little slow but the music & suspense intrigued me at the time. I remember, as soon as Piper’s character found those sunglasses I was hooked & couldn’t stop watching it. Carpenter is a master at slowly drawing his viewers into his films, it was like reading a suspenseful book that you can’t put down 👍🏼
I accidentally saw this when it first came out. And by accidentally I mean I went to watch something else and walked into the wrong theater. I was not upset. This movie literally changed the way I looked at the world and at people in general, and perhaps not in a good way. For the longest time I was the only person I knew who had seen it or even had heard of it and whenever I got the chance I tried to share it. Most people who did see it always said the same thing: "I don't get it". This movie became something I use to gauge a person and their ability/willingness to think. If they "don't get it" I have little interest in being around them. This movie is NOT for entertainment purposes. Instead it is a deep exploration into the human species and our society.
That was no accident brother, there is a God and he speaks to His people in His own way. You are among the true chosen, not the blathering idiots no love stealing houses and land and shooting people calling themselves chosen, when you are chosen by the most high you know it and you don't have to convince anyone else of it. Jesus said eyes to see and ears to hear, God know that you resonated to that so that's why he made you walk in there by mistake, deliberately. Angels are real that I've been spared by them many times, so are there opposites who have attacked me many times. But do not be afraid of not a single damn thing you see in this world or anything in the system throws at us to keep us fearful, fear is the little death, fear is the mind killer. Fear also separates us from the cord that connects us to God. If the God of the universe that created all living things is for you, come on man, what on earth or even in heaven would you need to be afraid of. Be blessed and be a blessing
I saw this in the theater. I knew who Piper was, but I didn't know he could be such a natural actor. He was totally convincing. The movie was superb! And Meg... those eyes... holy cow!
This is one of the greatest movies to come out of the 80's, and that's saying something when it's measured up to so many amazing classics. But the message for they live is more relevant today than ever.
The street fight scene was one of the best scenes ever and the highlight how popular and moving it was South Park did a whole move for move choreography of that scene in cripple fight.
The advent of social media, where these actors can let their real selves be known to the public has destroyed to a degree the film industry. Now more than ever I notice bad acting, terrible story telling, unrealistic scenarios and hidden agendas. Long gone are the days where we love an actor because of the great work they did, now we get to know what kind of nutcase they actually are. The massive amount of respect lost for many hollywood actors these days is monumental. It s not surprising the massive decline of income in respect to the big cinema companies over the last 5 years or so. We soon realize that a child often does a better job than the unrelatable adult in the acting world, no other work industry can claim this sad reality. Heros of the past, jokes of the present, AI in the future
I like the fact, just like the miniseries “V” it has human collaborators. In every military occupation or takeover by an imperial power, there have aways been native collaborators involved.
If you look at the conquest of the Aztecs by the Spaniards you see that really it was all the other tribes that subdued the Aztecs. Once the Aztecs fell, the Spaniards had no one to oppose them. In a way it echoes how Assimov's Foundation follows the fall of the Roman empire, intentional or not.
Best laugh I've ever had was reciting the "All out of bubble gum" lines with some fake anger to 3 of my nephews that were getting out of hand so to speak. The laughing was due to scaring them to the point they cried. I had to quickly let them know they were OK, but that their shenanigans had to end...
The film does one thing 'reading' can not - it takes the viewer from what feels like a low budget film on the edge of being parody into a surreal frame of mind, stylized and captured in a way that is intensely compelling. While the mind adjusts to the facts of the situation, the camera lens gives us an unforgettable memory. Propeller Beanie? Sure - I remember those. Now I learned who invented them. Only took 60 years.
Have you seen the Mad Men TV series? By the 1980s, this had been running for a long time, but what happens is that only those who want to open their eyes see it!!
In an interview, Carpenter said he made They Live as a way a giving the finger to Reagan, yuppies, and the whole "greed is good" corporate culture that unfortunately arose in the aftermath of the positive cultural changes of the 1960s and early '70s. He couldn't understand how a people who'd lived through those unprecedented social changes would subsequently choose the superficial, authoritarian priorities they did in the 1980s.
I've always loved the concept of this movie. We saw this as soon as it hit video back then as we were already Carpenter fans. The ending left something to be desired, but for the most part, this movie delivers. The bubble gum quote is still used to this day, and is nearly as synonymous as some of the Airplane movie quotes. Very good movie if some out there are interested in a unique story.
