They Live - Renegade Cut

How does Ronald Reagan fit in with the politics of the 1988 John Carpenter sci-fi film They Live? Support Renegade Cut Media through Patreon: / renegadecut
They Live - written and directed by John Carpenter. Starring Roddy Piper and Keith David.
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Please watch: "Thor Ragnarok - Colonialism in Asgard | Renegade Cut"
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[@renegadecut9875]

My politics are better defined now than they were when this video was made. If something I said years ago that contradicts something I said in 2020, it's because I have evolved on issues and ideology. I was a garden variety progressive, and now I'm a leftist.

[@jizburg]

Thanks for this video

[@taotaostrong]

Watching in 2020. Thank you for this.

[@gideonmacgowan7529]

I am glad to hear that your views have developed and progressed. I appreciate this analysis of they live, keep making amazing content thank you

[@luke9947]

I really like when people change ideas and are open about it

[@CHMernerner]

Progressing of ideology of oneself is great

[@bmillervideos2094]

"They live" is the original "The Matrix"...ijs

[@paulcurran9343]

And 1984 before that.... and Metropolis before that....

[@edwardiganz2478]

I can agree to disagree there. Polar opposites in every aspect.

[@Haibread]

I always interpreted the ending of this movie not as necesarily saying that the aliens where defeated for good but that the people recieved a warning sign of what's going on that they can't posibly ignore. Much like watergate didn't solve goverment corruption by any means but it definitly succeded in making the people more skeptical of the political sistem. Sometimes that's all it matters. So I don't think the movie is overly optimistic because it never truly tells us what the effects of nada's actions will be, the ending is kind of ambiguos.

[@sankalparora8146]

Straight on point - even Carpenter's ending score was not called Freedom, or Salvation, or anything... it was called "Wake Up", and the way I see it, that is the only thing which is needed, rest can be done after that.

[@HBarnill]

Carpenter was a master at making films showcasing how humans are the true monsters. Same with Romero (RIP).

[@ivannichols90]

I see you are a man of taste with that The Offspring profile picture:). I have it tattooed on my chest. Its my favorite band

[@wonkywilla3263]

DesertPunk993 i see your profile picture says fuck society. congrats

[@ivannichols90]

@@wonkywilla3263 Its from the series Mr Robot, if you ever get a chance to check out a episode or two do it. In my opinion it's an absolutely amazing series and has a great attention to detail. All the hacks in it are all wrote correctly and are possible. Anonymous helped make sure they got all the coding correct.

[@wonkywilla3263]

DesertPunk993 im sure its sick as fuck

[@plucas1]

Remember: The ONLY thing that has ever trickled down from the rich to the poor was colored yellow, not green.

[@christianfriisjensen2055]

I STRONGLY disagree!! Some it was also brown and runny.

[@pauly260]

Well at least they told us it was just the rain, so that makes it okay, right?

[@andrebrynkus2055]

There's a reason why economists call it horse$#!+ economics. (At least the credible economists that aren't praising it for a chance to be on TV.)

[@badasunicorn6870]

Gold coins? (joking, obvs)

[@stefanvalkola4513]

I think this is going to be remembered as one of the best Renegade Cut video essays. Has any episode prior had this much content and perspective in less than 12 minutes before? I think we have just witnessed a classic. If you're reading this comment in 2019 or later, put one right here (Holds up hand for high fives)

[@martins.4240]

2020 here. Up high!

[@hansr.9037]

Gotcha in '21

[@JasonBeam7]

22 here!

[@cameronbland1530]

Hi fives from the tail end of 2022

[@IrizarryBrandon]

✋

[@destroyerofheroes]

They Live is a perfect example of somebody channeling their frustrations into creating their art. Carpenter was able to vent about the current political/social/economic climates in an abstract way. When the movie came out, a lot of people didn't even really catch on to some of the themes within the film or just put their own unique spin on it. With that being said, there's no way to just go back and force a perspective on somebody. The movie resonates with people on different levels as some aspects hit closer to home than others. New generations will continue to find aspects of this movie relevant without ever living through the Regan era. The alien image with OBEY on it has been incorporated into graffiti, pop culture art, skateboarding, toys, etc. over the years. At its core, people tend to identify with "The Man" trying to keep the little guy down. It's a concept that a ton of people can relate to. There's just a small number of people trying to make it into Liberals vs Conservatives.

