They Live (1988)
Average Rating: 7/10
Reviews Counted: 38
Fresh: 34 | Rotten: 4
A politically subversive blend of horror and sci fi, They Live is an underrated genre film from John Carpenter.
Average Rating: 5.3/10
Critic Reviews: 7
Fresh: 4 | Rotten: 3
A politically subversive blend of horror and sci fi, They Live is an underrated genre film from John Carpenter.
liked it
Average Rating: 3.6/5
User Ratings: 35,766
My Rating
Movie Info
John Carpenter wrote and directed this science fiction thriller about a group of aliens who try to take over the world by disguising themselves as Young Republicans. Wrestler Roddy Piper stars as John Nada, a drifted who makes his way into an immense encampment for the homeless. There he stumbles upon a conspiracy concerning aliens who have hypnotized the populace through subliminal messages transmitted through television, magazines, posters, and movies. When Nada looks through special Ray-Bans
Nov 4, 1988 Limited
Oct 10, 2000
MCA/Universal Pictures
Watch It Now
Cast
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Roddy Piper
John Nada -
Keith David
Frank -
Meg Foster
Holly -
George 'Buck' Flower
Drifter -
Peter Jason
Gilbert -
Norman Alden
Foreman -
Susan Barnes
Brown-Haired Woman -
Gregory J. Barnett
Security Guard -
Christine Baur
Woman on Phone -
Susan Blanchard
Ingenue -
Wendy Brainard
Family Man's Daughter -
Thelma Lee
Rich Lady -
Jim Nickerson
Security Guard -
Sy Richardson
Black Revolutionary -
Jason Robards III
Family Man -
Eileen Wesson
Pregnant Secretary -
John F. Goff
Well-dressed Customer -
Norman Howell Jr.
Blond-Haired Cop -
Jeff Imada
Male Ghoul -
Kerry Rossall
2nd Unit Guard -
Raymond St. Jacques
Street Preacher -
Dana Bratton
Black Junkie -
Michelle Costello
Female Ghoul -
Cibby Danyla
Naked Lady -
Nancy Gee
Female News Anchor -
Robert Grasmere
Scruffy Blond Man -
Bob Hudson
Passageway Guard -
Vince Inneo
Passageway Guard -
Jon Paul Jones
Manager -
Stratton Leopold
Depressed Human -
Lucille Meredith
Female Interviewer -
Dennis Michael
Male News Anchor -
Tom Searle
Biker -
Rezza Shan
Arab Clerk -
Claudia Stanlee
Young Female Executive -
Norm Wilson
Vendor -
John Lawrence (II)
Bearded Man -
Larry Franco
Neighbor
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All Critics (38) | Top Critics (7) | Fresh (35) | Rotten (4) | DVD (14)
They Live is the looniest movie of the season and also one of the most engaging.
The joke is in the material; the idea itself is funny and daring. And some time soon, They Live suggests, with grim, knowing wink, the joke may be on us.
A fantastically subversive film, a nifty little confection pitting us vs them, the haves vs the have-nots.
Top CriticAll in all, an entertaining (if ideologically incoherent) response to the valorization of greed in our midst.
The black-and-white visuals disturb for only so long, and while themes of indoctrination and conspiracy prove initially intriguing, the film quickly descends into fistfights and gunfire.
Credibility isn't the problem with John Carpenter's They Live... but execution is.
They Live is a paranoid thriller that stretches a paper-thin budget with inventive special effects that serve the story and a message that still holds water today.
BUY.
Carpenter sweeps aside political preaching to allow the film to finish on a note of humour when the aliens are finally revealed for what they are.
A loopy movie that got its messages right.
They Live is thought-provoking while maintaining its B-movie credentials.
An erratically amusing throwback to the science-fiction paranoia films of the 1950s.
Carpenter's ability to fuse the bawdy humor and action with an intelligent script make for a genre film that is both thoughtful and entertaining
great cult flick
An excellent Carpenter film, if you can get past the fight scene.
The loopiest, and coolest, entry in the director's canon.