I've seen this movie probably a hundred times, it's one of those movies I can put on when I can't decide on what to watch. Great soundtrack too *forgot to mention the south park fight parody, that was great
Some of the most iconic aspects of the film are lifted directly from the short story eg "At intervals along the street George saw the posters hanging with photographs of the Fascinators’ multiple eyes and various commands printed under them, such as, “Work eight hours, play eight hours, slept eight hours,” and “Marry and Reproduce.”
This movie still had the best lines that were ever written when he walked into the bank, and he says…… I have come to chew bubblegum and kick ass and I’m all out of bubblegum!
Still a brilliant movie sadly underated yet so relevant to today's consumers. I wish this could be done as a modern uptake with the internet prospective
Roddy Piper was spot on perfect as the "Everyman" just trying to get by. doing odd jobs, make a living. nothing more. but, when he see's the world thru "new eyes", he turns it up a huge notch. supporting cast has some great B list actors, who are always solid in their other movies. i still watch this, and every other JC movie made, whenever possible.
Big Trouble in Little China is a movie you can actually say is underrated. This is how you use that word, people who like to call everything under the sun underrated.
Sometimes a good plot doesn't need many words or suggestions. However, Carpenter did a marvelous job broadening the story. Mentioning Stephen King, he wrote a short story clearly inspired by original tale or even the movie; 'The Ten O'Clock People'. Condensing it back again.
If you can find it there is an episode of Monster Vision, the old TNT show, where Roddy Piper watches the movie and discusses it with Joe Bob Briggs. It's really interesting and he gives a lot of insight in to Carpenter's thoughts while making the movie.
One of the best movies ever. I saw this at the movies with my dad when I was a kid. Didn't understand the parallel between the move and real life until I got older. I was just a wrestling fan and loved space and horror movies. My dad was really into this movie and tried to explain the parallel but again I was young and was naive to the way's of the world. Great video and keep up the good work 👍🏻🤘🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Joseph this is truly one of the greatest classics ever!!!!!! Carpenter "nailed" it. The thinly veiled allusions to Communism was brilliant. I do believe that the one take improvised fight scene between Roddy and Keith was literally as painful as it looked. Masterful fusion of Sci fi genre and action film.
Thinly veiled allusions to Communism lol. The movie was made in the yuppie era in the USA and that’s what it’s about. There’s no subtext at all, and certainly not about the USSR
@@Fake_Robot Have to agree. It's about how people sell out the country, their children's future, and all their principles and ideals for "the good life" . I don't see a hint of communism in it. That's better represented in movies with hive minds and somewhat in zombie movies.
I remember reading the short story quite a while back, in an anthology. I think the alien invaders were called "fascinators". It was very short but memorable. I like They Live as well!
Every bizarre sci-fi/fantasy movie you loved as a kid can be looked up nowadays for the source material. I found this short story around ten years ago and it’s a cool dive into a crazy story, but I think John Carpenter’s talent as a musician allows him to shove so much more meaning into a similar amount of time. If George Nada in the original story had a badass soundtrack, the heart attack sent by the Fascinators wouldn’t have worked. In the film it took real bullets to take down the hero. The original is about a regular guy who starts seeing monsters and starts killing them immediately. They Live with Roddy Piper as the star it’s more like “what if alien yuppies made Conan The Barbarian’s life boring and he fought back with shades on?” and it rocked. I saw this when I was really little, and I am glad it is now well-known.
Read Phill K Dick's novel Ubik. Has a lot of similar themes including the fight where he tries to get his friend to "see" too, by trying to make his friend take the unsafe experimental drug like he did. Of course in this adaptation of the concept it was just a pair of glasses which waters it down a lot, why would your friend fight you to the limit to avoid putting on a pair of glasses? You just put them on and say; see, you're crazy. But when it is some unsafe drug you have to take, which makes people go "insane" then the concept of trying to make your friend take it has so much more punch.
