This out-of-print DVD is commanding high prices on sites such as eBay and half.com ... receiving anywhere from $40-$100 per copy.

Oddly enough, the DVD contains ... only the movie with no extras. And while "They Live" is an amazing film, the widescreen format along with the DVD clarity make-up for the lack of extras. However, on the opposite hand, even the trailer as an bonus would have been nice.

The recently-released European edition of "They Live" does feature the trailer along with audio commentary by John Carpenter and Roddy Piper ... something, undoubtedly, that will eventually be released in the US.

Now ... onto the film itself...

One of the unrecognized greats in 80’s sci-fi, “John Carpenter’s They Live!” (1988) stars “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, in unquestionably the best wrestler-film cross over. Set slightly in the future, Piper plays an un-named man, actually referred to in the credits as “Nada” ...

Synopsis: A lowly transient (Piper) discovers a bath of sunglasses, which, when worn, reveals an Alien manipulated and driven world.

Best scene: When Nada first puts on the sunglasses (shown via black-and-white) and realizes that everything is controlled by the unknown race of Aliens. This whole segment, from when Nada sees his first Alien (a dignified looking older gentleman at a newsstand) to when he bursts into the bank and utters one of the all-time best movie lines, “I have come here to chew bubble gum and kick ass. And I’m all out of bubble gum.”

Worst scene: a lengthy wrestling style back-alley brawl between Nada and his friend Frank. Why is this fight so bad? It starts over the fact that Frank, thinks Nada is a psycho who shot up the bank but ... more importantly, Frank refuses to put on the sunglasses when Nada tells him that something fishy is going on, Alien-style. Frank refuses and the brawl ensues ... come on Frank ... even if the glasses didn’t reveal an Alien world, it’s a free pair of sunglasses so what’s your problem? The fight itself would had probably killed both guys and they sure wouldn’t have been able to get up and go off to kick more ass (without any gum ... or at least that’s the unsaid indication that we get) moments later. So, in summary ... the fight scene is actually a really good fight scene. It's the premise behind the fight that doesn't make sense.

Mood: this is truly a dark film sprinkled with quirky humor and social commentary. Film theorists would probably have a ball analyzing exactly who the “Aliens” represent in our culture ... but then again, film theorists would probably chuckle with disdain at the notion of watching “They Live!” The haunting, brooding music also adds to the film’s attraction.

This scene doesn't belong: This probably should go into the Worst Scene category, but still ... they could have thought of a better reason to have Frank and Nada duke-it-out. Anyway ... the sex scene at the end ... and I mean, the final few seconds of the film. Per Nada's destruction of the Alien control over the world, now everyone can see the Aliens and their control. So ... the last scene before the credits is a sex scene between an Alien and a very earthly woman. "What's wrong, baby?" he asks as she realizes that she's with a nasty-looking Alien. Purely gratuitous and out of place. Rationally, this scene was probably the reason for that "R" rating. Think about it. The film was violent, had a few curses but nothing to even warrent an "R" ... until that last few seconds. Most parents of the mid-to-late 1980's--unlike today--kept their kids away from that "R" rating. Thus, "They Live" probably lost a huge market in the form of kids--specifically wrestling fans under the age of 12--whose parents would have taken them to see a "PG" film like ... "No Holds Barred."

Unfortunately, our hero, Nada, dies moments after revealing the Aliens to the unsuspecting world. But not before revealing his middle finger to the camera. You see, Nada and Frank befriend Holly, portrayed by the woman with the most haunting eyes in entertainment, Meg Foster. Holly turns out to be a Alien-sympathizer, possible an Alien herself ... actually we never find out. Regardless, Holly is Nada’s downfall and Frank’s killer.

In the realm of wrestling-movies, "They Live" is, without a doubt, the best cross-over. Pass over every Hulk Hogan movie on video and find "They Live" on DVD (if you can)... which by the way, has pretty cool cover art.