That night, a hacker takes over television broadcasts, claiming that scientists have discovered signals that are enslaving the population and keeping them in a dream-like state, and that the only way to stop it is to shut off the signal at its source. Nada finds employment at a construction site and is befriended by coworker Frank, who invites him to live in a shanty town soup kitchen led by a man named Gilbert. While out on the street, he sees a street preacher warning that "they" have recruited the rich and powerful to control humanity. The film has also entered popular culture, and notably had a lasting effect on street art (particularly that of Shepard Fairey), while its nearly six-minute alley brawl between the protagonists has made appearances on all-time lists for best fight scenes.Ī homeless drifter-credited as "Nada"-comes to Los Angeles in search of a job.
It is now regarded by many as a largely underrated work.
It initially received negative reviews from critics, who lambasted its social commentary, writing, and acting however, like Carpenter's other films, it later gained a cult following and experienced a significantly more favorable critical reception. The film was a minor success at the time of its release, debuting at #1 at the North American box office. Starring Roddy Piper, Keith David, and Meg Foster, the film follows an unnamed drifter who discovers through special sunglasses that the ruling class are aliens concealing their appearance and manipulating people to consume, breed, and conform to the status quo via subliminal messages in mass media. They Live is a 1988 American science fiction action film written and directed by John Carpenter, based on the 1963 short story "Eight O'Clock in the Morning" by Ray Nelson.