They Live (1988)

After stumbling into a new town while looking for work, John Nada discovers an underground resistance hellbent on waking the general public from their slumber induced by insidious forces who control mass media and government entities. Their secret weapon? Sunglasses that filter out subliminal messages and illusions fed through television, advertisements, and more than you could possibly imagine.

 

Filled with an uncanny amount of prescience that foretold the rise of hyperconsumerism, police militarization, authoritarianism, far-reaching oligarchies, corporate greed, class warfare, collective lethargy, and unyielding zealotry, John Carpenter’s “They Live" was ultimately considered a commercial failure at the time of its release. Eventually it became a cult phenomenon, where people often know many of its hooks but have never taken the bait.

 

We are here to tell you that this film is an overlooked masterpiece that sparks important questions, encourages public discourse, and urges viewers to question the ideologies and worldviews that make up their reality.

 

Disclaimer: A sizable portion of this episode is missing because our recording became corrupted halfway through. Was foul play involved? Are the social elite purposely trying to silence your favorite film podcast? Was it an inside job, or did Kevin accidentally press the wrong button? You decide. As always, thank you to our supporters, and we hope you enjoy the discussion.

 

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