Cult 101: They Live (1988) 35mm – 35th anniversary screenings
Director: John Carpenter Run Time: 94 min. Rating: R Release Year: 1988
Starring: George Buck Flower, Keith David, Meg Foster, Peter Jason, Roddy Piper
Country: United States
Language: English
Cult 101 at Gateway Film Center
A celebration of the best cult films of all time.
See more Cult 101About the film:
They influence our decisions without us knowing it. They numb our senses without us feeling it. They control our lives without us realizing it. They Live. A rugged loner (Roddy Piper) stumbles upon a terrifying discovery: goulish creatures are masquerading as humans while they lull the public into submission through subliminal advertising messages. Only specially made sunglasses make the deadly truth visible.
Written and directed by horror master John Carpenter, based on the 1963 short story “Eight O’Clock in the Morning” by Ray Nelson. Although negative reviewed at its release, it is now regarded by many as one of Carpenter’s best films.
“its themes of working-class subjugation and omnipresent media control have only become more pressing”
—The Guardian
About the filmmaker:
Director, writer, and composer John Carpenter, founding father of the modern slasher film, is the mind behind classics Halloween (1978), The Fog (1980), The Thing (1982), Christine (1983), Big Trouble in Little China (1986), and more. Called “a creative genius of raw, fantastic, and spectacular emotions,” Carpenter was awarded the prestigious Golden Coach at Cannes 2019 for his innovative projects. One of his first, the short film The Resurrection of Broncho Billy, won an Academy Award in 1971.
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