They Live

Rating:
Summary: THEY LIVE - We sleep, obey, submit, consume, watch TV...
Review: This is certainly the most discussed Carpenter's work today. And one of his best films. A unemployed, homeless man, named John Nada - Nada for nothing - and played by wrestler Roddy Piper, arrives in L.A. from Colorado and discovers, thanks to some special sunglasses, that the top levels of our society (politics, business, show-business, police, army, medias, etc.) is ruled by infiltrated aliens who have turned the earth to their law - the law of money and profit, through the annihilation of any human conscience. The first reflex he has is shoot any of them, as many as possible, no matter if he's wanted by everybody after that. Soon, he and a big Black guy (Keith "The Thing", "Platoon" David) he succeeded in opening his eyes after a famous long fight sequence, are the only ones to be able to break the situation and give the Earth back to the human kind.

The most disturbing aspect of this tale, is less that fact than the attitude of many humans (including the main female character, the only real 'bad' one created by Carpenter in his career, along with "Christine", the living car with a girl name, able to have deadly feelings) who know about the presence and purpose of the aliens, and collaborate with them (sell their souls to the Devil) in order to make personal fortunes, with a complete despise for their own kind. So we can say that this movie is also a version of the Faust myth, as well as a hard, modern version of Jack Finney's "Body Snatchers" (the infiltrated aliens) and George Orwell's "1984" (the subliminal messages invisible to the human eye, that Big Brother'd have appreciated).

But finally, Carpenter has certainly made this movie to show his very pessimistic vision of the human being, only interested in making as much money as possible, no matter how (the hell with dignity), and to ask a big question: does this alien society really exist? Do we really live in a system ruled by strangers from outer space (assimilated by Carpenter to the republicans) and encouraging non-stop consumption and race to money and fake happiness? Much stronger - and better - to "The Matrix", eleven years before, and very, very disturbing. Big John's anger at its top.

Rating:
Summary: THEY LIVE - We sleep, obey, submit, consume, watch TV...
Review: This is certainly the most discussed Carpenter's work today. And one of his best films. A homeless man, named John Nada - Nada for nothing, in Spanish - and played by wrestler Roddy Piper, comes to Los Angeles straight from Colorado and discovers, thanks to some special sunglasses (for once not used for showing around, like in "The Matrix") that the highest levels of our society (business, show-business, politics, army, police...) are ruled by infiltrated aliens who turned the world to their own law, the law of money and benefit, through the annihilation of any human conscience. After a unforgettable fighting sequence, he makes a big Black guy (Keith "The Thing", "Platoon" David) open his eyes about them, and they soon are the only ones to make something about the situation and give the world back to the human kind.

The most disturbing aspect of this tale, is less that fact than the attitude of many humans (including the main female character, the only real 'bad' one created by Carpenter in his career, along with "Christine", the living car with a girl name, able to have deadly feelings) who know about the presence and purpose of the aliens, and collaborate with them (sell their souls to the Devil) in order to make personal fortunes, with a complete despise for their own kind. So we can say that this movie is also a version of the Faust myth, as well as a hard, modern version of Jack Finney's "Body Snatchers" (the infiltrated aliens) and George Orwell's "1984" (the subliminal messages invisible to the human eye, that Big Brother'd have appreciated).

But finally, Carpenter has certainly made this movie to show his very pessimistic vision of the human being, only interested in making as much money as possible, no matter how (the hell with dignity), and to ask a big question: does this alien society really exist? Do we really live in a system ruled by strangers from outer space (assimilated by Carpenter to the Republicans) and encouraging non-stop consumption and race to money and fake happiness? Released eleven years before "The Matrix", "They Live" is much stronger and more interesting and, of course, very, very disturbing. Big John's anger at its top.

Rating:
Summary: They Live
Review: This is a great movie that should not have been placed out of DVD print. The action is unbelievable and the story is very original. Aliens basically come and blend in with us but set up a transmitter that makes everyone see them as regular people. Well a group of underground resistant figures them out and although they mean no harm they want to expose them. The ending is fantastic and i would recommend the VHS if you really want it. I would rank this in my Top 10 of " B-movies " ! Roddy Piper reals takes it to them !

Rating:
Summary: A cool sci-fi flick
Review: A cool John Carpenter flick about aliens disguised as human beings taking over our minds. The only way to see them as aliens is with certain sunglasses. Also, this movie has the longest fight seen ever(about 8 minutes). Basically, the movie is disguised aliens trying to control our minds.

Rating:
Summary: One of Carpenter's best besides HALLOWEEN and THE THING!
Review: THEY LIVE has everything that you would ever want in an action/sci-fi movie and more. It even has touches of black comedy (such as the classic 5 minute fight scene that seems to go on forever, and the ending where the girl is doing it with an alien without even knowing it) and great action and suspense scenes. And I can't believe I'm saying this, but "Rowdy" Roddy Piper (remember him from the WWF?) is actually very good in this. Sure, the effects may not be that good, but that's all part of the cheesiness-- and that's what makes this film TONS of fun to watch!

