I Have Come Here to Chew Bubblegum and Kick Ass ...
"... and I'm all out of bubble gum."
That classic quote is from one of the best films to come out of that horrible, coke-fueled decade we know as the 1980s. The movie? John Carpenter's They Live.
Now go on, go ahead and comment below that you haven't seen it. I know you haven't. That's why I keep writing these.
Done yet? Okay. They Live is part social critique, part dumb shoot-em-up, and all awesome. The plot basically goes like this:
"Rowdy" Roddy Piper plays a drifter who stumbles upon a secret plan to dominate the human race by aliens... by putting on a pair of sunglasses. The rest of the movie is basically Piper going around trying to convince people they're being invaded, in between getting shot at by the cops- both alien and human alike.
Now, I could go on and list the 843 reasons why you should see They Live. Believe me, I've got the time. Instead, I will show you the number one reason, below:
That's right. The South Park guys based the infamous "cripple fight" scene on the epic five minute slugfest between Piper and his co-star Keith David. That alone is reason enough why you need to see this film.
All action-movie crap aside, They Live is a fairly sharp commentary on the rampant consumerism of the '80s. You'll notice I didn't say "subtle"- this movie is a few things, but sneaky isn't one of them. When Piper first puts on the magic sunglasses and sees a wad of money, the words "THIS IS YOUR GOD" are revealed. When he looks at a billboard advertisement, the glasses show it as actually saying "OBEY". I'm sure the significance of this isn't lost on some of you.
As time marches on, They Live will probably continue to be mostly overlooked as a product of a decade we'll thankfully never have to live through again... unless you take a look around and realize that we're doing exactly that. With the economy in the crapper, more people than ever wanting your hard-earned cash, and VH1 on the rise, Carpenter's classic movie seems more relevant than ever. That's okay, though. I know you won't see it. Just watch more TV and continue to sleep, America.
MisterSatan is going to try to make a regular thing out of these articles, bringing to your attention gems you might have otherwise missed. He and his wife, unravled, have collectively been on SG since 1999.
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Comments
Cassiel
Aurora, CO
September 2004
MAR 27, 2008 07:35 PM
Cosmo
Lansdale, PA
November 2003
MAR 27, 2008 07:51 PM
defaultx
I'm lost
February 2006
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wickedgrin
Birmingham, AL
October 2004
MAR 27, 2008 07:55 PM
defaultx
I'm lost
February 2006
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Hastur
Eugene, OR
February 2003
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ckdexterhaven
USA
December 2005
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Calgary, AB
March 2007
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Grimes, IA
May 2007
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strndniowa
Grimes, IA
May 2007
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crispy
NEWSWIRE
Philadelphia, PA
MAR 27, 2008 08:22 PM
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Brooklyn, NY
February 2004
MAR 27, 2008 08:25 PM
PaulNikon
Palm Bay, FL
February 2003
MAR 27, 2008 09:05 PM
Metaverse
USA
March 2005
MAR 27, 2008 09:11 PM
Mr_Matt_
Pompano Beach, FL
July 2005
MAR 27, 2008 09:19 PM
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