[@Painocus]

Appropriating left-wing culture and terms in order to try to legitimize themselves by association is one of the right's favorite tactics. The world "libertarian" being the most successful examples as far as American politics is concerned. They are not doing this out of ignorance and idiocy (well not all of them at-least), it is an intentional tactic.

[@wewrestlenot]

The film is a masterpiece!

[@danielallen3454]

You know, I got the obvious symbols and themes of this film, but I *never* made the connection to Reagan. Personally, i always found the film rather neutral in terms of party. You've given me something to think about. Well done, and thank you.

[@TheTaquitoProject]

Reaganomics is why real wages have stagnated for decades

[@gregorygeorge5060]

Thanks Leon, a very accurate analysis of what this sometimes overlooked but yet brilliant satire of the reaganomics is really about. Keep it up, you're doing a great job!

[@samuelhaagendaas2992]

This is awesome. I live in Texas right now, and I actually know a handful of people who think Ronald Regan is the best US president. It really bums me out.

[@PancakemonsterFO4]

Well it's Texas after all...

[@thegardenoffragileegos1845]

I cringe when alt-righters quote selectively quote Bill Hicks and George Carlin.

[@lynnpehrson8826]

S a m e

[@antenman]

Haha, yeah, quoting Carlin, the man who explicitly, and vehemently opposed right wing extremists... Just watch him on KZbin talking about school shootings, rightly predicting church shootings, and what will happen in the advent of an economic collapse...

[@kingboobs20]

They all think they're the new Hicks and Carlin but really they're just the new Andrew Dice Clay, and Hicks and Carlin didn't have very kind words to say about Clay.

[@ryancier]

right? George Carlin has a LOT more in common w/ Mark Fisher than they would ever like to think.

[@shruglifecomedy5709]

Bill Hicks was weird about his politics, so I kinda get it but carlin? That's just insane 😂

[@NinjaRodent]

I understand that art is subjective and everyone gets their own interpretations and all that but to think that this movie is anything other than anti-capitalist and anti-wealthy is crazy.

[@ksang2121]

Exactly , a lot of the alien propaganda posters say consume , idfk how right wingers interpret that as anti socialist 😂

[@williamshears9953]

@@ryanotte6737 to be fair wwi was based on epic sagas and anglo saxon folklore

[@twigwigsoso]

@@ksang2121right wingers saying this movie is for them right next to their "YOU MUST HAVE 10 CHILDREN TO SAVE THE WHITE RACE, YOU MUST BREED. DIE FOR YOUR BOSS. KILL THE POOR" posts

[@alvaroramos9069]

To be fair, the destruction of a communications satellite is pretty significant. Communications is the way that the ideology is spread. The Russian and Spanish revolutions both took over communications in order to disrupt and replace the ideology. While they were taking sovereignty of everything else, the takeover of communications helped a lot.

[@jpbell82]

I think this at be your best analysis yet, or at least MY favorite one so far.

[@evilapiary5860]

Note that H. W. Bush himself recognized Reagan's economic policy as Voodoo Economics, but once he became Reagan's running mate he didn't have the integrity to challenge him on it.

[@JoseGonzalez-hp9uy]

True

[@scottgrohs5940]

That may have been because behind closed doors Reagan threatened to pin the entire Iran-Contra scandal on him. Bill Barr would have gone along, as he seems to like doing a strongman President’s bidding.

[@patrickmike2524]

I noticed the same complete misunderstanding with the Drumhead episode of Star Trek TNG, right wingers thinking its about SJWs and not about McCarthyism

[@jakobsanchez738]

No joke, I got done watching this movie before the upload, lol. Great analysis!

[@jchaconrivas]

I guess that, now in 2020 and the world pandemic crisis, this movie needs to be re-reviewed or re analized.

