THEY LIVE - The Highs and Lows of John Carpenter’s Angry Political Satire

An analysis of John Carpenter's "They Live" and how the film was made as a critique of Reagan's America and capitalism, how the sci-fi thriller fits into Carpenter's larger filmography, and how it's been reinterpreted for both good and bad in the decades since.
PATREON - / mattdraper
TWITTER - / mattdraperyt
#theylive
#johncarpenter
#horror
Music:
"Division Ruine" by Carpenter Brut
"Hot Rod" by WWE Music
"Decay" by HOME
"Glass Palms" by Hello Meteor
"Christine" "Escape From New York" and "They Live" by John Carpenter
"Redbone" by HYGH Lofi Music, Lobit & Cooky
"Vampires" by The Midnight
Sources:
thestopbutton.com/2017/02/04/...
archive.org/details/starlog_m...
www.therichest.com/wrestling/...
pvto.weebly.com/uploads/9/1/5...
www.theringer.com/movies/2018...
filmschoolrejects.com/33-thin...
slate.com/culture/2017/08/joh...

[@bizzarocraw2412]

It bothers me that everyone talks about how Carpenter was ahead of his time. I'm not going to argue that his movies aren't relevant anymore, they absolutely are. He wasn't looking into the future when he made these movies (They Live, Mouth of Madness, The Thing), the issue is that nothing ever changes. If things do change, it's rarely for the better.

[@jasonblalock4429]

Well, he was ahead of his time in the sense that people weren't really ready to embrace the messages in his movies. Like how almost no one cared about Big Trouble before the 90s martial arts boom. I can't think of another director with half as many "cult classics" in their filmography, movies that flopped on release but then found an audience years later. People just weren't quite ready to pick up what Carpenter was laying down.

[@justinrowland5191]

Carpenter wasnt a commie but said, unregulated capitalism doesn't work. The guys making money didnt like it then. Now we got marvel.

[@caseywhite3150]

That dining party with the elites and the aliens at the end reflects the Davos World Economic Forum meetings almost identically. They are in power but doing it “for us”. Yet no normal folks or working class are allowed in or any independent media and they allow NO comments or discussion on their videos. They also have their own militarized police force

[@whitedragoness23]

@@jasonblalock4429 I have to agree with you, I think the poster was taking the saying as being too literal.

[@UnrealNeoBat]

Well, change is constant and then there are some that remain the same.

[@Mitcheck315]

One thing that Carpenter understands really well about having a major character played by a WWE wrestler is that you can mine so much comedy out of the fact that he's just a very large man

[@McDermottYT]

One of my favorites from Carpenter. You can really feel his disgust and frustration in this. It's such a shame that it's only gotten more relevant with time..

[@slimmccoy8863]

"This is your God" on the money. Damn, JC, way to speak the truth.

[@carsonsmith7314]

Now this is a sci-fi film that needs to be watched today.

[@sebastienvondoom8615]

I have never watched pro-wrestling. But your pro-wrestling tangents with Geeksplained are a highlight of your guest appearances on the show.

[@silver6kraid]

The best horror youtuber on the platform strikes again with another banger. Can't wait to see your videos about the rest of Carpenter's filmography.

[@ButrzV2]

Lol best? U should check out DeadMeat.

[@JackTorrance333]

The fight showed us that you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.

[@alexanderdanvers3247]

Now that I know Keith David was in this movie, that alley fight between him and Roddy Piper in Saints Row 4 makes waaaaay more sense.

[@petersarubbi]

@alexanderdanvers3247 ... wait until you watch the "Cripple Fight" episode of South Park... 😁

[@ampatrao]

I saw this on release as a teenager. This was a sci fi movie. I walked out saying this was actual reality. Informed so much of my worldview then and still does today.

[@jasonblalock4429]

And a shoutout to media theorist Marshall McLuhan, whose research and thought on the mediasphere allowed us to see and understand how much impact it has on our lives. They Live is basically a highly literalized depiction of his ideas, much like Videodrome a few years earlier.

[@titandarkknight9683]

The editing in these video keep getting better and better, fantastic work man!!!

[@MattDraper]

Thanks a ton!

