Conspiracy Theory They Live (1988)

[RolandF1]

A John Carpenter film that had an interesting message about 'aliens' controlling the masses through infiltration of our society. It was released into cinemas in 1988 and quickly made a profit in its first week ($4 million budget, $6 million take) but after being on top, was gone within a month.

http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=weekly&id=theylive.htm

Carpenter said the movie was a giant middle finger to Ronald Reagan:

“By the end of the ’70s there was a backlash against everything in the ’60s, and that’s what the ’80s were, and Ronald Reagan became president, and Reagonomics came in,” Carpenter told the sold-out theater at the Chinese 6 Theatres in Hollywood. “So a lot of the ideals that I grew up with were under assault, and something called a yuppie came into existence, and they just wanted money. And so by the late ’80s, I’d had enough, and I decided I had to make a statement, as stupid and banal as it is, but I made one, and that’s ‘They Live.’ … I just love that it was giving the finger to Reagan when nobody else would.”
http://disinfo.com/2013/09/john-carpenters-they-live-turns-twenty-five/

Why would they pull a movie from cinemas if it was making money? One of its stars, Keith David, believes it pissed off the wrong people. Thoughts?

 

[Shane Hird]

I thought it was well known that Reagan himself was an alien.

 

[2w2l]

Awesome film. The fight scene is legendary.

 

[POGMA]

I normally don't buy into these alien theories, but I do consider Regan a shapeshifter, so some form of reptile from either the bowels of earth or outer space.

 

[Smiling Buddha]

Terrific film.

Guys, look past the 'alien' thing. That is just there to make the message subtle enough to get the film produced.

He wasn't talking about extraterrestrials ffs.

 

[RolandF1]

I normally don't buy into these alien theories, but I do consider Regan a shapeshifter, so some form of reptile from either the bowels of earth or outer space.

And his unholy army of followers, waiting for the inevitable judgement day, are disguised as cab drivers?

Terrific film.

Guys, look past the 'alien' thing. That is just there to make the message subtle enough to get the film produced.

He wasn't talking about extraterrestrials ffs.

Yeah, that's what I was getting at. The use of aliens as allegory for something far more real. The movie was doing well at the box office but was quickly pulled from cinemas, almost like they were told to.

 

[POGMA]

Regan definitely had a tail and gills!!!