Roddy Piper always seemed like an unusual choice for the role of Nada in John Carpenter’s “The Live” to me. Especially considering the film itself is less an action thriller, and more of a science fiction film that slowly elevates its horror when you consider how much this world reflects our own. The aliens themselves aren’t so much extra terrestrials, but are just us. They’re unrecognizable because they’ve submitted themselves to the decadence and subliminal commands of their overlords. The people that have chosen to act with them are akin to the Jews who chose to ally themselves with the Nazis. They’re slimy, but they’re acting on survival. The aliens have found a way to destroy society from the inside out, and we don’t actually realize it until we break the status quo and put on sunglasses.
In the eighties, sunglasses seemed like the ultimate “fuck you” to the establishment, and it works as a low tech solution to the aliens’ illusion. Take off the rose colored glasses, and put on some darker shades to see what they really look like. And in the midst of the revelation, Nada takes his only ally Frank in to an alleyway and beat the truth in to him. It’s one of the best fight scenes in film history, but an important turn, because Nada will do whatever it takes to make Frank see the light. And Frank fights not only out of anger, but almost at the fear that Nada may be correct that the world around us is nothing but a cage, and we’re all mice. “They Live” is still a very volatile and clever commentary on society, though it’s much more in context of the eighties where the decade revolved around consumption and making money.
In the modern age, it’s just as relevant especially now that advertising has seeped in to our collective unconscious and scientists have discovered free will is nothing but an illusion. “They Live” features one of the few wrestlers to take a swing at acting and pull it off with flying colors. Roddy Piper gives a raucous performance as the mysterious Nada, who rolls in to town looking for work and shelter, and discovers that the homeless community have built a rebellion against mysterious forces working on the outside. When Nada survives an attack from local authorities, and stumbles upon mysterious black sunglasses, he is shocked to discover that the shades reveal a world we have never seen before. It’s a world controlled by beings that lead us in to consumption, reproduction, and blindly following. Nada and friend Frank (played by Carpenter alum Keith David) seek to bring down the alien inner sanctum and find that it goes so much deeper than any of them realize.
“They Live” works wonders as a low tech science fiction tale, where Carpenter is able to build an entirely new world out of so little, and suggests a war that’s ensuing that only a percentage of the world is in on, since most of us are too concerned with television and eating to realize we’re nothing but sheep. Director Carpenter is able to balance out many genres for “They Live” injecting action, comedy, horror, and pure science fiction in to the mix that create this demented hybrid that is likely the best John Carpenter film ever made. Truthfully, once Nada and Frank become alien ass kickers in the finale, “They Live” becomes less and less satirical, and more science fiction adventure, but Carpenter leads in to a final pay off that’s not only hilarious, but sets the stage for a massive mind-blowing awakening for the entire world that could lead to a new way of life. Or complete and utter chaos. John Carpenter was once a fan of leaving fans with their jaws hanging on the floor, and “They Live” pulls it off.
With its treatment on Blu-Ray from Scream! Factory, “They Live” can go on for many more years to be appreciated by cult fans, and Piper gets to be appreciated as one of the genres most underrated heroes. Featured in the excellent blu-ray from Scream! Factory is a reversible art for fans including a wonderful new cover from Tom Hodge. For folks who love the original poster, you can reverse it on the case. Within the stuffed Blu-Ray edition, there’s an audio commentary from writer and director John Carpenter and star Roddy Piper who have a blast talking about working on the film, and what the experience was like. There’s the ten minute “Independent Thoughts” featuring John Carpenter who speaks about the film’s themes about anti-establishment, how the film was conceived, and its influences. “Woman of Mystery” is a five minute interview with Meg Foster, and what her thoughts on making the movie were.
“Watch, Look, Listen: The Sights and Sounds of They Live” is an eleven minute look at the production behind the film including stunts, style, and the music with Director of Photography Gary B. Kibbe, Stunt Coordinator Jeff Imada, and Co-Composer Alan Howarth. “Man vs. Alien” is an eleven minute interview with the great Keith David who discusses his seasoned career, why he took the role of Frank, and his experience working on “The Thing.” “The Making of They Live” is an eight minute behind the scenes feature, which explores the film’s themes, the plot, and cast. There’s two minutes of Never Before Seen Footage, and assorted extras like TV spots, a Still Gallery, and the original Trailers for They Live, Halloween II, and Halloween III.