[@maliklofton9148]

@@MattDraper Possible scammer using your name. Please respond

[@TheJMKlemann]

There are no lows to this film. One of the best films of all time.

[@GarmrsBarking]

I don't know what it says about my worldview, but my top 3 John Carpenter movies are: 1. escape from new york 2. the thing 3. they live

[@SpecimenX-9000]

Escape is my fav too

[@poindextertunes]

I know it doesn’t get any love but I always thought The Ghost of Mars was a banger 🔥 honestly the only thing I dont like about is the bad guy. Seems like he cut corners to save budget on that one. and his war cry was just terrible 😂

[@emptyspaces8114]

Uh it's not easy to get automatic weapons.

[@AABB-bm9kk]

Seems to me They Live would be an inspiration for The Matrix.🤔 In both the hero is super-enabled to see what is really going on in the world. And he intends to bring down the insidious web that has humanity in its grip… I’d also say They Live follows the logic of zombie movies. The human heroes are OKed to annihilate the Inhumans. There is an ironic underlying to all of these movies in that we inevitably root for the humans to behave in ways that in any other circumstances are totally insane , barbaric and despicable.

[@shanksmare8]

I think the use of sunglasses was a nod to They Live

[@poindextertunes]

im pretty sure the matrix is about jesus e.i. Neo= the One

[@mahmudmurad4655]

I think one of the many greats of this film is that his message is still relevant and transversal, it does not belong to the right or left in essence, is just we aware, be vigilant, they are coming for you from many directions.

[@dalelerette206]

Good point. Manipulation works from both the right and the left. Saint Thomas Aquinas documented perfection. G.K. Chesterton vocalized it.

[@HughEMC]

I loved this movie when I was a kid & I still use the movies plot to explain how the "elite" & powerful use media messages to control all of us & even keep up to busy fighting each other to unite against the real problems heaped on us. Even the subplot of how a Black & White man had to dayum near fight to the death before Roddy could wake the brotha up. Oh & yeah I was a big wrestling fan & still liked Rowdy Roddy Piper despite the fact he was cast as a bad guy

[@uglyweirdo1389]

I'm crazy af schizophrenic. Don't hang mass shootings on us.

[@BoyNamedSue4]

11:20 I always felt like the character was much closer to Clint Eastwood’s man with no name character. The name Nada is a direct call back and Carpenter is a huge western fan. To the point where I’m still surprised he never made a traditional one.

[@BoyNamedSue4]

I’m here to watch an awesome video and chew bubblegum. And I’m all out of bubblegum.

[@benwasserman8223]

Duke Nukem clearly loved this movie to the point of immigration. Army of Darkness too.

[@Jackfromshack]

One silent look from Roddy Piper can say more than the endless chatter of some people in some modern films. Good dramatic potential

[@jonathanmulondo9206]

John carpenter was ahead of his time. You should do a retrospective for Prince of Darkness and In the mouth of madness

[@MrFjordbak]

do you read Sutter Cane?

[@MrocnyZbik]

"Insert any MCU clip of your choice here". Thank you, yes.

[@Busto]

Holy Jesus Horatio Christos in a chicken basket!! This might be one of Matt's best videos. I was a kid in the 80's & watched Rowdy Roddy become the best heel, and eventual face, of the era. I love to hear the retrospective praise of his showmanship. Sadly, I wish he were still here to hear it. That being said, I was the son of a union shop electrician. Growing up in a once proud Steel Valley city. I still remember the rolling boom & the way the neighborhood shook when they would pour the steel. As one by one the fires of the blast furnaces were put out, my father explained that they will never be relit. As they cool, they crack. Thus becoming unusable. I listened to my folks, as well as my friends' parents, lament the loss of union power & jobs. The protracted march to Rust Belt status coincided with one of the only profitable career paths for kids not going to college. Joining the high pressure sales force that popped up due to the crack epidemic. Why is it that once certain drugs find their way into suburbia, it becomes an epidemic? Nobody gives a shit when it's poor people using them. As soon as crack or meth or opioids find their way into the gated communities of 'Murica, "THERE'S A (pick a drug) EPIDEMIC!!!"

