They Live (1988)

Director:

John Carpenter

Writers:

Ray Nelson (short story "Eight O'Clock in the Morning")
John Carpenter (screenplay)

Release Date:

4 November 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

Who are they? And what do they want?

Plot:

A drifter discovers a pair of sunglasses that allow him to wake up to the fact that aliens have taken over the Earth.

Plot Keywords:

Alien | Sunglasses | Construction Worker | Subliminal Message | Television

Awards:

3 nominations

Cast

Roddy Piper	...	Nada
Keith David	...	Frank
Meg Foster	...	Holly
George 'Buck' Flower	...	Drifter
Peter Jason	...	Gilbert
Raymond St. Jacques	...	Street Preacher
Jason Robards III	...	Family Man
John Lawrence	...	Bearded Man
Susan Barnes	...	Brown Haired Woman
Sy Richardson	...	Black Revolutionary
Wendy Brainard	...	Family Man's Daughter
Lucille Meredith	...	Female Interviewer
Susan Blanchard	...	Ingenue
Norman Alden	...	Foreman
Dana Bratton	...	Black Junkie
John F. Goff	...	Well Dressed Customer
Norm Wilson	...	Vendor
Thelma Lee	...	Rich Lady
Stratton Leopold	...	Depressed Human
Rezza Shan	...	Arab Clerk
Norman Howell	...	Blonde Haired Cop
Larry J. Franco	...	Neighbor (as Larry Franco)
Tom Searle	...	Biker
Robert Grasmere	...	Scruffy Blonde Man
Vince Inneo	...	Passageway Guard
Bob Hudson	...	Passageway Guard #2
Jon Paul Jones	...	Manager
Dennis Cosmo Michael	...	Male News Anchor (as Dennis Michael)
Nancy Gee	...	Female News Anchor
Claudia Stanlee	...	Young Female Executive
Christine Anne Baur	...	Woman on Phone (as Christine Baur)
Eileen Wesson	...	Pregnant Secretary
Gregory J. Barnett	...	Security Guard #1 (as Gregory Barnett)
Jimmy Nickerson	...	Security Guard #2 (as Jim Nickerson)
Kerry Rossall	...	2nd Unit Guard
Cibby Danyla	...	Naked Lady
Jeff Imada	...	Male Ghoul
Michelle Costello	...	Female Ghoul
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jeb Stuart Adams	...	Homeless kid (uncredited)
Jennifer Austin	...	Teenage Girl (uncredited)
Michael Forino	...	Ghoul at Bar (uncredited)
Robert V. Greene	...	TV Technician (uncredited)
Helen Kelly	...	Woman at the Dinner Party (uncredited)
Al Leong	...	Asian Revolutionary (uncredited)
Tommy Morrison	...	Dave - Resistance Fighter (uncredited)
Norman D. Wilson	...	Newspaper Vendor (uncredited)

Directed by
John Carpenter

Writing credits
Ray Nelson		(short story "Eight O'Clock in the Morning")
John Carpenter		(screenplay) (as Frank Armitage)

Produced by
Andre Blay	....	executive producer
Larry J. Franco	....	producer (as Larry Franco)
Shep Gordon	....	executive producer
Sandy King	....	associate producer

Original Music by
John Carpenter
Alan Howarth

Cinematography by
Gary B. Kibbe		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Gib Jaffe
Frank E. Jimenez

Art Direction by
William J. Durrell Jr.
Daniel A. Lomino		(as Daniel Lomino)

Set Decoration by
Marvin March

Makeup Department
Elle Elliott	....	hair stylist
Francisco X. Pérez	....	makeup artist (as Frank Carrisosa)

Production Management
Stratton Leopold	....	unit production manager
Alan Levine	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Larry J. Franco	....	first assistant director (as Larry Franco)
Artist W. Robinson	....	second assistant director (as Artist Robinson)
B. Scott Senechal	....	dga trainee (as Scott Senechal)

Art Department
Jack Eberhart	....	lead man
Dick Girod	....	paint foreman (as Richard Girod)
Sean Haworth	....	art department assistant
Richard M. Kerns	....	assistant property (as Richard Kerns)
Frank Leasure	....	propmaker
Ernie Millanponce	....	stand-by painter
Vic Petrotta Jr.	....	property master (as Victor Petrotta Jr.)
Gregori Renta	....	swing
John Sweeney	....	assistant property
Kenneth Truby	....	labor foreman
Michael Wright	....	construction foreman
Luigi Mugavero	....	set dresser (uncredited)

