Reg:

The reason why I constantly refer to THEY LIVE as a NON- FICTION DOCUMENTARY is because at its' base level --- it is the TRUTH about the ongoing situation in America, as well as one of the main reasons why this country is crumbling --- morally, ethically, and financially.

John Carpenter was flattered that I put him on the level of TRUTH-TELLER, specifically mentioning David Icke and his book CHILDREN OF THE MATRIX. In that book, David Icke refers to Carpenter and THEY LIVE specifically. When I mentioned that he was a TRUTH-TELLER, Carpenter replied with "I am just a film director, but I am flattered to be called a truth-teller, nonetheless."

The impression that I came away with was this:

The man, John Carpenter, knows about more than he is willing to admit to publically --- I say this because he has to keep an eye on not pissing off his financiers --- ultimately, they are the people with the biggest clout, as to whether a film will get to be made or not.

It is not that I desire to believe these things about THEY LIVE, but, my fascination began when I read and watched numerous interviews with Carpenter, and in every single one of them, he specifically mentioned THEY LIVE. During such times when he has mentioned a second film, that film has always been THE THING.

I just found it strange that a film director would always refer to his worst film (critically and financially, but NOT story-wise) as his all-time favorite of the 25 films he has made.

The other thing that got me going on this subject, was when a young teenager working at Blockbuster video told me that THEY LIVE was rumored as having been taken off the shelves of the video chain, and the orders coming from an internal sub-department of the NSA. That was not something a kid that age would know about --- unless it were true. Other people at other stores told me that the video was ordered off the shelves --- an URGENT NOTICE appeared on the stores' POINT OF SALE terminal.

I was shown the notice, I saw it with my own eyes.

Also --- it is NOT normal industry practice to remove videos off store shelves and return them to the warehouse. THAT is what the discount bins are for. Another manager at a different Blockbuster location told me that he could not send the videos back, because all the copies were reported as LOST by those who rented them.

Finally --- in June 2002, used copies of THEY LIVE were selling for $100 to $150 per copy, for a disc that was released at the $19.95 retail price point. New, still-sealed copies were being offered for as much as $500 each --- all of this was on AMAZON.COM --- by the way.

These were the circumstances that led to my contacting John Carpenter.

One of the things he said to me will be used as a blurb for the books' cover.

Peace and Prayers,

Kent Daniel Bentkowski Buffalo, New York USA