[@theowlshowofficial9563]

I'm in my fifties and was alive back then. Even as a kid nobody I knew thought pro wrestling was "real". That's just what they said.

[@art-n-filmsam3844]

Dude I would love to see you talk more John Carpenter, Escape from New York and Halloween are some of my favorite movies and Carpenter himself is a rebel and heel to his contemporaries. The filmmaker who hated the very drum others marched to.

[@bryanc7094]

Thank you for discussing the time and period, and the importance of the film. Insightful video.

[@johnaa007]

It's a documentary

[@jasonmaclean719]

It's funny that while it's true Carpenter was disillusioned, he'd tell people 'I hate capitalism, but I like making money'

[@Johnnysmithy24]

At least he was honest lol

[@tomdotson56]

That's not at all what he said. He actually said in an interview " I am a Capitalist. I love making money. It's unrestrained capitalism I don't like" Get it right.

[@RigobertosTacoShop]

Jesus Christ...Carpenters line at 12:41 is spot on today, Disney shitting out garbage after garbage. ruining the integrity of star wars and the mindless drones that support that drivel. Video games are alot like that now also. Rarely do we get to see a passion be the defining factor today but instead what will attract the masses of casual braindead consumerism over art

[@akfreed6949]

There really was a conspiracy on this film . John Carpenter showed how bad it really was at the end of Reagan's 2 terms with this movie . The homeless people in the movie were really homeless . Unemployment and poverty were very high at the end of Reagan's Reaganomics plan . They Live was in the theaters for a very short time . It actually broke box office records for the time of year it was released . The next Republican election campaign was just months away so the powers that be actually had the movie pulled out of theaters while it was still making alotta money . This is where it gets interesting . They were counting receipts for the movie after they pulled it and used the the losses as the excuse to say why they took the movie out of theaters .

[@armandotorres8962]

You have to admit, seeing Roddy Piper and Goliath from Gargoyles kicking ass is pretty tight.

[@stonekidman2306]

I love the wrestling tangents and request more but the only time I ever felt my eyes were open was when my father died. Suddenly all the stupid stuff seemed irrelevant and it truly felt like I had woken up. All the hype around tv shows, movies and video games fell away as hollow window dressing. I wished I could’ve kept that perspective, bottled it in a jar so I could take a hit off it, because maybe three weeks later I was back into the cycle of mass media as a distraction from life.

[@BrandXK]

They Live, while not my favorite Carpenter movie, is still pretty good and I can't imagine anyone else but Piper as John Nada. In a lot of ways, They Live might be Carpenter's most cynical film but damn if it's not effective in getting the point across while still having even a shred of hope at the end.

[@TheEbbemonster]

But They Live is a visual masterpiece! There is nothing quite like it. It is like a blend of Escape from New York and Playtime ❤❤

[@warpdrivefueledbyinsomnia8165]

10:04 The single most bad-ass 1980s/90s action movie one-liner ever uttered, in my opinion.

[@myrnalaboy2840]

R.I.P. Roddy Piper

[@person14876]

I hope you do one on prince of darkness. One of his least talked about films

[@MattDraper]

Will definitely cover it someday!

[@poindextertunes]

i like how piper wasn’t the biggest guy in the ring but on screen he was massive 💯 “I got news for 'hem... There's gonna be hell to pay. 'Cause I ain't daddy's little boy no more.”

[@SLVMBER80s]

Great video! I’m a huge John Carpenter fan and also, respect for sneaking The Midnight in there at the end 😉

[@shawnswint1521]

This Movie was Pre-Matrix Long Before The Matrix!!!

[@Dhampir101980]

The movie is worth watching just for the fight scene alone. You know you’re a classic with South Park recreates your whole sequence shot for shot. How happy are you about Daredevil Born Again being 18 episodes on Disney plus, Matt? More reasons to make more videos for your superhero man crush 😎

[@Jackfromshack]

What series and season it's from?

[@MrDman21]

People always talk about The Rock and John Cena being charismatic wrestlers turned actors, but Roddy Piper was better than both of those guys imo. He was a very underrated actor and I think he should have done more movies.

