You see them on the street. You watch them on TV. You might even vote for one this fall. You think they're people just like you. You're wrong. Dead wrong.
A lone drifter stumbles upon a unique pair of sunglasses that reveal aliens are systematically gaining control of the Earth by masquerading as humans and lulling the public into submission.
They Live (1988) is a science fiction, action and thriller film directed by John Carpenter, released on November 4, 1988 with a runtime of 1h 33m. It stars Roddy Piper, Keith David, Meg Foster and George Buck Flower. Viewers rate it 7.3 out of 10 across 3,615 ratings.
Watch the official trailer for They Live before you stream it.
Official trailers, teasers, clips and featurettes for They Live.
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Featurette
Roddy Piper
as John Nada
Keith David
as Frank Armitage
Meg Foster
as Holly Thompsen
George Buck Flower
as Drifter
Peter Jason
as Gilbert
Raymond St. Jacques
as Street Preacher
Jason Robards III
as Family Man
John Lawrence
as Bearded Man
Susan Barnes
as Brown Haired Woman
Sy Richardson
as Black Revolutionary
Wendy Brainard
as Family Man's Daughter
Lucille Meredith
as Female Interviewer
Directed by John Carpenter, written by Ray Nelson and John Carpenter, produced by Larry Franco.
Average viewer score of 7.3/10 from 3,615 ratings.
I have to admit up front to liking every single, John Carpenter movie. They are works of art in there unique style and quality. This is actually my favorite of all of them. There could be a criticism that this movie is didactic and sends some sort of clumsy political or philosophical message but I'd have to reply that you simply don't get it. Unlike the modern propensity for movies to try to hammer home some…
Reviewed on June 5, 2012
Life's a bitch and she's back on heat! They Live is directed by John Carpenter who also adapts the screenplay form the short story Eight O'Clock in the Morning written by Ray Nelson. It stars Roddy Piper, Keith David and Meg Foster. Music is by Alan Howarth (and Carpenter) and cinematography by Gary B. Kibbe. Unemployed drifter Nada (Piper) wanders into the city looking to find work, but upon finding a unique pair…
Reviewed on September 26, 2014
They Live is a great movie that delivers an exceptional story with a dystopian vibe that is both thrilling and terrifying. John Carpenter's screenplay was ahead of its time in terms of its social commentary on American capitalism and the class divide. The film's story explores how a small group of people has taken control of the world by using subliminal messaging and manipulation, making it a unique sci-fi tale…
Reviewed on May 15, 2023
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They Live (1988) is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video and Amazon Prime Video with Ads, and to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube and Fandango At Home. Streaming availability is checked against JustWatch data and can change by region.
The main cast of They Live (1988) includes Roddy Piper, Keith David, Meg Foster, George Buck Flower and Peter Jason. The film was directed by John Carpenter. You can see the full cast and crew list, with character names, further up this page.
They Live was released on November 4, 1988 and runs for 1h 33m.
They Live (1988) holds an average rating of 7.3 out of 10 from 3,615 viewer votes, and is a good pick if you enjoy science fiction, action and thriller films. Read the viewer reviews on this page to decide for yourself.
Yes. The official They Live trailer is embedded in the trailer section of this page and plays instantly, no download or sign-up required.
