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IMDbPro

They Live

  • 1988
  • R
  • 1h 34m
IMDb RATING
7.2/10
136K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,281
31
Jeff Imada and Roddy Piper in They Live (1988)
In October 2018, several filmmakers were added to the Oxford English Dictionary in adjective form. Somehow, John Carpenter wasn't one of them. Today, we'll travel "Through the Lens" to define John Carpenter's style and influence, to define Carpenteresque, and why the term belongs in the dictionary.
Play clip4:54
Watch Through the Lens: Defining Carpenteresque and Why It Belongs in the Dictionary
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They influence our decisions without us knowing it. They numb our senses without us feeling it. They control our lives without us realizing it. They live.They influence our decisions without us knowing it. They numb our senses without us feeling it. They control our lives without us realizing it. They live.They influence our decisions without us knowing it. They numb our senses without us feeling it. They control our lives without us realizing it. They live.

  • Director
    • John Carpenter
  • Writers
    • Ray Nelson
    • John Carpenter
  • Stars
    • Roddy Piper
    • Keith David
    • Meg Foster
  • See production, box office & company info
    • IMDb RATING
    7.2/10
    136K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    1,281
    31
    • Director
      • John Carpenter
    • Writers
      • Ray Nelson
      • John Carpenter
    • Stars
      • Roddy Piper
      • Keith David
      • Meg Foster
    • 525User reviews
    • 236Critic reviews
    • 55Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 4 nominations

    Videos1

    Through the Lens: Defining Carpenteresque and Why It Belongs in the Dictionary
    Clip 4:54
    Watch Through the Lens: Defining Carpenteresque and Why It Belongs in the Dictionary

    Photos156

    Keith David in They Live (1988)
    Roddy Piper in They Live (1988)
    Keith David and Roddy Piper in They Live (1988)
    Roddy Piper in They Live (1988)
    Keith David and Roddy Piper in They Live (1988)
    They Live (1988)
    They Live (1988)
    They Live (1988)
    Roddy Piper in They Live (1988)
    Roddy Piper in They Live (1988)
    Keith David and Roddy Piper in They Live (1988)
    They Live (1988)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Roddy Piper
    Roddy Piper
    • Nada
    Keith David
    Keith David
    • Frank
    Meg Foster
    Meg Foster
    • Holly
    George 'Buck' Flower
    George 'Buck' Flower
    • Drifter
    Peter Jason
    Peter Jason
    • Gilbert
    Raymond St. Jacques
    Raymond St. Jacques
    • Street Preacher
    Jason Robards III
    Jason Robards III
    • Family Man
    John Lawrence
    • Bearded Man
    Susan Barnes
    • Brown Haired Woman
    Sy Richardson
    Sy Richardson
    • Black Revolutionary
    Wendy Brainard
    • Family Man's Daughter
    Lucille Meredith
    Lucille Meredith
    • Female Interviewer
    Susan Blanchard
    Susan Blanchard
    • Ingenue
    Norman Alden
    Norman Alden
    • Foreman
    Dana Bratton
    • Black Junkie
    John F. Goff
    John F. Goff
    • Well Dressed Customer
    Thelma Lee
    • Rich Lady
    Stratton Leopold
    • Depressed Human
    • Director
      • John Carpenter
    • Writers
      • Ray Nelson
      • John Carpenter
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      John Carpenter brought real "homeless folks" into the production for several scenes and smaller characters and gave them food as well as paychecks. "I thought that was a pretty classy thing to do," said Roddy Piper.
    • Goofs
      The alien at the magazine stand gets his change twice.
    • Quotes

      Nada: I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass... and I'm all out of bubblegum.

    • Crazy credits
      The screenplay writer for "They Live" which is credited to "Frank Armitage", does not exist. John Carpenter used many pseudonyms when giving credit to his works in films. With his vast amount of work that he did himself, (directing, producing, writing and composing the musical scores), he did not want to appear to be braggadocios and vain by having his name appear over and over in the credits of his movies.
    • Connections
      Edited into The Arrivals (2008)
    • Soundtracks
      Rock of Ages
      (uncredited)
      Music by Thomas Hastings
      Lyrics by Augustus Montague Toplady
      [Heard as one of the songs played on the church tape]

    User reviews525

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    8/10
    Surprisingly this movie is more relevant today n it is entertaining too.
    I first saw this in the late 80s on a vhs n enjoyed the film as an action entertainer. Read about the underlying themes as years passed on but revisited it today. This movie is very relevant for today's time too n it is still very entertaining. The alley fight scene stayed with me since the late 80s. Roddy Piper n Keith David gave memorable performances.
    helpful•70
    10
    • Fella_shibby
    • Dec 19, 2020

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    FAQ5

    • What is 'They Live' about?
    • Is "They Live" based on a book?
    • What are the differences between the short story and the film?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 4, 1988 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Official site
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • John Carpenter's They Live
    • Filming locations
      • Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA(Location)
    • Production companies
      • Alive Films
      • Larry Franco Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $4,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $13,008,928
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $4,827,903
      • Nov 6, 1988
    • Gross worldwide
      • $13,009,198
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 34 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
      • Black and White
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Surround 7.1
      • Dolby Atmos
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.39 : 1

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