Getting ready for Fright Night Film Fest this weekend, so I wached John Carpenter's They Live last night. It's not one of Carpenter's better known films (which include Halloween, Escape from New York, and Big Trouble in Little China), but its as good if not better than any of them. It's a great sci-fi alien story very well told with humor and terror about a man who discovers a secret conspiracy to control and enslave mankind. And if that's not enough to recommend it, it stars the great Roddy Piper.
There's a scene in the movie that would make a great sermon illustration. I don't want to spoil it for any sci-fi fans who are inclined to watch the movie. For those of you who will rent it or go get it from Netflix, look for the scene where Piper puts on the sunglasses for the first time. For the rest of you, highlight below to read the spoilers and see what it's all about.
The main character witnesses a church being raided by police. He searches ther church afterward and discovers a hidden box of sunglasses. He takes a pair and walks out into the street. As soon as he puts them on, he sees things that he could not see before. Billboards, magazines, and other signs are replaced with ominous black and white signs with messages like Obey, Stay Asleep, No Independent Thought. A hand full of dollar bills appear as white pieces of paper with words written in black: "This Is Your God." He soon realizes the world has been hypnotized into a state of slavery by a mysterious race of aliens, whom he can also see with his glasses.
It's a perfect illustration for the way the world blinds itself to sin and evil. We accept slavery and bondage to sin much the same way humanity accepted its slavery to aliens. Only by looking through the lens of God's word can we see the world for what it is, and only by accepting that reality can we be set free.
They Live is rated R, but the film clip recommended above contains little dialogue and no language. It is an under-rated cult classic with some legendary moments, including a ridiculously long fist fight and Piper's legendary quote about bubble gum - which I cannot repeat in its entirety here. Recommended for anyone who likes Carpenter, aliens, Roddy Piper, or conspiracy theory movies.
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