Love this movie. I think they could still do a modern-day sequel: People who were just children during the now famous "Ghoul Day" have been told that it was all just a hoax from people hacking the cable company years ago. People still go around painting "They Live, We Sleep" and "OBEY" on building walls. It's treated like a joke. People dress up and celebrate it like a corporate holiday. Most people chose to forget, and went back to their lives. Others were quieted and put away. Young John still remembers seeing his neighbors turn into melty-faced monsters and disappear in front of his eyes. He's a hard worker, who's always been told that he will never excel at anything. All of a sudden, there's a new illegal app on cell phones that let's you see things as they really ARE, and John realizes that everything he knows is indeed a lie. (It's not a great idea, but it's a start.) Working title: "We Sleep."
They live along with Big trouble in Little China escape from New York escape from LA and of course Halloween 1978 John Carpenter is one of the absolute greatest directors of all time ☝️👍👏
God damn I love this movie. Watched the shit out it in high school, then a couple times after that, but never owned it. Then it showed up on Netflix and watched it twice in 2 days. Once for me, and the my son who loves John Carpenter movies. Who is now getting his friends to watch it. The fight scene was awesome with Keith David, the premise it great, and Roddy Rowdy I think did an excellent job.
What a throwback of appreciation. Loved this! 😊 THEY LIVE is an absolute masterpiece. And until manipulative greedy scumbags are no longer trying to control and exploit the Planet, and other people, this film will be forever relevant.
Just rewatched this film again this past week. It still holds up well. I also recently read the short story too. The film is obviously made from the story as there are direct and obvious lines “marry and reproduce,” etc., but the short story IS it’s own thing. Interesting that the main character’s last name is Nada, as in “nothing.” Sort of like “the man with no name.”
I just bought the 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray around the time this video came out (without watching the video). I love this movie. The "fight" you mentioned was re-created in the "South Park" episode "Cripple fight". I never knew the back story at all, this was just an odd little 80's gem from JC. There's quite a few of those. But, I hope the streamers are paying attention. "They Live" could be as little or big as someone could make it. A slow alien invasion. So many stories could flow from that. They could have an all season long protag who dies in the end, next season new protag. This could morph into a lot of stories, lots of content. There already was a diverse group of characters here, so it would be easy for stories to start anywhere in the U.S. The "resistance" could be shown starting up in rural areas, in cities, in ethnic enclaves (Chinatowns and little Italys) all over the U.S. And yeah, isn't this the state of the world right now. Not aliens, but with all the manipulation through media. It's probably on the way to getting worse. I'm not sure how far away quantum computing is, but between our voluntary addiction to social media, already existing mobile device management technology we are quickly "conveniencing" ourselves to irrelevance as a species. And remember kids; No independent thought, obey, consume, and sleep.
John Carpenter is a true scholar. He's very well read. He's able to take his sense of profound mystery and translate it with cinematography. His choice of soundtracks embellishes the themes. Magnificent guy. You should address his adaptation of John Wood Campbell Jr's "Who Goes There," for his movie "The Thing."
Met Roddy shortly before he died and everyone in line was asking him who he'd want to play him in a remake of They Live. I asked him what he'd like to see in a sequel if Nada ended up living somehow. This is what SHOULD happen in a sequel called They Die. GET TO WORK ON IT JOHN.
Nice, stellar video!!!! This movie is a classic, remember seeing this back in the theater when I was younger. Loved it then, still do, and still holds up today in my opinion 🤓👍
THE ROWDY ONE!! We lost Rod way too soon and way too young. I truly think he could have been quite an actor, at least a character actor or supporting role. He would have been great in a Tarnetino movie. Carpenter has made 2 of my all time Top 20 movies, The Thing and Big Trouble In Little China, and thats up there with the Godfather movies, Citizen Kane, Last Picture Show, Apocolypes Now etc. They Live is probably in my top 50 of all time and in good company. An amazing documentary.
This movie is one of my favorites, and I'm positive that John Carpenter is in on the real game. No other scenario explains the clown show that we live in as Americans. He took Orwell and made it reality. Plus, I LOOOOOVE 80s cheese.
I first saw it when it had only just been released on video. I still can’t believe that it was allowed to be made and distributed during the Reagan Era.
It’s impressive how this movie is extremely 80s yet extremely timeless at the same time
Roddy Piper's characters name was never mentioned in the movie.....did he have one 🤔?
@@ReverendSam1 Nada. (you know which means none).
It's in the credits and on IMDB.
