Based on a very short story, John Carpenter's They Live takes it to a whole new level. The film is sardonic, funny and satirical. Set during the recession of 1986, it posits the source of the Yuppie scourge of the era.
By now, few who may see this review have not seen the film, but for those few, I won't go into spoilers, but suffice it to say that anyone who loves conspiracy theories will recognize all of the elements: the ones at the top of the conspiracy, pulling the strings and all those who go along for convenience or reward or because they 'can't handle the truth.' And most of all, those few who see the truth and must fear for their lives as they try to fight apparently insurmountable odds in a society 'wired against them.' Heck, there's even a black helicopter.
As with a conspiracy theorist's perception of the world, the American (and one presumes other countries') society of They Live is unable to see the strings, let alone the puppet masters. To the everyday worker, everything seems normal. Wealth and social/economic advancement are out of reach and the media give out subliminal messages designed to demotivate, produce calm obedience and distract.
Some would compare They Live to the masterpiece 1984 in the way it predicts top-down manipulation of the working class and lower class by design. They Live adds humor and sci-fi, but the message is there. Some say that in the years since this film was created, some of the trends imagined in it have come to pass. I wouldn't argue with that.
By now, few who may see this review have not seen the film, but for those few, I won't go into spoilers, but suffice it to say that anyone who loves conspiracy theories will recognize all of the elements: the ones at the top of the conspiracy, pulling the strings and all those who go along for convenience or reward or because they 'can't handle the truth.' And most of all, those few who see the truth and must fear for their lives as they try to fight apparently insurmountable odds in a society 'wired against them.' Heck, there's even a black helicopter.
As with a conspiracy theorist's perception of the world, the American (and one presumes other countries') society of They Live is unable to see the strings, let alone the puppet masters. To the everyday worker, everything seems normal. Wealth and social/economic advancement are out of reach and the media give out subliminal messages designed to demotivate, produce calm obedience and distract.
Some would compare They Live to the masterpiece 1984 in the way it predicts top-down manipulation of the working class and lower class by design. They Live adds humor and sci-fi, but the message is there. Some say that in the years since this film was created, some of the trends imagined in it have come to pass. I wouldn't argue with that.