Sound Department
Roberta Alstadter	....	foley recordist
John H. Arrufat	....	sound editor (as J.H. Arrufat)
Gregg Barbanell	....	foley artist
Gary Blufer	....	sound effects recordist
Mark Boisseau	....	assistant sound editor
Larry Carow	....	sound editor
Samuel C. Crutcher	....	sound editor
Laurie Ecker	....	sound effects coordinator
John Michael Fanaris	....	sound effects coordinator
Frank A. Fuller Jr.	....	sound effects researcher
Walter A. Gest	....	sound re-recordist
Hector C. Gika	....	sound editor
Douglas Greenfield	....	stereo consultant: Dolby
Gary A. Hecker	....	foley artist (as Gary Hecker)
Timothy A. Hoggatt	....	foley mixer (as Timothy Hoggatt)
Michael Hoskinson	....	foley editor (as Mike Hoskinson)
Alan Howarth	....	synthesized sound effects
Robert Jackson	....	boom operator
Ron Judkins	....	sound mixer
John Leveque	....	sound editor
Robert J. Litt	....	sound re-recording mixer
Bob O'Brien	....	foley editor
Thomas J. O'Connell	....	adr recordist (as Tom O'Connell)
Sergio Reyes	....	sound re-recording mixer
Gary D. Rogers	....	adr mixer (as Gary Rogers)
Jeffrey L. Sandler	....	supervising sound editor
Solange S. Schwalbe	....	adr editor (as Solange Schwalbe Boisseau)
Becky Sullivan	....	supervising adr editor (as Becky Sullivan-Coblentz)
Shawn Sykora	....	foley editor
Elliot Tyson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Donald L. Warner Jr.	....	sound editor (as Don Warner)
Tim Webb	....	sound recordist
Richard E. Yawn	....	foley supervisor
David Napoli	....	utility sound (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Michael Arbogast	....	special effects assistant
Roy Arbogast	....	special effects coordinator
David Blitstein	....	special effects assistant
Jim Danforth	....	special photographic effects
William Lee	....	special effects assistant

Stunts
Rick Avery	....	stunts
Christine Anne Baur	....	stunts (as Christine Baur)
Simone Boisseree	....	stunts
John Borland	....	stunts
Brad Bovee	....	stunts
John Branagan	....	stunts
Tony Brubaker	....	stunts (as Anthony Brubaker)
Kurt Bryant	....	stunts
David Burton	....	stunts
David Cadiente	....	stunts
Jimmy Casino	....	stunts
John Casino	....	stunts (as John J. Casino)
Phil Chong	....	stunts
Gary Combs	....	stunts
Gilbert B. Combs	....	stunts
Bob K. Cummings	....	stunts
Gary Davis	....	stunts (as Gary Charles Davis)
Tim A. Davison	....	stunts (as Tim Davison)
Shane Dixon	....	stunts
Cheryl Wheeler Duncan	....	stunts (as Cheryl Wheeler-Dixon)
Richard L. Duran	....	stunts (as Richard Duran)
Eurlyne Epper	....	stunts
Gary Epper	....	stunts
Jon H. Epstein	....	stunts
Debbie Evans	....	stunts
Diamond Farnsworth	....	stunts
George Fisher	....	stunts
Joe Gilbride	....	stunts (as Joseph G. Gilbride)
Andy Gill	....	stunts
Allan Graf	....	stunts
Randy Hall	....	stunts
Steve Hart	....	stunts
Eddie Hice	....	stunts
Freddie Hice	....	stunts
Marcia Holley	....	stunts
Norman Howell	....	stunts
Brian Imada	....	stunts
Jeff Imada	....	stunt coordinator
Mike Johnson	....	stunts (as John Michael Johnson)
Matt Johnston	....	stunts (as Matt D. Johnston)
Chris Kent	....	stunts
Henry Kingi	....	stunts
Joel Kramer	....	stunts
Daniel Lee	....	stunts (as Daniel Eric Lee)
Al Leong	....	stunts
James Lew	....	stunts
Billy D. Lucas	....	stunts
Eric Mansker	....	stunts
Matt McColm	....	stunts
John Meier	....	stunts (as John C. Meier)
Bennie Moore	....	stunts (as Bennie E. Moore Jr.)
Donna L. Noguchi	....	stunts
Chuck Picerni Jr.	....	stunts (as Charles Picerni Jr.)
Branscombe Richmond	....	stunts
Danny Rogers	....	stunts
Ronnie Rondell Jr.	....	stunts
Thomas Rosales Jr.	....	stunts
Tim Roslan	....	stunts (as Timothy Roslan)
Debby Lynn Ross	....	stunts
Michael Runyard	....	stunts (as Mike Runyard)
Ben Scott	....	stunts
John-Clay Scott	....	stunts
Walter Scott	....	stunts
Jan Michael Shultz	....	stunts
Russell Solberg	....	stunts
Ceci Vendrell	....	stunts
Michael M. Vendrell	....	stunts
Ric Roman Waugh	....	stunts (as Ric Waugh)
Danny Weselis	....	stunts
Scott Wilder	....	stunts
Dianne L. Wilson	....	stunts (as Dianne Wilson)
Merritt Yohnka	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Kevin Arnold	....	electrician
Sidney Ray Baldwin	....	still photographer (as Sidney Baldwin)
Sanford Barr	....	electrician
Bruce Birmelin	....	still photographer
Clyde E. Bryan	....	first assistant camera: second camera
Ron Cardarelli	....	key grip (as Ronald Cardarelli)
Larry D. Davis	....	second assistant camera (as Larry Davis)
Robert DePerna	....	electrician
Anthony Di Mase	....	grip (as Anthony DiMase)
Jud Kehl	....	camera operator
John T. Kennedy	....	best boy electrician (as John Kennedy)
Jeffrey Norvet	....	first assistant camera
John Palka	....	best boy grip
Robin Roberts	....	grip
Richard Smock	....	electrician
Ken Spencer	....	gaffer (as Kenneth Spencer)
Raymond Stella	....	camera operator: second camera (as Raymond N. Stella)
Raymond Stella	....	panaglide operator (as Raymond N. Stella)
Dave Wachtman	....	dolly grip (as David Wachtman)
Sid Lucero	....	grip (uncredited)
Randy Nolen	....	Steadicam operator (uncredited)