@@Mistrblank I know it's in the credits but he never introduced himself nor did u hear anyone call his name. That's why I said that 😁!
The 80s itself was a timeless decade.
It's carpenter talent,the same for his others successes
Honestly in terms of "cultural relevance" They Live might be a lot more relevant than anything Carpenter has ever given us. The scene where Keith David is literally fighting to not see is so poignant.
P.S. This is said as a die hard Halloween fan that realizes Carpenter has at least 5 movies that are pop culture icons but They Live has something to say
That long fight scene was hilarious
@@stevenforte4159 *almost kills Keith David with 2x4* "oh geez I'm sorry man"
KD: "motherfucker 👊🏿"
Piper's character was another man w/no name!
Oh wow. What a hot take. Lucky you were here to enlighten.
@@longtallshorty5791 and were so blessed to have you here as well...
"They Live is a documentary." - Rod Piper
Every day this seems more true. Everytime I see a World Economic Forum video with Klaus Schwab speaking it makes me wonder
Literally down to the glasses and go figure the government has banned diyacin the chemical made from coal tar that was used to make those glasses to read people's auora
Matrix is a documentary.
Bruce Lipton
Yep
"THEY LIVE is a documentary"-John Carpenter
One of the absolute best sci-fi films about how truly hypnotized we really are
Roddy Piper's characters was another man w/no name character!!
Not me, you are all hypnotized. Not me.
Right?
@Joe Neighbor if you believe anything the mainstream s pushing you my friend ARE
@@ReverendSam1the fight between roddy and keith caused actually injuries to both too...roddy seperated his shoulder. and keith got a concussion..that bruise on it shown later in the film was legit
@@Chuck_EL What is that a fun fact😁? Why did he have a name in the story but no one said it in the movie 🤔.......he never introduced himself to anyone either.
We all love to call Idiocracy a documentary, but They Live is just as accurate.
Shhh.....quite! They're watching!
@@yodasmomisondrugs7959yeah movies are just movies 😏
@@hithere4719lol right 😅
They aren't mutually exclusive. When you combine them, you see the blueprint.
@@dobermanownerforlife3902 “I was taking a dump in an alley and saw these sunglasses. I used them to wipe my butt and a dog stole them.” -Governator Teflon Uranium 3023
This speech received a standing ovation from the human cattle.
One of my favorite movies. This and The Thing sit in my top 10. It's so relevant still to this day.
100% agree
It's basically the world we live in today.
They Live is definitely my favorite Sci-Fi Action-Horror hybrid, and probably my favorite John Carpenter film. Such an iconic cult classic.
Fun Fact: The fight scene between Roddy Piper and Keith David was inspired by the great fight scene from The Quiet Man (1952), which was between legends John Wayne and Victor McLaglen. It's a great film directed by the great John Ford, another one of John Carpenter's heroes like Howard Hawks.
South park ripped off the fight move for move for the cripple fight.
I remember my dad renting this on VHS & telling me this is the same guy that made Halloween. I was like 8 years old & remember almost falling asleep bc the beginning of the film starts a little slow but the music & suspense intrigued me at the time. I remember, as soon as Piper’s character found those sunglasses I was hooked & couldn’t stop watching it. Carpenter is a master at slowly drawing his viewers into his films, it was like reading a suspenseful book that you can’t put down 👍🏼
I accidentally saw this when it first came out. And by accidentally I mean I went to watch something else and walked into the wrong theater. I was not upset. This movie literally changed the way I looked at the world and at people in general, and perhaps not in a good way. For the longest time I was the only person I knew who had seen it or even had heard of it and whenever I got the chance I tried to share it. Most people who did see it always said the same thing: "I don't get it". This movie became something I use to gauge a person and their ability/willingness to think. If they "don't get it" I have little interest in being around them. This movie is NOT for entertainment purposes. Instead it is a deep exploration into the human species and our society.
