They Live (1988) typography

Geofferino20 April 2011 · 08:52

Hi all, I'm trying to identify some of the typography used in John Carpenter's sci-fi classic, They Live. The following site has some really good examples of the typography used in the movie:

http://annyas.com/this-is-your-god-typography-they-live-1988/

There are obviously a couple of different weights and style in use, (possibly completely different fonts) but the two main fonts I want to identify is the one in the top 'Obey' image and the other on the 'Do not question authority' image.

I thought the font in the Obey image looked like Century Gothic Bold or Gill Sans Bold but there are some slight differences.

Anybody got any ideas?

Eric Hague20 April 2011 · 09:19

Some kind of Futura bold/black, maybe condensed—at any rate, some cut of Futura is the right direction.

butterick20 April 2011 · 13:08

The "Do Not Question Authority" prop was made with wood type on a letterpress.

Geofferino21 April 2011 · 05:50

Thanks for your help, I've found Futura LT Book Bold is a very good match for the text on the OBEY sign.

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