[@ksang2121]

Doubt that'll happen today, movies like these arent made anymore

[@AstralPhnx]

The message of the movie isn't going to change. It's a critique on reganism and unchecked capitalism. That isn't going to change. However in the current day the things this film critiques have just gotten even worse

[@AshtonCoolman]

I'm on the left and this movie is still as relevant and prescient today as it was back then.

[@martinzyka6432]

I'm already eating from the trash can all the time. The name of this trash can is ideology. *sniff*

[@scottgrohs5940]

The man that stands for nothing falls for anything.

[@PoletBally]

The highlight of this film's afterlife was when Roddy Piper was discussing it on the Alex Jones show, as it is one of Alex Jones' "favorite movies". He knows exactly what the movie was trying to say. Even better than the director.

[@Advent3546]

Wow. I knew the movie was critical of capitalism the first time I watched it, but I was not thinking it in terms of Reaganomics at all. I guess I was overshadowed by Rowdy Piper fighting Keith David in an alley for 10 minutes.

[@dylanbuzz9789]

I dont believe that anyone can see this movie and believe its supportive of capitalism

[@AstralPhnx]

You underestimate how dumb right wingers are

[@BloodylocksBathory]

Great vid, and I'm really enjoying your delivery in the narration. Also your ending statements are eerily accurate.

[@floppy280]

Great video Leon. I always love hearing well-researched analysis of "They Live!" instead of "The Jews, man!". Also your voice sounded extra sexy in this video for some reason, and I enjoyed that.

[@ThatOneGuy7550]

I'm actually studying this in uni, so this was a cool analysis

[@liamWagnon]

Rest in peace carpenter. Such an amazing movie

[@andyc9979]

🤣🤣 this is why social media is scary. You said rip and others even liked your comment. Not trying to pick on you but see how fast people fall for or believe things.

[@archangelspardathadon9188]

One of my fav films I'm sad I did know know this film was against president Regan 😯

[@francescobirsaalessandri3992]

I AM ALRREADY EATING FROM ZIS TRASH CAN!

[@SpoopySquid]

*S N I F F*

[@Shimansaji]

AND SO ON...

[@theGDocs]

This film demonstrates the idea of that both political parties have sold out and and don’t really care the about the Middle class. It isn’t that one party is good and one party isn’t. That’s what keeps us divided and at the end of the day that’s what “They” want. To stay asleep…

[@notjack2491]

Consent doesn't manufacture itself

[@contravariant_functor]

really liked your analysis of the film due to the political context you explained which I was unaware of because I am not American and not old enough to have experienced it at hand. I can't fathom how this film's ideology could be confused with something supporting right extremists' conspiracy theories. It's so blatant and not subtle in its execution that it is rather impossible to not understand what it is saying. It is also quite interesting that history in some ways repeats itself, not only because Trump gained fame and popularity because of the entertainment industry.

[@shirophoenix01]

I loved this movie as a kid and its still one of my favorites but I didnt know it had such a commentary. Thanks for the resources and this video!

[@User-uj7nz]

I had no idea you featured my favorite movie as a topic.

[@adamayyad4744]

The statement they live among us so in accurate the truth, they lived here way before we did and they brought us

[@Grim_Concept]

Pretty relevant today if not a prediction of it.

[@XGraltzX]

Great analysis as always!

[@chaplainsunshine]

Great analysis as always! Commenting for the algorithm

[@martins.4240]

Just tossing my ol' comment in here too.

[@elroma7712]

The fact that the main character goes to live in a "villa miseria" (misery villa) shows that this a really anticapitalist film. ¿how someone missed that?

[@MrDanielEarle]

I was hoping for an in depth analysis of your favorite fight scene. Maybe some day!

[@Narowneck]

Fantastic

[@mojojoe83]

@Renegade Cut your comments here gained you one subscriber!! Well done sir!! Oh and the video was nice too lol

[@cyrneco]

I'm relieved. I love this movie and always thought that was a anticapitalist movie and would have bothered me if I had misunderstood it.

