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Pahan kehä

Original title: They Live
  • 1988
  • R
  • 1h 34m
IMDb RATING
7.2/10
150K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
678
433
Jeff Imada and Roddy Piper in Pahan kehä (1988)
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.
Play trailer1:59
2 Videos
99+ Photos
Alien InvasionActionHorrorSci-FiThriller

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 info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.2/10
    150K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    678
    433
    • Director
      • John Carpenter
    • Writers
      • Ray Nelson
      • John Carpenter
    • Stars
      • Roddy Piper
      • Keith David
      • Meg Foster
    • 545User reviews
    • 223Critic reviews
    • 55Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 4 nominations

    Videos2

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 1:59
    Watch Official Trailer
    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

    Photos160

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    Top cast50

    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

    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 reviews545

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    7/10
    They Live, You Give...
    There's a world that is hidden and unseen, that manipulates although it's all been screened, imperceptibly subtle, will direct your every shuffle, it's a greedy and insatiable machine. All governed by those in the know, through foundations set down long ago, you're oblivious to it, though you support and pay forfeit, provide the toil, that helps it to grow. On occasion, it might let you join, to ensure there's a good flow of coin, keep up the façade, as they cheat and defraud, and continue their legal purloin.

    Still a wonderful piece of observational filmmaking that seems to have grown more relevant, in more parts of the planet, as the years have regressed.
    • Xstal
    • Mar 1, 2023
    • Permalink

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    FAQ4

    • 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
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • John Carpenterin Pahan kehä
    • 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
      • $13,447,978
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $4,827,903
      • Nov 6, 1988
    • Gross worldwide
      • $13,450,603
    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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    Jeff Imada and Roddy Piper in Pahan kehä (1988)
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