When a drifter looking for work stumbles upon a pair of sunglasses that reveal the ruling class as a colonizing alien race, he sets out to expose and destroy the invaders. Roddy Piper and Keith David star as down-on-their-luck, working class men who discover that these undercover aliens are broadcasting subliminal messages, encouraging conformity and consumerism in a plot to rule Earth. Unabashed in its social and political commentary, They Live reflects John Carpenter’s distaste for Reagan-era politics and commercialism. Based on Ray Nelson’s short story “Eight O’Clock in the Morning” and scored by Carpenter, the film has developed a strong cult following and continues to find new fans with messaging that still resonates in our current political climate.