[@FREDSDEADBABE]

I don't affiliate with politics often, but movies like this definitely open my eyes a bit on issues and subjects I might not have thought about in a certain light simply due to ignorance. I think that is the power of art, is to open your eyes to something. Unfortunately, even if it is blatant, people will interpret something wrongly to fit their own beliefs as an excuse to like it instead of appreciating it for what it is even if you don't 100% agree.

[@jenc7055]

Great analysis! Makes me look at the movie with more appreciation. Also, I enjoy the all time best fist fight ever between Rowdy Roddy Piper and Keith David. A classic movie moment. And a great movie. Thanks for fulfilling my request for this one! :)

[@BushCampingTools]

Fantastic, I'm subbing!

[@Redem10]

Heh the shift in conspiracy culture make the X-files so weird to watch right now (this include the remake)

[@doughboydevito4529]

Redem10 I'm guessing it's because while back then people mostly saw conspiracy theorists as "oh, how quaint, they believe in aliens" type of people, now conspiracy theorists are seen as "oh god, these guys don't just believe in aliens, they're also Holocaust deniers" i.e. More people are finding out about the gross antisemitic conspiracy theorists because of the Internet than they would have in the 90s.

[@Redem10]

I think 9/11 ended up requiring a massive shift in conspiracy, the alien stuff felt like it no longer connected to anything and also made it so have goverment was behind every catastropher that happened on the planet in false flag. Also UFO was basicaly hurted by the prepondrance of camera everywhere that didn't increase the report of them.

[@stranget92]

Redem10 same with a lot of those 70s conspiracy films like Soylent Green, Capricorn One or The Parallax View

[@TheReelDealFilmReviews]

An excellent analysis; I have just reviewed this myself...John Carpenter at his best. I have just subscribed!

[@RomLoneWolf23]

This is a movie that desperately needs a remake AS THE AUTHOR INTENDED.. ...Reaganism has been resurrected, and it needs to be put down again.

[@BitterHugOfMortality]

Reaganism never left

[@mattdwyer9432]

Yes! 'They Still Live' must be made!

[@twigwigsoso]

@@mattdwyer9432"they live" with a sequel title "With us" would kill

[@benvigus8705]

This video helped me.

[@govdid195g7]

🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔

[@widget3672]

It is a remarkable thought that we can hardly begin to imagine the end of money and yet in many ways we simply can't get rid of it (though nothing is truly simple and I fully expect there to be other ideas I have not considered). Then again, how do we trade with other groups that do use a currency? If we just exchange products and resources, then are we not going back from having a monetary standard to a physical or material standard (like gold or platinum) or would we perhaps find an entirely different concept for money (Perhaps block chains may become newly representative of value without having to be physically produced, merely computed - but even so how does an economy work any differently with or without the remainder of capitalism in the world? I ask especially for the sake of humanity and the current climate crisis. It's a fact that as long as people will try to get power, they will walk any road they have to in order to win - because to some people that is all that matters. So how do you stop corruption? You need to prevent the monopoly of power, but having a census on everything the nation tries to do would be very messy and inheriting power (like Monarchy) doesn't work very well at all... The Church tends to recycle power by having a wide base of potential popes and having internal management (hard to change) to decide on them instead of a general election. The only problem with elections is that they are just popularity competitions and even so, money buys media and it buys politicians so in reality money is central to power as it currently exists - so how could you set up a system that can change in the event of a failure but is resistant to the pressures of international corporations that operate with more impunity than even the USA itself? What is the best way to manage power?

[@commonviewer2488]

As a start, we could prevent people from making careers out of holding on to power. Politicians become financially motivated to remain in power, and will do most of anything to appease other politicians to maintain relations. This creates echo chambers, completely polarizing political parties that hold strong but differing beliefs on any topic.

[@Drewsarchus]

great video!

[@richardbuckharris189]

"Perhaps even more than constituted authority, it is social uniformity and sameness that harass the individual most." ~ Emma Goldman

[@theplebeian2706]

Damn. I saw this movie at age 11 and I knew it was leftist...