Many have not considered this one of Carpenter's best. HALLOWEEN, in my opinion, was his best film; THE THING was excellent; and THEY LIVE is great. The beginning of THEY LIVE is a little boring, but stick with it, and you'll see how good it is. Actually, the second half of the film is slightly better than the first half.

This is a must-see for ANY Carpenter fan!

Rating:
Summary: You can't get much better then this ...
Review: John Carpenter was always a maker of matinee film, eventhough he has been elevated via horror geeks into some kind of film god who has since fallen from grace. His career maintains a fairly level sensibility and subject in film, despite various budgets. Here is an example of a small budget with full matinee payoff thanks to John and his crew. Roddy Piper seems an odd choice since Kurt Russell had been the lead of the 3 previous Carpenter projects, but Rowdy Roddy delivers fully. The plot, although slow, is deliberate and interesting leading into some of the best action sequences of 80's guy's flicks. The entire pacing and feel of the first half is really artistic compared to modern films which just barrel along without thought for mood. The lack of dialogue, and reliance on facial expresion or background information is especially crafty, and avoids Roddy possibly extinguishing credibility through bad acting. The constant revelations of the economic divisions in America and their causes in this film's reality are well timed, and keep the viewer hooked. Sure, the aliens look rubbery, and the security guards use props from Ghostbusters to communicate, but the same people lambasting such trivialities probably think Star Trek aliens look realistic. Seriously people, its a film, and as such it is extremely fun and clever without being pompous or heavy handed. It even gets better with repeated viewing! Kudos Mr. Carpenter for making an endearing American classic of the action genre that is second only to the greatest action(comedy?) ever : Death Wish III. This film only disappoints the inflexible, self-important, arm chair critics...and that means you too, Maltin!!!

'They Live' was recently shown at a Carpenter fest in Hollywood, and frankly the DVD/TV versions do it no justice. If you can ever see it on the silver screen you will catch all sorts of detail that was not evident on the small screen. John spoke to the crowd during a Q&A revealing that tthe studio will NOT release his recent commentary track with Piper in the states, but only in Europe. He then urged that if you want to hear the track on American DVD you should write the studio.

Rating:
Summary: MEN IN BLACK : THE SEARCH FOR THE GLASSES
Review: Produced by Larry Franco and directed by John Carpenter in 1988, THEY LIVE never appears on the list of the best movies of the american master. I don't understand why. The carpenterian theme by excellence, the rebellion against the establishment, is the central theme of THEY LIVE, and, as far as it concerns action, the movie features one of the most impressing bare hand fights ever presented on screen.

Furthermore THEY LIVE presents a good sci-fi cliché à la Philip K. Dick - they're among us and I'm the only one who sees them -, a theme treated with intelligence by John Carpenter who does have a lot of fun to criticize our contemporary society. One will recognize some of the ideas of the movie in another Carpenter opus directed 10 years later : ESCAPE FROM L.A.

If you're a Carpenter fan, this DVD will soon be in your library but be aware that there isn't even a menu and that you're just allowed to surf into a scene access department. Shame on Image for their lack of respect. Great images and sound though.

A DVD zone rebellion.

Rating:
Summary: I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass.
Review: And I'm all out of bubblegum.

Have you ever felt like there was something not quite right
with the world? Like there was a massive conspiracy lying just
below the surface, but you couldn't quite see it? Well, you
were right! "They Live" exposes the truth, and Rowdy Rody doesn't
like what he sees.

John Carpenter's best work. Filled with off-key humor
and great lines that you'll never forget. Features one of the
best back-alley fights ever filmed, which by itself is worth
the bargain price of the DVD.

Rating:
Summary: I'm gonna try to order this one
Review: If you haven't figured it out, it's not simply Republicans. Run a search on "Frankfurt School" and you've got the ideological underpinnings for this hysterical film. Sure, other countries can boast their state-supported "culture" films with actors shouting pompous softball Marxist lines in massive traffic jams; those are fine films. But Mr. Carpenter's auteur vision (he wrote the script under a pseudonym) features a working-class hero who could kick all their butts without breaking character in the most elegantly transparent, completely unpretentious Marxist parable produced anywhere. Hollywood in the Reagan 80s just makes it much sweeter.

Rating:
Summary: THE GREATEST MOVIE OF ALL TIME!!!
Review: From the opening credits I knew this movie was going to stick with me for the rest of my life. Not only did this movie supply enough action and suspense to keep me glued to the screen, it also gave me the courage to get through my everyday boring life. The ending kept me thinking and that is a main ingredient for a legendary movie. Rent this...no, buy this movie immediately!