[@trinityj1]

Completely agree. He could genuinely act, where the other wrestlers-turned-actors are fun on screen without ever making you believe their characters are real people.

[@botz77]

There are no "lows" it's They Live.

[@o8thnaspliff]

I’m glad I own this on blu-ray.

[@ajryan2888]

Another killer video man! Would love to know if you read Sutter Cane and your thoughts on In The Mouth of Madness!

[@MrReedEnt]

How have you not reviewed any Neill Blomkamp films yet, @mattdraper?

[@yanncarduner4516]

great review of a classic,I saw it on the big screen last thursday ,very awesome

[@MrOuest]

A great video essay on a personal favourite film of mine. Thanks, Matt.

[@Russell1982]

Please do Escape from New York next. I’d love to see your take on it. This was a great analysis on They Live, I always love hearing you talk about something you’re clearly passionate about. And this movie is so so relevant today still.

[@mlunaID]

A really thoughtful - even sensitive discussion on this unique gem. Thank you for all the hard work.

[@Deadforge]

My all time favorite Johm Carpenter film and one of my favorite films.

[@afrayedrope1939]

Mass shooters aren’t using automatic weapons that implies machine guns. They use semi auto. That is all

[@t0mom]

Your channel brings me so much joy, Matt. Easily one of the best creators on this entire platform.

[@julius-stark]

I love this movie, and sure there are some crazy people who do stupid things because they believe silly conspiracy theories, but some of the themes in this particular movie are still very applicable, moreso with intrusive technology and companies tracking/monitoring your data in order to get you to buy things or vote a certain way or support a certain cause or upvote/like/subscribe/share. It may not be nefarious aliens or a cabal of rich people behind it, but corporations are constantly trying to get our money and political organizations are constantly try to get our support/vote. I could absolutely see a remake of this or an original story inspired by it taking place in modern day.

[@briandain8432]

Just accidentally found a DVD of this today walking past the bin with movies poured in. Found a couple copies of Blazing Saddles last year. Just watched THEY LIVE for the first time in Decades. It's only made better by today, if not prophetic?

[@wolvie9083]

Hey! Mr. Draper! I've been a long time viewer of you channel, mainly cause of Daredevil and Hellboy. But I was thinking if you could maybe do a video about Deadpool? I know he's not usually a character you talk about much or often but I and a few others find his character incredibly compelling, especially during Duggan and Posehn's run.

[@SpecimenX-9000]

U should Do an escape from new york review next would love to hear your interpretation

[@johnpittsii7524]

Thanks for the amazing video Matt. Big John Carpenter fan. Much ❤

[@josephgetachew973]

Whenever I feel myself on the edge with humanity, watching this commentary video helps me calm down.

[@shanksmare8]

Interesting that They Live and Escape from LA have the same "f--- it" ending from the protagonist

[@joeycoe85]

When you think about it, Roddy Piper SHOULD have been a natural Babyface, but his life experience seemed to have turned him into a natural Heel. He has the look (he looks like a comic -book superhero!).

[@wilburke5793]

Had never heard of They Live! Great video!

[@physics2112]

Like or Dislike: Like. I can appreciate the subtle dig at COVID-19 paranoia and at the American reality of a senile president occupying the White House in the video's commentary on They Live. Even if it's not a perspective I necessarily share, I don't fault the video's creator for expressing it.

[@Delboy178]

Great video and thank you for talking about how this film has been co-opted and the unfortunate way that this story can be seen in a light that glamorises mass shootings. Deffo a take that didn't exist or at least didn't exist to theextent that it does today, back in the socio-political context that the film originally came out in.

[@TV-Tony]

35 years ago now actually. Aliens controlling the world also kind of reminds me of the V mini-series and later TV series from the mid 80s and the 2009 remake.

[@MatineeIdyll129]

"You got kids Nada?" "Nawww....not anymore...."

[@Deadforge]

I absolutely love this movie

[@Ragucci25]

Matt, you need to play Death Stranding, I need that video essay.

[@AkiDave]

7:37 - 7:38 Amoogus. Great video as usual Matt!! 💙

[@merrillslaven6921]

Piper and Carpenter met years before WrestleMania III as Carpenter did side work interviewing and editing wrestling magazines.

