BUBBLEGUM: exploring John Carpenter's 'They Live' by Farran Golding

Last month, our mate Farran Golding premiered his documentary, BUBBLEGUM, at Village Books (our pals at the other end of Thornton's Arcade. The short film is now online for you to enjoy so have a watch then head over the Village Blog to have a gander at a gallery of photos from the film's premiere shot by Welcome cohort, Brendan Harrap.

About BUBBLEGUM: exploring John Carpenter's 'They Live'...

"BUBBLEGUM is a short film exploring the influence of John Carpenter’s They Live - directed by Farran Golding and produced in association with Rough Trade Books.

Starring Rowdy Roddy Piper and released in 1988, They Live was fuelled by Carpenter’s disdain for Reaganism, mass consumerism and the ‘unrestrained capitalism’ of the era. BUBBLEGUM delves into the film’s political undertones which are just as - if not more - pertinent today.

Through interviews with Craig Oldham, designer and editor of ‘They Live - A Visual and Cultural Awakening’, alongside academic and author, Roger Luckhurst; BUBBLEGUM examines the social commentary, enduring graphical impact and referential legacy of an often slept-on entry in John Carpenter’s body of work."

About those involved...

Farran Golding (Director)

Farran is a freelance journalist based in Leeds whose work focuses on skateboarding, subcultures, music and arts. BUBBLEGUM is his first short film.

www.farrangolding.com | @farrangolding | @Farran_Golding

Craig Oldham

Craig is the creative director of Rough Trade Books and an accomplished graphic designer whose output includes In Loving Memory of Work (2015), Oh Sh*t What Now? (2018) and They Live: A Visual and Cultural Awakening (2019).

www.officeofcraig.com | @officeofcraig | @OfficeOfCraig

Roger Luckhurst

Roger is a Modern and Contemporary English Professor at Birkbeck, University of London, popular culture critic and author of several books on science fiction and horror.

Bio | @theprofrog | @TheProfRog

Ben Holmes

Ben is a co-owner of Village Books, an independent bookstore and gallery in Leeds.