The ones who “don’t get it” might actually be one of “them”.😮
Fuck yes
That was no accident brother, there is a God and he speaks to His people in His own way. You are among the true chosen, not the blathering idiots no love stealing houses and land and shooting people calling themselves chosen, when you are chosen by the most high you know it and you don't have to convince anyone else of it. Jesus said eyes to see and ears to hear, God know that you resonated to that so that's why he made you walk in there by mistake, deliberately. Angels are real that I've been spared by them many times, so are there opposites who have attacked me many times. But do not be afraid of not a single damn thing you see in this world or anything in the system throws at us to keep us fearful, fear is the little death, fear is the mind killer. Fear also separates us from the cord that connects us to God. If the God of the universe that created all living things is for you, come on man, what on earth or even in heaven would you need to be afraid of. Be blessed and be a blessing
@@vetb882I can agree god guides us to the right path I mean even in the movie he woke up as soon as he went inside the church👀
This movie was part of our film theory class, the fight scene encapsulating how hard it is for people to see and accept reality, great movie.
I saw this in the theater. I knew who Piper was, but I didn't know he could be such a natural actor. He was totally convincing. The movie was superb! And Meg... those eyes... holy cow!
Yep she has the bluest eyes I've ever seen from anybody in movies and TV and ever. No idea why the main guy trusted her in the movie.
I can't wait to see the "What happened to the Starship Troopers adaptation" video.
Keith David is so underrated, iconic voice. Also Roddy Piper as Da Maniac on its always sunny is hilarious
Things have become so much worse. Now They have us fighting one another to keep up the distraction.
The fight in the movie with Roddy Piper and Keith David was the best part of the movie
This is one of the greatest movies to come out of the 80's, and that's saying something when it's measured up to so many amazing classics. But the message for they live is more relevant today than ever.
The street fight scene was one of the best scenes ever and the highlight how popular and moving it was South Park did a whole move for move choreography of that scene in cripple fight.
This movie made me realize how much that box in my living room lies to us. I dropped Cable TV in 1988 and has no regrets.
R.I.P. to Roddy Piper. He was absolutely fantastic in the film. Really showed what he was capable of delivering.
That fight scene is the absolute best.
The advent of social media, where these actors can let their real selves be known to the public has destroyed to a degree the film industry. Now more than ever I notice bad acting, terrible story telling, unrealistic scenarios and hidden agendas. Long gone are the days where we love an actor because of the great work they did, now we get to know what kind of nutcase they actually are. The massive amount of respect lost for many hollywood actors these days is monumental. It s not surprising the massive decline of income in respect to the big cinema companies over the last 5 years or so. We soon realize that a child often does a better job than the unrelatable adult in the acting world, no other work industry can claim this sad reality. Heros of the past, jokes of the present, AI in the future
I like the fact, just like the miniseries “V” it has human collaborators. In every military occupation or takeover by an imperial power, there have aways been native collaborators involved.
I always thought the letter "V" was included in the title as a sort of nod to the series. A genius, that Carpenter.
If you look at the conquest of the Aztecs by the Spaniards you see that really it was all the other tribes that subdued the Aztecs. Once the Aztecs fell, the Spaniards had no one to oppose them. In a way it echoes how Assimov's Foundation follows the fall of the Roman empire, intentional or not.
I'm here to chew bubble gum and watch JoBlo Horror. And I'm all out of bubble gum.
Best laugh I've ever had was reciting the "All out of bubble gum" lines with some fake anger to 3 of my nephews that were getting out of hand so to speak. The laughing was due to scaring them to the point they cried. I had to quickly let them know they were OK, but that their shenanigans had to end...
The film does one thing 'reading' can not - it takes the viewer from what feels like a low budget film on the edge of being parody into a surreal frame of mind, stylized and captured in a way that is intensely compelling. While the mind adjusts to the facts of the situation, the camera lens gives us an unforgettable memory.
Propeller Beanie? Sure - I remember those. Now I learned who invented them. Only took 60 years.
I watched it last night. Carpenter predicted the future with this movie.
Have you seen the Mad Men TV series? By the 1980s, this had been running for a long time, but what happens is that only those who want to open their eyes see it!!
One of the best documentaries of all time.
One of the most underrated movies of all times. This film blew my mind when I saw it.
"I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass, and I'm all out of bubblegum."
In an interview, Carpenter said he made They Live as a way a giving the finger to Reagan, yuppies, and the whole "greed is good" corporate culture that unfortunately arose in the aftermath of the positive cultural changes of the 1960s and early '70s. He couldn't understand how a people who'd lived through those unprecedented social changes would subsequently choose the superficial, authoritarian priorities they did in the 1980s.
and now the MAGA moron Q anon mentally challenged Republiklans would be calling Reagan a "rino", a radical democrat and part of the establishment....
