Roddy Piper

Keith David

Meg Foster

George Buck Flower

Peter Jason

Raymond St. Jacques

Jason Robards III

John Lawrence

Susan Barnes

Sy Richardson

Wendy Brainard

Lucille Meredith

Susan Blanchard

Norman Alden

Dana Bratton

John F. Goff

Norman D. Wilson

Thelma Lee

Stratton Leopold

Rezza Shan

Norman Howell

Larry Franco

Tom Searle

Robert Grasmere

Vince Inneo

Bob Hudson

Jon Paul Jones

Dennis Michael

Nancy Gee

Claudia Stanlee

Christine Anne Baur

Eileen Wesson

Gregory J. Barnett

Jim Nickerson

Kerry Rossall

Cibby Danyla

Jeff Imada

Michelle Costello

Jeb Stuart Adams

Jennifer Austin

Michael Forino

Robert V. Greene

Helen Kelly

Al Leong

Gunnar Magg

Matt McColm

Tommy Morrison

John Carpenter

Ray Nelson

Alan Howarth

Gary B. Kibbe

Andre Blay

Shep Gordon

Mike Johnson

Jack Eberhart

Roy Arbogast

David Blitstein

Michael Arbogast

Margaret Goodspeed

Frederick Wardell

Rick Avery

Diamond Farnsworth

Bennie Moore

George Fisher

Donna L. Noguchi

Simone Boisseree

Joe Gilbride

Chuck Picerni Jr.

John Borland

Andy Gill

Branscombe Richmond

Brad Bovee

Allan Graf

Danny Rogers

John Branagan

Randy Hall

Ronnie Rondell Jr.

Tony Brubaker

Steve Hart

Thomas Rosales Jr.

Kurt Bryant

Eddie Hice

David Burton

Freddie Hice

Debbie Lynn Ross

David Cadiente

Marcia Holley

Michael Runyard

James J. Casino

Ben Scott

Brian Imada

John-Clay Scott

Phil Chong

Walter Scott

Gary Combs

Matt Johnston

Jan Michael Shultz

Gilbert B. Combs

Russell Solberg

Bob K. Cummings

Henry Kingi

Ceci Vendrell

Gary Davis

Joel Kramer

Michael M. Vendrell

Tim A. Davison

Shane Dixon

Danny Weselis

Richard L. Duran

James Lew

Cheryl Wheeler Duncan

Eurlyne Epper

Billy D. Lucas

Scott Wilder

Gary Epper

Eric Mansker

Dianne L. Wilson

Jon H. Epstein

Merritt Yohnka

Debbie Evans

John C. Meier

Barbara Harris

Joy Ewing

Frank Leasure

Kenny Searle

Tim Roslan

Phil Downey

Gary Burritt

Douglas Greenfield

Gib Jaffe

Frank E. Jimenez

William J. Durrell Jr.

Daniel A. Lomino

Marvin March

Robin Michel Bush

Sandy King

Alan Levine

Ken Lavet

Science Fiction

Action

They Live

Alive Films

Larry Franco Productions

United States of America

Deutsch

English

dystopia

villainess

alien

social commentary

conspiracy

los angeles, california

alien invasion

sunglasses

glasses

brawl

subliminal message

horror

hilarious

whimsical

farcical

frightened

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 political point or perspective, the message here is only window dressing.  The message may (or may not) be important but instead of getting caught up in some sort of self-important moralizing, let's remember this is a movie - and a SciFi action movie at that. (that is the approach in my opinion) If I would compare movies to literature or movie makers to authors I'd compare Carpenter to Hemingway - although Carpenter specializes in anti-heroes and sometimes over-the-top characters, while Hemingway is understated. They are analogous for their own medium.  This is action, sci-fi but like Hemingway's stories, this is a man's movie. Straight forward. Fun at times, brutal at times and even funny at times. Keep a watch out for one of the great one-liners in movie history when the star is in the bank - only peripherally related to "bazooka."  A+ to Roddy Piper as well. When I first saw this movie I had zero expectation from him.  Now I wish he'd have made a lot more movies...

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 of sunglasses he sees a different world to everyone else. It's a world frequented by an alien race who are using the Earth for their own nefarious means.

See The Truth!

Carpenter does subversive sci-fi and it's a whole bunch of fun. Stripped back it's evident that They Live is Carpenter's wry observation on the politico posers who endorse the rich getting richer and everybody else sliding down the pole; to where they stop nobody knows! It's also a blatant paean to the glorious years of the 1950s when paranoia based sci-fi schlockers and creaky creature features ruled the air waves. It's also a wonderfully macho driven action movie, laced with comedy as well. You can rest assured there will be plenty of shooting, punching, dodging and spoken lines to make you smile.

Piper is no Kurt Russell, but we shouldn't hold that against him because he fills the role nicely. With muscular frame, 80s hair and a quip on the tongue, he is most assuredly a Carpenter leading man for the 80s. Alongside him is the reassuring presence of Keith David, himself a beefcake and also one of the coolest muthas on the planet. It's easy to believe that these two can save the planet, even after nearly beating each other to a pulp during a prolonged side-alley fight sequence, where Carpenter doesn't miss a chance to parody professional wrestling. While away from the beef, Meg Foster gets the lead lady role, with those amazing eyes nestling in perfectly with the world Carpenter has created.

Carpenter does political? Yes, but it's not the be all and end all of his intentions. He wanted to make an action sci-fi schlocker with sly politico undertones as motives. And that's exactly what he did. Joyously so. 8/10

Nathan

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 that is still relevant today. I particularly loved how the film built tension and hysteria in many scenes, such as the protagonist's discovery of the truth behind the hidden messages.

The performances in the film were okay, with some being better than others. Keith David and Meg Foster's performances stood out as impressive, bringing a sense of intensity and authenticity to their roles. On the other hand, Roddy Piper's performance was pretty corny, but it worked well for the film's B-movie style. Of course, nothing beats the iconic line "I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass, and I'm all out of bubblegum."

John Carpenter's direction was top-notch as always, with the ten-minute fight scene between John and Frank being a standout moment. The choreography was fantastic, and the lack of cuts made it a thrilling and believable engagement. The film's score was pretty basic, but it added a subtle tension to the entire movie and had a distinctly 80s feel to it. Carpenter's vision on analyzing American capitalism and the rich was very refreshing, and it's clear how he felt about the American way, which is still very relevant 35 years later.

In conclusion, They Live is a great movie that combines a unique sci-fi story, impressive direction, and memorable performances. Its themes and message remain just as important today as they were when the movie was first released.

Score: 80%
Verdict: Great

They Live( 1988)

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.

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A review by tmdb87069603

Written by tmdb87069603 on Tue Jun 05 2012

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