[@jenniferp1917]

Thank you for the video. I just watched this movie a few months ago. Somehow I had never heard of it. I loved it! One part of the plot that I can't figure out: was Holly already a collaborator with the aliens when Nada was at her house? Or when she showed up the resistance meeting? Or was she recruited by the aliens sometime after the meeting? I can't figure out if she was using Nada to help her spy, or not.

[@JohnnyUrbanWoodsmen]

I believe she was part of it from the beginning, after she throws Nada out the window, she calls somebody which sounded like someone of power, I believe they told here to find Nada and keep him close, she was in on it from the start and Nada was blinded by her beautiful blue eyes.

[@42ndLife]

When I first saw ''They Live'' I loved the film, and for years I interpreted the aliens as symbols of greed turning people against each other. But then the 2016 election happened and I was exposed to certain factions of Trump supporters and my views on this film soured. It's unfortunate that the film is read like an Alt-Right paranoid power fantasy, but what can you do? I guess this video is a good start. Thank you.

[@AstralPhnx]

And sadly it has only gotten worse as of 2022.... Urgh... I hate right wing idiots

[@endlessnoise9173]

It would have been more realistic if had the "Nobody's perfect" ending from "Some Like it Hot"

[@yogatonga7529]

9:32 and also, Reagans warmongering literally almost destroyed humanity in 1983.

[@dobb7101]

Great episode. Thank you for it.

[@sdcommissar4321]

I love this movie great break down and thanks for mentioning the crackpot lunatic theories of David Icke.

[@Johny40Se7en]

It's quite sad that you felt the need to make this video fella. The only problem They Live really had was, like most of John Carpenter's art, it was ahead of its time.This film was about over consumerism and what excess shit does to people. If someone's not happy with their life, no matter how much stuff you keep buying, it'll never make you happy. And as always with works that are ahead of their times, you can relate to it even today with how the media shoves advertisement shit in peoples' faces to consume and not reuse. It's brainwashing and they've got lying down to an art. Look at the state of the Planet with plastic pollution and the environment in general, it's borderline fucked. It's like this magically beautiful Planet is drowning in plastic and suffocating from shitty toxic diesel fumes.

[@coach3155]

1:53 Carpenter is GANGSTER

[@reveranttangent1771]

The thought that They Live is being appropriated by conservatives hurts me.

[@artboy598]

You sound sick. Are you well?

[@Gabreya]

Excellent video.

[@realmchat6665]

Recently discovered your channel, and it is awesome - ty for the great content.

[@jerrylixoz]

🕶 *OBEY*

[@macintush]

Hey, this guy gets it. 👍 Great synopsis

[@GDub83]

Awesome lol. I was just watching this last night.

[@Nunyabizness123]

Yeah, but that fight scene was pretty damn cool!

[@renemies78]

Extremely interesting and different view on this movie! Loved this video.

[@joekhoury17]

Great video man, best analysis I've seen of They Live

[@stevenbrawley326]

Didn't you make another video about They Live before this one? I thought you did but I didn't find it when I looked for it.

[@ELM-ee8bt]

I always saw They Live as leftist tbh. It's overtly anti capitalist. That's why It's one of my favourites.

[@Ur2ez4me81]

Not anti capitalist, it’s greed & over consumerism.

[@magisterguidice]

I enjoy your analysis of They Live and linking it very closely to policies of the Reagan Government .

[@CorbCorbin]

Awesome thesis

[@IGaveUpSecondsAgo]

Lmao so many people just see that you are criticizing few aspects of capitalism and now they're mad. They probably didn't even watch the whole video

[@briandamage7808]

Nice analysis! I first saw this film as a 20 year old when it came out on video in the UK. I'm still both amazed (and elated) a Hollywood director could be so brave and direct, and still am. At the time no-one seemed to get it. I think Zezek was right calling it forgotten masterpiece of the Hollywood left. Just hope some twat isnt tempted to try a remake, unless it's Mr C himself of course 😂

[@Kill_bit]

This is why I hate Reagan he’s a hypocrite says he was pro small government but did very big government type shit

[@melterbutt]