“As God as my witness, he is broken in half!” - Good Ol' JR
Have this classic on VHS, DVD, Blu ray and just grabbed the 4K Ultra blu ray today...still need to get the Video-CD and Laserdisc I guess 😎
Consume, Consume. 😆
@@AllOuttaBubblegum123 Yes I was thinking about that as I went to the counter to get the 4K Ultra blu ray lol
@@JDubya2k I gotta get me a 4k version, consume! 😊
I've always loved the concept of this movie. We saw this as soon as it hit video back then as we were already Carpenter fans. The ending left something to be desired, but for the most part, this movie delivers. The bubble gum quote is still used to this day, and is nearly as synonymous as some of the Airplane movie quotes. Very good movie if some out there are interested in a unique story.
I've seen this movie probably a hundred times, it's one of those movies I can put on when I can't decide on what to watch. Great soundtrack too
*forgot to mention the south park fight parody, that was great
Lol I never knew the timmy/jimmy fight was a spoof till now
Funny part is it's a true story, and 2020 was the first year where you no longer needed glasses to see them.
This is one of my go to movies when nothing's on! They could've made a TV series out of the concept of this movie...... still could happen tho'🤔!
Some of the most iconic aspects of the film are lifted directly from the short story eg "At intervals along the street George saw the posters hanging with photographs of the Fascinators’ multiple eyes and various commands printed under them, such as, “Work eight hours, play eight hours, slept eight hours,” and “Marry and Reproduce.”
This movie still had the best lines that were ever written when he walked into the bank, and he says……
I have come to chew bubblegum and kick ass and I’m all out of bubblegum!
THEY LIVE IS STILL THE BEST THING TO EVER COME OUT OF THE 80'S SCI-FI HORROR NEXT TO THE ALIENS FRANCHISE.
True
Still a brilliant movie sadly underated yet so relevant to today's consumers. I wish this could be done as a modern uptake with the internet prospective
Roddy Piper was spot on perfect as the "Everyman" just trying to get by. doing odd jobs, make a living. nothing more.
but, when he see's the world thru "new eyes", he turns it up a huge notch.
supporting cast has some great B list actors, who are always solid in their other movies.
i still watch this, and every other JC movie made, whenever possible.
That call by Jim Ross from Hell in a Cell is the greatest call in wrestling history.
Big Trouble in Little China is a movie you can actually say is underrated.
This is how you use that word, people who like to call everything under the sun underrated.
They Live is more accurate than many know. It's almost terrifying.
Almost?
Old Boy has the best fight in cinema history buster. Should edit that part
Sometimes a good plot doesn't need many words or suggestions. However, Carpenter did a marvelous job broadening the story. Mentioning Stephen King, he wrote a short story clearly inspired by original tale or even the movie; 'The Ten O'Clock People'. Condensing it back again.
There are echoes of it in his novel, Insomnia.
If you can find it there is an episode of Monster Vision, the old TNT show, where Roddy Piper watches the movie and discusses it with Joe Bob Briggs. It's really interesting and he gives a lot of insight in to Carpenter's thoughts while making the movie.
"How did you get the beans over the Frank"
That's one of the most hilarious line deliveries of all time
Frank & beans!!
Frank & beans!!
One of the best movies ever. I saw this at the movies with my dad when I was a kid. Didn't understand the parallel between the move and real life until I got older. I was just a wrestling fan and loved space and horror movies. My dad was really into this movie and tried to explain the parallel but again I was young and was naive to the way's of the world. Great video and keep up the good work 👍🏻🤘🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Joseph this is truly one of the greatest classics ever!!!!!!
Carpenter "nailed" it.
The thinly veiled allusions to Communism was brilliant.
I do believe that the one take improvised fight scene between Roddy and Keith was literally as painful as it looked.
Masterful fusion of Sci fi genre and action film.
Thinly veiled allusions to Communism lol. The movie was made in the yuppie era in the USA and that’s what it’s about. There’s no subtext at all, and certainly not about the USSR
@@Fake_Robot Have to agree. It's about how people sell out the country, their children's future, and all their principles and ideals for "the good life" . I don't see a hint of communism in it.
That's better represented in movies with hive minds and somewhat in zombie movies.
