They Live is one of the 80's finest hours and a huge part of it was because he brought so much to the role.
Yeah, if you squint and think about it real hard you can imagine Carpenter's usual muse Kurt Russell filling out the role just fine, but who else would bring such macho bravado, convincing physicality, and amiable yet explosive lunkheadedness? Nada is one of the great, hell very few fully stupid protagonists in genre cinema. Not dumb as in 'patsy' as countless film noir heroes were deluded fools being strung along by someone more clever/sexy then they were, naw, Nada is just plain dumb. And its a great credit to Piper's lack of vanity/actual skill as an actor (man had charisma) that the film works as it does.
Nada does stupid things, his best idea for confronting the horrible truth that he literally stumbles onto is to go on a killing spree and then beat the piss out of the one guy who wants to help him. Nada is pushed around constantly, he never has any good ideas of his own and whatever plot momentum that does occur does so because somebody else suggests a course of action that he then unquestionably follows(somebody made these glasses, that must mean there's more people who know the truth, says someone who isn't Nada). He's easily duped, trusting people that he should be wary of, he rarely asks questions that would be useful and is really terrible at explaining himself and his actions. Also worth noting, the character is named Nada.
But its a great movie all the same, more films should have dumb heroes. Heck, if the flick had hit bigger Piper could have had a legit film career, he's that good in it. Instead it serves a footnote in a already significant life. Well done Mr. Piper, thank you for your contributions to the culture. Yes, seriously.
