They Live
There are some films that at the time of release are enjoyed and appreciated as a fun B movie experience and makes a nice chunk of change, but in the years (and decades) to come take on a whole new meaning as an eerily prescient, timely up to the present day piece of cinematic revelation that deserves to be taught and studied in both film school AND sociology courses as something that hit the mark in ripping open the fabric of the ills in our society and exposing them as what they are. Thus did the old master John Carpenter do so in 1988 with yet another masterpiece under his belt, both a sci-fi alien picture with lots of action as well as a brilliant piece of social commentary that remains just as relevant today as it did over 25 years ago when Carpenter claimed it was an attack on Reaganomics but comes off as even more damning in the age of Obama. For the casting of the lead role, Carpenter took a seriously big gamble and brought in Hall Of Fame Wrestling Legend Roddy Piper, a guy who had never acted in a major movie before and whom Carpenter couldnāt be sure if he COULD act, but unlike his usual go to leading man Kurt Russell who carried his own persona with him by now to every movie he did, Piper cuts his own impressive figure with a character deliberately written to have a minimalist amount of development, almost to be seen as an anonymous embodiment of the American working man fallen on hard times, never referred to by any name in the film itself but listed in the credits as āNadaā (nothing). And the joy is in the fact that Piper DOES pull it off beautifully, just as imposing in his strong and silent moments as he is funny and likable in his wisecracking action hero moments (with bits and pieces taken from his real life wrestling personality) topped off with an optimistic (at least early on) attitude that the American Dream still works and that heās more than willing to wait for his ship to come in rather than sit around and complain like others do. Drifting into the LA area and lucking into a construction job while staying at a homeless commune of sorts, Piper soon stumbles onto the possibility that something is afoot with certain people who administer the place from a church across the street, a seeming rebel movement against, well what? Society? Turns out society is basically controlled and coerced by the elite and priviledged types among us, a claim that many of us in real life espouse (ala Illuminati), but here the elitists are actually honest to God aliens, and the rebels led by Peter Jason and Raymond St. Jacques as a blind but strangely perceptive preacher are looking to break their hold on society by exposing them, which requires shutting off a mind control signal that hides their identities and motives whist keeping us in a sublimally docile state. The only way to see through their illusion of reality is by wearing a specially designed pair of sunglasses, which when Piper does is when the movie shifts gears from being a sad commentary on being poor and homeless to being a fun, badass, and highly satiric sci fi free for all. Piper runs around, raises hell by taking out aliens, then when the cops are after him, tries to get his buddy from the construction site (Keith David) to join him by putting on the glasses and joining the cause. Just one problem: David has no interest in doing so, even if it means knowing the truth, which leads to the filmās piece de resistance, an extended 5+ minute bruising fist fight between the two heroes, both a marvel to watch in and of itself as well as a brilliant metaphor for how the wealthy and powerful would have us common folk fight amongst ourselves over things as trivial as politics and values which makes them even stronger in the process. Long since declared and decided as the greatest fight scene in cinema history, it really is amazing the meaning that such a scene could have in the bigger picture as well. Other characters of note include a rather untrustworthy human female played by Meg Foster whom Piper nonetheless develops a soft spot for, and a homeless Drifter played by legendary movie hobo George āBuckā Flower who later on turns up in a tux at a fancy elite party after having sold out his fellow humans. It is Piper though, who still shines the brightest here, and whom with his legendary āchew bubble gum and kick assā line, achieves an iconic screen immortality which no other pro wrestler turned movie actor, whether it be Hulk Hogan, Andre The Giant, or even The Rock has ever pulled off, and why Piper never made the Hollywood A list remains a mystery, although the low budget, working class trajectory of his own career actually enhances the staying power of his performance here. In the end, much, much more than just a sci-fi action classic, an incredible look at social displacement and discontent that later efforts like the Best Picture nominated District 9 could never live up toā¦
10/10