They Live

November. 04,1988      R
Rating:
7.2
Trailer Synopsis Cast

A lone drifter stumbles upon a harrowing discovery -- a unique pair of sunglasses that reveals that aliens are systematically gaining control of the Earth by masquerading as humans and lulling the public into submission.

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

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Reviews

Hellen
1988/11/04

I like the storyline of this show,it attract me so much

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AniInterview
1988/11/05

Sorry, this movie sucks

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Keeley Coleman
1988/11/06

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

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Zlatica
1988/11/07

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

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cricketbat
1988/11/08

They Live is completely ridiculous, yet highly entertaining at the same time. This campy sci-fi movie has horrible writing, terrible acting and long, drawn-out scenes (there's a fight scene between two guys that lasts for over five minutes), yet there is something strangely likeable about it.

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bobbiemctavish
1988/11/09

I love They Live!I know I know, it is not Citizen Kane or anything but I base my ratings just on sheer entertainment value and what I and I alone think of the movie.... So maybe it is campy and not as "good" as a lot of the classic movies out there but based simply on how much "fun" I had watching it? I thought this was an incredibly entertaining movie and I would not hesitate to put it in my "best of all time movies list" when I get around to making one.Roddy Piper is great as a "lone wolf" type hero who realizes something is very wrong in society. SPOILERS AHEAD::: Special sunglasses reveal that aliens are posing as humans all around us and advertisements have hidden meanings forcing us to procreate, buy things we don't need, eat (to fatten ourselves up) etc, etc.This is a great movie if you like sci-fi with deeper meanings and also just dark comedy in general. The fight scene alone which takes a lot longer than most is worth the price of admission. I was jumping up and down and cheering. Yes I know that makes me look insane but I don't care I just had so much fun watching this!Great movie, great ending, great lines..... he "only knows how to do two things" ha ha, loved this one!

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Predrag
1988/11/10

"They Live" is gloriously over the top and wonderfully eccentric. This is John Carpenter having loads of fun and the audience is along for the ride. A drifter arrives in the city looking for work and a roof over his head. He accidentally stumbles into an alien invasion which no one, apart from a small selection of locals, has noticed. The aliens are disguising themselves by brainwashing everyone through their televisions. It isn't until he finds a pair of sunglasses that have the ability to see past the brainwashing and see who is human and who is alien that he realizes what is really going on.Carpenter often has something to say in his films and here it seems to be that the world being blinded by consumerism and not seeing what is in front of their own eyes. Here the message is a little haphazard and doesn't come across that well as it is lost amongst the outlandish action and over the top set pieces. 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 1950's 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.Overall rating: 7 out of 10.

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hat_city
1988/11/11

I love this movie. It is a timeless classic. The signature 1980's dark comedy is so refreshing, especially in this new millennium of political correctness and Hollywood censorship.Anyone who hasn't yet seen this movie should go out and get a copy right away. It may just change your life. The world keeps turning, the decades pass, but there are some facts of life in American society that have remained the same: The oppression and manipulation of the 99%, the parasitic elite, the poor dupes in the police force who don't realize who their masters really are, the call to arms for anyone on this planet who still has a human heart to stand up and do something about it. The central message of this movie is timeless and beautiful.I also love the grotesqueness of it. It shows through very clearly, from beneath the sugar coating of dark comedy sprinkled throughout the movie. The poverty, homelessness, the Reaganvilles, police brutality, the cowardice and selfishness of humanity that prevents us from simply doing the right thing, the crushing weight of a nationwide system designed to keep us in line, keep us ignorant, divided and weak...I'm a big fan of John Carpenter's movies, and this one is one of the best.

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