I must admit that I’m a little shocked that I haven’t watched They Live years, or even decades ago. I’ve been a fan of professional wrestling for nearly 40 years, so when I heard that Roddy Piper was starring in a movie, my curiosity was piqued. However, it wasn’t enough to actually watch it.
Don’t give me wrong. I’ve seen bits and pieces of They Live over the years, particularly the fight scene between Nada (Roddy Piper) and Frank (Keith David). In fact, the creators of South Park parodied this fight with Timmy and Jimmy years later. Don’t believe me? Check the side-by-side comparison below.
The biggest problem with watching an older movie (by older, I mean 30 years or more) is trying to view it within its historical context. But They Live – based on the 1963 short story “Eight O’Clock In The Morning” by Ray Nelson – touches down on some classic science fiction themes . Specifically, the idea that aliens have infiltrated Earth, and that which we think is just a part of our everyday lives is, in fact, the machinations of an alien conspiracy to take over the world.
They Live is the story of Nada, who is politely described as “a wanderer” in most synopses. He arrives in Los Angeles where he befriends Frank. Once there, Nada notices some some strange things happening. Hackers are intercepting TV signals with speeches that contains the kinds of ramblings that are the stuff ton-foil hat wearing conspiracy theorists. In addition, there is a nearby church that seems to keep really late hours.
Nada discovers that the hacker TV signal is coming from the church. There, he also finds a special pair of sunglasses which really get the story going. 87 infiltrated virtually every aspect of corporate life in the United States. They’re putting subliminal messages all over our media, lowering humans into a sense of apathy . Much as Keanu Reeves as Neo, waking up in the real world would be in The Matrix a decade later, this was Nada’s wake-up call.
Frank is not initially receptive to the truth – as he has been lured into a state of compliance for years. This leads to the classic brawl that we all know today. It’s important to note that this flight takes place nearly 2/3 of the way into the movie and is considered perhaps the films most memorable moment. After all, They Live is based on a short story. It should come as no surprise that the final act of the story is somewhat rushed after all this build-up. But this is the challenge of the Hollywood faces when they are attempting to flesh out a short-story into a feature-length motion picture.
FINAL TAKE: Worth watching, even if only once.
They Live is very much a cult classic – in every sense of the phrase. It has some truly unforgettable moments in an otherwise forgettable movie. Given the timeframe in which it was released, it’s not surprising that it became a programming filler on cable TV over the years.
But it is those l unforgettable moments: the fight, seeing a pro wrestler like Roddy Piper in a leading rule, that make they live a worthwhile watch – appealing beyond the cult-classic movie enthusiast
Thanks for stopping by Rebuilding Rob. Be sure to like, comment and subscribe to my blog below. It’s greatly appreciated! Also, feel free to follow me on social media as well! Check out my most recent posts as well as some earlier, related posts:
- ROBservations: The Gospel of Banana Ball
- Dorothy was right
- From Late Bloomer to Going For It: Lessons in Confidence and Timing
- Forgive and…Remember
- Ferris Bueller’s Day Off – And What It Means Now
The article “Rob’s Retro Review: They Live (1989)” first appeared on Rebuilding Rob
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