They Live — Hmm …

23rd July, 2016.

Hmmm … 

Can I make a confession?

I do like a good film, now and again.

And … ?   When I can find the chance to watch one?

I’ll quite happily sit in, and watch one.

Something I’ve done, tonight.

Believe it or not, I’ve actually had the chance, tonight.

To sit in with John Carpenter’s They Live: something that had been sitting in my personal collection for some time.

And something that’s seen as a cult classic.

Going on what I’ve seen?

I don’t think it’s a cult I’d be joining.

~≈Â≈~

Set in Los Angeles, They Live sees Roddy Piper as John Nada: an unemployed drifter, looking for work in the big city.

After getting a few days work at an LA construction site, Nada befriends Frank (Keith David): a co-worker who introduces him to a local shanty-town where Nada can at least find food, and have a shower.

It’s only after being at the slum for a while, Nada notices the local church seems to be having a lot of late night choir practise.

And that the sunglasses he’s found there … ?

Are showing him all sorts of STRANGE things … 

~≈Â≈~

Now … 

Was I impressed … ?   Pleased … Enjoy the film?

Well … 

No … 

Frankly, I’m VERY well aware of Carpenter’s reputation as a competent filmmaker.

With The Thing, Vampires, Escape from New York and Halloween ALL being Carpenter films I’ve enjoyed.

They Live, on the other hand?

Struck me as being well made: I don’t think Carpenter has made a technically bad movie in his life, with They Live being well, if tersely, written and well acted — even if pro-wrestler, Roddy Piper’s best bits are the fights he gets into.

But They Live?   Is the first of his I’ve watched … with half a mind to turn off, half way through.

I wanted to do justice to the thing, though.

Unfortunately?

While I found They Live watchable?   I didn’t necessarily find it one I could comfortably recommend to anyone but a Carpenter completist.

Yes, it could be worse.

But it could be a lot better!

They Live

☆☆☆☆