John Carpenter’s They Live (1988) is a cult classic that blends science fiction, satire, and horror to expose the hidden mechanisms of consumer culture and control.
The film’s central conceit—sunglasses that reveal subliminal commands like “OBEY” and “CONSUME”—has become an enduring metaphor for ideology and propaganda, making it a touchstone for critical theory as much as cinema.
From its pulpy one-liners and extended fight sequences to its bleak vision of capitalist alien colonization, They Live turns B-movie aesthetics into a sharp critique of power, illusion, and the structures that shape everyday life.
Image from Slant Magazine.
