Top 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsMost Popular Video GamesMost Popular Music VideosMost Popular Podcasts
    Release CalendarBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
Sign In
New Customer? Create account
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

They Live

  • 19881988
  • 14A14A
  • 1h 34m
IMDb RATING
7.2/10
133K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,991
273
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
1 Video
99+ Photos
ActionHorrorSci-Fi
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.
IMDb RATING
7.2/10
133K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,991
273
    • John Carpenter
    • Ray Nelson(short story "Eight O'Clock in the Morning")
    • John Carpenter(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Roddy Piper
    • Keith David
    • Meg Foster
    • John Carpenter
    • Ray Nelson(short story "Eight O'Clock in the Morning")
    • John Carpenter(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Roddy Piper
    • Keith David
    • Meg Foster
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 516User reviews
    • 232Critic reviews
    • 55Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards

    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
      • John Carpenter
      • Ray Nelson(short story "Eight O'Clock in the Morning")
      • John Carpenter(screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      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," says 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 reviews516

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    10/10
    This Movie Could be Called "The Great Awakening 101"
    People who are asleep have no idea how incredibly aggressive they will fight to remain ignorant of how they are unwittingly harming their own family, friends, favorite celebrities, and loved ones. This movie is not the amazing because typical reasons like amazing visuals, blockbuster budget, etc. What makes this movie deserve 10 stars is because of its massive value in helping humanity break free from the shackles holding them back, which like an insane person, they are fighting with all their energy to remain in the fantasy world that they live in, so that they do not have to face the disturbing reality of what is really going on in the world we live in.
    helpful•94
    13
    • bitfourbyte
    • Jul 18, 2020

    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 (Canada)
      • United States
      • Official site
      • English
    • Also known as
    • Filming locations
      • Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • Alive Films
      • Larry Franco Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • 1 hour 34 minutes
      • Color
      • Black and White
      • Dolby Surround 7.1
      • Dolby Atmos

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Jeff Imada and Roddy Piper in They Live (1988)
    Top Gap
    What is the streaming release date of They Live (1988) in Australia?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2023 by IMDb.com, Inc.