Essi vivono

I discovered very lately this legendary film, during an « UGC culte » evening, in Paris. Essi vivono (1988) has certainly aged a lot but the diatribe against the exacerbated consumerism of the 70s and 80s is sadly still relevant. A decade after the well-known Halloween - La notte delle streghe (1978), John Carpenter delivered a smart and well-built movie. Nowadays, it's definitely cult and a must-see!

There's a world that is hidden and unseen, that manipulates although it's all been screened, imperceptibly subtle, will direct your every shuffle, it's a greedy and insatiable machine. All governed by those in the know, through foundations set down long ago, you're oblivious to it, though you support and pay forfeit, provide the toil, that helps it to grow. On occasion, it might let you join, to ensure there's a good flow of coin, keep up the façade, as they cheat and defraud, and continue their legal purloin.

Still a wonderful piece of observational filmmaking that seems to have grown more relevant, in more parts of the planet, as the years have regressed.

I have to say something here. This movie is actually very good. It was a mixture of sci-fi and political and sociological imagery. I thought the fact that the turncoat working with the aliens that were brainwashing the public was employed in the media was a brilliant way of showing how the media moguls consider us to be sheeple and use their power to persuade any way they see fit. This movie was actually quite well down, considering it did not have a blockbuster budget.

I would rather watch this than waste my time on the Matrix, which I think is a complete waste of time. The main plot of the movie was Nada discovering a worldwide conspiracy that used subliminal messages to "herd the sheep". Is this not a metaphor of what we see ever day? The media, commercials, billboards, etc, use subliminal messaging to encourage the actions of the public at large.

John Carpenter did a wonderful job. Roddy Piper's acting abilities were definitely above average, which is a lot more that I will ever to be able to say about anything Keanu Reeves has ever done. As usual, Keith David turned in a great performance. The reason this a cult classic is because it is a very good movie that requires the watcher to think.

I remember first seeing They Live when I was 10 and I totally fell in love with this film. How could a ten year old not? There's wrestlers, aliens and a plot to take over the world. My friends and I quoted this film for weeks on end with the Bubble gum and kicking @$$ line being a favourite among all. The only real complaint that I have about the film is that the aliens when finally revealed are far too human. They basically look like a skeleton with bug eyes. Not a whole lot of energy seemed to go into their design. While They Live will never be remembered as a film that redefined the way films were made, it still to this day holds a place in my heart as one of the films that just defines your youth. It is fun, action packed and has just enough cool storyline to keep you interested from start to finish.

I discovered this movie when I was younger and fell in love. Rediscovering it now that I'm older makes me an appreciate the nuances in its meaning. It's a great tongue-in-cheek jab at consumerism and control.

John Carpenter does a great job at blending aliens living amongst us with the idea of governmental control and manipulation through advertisements. What would you do if you discovered you were being conditioned and manipulated by a non-human entity? Would you grab some bubble gum and kick some ass? Or would you give in to the powers that be and stay submissive? The decision is up to you.