How those of those who can critically think felt the last few years...
Awesome, and sadly prophetic. One of my all time films.
I remember reading the short story quite a while back, in an anthology. I think the alien invaders were called "fascinators". It was very short but memorable. I like They Live as well!
Every bizarre sci-fi/fantasy movie you loved as a kid can be looked up nowadays for the source material. I found this short story around ten years ago and it’s a cool dive into a crazy story, but I think John Carpenter’s talent as a musician allows him to shove so much more meaning into a similar amount of time. If George Nada in the original story had a badass soundtrack, the heart attack sent by the Fascinators wouldn’t have worked. In the film it took real bullets to take down the hero. The original is about a regular guy who starts seeing monsters and starts killing them immediately. They Live with Roddy Piper as the star it’s more like “what if alien yuppies made Conan The Barbarian’s life boring and he fought back with shades on?” and it rocked. I saw this when I was really little, and I am glad it is now well-known.
Quite simply, one of the most important movies that a human being can watch. It’s even more relevant as we gallop into this AI future…
“Cripple fight!”🤭🤣😂👍🏿
They Live is arguably the Citizen Kane of our generation.
Well they are both thinly veiled critiques of powerful people of the era, so i guess you are not wrong there.
Read Phill K Dick's novel Ubik.
Has a lot of similar themes including the fight where he tries to get his friend to "see" too, by trying to make his friend take the unsafe experimental drug like he did.
Of course in this adaptation of the concept it was just a pair of glasses which waters it down a lot, why would your friend fight you to the limit to avoid putting on a pair of glasses? You just put them on and say; see, you're crazy. But when it is some unsafe drug you have to take, which makes people go "insane" then the concept of trying to make your friend take it has so much more punch.
Love this movie. I think they could still do a modern-day sequel:
People who were just children during the now famous "Ghoul Day" have been told that it was all just a hoax from people hacking the cable company years ago. People still go around painting "They Live, We Sleep" and "OBEY" on building walls. It's treated like a joke. People dress up and celebrate it like a corporate holiday. Most people chose to forget, and went back to their lives. Others were quieted and put away. Young John still remembers seeing his neighbors turn into melty-faced monsters and disappear in front of his eyes. He's a hard worker, who's always been told that he will never excel at anything. All of a sudden, there's a new illegal app on cell phones that let's you see things as they really ARE, and John realizes that everything he knows is indeed a lie.
(It's not a great idea, but it's a start.) Working title: "We Sleep."
I'd watch that movie.
Loved the movie, just wish the ending had been different.
They live along with Big trouble in Little China escape from New York escape from LA and of course Halloween 1978 John Carpenter is one of the absolute greatest directors of all time ☝️👍👏
Let's not forget the greatest line ever in a movie I've come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass and I'm all out of bubblegum
Loved this film. John Carpenter is one of the greats.
Hold up, hold up. Just a second here. Need to grab ALL my bubble gum.
This and People Under The Stairs. Are to great movies. This movie was ahead of the time.
God damn I love this movie. Watched the shit out it in high school, then a couple times after that, but never owned it. Then it showed up on Netflix and watched it twice in 2 days. Once for me, and the my son who loves John Carpenter movies. Who is now getting his friends to watch it. The fight scene was awesome with Keith David, the premise it great, and Roddy Rowdy I think did an excellent job.
What a throwback of appreciation. Loved this! 😊
THEY LIVE is an absolute masterpiece. And until manipulative greedy scumbags are no longer trying to control and exploit the Planet, and other people, this film will be forever relevant.
It's crazy how Roddy Piper isn't brought up in the wrestler to actor discussion.
"They Live" was an unusual sci-fi at that time.
Just rewatched this film again this past week. It still holds up well. I also recently read the short story too. The film is obviously made from the story as there are direct and obvious lines “marry and reproduce,” etc., but the short story IS it’s own thing. Interesting that the main character’s last name is Nada, as in “nothing.” Sort of like “the man with no name.”
those cannot compare to the epic character of "Nomi Malone" in the greatest documentary ever produced -- Showgirls.
I just bought the 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray around the time this video came out (without watching the video). I love this movie. The "fight" you mentioned was re-created in the "South Park" episode "Cripple fight".
