They Live: Possibly Carpenter's most underrated movie?

[SweetZombieJesus]

For me, it's a tie between this and In The Mouth Of Madness. Big Trouble In Little China, The Thing, Halloween, and Escape From New York usually get the lion's share of the praise, but I think these two are right up there with them, at least in terms of my own entertainment. I actually started writing a concept album based loosely on the plot of They Live once, and I've always dug Carpenter's music, especially the main title themes of Halloween and Escape From New York.

But right now, They Live's taking on this added relevance given the current administration. Of course, lots of stuff is like that. When an administration this blatantly corrupt, cynical, and downright stupid is in charge of the free world, the line between fiction and truth is almost obliterated.

[MrBenchley]

1. A greatish movie

and way under-rated...

By the way, I also loved "Big Trouble in Little China."

[Deja Q]

2. They recently re-relased the movie on DVD

Nothing really new though, but I didn't look long at it. I own the original DVD release...

[SweetZombieJesus]

4. It's on AMC right now, that's what spurred the post

I never thought a movie starring Roddy Piper could be good, but it is.

[MrScorpio]

3. There's always a common plot device to most of his flicks

And that is the lone good guy taking on a massive horde of baddies.

If you watch a lot his flicks, you get the feeeling that you're having deja-vu all over again.

[SweetZombieJesus]

7. It's pretty common in the genre

I do like that most of the time, his movies don't have a typical happy ending. They Live ends with Roddy getting shot, The Thing ends with Keith David and Kurt Russell sitting in the snow watching each other, In The Mouth Of Madness ends with Sam Neill in the movie theater watching the whole story over again. It's these kind of endings that first drew me to his movies, especially the fucking classic ending to Escape From New York.

I will point out the most obvious chink in the armor though: Escape From L.A. Much less a sequel than an outright remake, right down to the "Snake fucks the status quo" ending. And Snake surfing a giant tidal wave was just too fucking much. Buscemi and Pam Grier as a tranny were nice touches though.

[madrchsod]

5. i think" they live"is his

best movie. far more reality based than any of his movies.roddy piper is very good in this movie- the only thing i don`t like is the long fight scene in the alley,just to long to be believable. "escape" was good only because of the actors the story line was mediocore..

[MrScorpio]

6. "I've come to kick Repug ass and chew bubblegum"

"And I'm all outta bubblegum."

[rasputin1952]

13. "Life's a bitch...

and she's back in heat".

Interesting one liners in here. I haven't seen it in so long, I forgot about that.


LOL!!! :bounce:

[SweetZombieJesus]

8. Come on! The fight scene is fucking classic!

Aside from the wrestling moves thrown in, its great because you never see long, stumbling fights in action movies. It wasn't polished and rapid fire like a Matrix fight, it was closer to what real back alley fights look like.

The South Park where they recreated almost the entire fight with Timmy and Jimmy was great.

[rasputin1952]

10. The fight scene is pretty funny...

i know of NO ONE that could take an ass kicking like that and get up to do it again!

LOL

Here it comes!

[Droopy]

9. Awesome movie

I saw an interview with the director and he said it was a response to the Reagan years. So you can see how it would be relavent now-a-days. I don't usually watch a movie more than once and it is one of the few movies that I've done so.

[Rabrrrrrr]

11. Cool movie! And now I'm thinking, I gotta watch The Thing tonight

Since I don't have The Live on DVD.

In the Mouth of Madness is also incredible. Actually very non-Carpenterish to me, though it's still DOES have his fingerprint on it. I guess I'm trying to say, Mouth of Madness is unique in his ouevre, but definitely still in his style.

[Swede]

14. Mouth of Madness was Carpenter's homage to HP Lovecraft.

The Old Ones,interdimensional horror,it was all there.

[Rabrrrrrr]

12. Though I've not seen it in a long, long time, The Fog was incredible

As I remember it, it very suspenseful and scary - I watched it on TV, so it came with commercials, and I remember being really, really relieved when a commercial came. It's not so much scary - thought it can be - but almost miraculously suspenseful and thus stressful and filled with tension.