Casting Department
Barbara Harris	....	voice casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Robert Lewis Bush	....	costumer (as Robert Bush)
Robin Michel Bush	....	costume supervisor (as Robin Bush)
John Melvin Young	....	costumer (as John Young)

Editorial Department
Gary Burritt	....	negative cutter
Phil Downey	....	color timer
Margaret Goodspeed	....	assistant film editor
Frederick Wardell	....	assistant film editor (as Fred M. Wardell)
Richard Alderete	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
George Bess	....	driver
Fred Brookfield	....	driver
James R. Brown	....	driver (as Jim Brown)
Russ Buckens	....	driver
Bob Cromwell	....	driver
James Langhorne	....	driver (as Jim Langhorne)
Stephen A. Latina	....	driver (as Steve Latina)
Leo Loa	....	driver
John Marendi	....	driver
Dennis McLaughlin	....	driver (as Denny McLaughlin)
Frank Mielcarek	....	driver
Thomas M. Reposar	....	driver (as Mike Reposar)
Tim Roslan	....	transportation captain
Kenny Searle	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Rick Chavez	....	craft service (as Richard Chavez)
Karin Costa	....	assistant: Mr. Carpenter
Maurice Costello	....	first aid
James Deeth	....	helicopter pilot
Mathew Dunne	....	production associate
Billie Don Evans	....	helicopter pilot
Joy Ewing	....	production accountant
T.Z. Garrison	....	stand-in
E. Barry Haldeman	....	production legal counsel (as E. Barry Haldeman Esq.)
Sandra Holden	....	assistant: Mr. Franco
Sandy King	....	script supervisor
Ken Lavet	....	location manager
Gregory Parrish	....	stand-in
Marian Shambo	....	production coordinator
Jill L. Smith	....	production legal counsel (as Jill L. Smith Esq.)
Mark A. Stankevich	....	production legal counsel (as Mark A. Stankevich Esq.)
Larry Sulkis	....	producer: commercials
Angel Trujillo	....	caterer
Michael Forino	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Lynnanne Zager	....	voices (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Alive Films (presents)
• Larry Franco Productions