[@leet7489]

great job, this is one of those movies that everyone. seems to have their own opinion on. I always go to Carpenter to the real meaning

[@samuraijacques952]

You need to do more Carpenter videos!

[@mattirealm]

Carpenter wasn't just inspired by Howard Hawks. He clearly pulls inspiration from Sergio Leone. Napoleon Wilson even gets some redone lines from Once Upon A Time In The West that talk about "something to do with death" and "only at the point of dying." I like his work, but if They Live was supposed to be an indictment of Reagan, it was far too late. It was released after the election of his VP, George Bush, just after, but after. I like that he had lots of ideas but I don't like that he never really had a good budget to show them. FWIW, my favorites are Big Trouble In Little China, Assault on Precinct 13, In The Mouth of Madness, Escape from New York and yes, Darkstar.

[@Andrea-LovesYouStill]

I stopped watching TV and movies a few years back (crazy, ikr) but I would love to see this.

[@Faction.Paradox]

Please do make a "Prince of Darkness" video! It must be Carpenter's most obscure work, It has imagery & an atmosphere that has lived with me since I first saw it about fifteen years ago.

[@EverythingFan02]

This was a great breakdown and I think you did well addressing the film making and political aspects of this film, and how ugly they can be when taken out of the film and examined in the context of real life.

[@Nono-hk3is]

Matt you've done it again. Great job.

[@JokersVsZombies]

This is one of the best movies ever

[@SoulSnatcherDom]

Escape from New York

[@genin69]

Carpenter actually had a time machine, same one JAmes Woods used, to visit 2020s and he made a parody flick of what he saw in the future

[@jasonsantos3037]

The one thing I love about this movie that is that one icon line I have come here the chew bubblegum and kick ass I'm all out of bubble gum I do love John Carpenter movies

[@poindextertunes]

my favorite movie. 1a and 1b with A Clockwork Orange. I saw both of these movies around the age of 10 thanks to my folks. Being exposed to the arts at such a young age really shaped my tastes

[@ryanhalawani2637]

Such a great video. I always love unpoetically political movies that take shots at capitalism and exploitation of the working class. I wish there were more big films willing such bold statements nowadays. Instead the only "message" major studio films seem to have these days is "family important"

[@tappajavittu]

My favorite Carpenter film and it has my all time #1 favorite fight scene.

[@owensreviews625]

“I have come here to chew bubble gum and kick ass. And I’m all out of bubble gum.”

[@melvinmelvin9606]

this would make a great remake. it would go perfect with real life right now

[@robbyrobot3303]

It would, but they would probably neuter it and make it partisan

[@salvadorslim3234]

Thanks more please

[@crudnom7090]

Uhm, 9:15 there’s a cut that sounds incredibly eeery and off. Editing error?

[@TH3F4LC0Nx]

Just here to chew gum.

[@LondraCalibro9]

Great video and analysis - a++. I love carpenter but this one never quite worked for me, not sure why - its one of my least favourite of his films. Some elements are definitely superb, but a lot of it I don't like - I know Im in the minority, but I dont like the fight scene either.

[@Vidiot-Savant]

Like GET OUT, THEY LIVE is a perfect Twilight Zone episode stretched out to feature length.

[@ReverendDudeKyle]

MATT PLEASE MAKE WRESTLING VIDEOS! Love Rowdy Roddy

[@fredricclack7137]

Yepper! 😊

[@christianmanka3884]

This had always been my fav of carpenter’s films

[@genesanford9412]

this film is definitely a minor classic by now. i find friends ( expressly the young ones ) who have never seen it. THEY LOVE IT! ( & get it)

[@hahajaxsontv]

I don't think it's ever actually said. But Nada and Frank were both most likely Naim vets. So the ease in which they you'd assault riffles. It was Carpenter basicly saying "most of you already have the training for this"

[@MrOuest]

I would totally watch s video essay on pro-wrestling by Matt Draper. If that was something he was into.

[@ginofrancejr555]

Excellent video I LOVE CARPENTER THEY LIVE IS HIS MAGNUM OPUS