Audience Reviews for They Live
Super Reviewer
Now I'm not saying all Americans are suspicious conspiracy theory doom mongers but this film exposes that ever present trait whilst also scratching at the notion of constant gross consumer consumption, greed and subversive subliminal messages touching on hypnosis and domination.
To be honest the whole idea just shows how some Americans (including Carpenter) think most of the time, always looking over their shoulder and suspicious.
As for the film its a romp that just keeps going and you wanna know how it ends. The start is slow and dull, it takes time to get going but once 'Nada' finds the sunglasses of truth things get really interesting in a good way. I love how Carpenter made this film, its dated but still looks great as it has that nice B-movie look which is mainly down to the budget. Think of it as an unintentional result that happens to fit the whole films concept perfectly. Classic 50's alien B-movie fluff enhanced with time.
The whole idea is really very clever and imagined so well. We see the alien corrupted world controlling the now unaware obedient humans in their daily lives through the black and white shades 'Nada' finds. Without the shades the world appears normal, an illusion created to blinker or fog human eyes.
The aliens only appear when the shades are on and boy do they look creepy. Even though its obviously a simple mask the makeup and design is superbly created and really gives an eerie effect.
I have always been surprised with the great performance by Piper also. The guy was a WWF wrestler at the time for gods sake yet his acting here is great, just perfect. He really carries off the suspicion and awakening of the story to a tee. As for his character of 'Nada'...all I can say is the guy certainly has an element of 'Jack Burton' if you ask me.
'I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass...and I'm all out of bubblegum'
I also like how this film isn't predictable. It keeps you guessing and your never sure how it will end or who will survive.
The subtle political jabs, crazy ass humour and out n out action is a curious blend but like Carpenter's 86 film 'Big Trouble in Little China' he manages to pull it off with ease and create another cult on his filmography. A great comicbook tale of mindless media/advertising supremacy on an Orwellian alien monitored Earth.
'Brother, life's a bitch... and she's back in heat'
Super Reviewer
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- John Nada: Either put on these glasses or start eating that trashcan.
-
- John Nada: It looks like you dipped your face in the cheese dip back in 1957.
-
- John Nada: Thats like pouring perfume on a pig.
-
- John Nada: I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass - and I'm all out of bubblegum.
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- John Nada: You, you're okay. This one, real fuckin' ugly.
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- John Nada: I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass...and I'm all out of bubblegum.
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Latest News on They Live
April 11, 2011:
Matt Reeves Hired for They Lives (Non-) RemakeUniversal has tapped Matt Reeves to write and direct an adaptation of Ray Nelson's "8 O'Clock in the...
December 4, 2008:
They Live All Over AgainWho will be all out of bubblegum this time? Universal has announced plans to remake John Carpenter's...
April 17, 2008:
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Foreign Titles
- Invasion Los Angeles (FR)


That's because "They Live" has its tongue firmly planted in cheek. Despite John Carpenter's attempt to tell a very important story and deliver a very important message he does it in such an absurd way that there's no opportunity for "They Live" to let that potentially heavy-handed plot to feel ponderous to get through. Does the message leave much of an impression post-viewing? No. But this mix of sci-fi and horror is easy to enjoy. It's a simple premise and after the plot kicks in, it's all about destroying any ugly-faced alien no questions asked.
Then you have the presence of one of the most nonsensical and infamous fight scenes you'll see. Roddy Piper and Keith David fight for five minutes for no reason other than a pair of glasses. There's no rational reason why the two of them are beating each other up but they keep fighting and keep fighting. But in this film, that's OK.
There's also dialogue written with the 80s penchant for funny, out of nowhere one-liners. The most infamous for "They Live" being "I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass... and I'm all out of bubblegum." Both the fight sequence and the line of dialogue have been homaged and referenced in numerous entertainment vehicles such as "South Park" and Duke Nukem games.
"They Live" is one of those films you've gotta see if you appreciated B-films in any way. It's a great example of how to walk that line between serious and absurd and walk that line perfectly.