I never knew the back story at all, this was just an odd little 80's gem from JC. There's quite a few of those. But, I hope the streamers are paying attention. "They Live" could be as little or big as someone could make it. A slow alien invasion. So many stories could flow from that. They could have an all season long protag who dies in the end, next season new protag.
This could morph into a lot of stories, lots of content. There already was a diverse group of characters here, so it would be easy for stories to start anywhere in the U.S. The "resistance" could be shown starting up in rural areas, in cities, in ethnic enclaves (Chinatowns and little Italys) all over the U.S.
And yeah, isn't this the state of the world right now. Not aliens, but with all the manipulation through media. It's probably on the way to getting worse. I'm not sure how far away quantum computing is, but between our voluntary addiction to social media, already existing mobile device management technology we are quickly "conveniencing" ourselves to irrelevance as a species.
And remember kids; No independent thought, obey, consume, and sleep.
That street fight, though😮
I have always wanted to watch this but for some reason I never have. I believe I will go watch it now
I kept expecting to hear "JUST PUT ON THE GLASSES"! 😂 love that movie but the fight scene is sooo long.
Always wished that someone made a video game of They Live - particularly a two player side scrolling beat em up like Alien Storm 👾
It was called Duke Nukem
My 4th favorite John Carpenter movie combination of sci-fi and action and the best knock down drag out fight scene ever 9/10
This is a great documentary. To get the full effect you have to wear sunglasses when watching.
Love this movie/documentary. Still owns the best line in any movie, I came to kick ass and chew gum and I’m all out of gum
John Carpenter is a true scholar. He's very well read. He's able to take his sense of profound mystery and translate it with cinematography. His choice of soundtracks embellishes the themes. Magnificent guy. You should address his adaptation of John Wood Campbell Jr's "Who Goes There," for his movie "The Thing."
Met Roddy shortly before he died and everyone in line was asking him who he'd want to play him in a remake of They Live. I asked him what he'd like to see in a sequel if Nada ended up living somehow. This is what SHOULD happen in a sequel called They Die. GET TO WORK ON IT JOHN.
Meg Foster was a gorgeous lady.... her eyes was just beautiful
allways loved this film, ever since I worked in a video rental shop in '88 and serial watched it to pass time during quiet hours
Nice, stellar video!!!! This movie is a classic, remember seeing this back in the theater when I was younger. Loved it then, still do, and still holds up today in my opinion 🤓👍
Classic movie. John Carpenter is Legendary, I love his movies. I want to see what a remake would look like.
Remake would ruin it
Greatest movie fistfight and Southpark further immortalized it with their "CRIPPLE FIGHT!" homage.
I am a simple man.
I see They Live content, I click on They Live content.
THE ROWDY ONE!! We lost Rod way too soon and way too young. I truly think he could have been quite an actor, at least a character actor or supporting role. He would have been great in a Tarnetino movie.
Carpenter has made 2 of my all time Top 20 movies, The Thing and Big Trouble In Little China, and thats up there with the Godfather movies, Citizen Kane, Last Picture Show, Apocolypes Now etc.
They Live is probably in my top 50 of all time and in good company. An amazing documentary.
Really appreciated this film when I initially saw it- will age well for future generations
The movie They Live takes place right before 2025. It's 2023.
This movie is one of my favorites, and I'm positive that John Carpenter is in on the real game. No other scenario explains the clown show that we live in as Americans. He took Orwell and made it reality. Plus, I LOOOOOVE 80s cheese.
Government cheese!
America? You mean the world.... the WEF, and its overlords are controlling EVERYTHING, including America
No South Park reference? The only reason why I know about this movie is from that.
“Simpsons did it” - General Disarray👌🏽
Meg Foster could've actually been the monster in Jeepers Creepers 3 😂
I LOVE this movie. Actually I love all the Carpenter movies I’ve seen.
One of my favourite films! As well as that fight, so many great one liners "formaldehyde face" 😆
One of the best Sci-Fi Films ever made IMO.
I first saw it when it had only just been released on video. I still can’t believe that it was allowed to be made and distributed during the Reagan Era.
One of the greatest documentaries ever made.
Formaldehyde face that's what we got!
The classic line 'I've come here to chew bubble gum and kick ass, and I'm all out of gum' was parodied in the computer game 'Duke Nukem 3D'