Can someone please re edit this movie and put john boltons face for the aliens? Thnx

[@anakyn2010]

Hey, I actually really liked this take on the film. A nice departure from the really out there conspiracy theories. One thing I'd add to this is that the sunglasses were a metaphor for psychedelics - I think specifically LSD. That explains a few things like the chemistry/lab set up in the church where he first finds them, the fact that he starts to feel really weird and weak when he "wears" them for too long, the fact that it changes his perception of the world and shifts his paradigm out of survival mode and into action and finally it explains one of the weirdest scenes of the whole film - when the other guy refuses to put on a simple pair of sunglasses to the point of having one of the longest and borderline rediculous street-fighter-esque brawl scenes I've ever scene. In the context of the sunglasses being a drug - especially a demonized and criminalized drug - the scene makes a lot more sense. Still could have been several minutes shorter though LOL!!!

[@GTropinin]

I watched the movie for the first time right before watching this video, and it was pretty hard to watch because of how it is recontextualised these days. Now I feel like I should've watched your video BEFORE watching the movie :)

[@irshadmohammed6539]

What's your take on the long fight scene?

[@TheDecatonkeil]

I don't know of you answered this question before already, but in the last two reviews or so your voice sounds very off, not sure if sick or feeling down. Whatever the case, get well and thanks for the analysis of one of my favourite movies.

[@r.wesleyrogers3688]

Wow, somebody understands what the Reagan era was all about. However, in my opinion, with who we currently have, bring President Reagan back. When is America going to learn that a celebrity may not make a good leader.

[@n0d0yuna]

Reaganade Cut.

[@jz4373]

I just liked the scene where the voice of Goliath beat up rowdy roddy piper

[@FatKotSlim]

Leon, thank you so much for making this! I've just rewatched "They Live" recently and was thinking about your opinion on this film. You mentioned Carpenter's intention of making this movie as anti-Reagan-capitalism, but didn't mention how Carpenter thought of Reagan era capitalism being bad and corrupted, and that there can be "good" capitalism in Carpenters opinion. Though movie doesn't go that far to distinguish "bad" capitalism from "good" capitalism as Carpenter would imagine it and we got just an anti-capitalism movie in the end. Just pointing that out... Also, would you say that a long fight scene between Nada and Frank in the movie is so drawn-out to symbolize how it's difficult to make someone question their point of view and try to be open-minded about something? And about politics and comments here: why do Americans (sorry for generalization) think that there is only this "liberal" and "conservative" point of view? Left and Right is so different in other countries and have so many different ideologies. For example, I sympathize with you, Leon (and Austin :D), but as conservative soviet marxist I don't share your stance on.. things I better not mention. And a leftist from US is totally different from a leftist from Russia. Things are not that binary as a two-party political system in US... Anyway, thank you again, Leon. Wish you all the best and keep up the good work!

[@nowherebound2908]

Great review! When I first saw this back in the day, I remember thinking "Man, Carpenter is being so blatantly obvious in his allegory! How'd he get away with this?!!" The answer today would be he wouldn't get away with it.

[@firexl007]

Love your Media 🍿🍿🍿

[@rogier1016]

Thumbs up. Love Carpenter, I knew he had made this to oppose Reaganomics. That said: Sometimes a movie is just misunderstood and inspires the opposite of what the director was aiming for.

[@johnguanciale258]

I love John Carpenter and Ronald Reagan. And Roderick Toombs.

[@andrewhunt6241]

great movie a classic documentary!

[@lauropadron3199]

As a political atheist that I am, wearing sunglasses, I can clearly see in the 2023' the turn around from then and now political parties. So keep on wearing sunglasses, because nothing ever had changed since the 1970's and we all been taking for a ride.

[@emilywolff1953]

He show the reality in movie

[@jameskennedy721]

Interesting to learn that news stories I read in the Reagan years were not written by conservative journalists - but the US Government . Holy Police State , BATMAN ! I barely remember this Otto Reich joker , but he was Oliver North's boss .

[@liviolangella2777]

Yeah, but... what does 'They Live' say about chewing gums?