They Live | Ray-Bans & Reaganomics

Clever Ghouls

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In this episode of Clever Ghouls, the Ghouls have come here to chew bubble gum and kick ass...and they're all out of bubble gum. Join them as they discuss John Carpenter's "They Live". This movie is filled with Alien Shades and Capitalist MasqueradesTM, and lots of deep commentary on consumerism, media control, socioeconomic inequality and soooo much more. "They Live", directed by John Carpenter and released in 1988, is a sci-fi horror film that follows the story of a drifter who stumbles upon a pair of special sunglasses that reveal a hidden reality. We talk about topics like consumerism and mass media manipulation, social and economic inequality, social pacification, class divide, obedience and resistance, fear of and the pressure to obey authority figures, and resistance and empowerment.
There are way too many references to fit into the allowed word count of this description. So I created a Google Doc with them all if you would like to peruse them and learn some things.

The Clever Ghouls podcast, hosted by Maegan and Blair, is a show dedicated to watching, analyzing, and discussing the movies that make us think about them long after we’ve left the theater or turned off the TV. We bring quick wit and unique perspectives from backgrounds like art history, cinematography, psychology, analysis, public education, mysticism, mythos, and more to create a curated, inclusive conversation around the spooky movies we love. Tune in on your favorite podcast hosting platform to listen along, join the conversation, and chime in with your own observations!
Our intro and outro music was created for us by Josh Marshall. For more episodes and other spooky content, find us on your favorite social media platform through our handle: @CleverGhouls. Don’t forget to subscribe and share, and if you really like our content, please leave us a review. Or we’ll haunt you forever. Thanks for listening!