The Thing vs. They Live

Alright, after the 70s horror and 90s comedy polls that I created, let me finalize my 20th century movies poll trilogy with an 80s sci-fi one, including 2 movies by the same director. Again, you can choose your favourite or one of the other options.

The thing is, I don't remember The Thing in full details, but I recall that I enjoyed it moderately while watching, when I was quite young. Whereas, They Live blew my mind with all its anti-consumerism and anti-system themes that are —more than subtly, and in fact quite openly, but still mesmerizingly— placed into the plot. I find this movie very valuable, and guess that the only hindrance that prevents it from shaking the system is the absence of a tight pace because of some unnecessarily long and meaningless scenes (for example a fighting scene comes to my mind, which was dreary and not convincing). Otherwise its overall dramatic effect would have been —and would still be— revolutionary, I daresay. It is still one of the prominent choices of mine concerning the anti-system movies.


Edited by Shadowyzard - July 01 2020 at 18:58

It has some horror elements, but I'd say it is more of a sci-fi, like The Matrix.

Edited by BaldFriede - July 02 2020 at 02:57

Logan wrote: I sort of remember They Live, schlocky as I recall with Rowdy Roddy Piper, but I've watched The Thing a number of times (I think of it primarily as a horror film with a sci-fi aspect).   Have you read Who Goes There? John Carpenter is thought of a a horror film guy mostly. As to your horror poll, I like both choices very much.

I guess I haven't read "Who Goes There". I agree that The Thing has a more dominant horror aspect than sci-fi. Actually, I couldn't think of a similar movie to They Live from the 80s, so I decided to put another movie by John Carpenter, instead.

Edited by Shadowyzard - July 02 2020 at 05:50

Thing!

^ I love so many horror films, and have since I was a kid. The first one I can remember loving was The Omen, and then seeing The Shining, An American Werewolf in London, Videodrome, Rosemary's Baby... A major favourite of mine is The Wicker Man, although some would say it's not horror genre. I don't watch a lot of modern ones, but I did love the Babadook, Under the Skin, and The Witch (and various folk horror ones). Hereditary was excellent but hard for me to take.

I was born in the 70s, and I was an avid V watcher. Helps that I love sci-fi. There's commonly a lot of overlap between horror and fantasy especially (well, lots of horror is fantasy), and horror and sci-fi. I enjoy cinema and TV of the fantastic/ fantastique variety. Folk horror and psychological horror are often my faves.

By the way, if you are comfortable enough listening to English (might be challenging), there is a very good podcast called The Evolution of Horror. If it's not for you, someone else might like it: https://www.evolutionofhorror.com/

And some wonderful Mark Gatiss documentaries on horror: A History of Horror and Horror Europa (wonderful to watch, I found).

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEMUT_E4VI3E2DLy_BUZ4ZdPV-rh5VTp3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aY8M5MmpLTE

Edited by Logan - July 02 2020 at 10:59

^ Yep, seen the Ritual, I liked it.

The Thing.....but it's a bit over the top. The old b and w one was incorrect but as a kid it was fun.

dr wu23 wrote: The Thing.....but it's a bit over the top. The old b and w one was incorrect but as a kid it was fun.