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1988) (USA) (theatrical)
• Elliniki Kinimatografiki Enosi (ELKE) (1989) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Metropolitan Filmexport (1989) (France) (theatrical)
• Senator Film (1989) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Carolco Pictures (1988) (Non-USA) (all media) (sales)
• Home Video Hellas (HVH) (1989) (Greece) (VHS)
• MCA Home Video (1989) (USA) (VHS)
• Starlight (1989) (West Germany) (VHS)
• Astro Distribution (1999) (Germany) (VHS)
• Audio Visual Enterprises (2001) (Greece) (DVD)
• Front Row Filmed Entertainment (2008) (United Arab Emirates) (DVD) (Middle East)
• Guild Home Video (19??) (UK) (video) (laserdisc)
• Image Entertainment (1998) (Canada) (DVD)
• Image Entertainment (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (19??) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Momentum Pictures Home Entertainment (2002) (UK) (DVD)
• Optimum Home Entertainment (2008) (UK) (DVD)
• Optimum Home Entertainment (2008) (UK) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Pioneer LDCE (19??) (UK) (video) (laserdisc)
• Sandrew Metronome Distribution (2002) (Finland) (DVD)
• Shout! Factory (2012) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-Ray) (collector's edition)
• Shout! Factory (2012) (USA) (DVD) (collector's edition)
• Showtime (1990) (Finland) (VHS)
• Studiocanal Vidéo (2004) (France) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Finland Oy (2009) (Finland) (DVD)
• Universal Studios Home Video (2009) (Canada) (DVD) (4 film collection)
• Universal Studios Home Video (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Studios Home Video (2009) (USA) (DVD) (4 film collection)
• Video Screen (19??) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (1997) (Finland) (TV)

Special Effects

• Effects Associates (special photographic effects)
• Hansard (process compositing) (as The Hansard Group)

Other Companies

• Control Data Corporation  special thanks
• Denali Productions Inc.  commercials produced by
• ETA Systems Inc.  special thanks
• Electric Melody Studios  music recorded at (as Electric Melody Studio)
• Goldwyn Sound Facility  re-recorded at
• Gordon Ecker Productions  supervising sound editing
• Greater St. Peter's AME Church, Atlanta, GA  special thanks
• Inter Video  video playback
• International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE)  this picture made under the jurisdiction of (as I.A.T.S.E.®)
• Mario's Catering  caterers
• Pacific Title  titles and opticals
• Sally Perle & Associates  extras casting
• The Goodyear Airship 'Columbia'  special thanks

Also Known As:

"John Carpenter's They Live" - USA (complete title)
"They Live!" - USA (poster title)

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color | Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:M | Norway:18 | Singapore:M18 | UK:18 | West Germany:18 (nf) | Iceland:16 | USA:R (certificate #29297) | Sweden:15 | Ireland:18 | Portugal:M/12 | Finland:K-16 (cut) (1989) | Finland:K-18 (uncut) (self applied) (2002) | Netherlands:16

Filming Locations:

Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Alive Films

Trivia:

The fight between Nada (Roddy Piper) and Frank (Keith David) was only supposed to last 20 seconds, but Piper and David decided to fight it out for real, only faking the hits to the face and groin. They rehearsed the fight for three weeks. Carpenter was so impressed he kept the 5 minute and 20 second scene intact.

Goofs:

Continuity: Upon completion of their alley fight, Frank and Nada both have blood on their faces. While walking from the alley to the boarding house, the blood has disappeared. Once inside the boarding house, the blood has returned.

Quotes:

Nada:And who are you, little fella? Come to show 'em where I am, huh? Not nice!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Special Collector's Edition: Masters del universo (#2.8)" (2011)

Clever sci-fi film with current cultural relevance

An unemployed man in the 80s (of the WWF variety, complete with Mel-mullet) shows up in the big city looking for work, American Dream intact. He finds a "Hooverville"-like (perhaps Reaganville!) community that takes him in and finds work in construction. He notices that several of the providers are ostensibly up to no good and hold meetings at the local church. He stumbles upon a secret door and finds a stash of...80s sunglasses! After the community is destroyed by the police, our baffled working-class hero pops on a pair of the glasses, which allows him see the world as it really is, and wake up out of his sleeeepy false consciousness! Was Carpenter reading up on his Marx? Maybe! Either way, this sci-fi/action flick is fantastic, cheesy, and clever. "They Live" was obviously influenced by the excess of the 80s, but doesn't come across as dated and actually seems very relevant to the current cultural climate in the US. There are various flaws (namely, the creepy-in-a-bad-way Meg Foster and her character), but overall this is an excellent, amusing, and entertaining film. My Rating: 9.5/10