Science Fiction

Action

Thriller

They Live

Alive Films

Larry Franco Productions

United States of America

English

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

Alan Howarth

Ray Nelson

Shep Gordon

Gary B. Kibbe

Andre Blay

Mike Johnson

Gary Combs

Margaret Goodspeed

Joe Gilbride

Kurt Bryant

Eddie Hice

David Burton

Jack Eberhart

Ronnie Rondell Jr.

Debbie Lynn Ross

Brian Imada

Andy Gill

John Branagan

Roy Arbogast

Steve Hart

David Cadiente

Ben Scott

David Blitstein

Diamond Farnsworth

Donna L. Noguchi

Chuck Picerni Jr.

Randy Hall

Tony Brubaker

Marcia Holley

Bennie Moore

George Fisher

Michael Runyard

Matt Johnston

Danny Rogers

John-Clay Scott

Rick Avery

Brad Bovee

Phil Chong

Allan Graf

Thomas Rosales Jr.

Michael Arbogast

Frederick Wardell

Branscombe Richmond

Walter Scott

Simone Boisseree

John Borland

Freddie Hice

James J. Casino

Jan Michael Shultz

Eurlyne Epper

Cheryl Wheeler Duncan

Barbara Harris

Gary Davis

Eric Mansker

Debbie Evans

Tim A. Davison

Scott Wilder

Richard L. Duran

Merritt Yohnka

John C. Meier

Gary Burritt

Gilbert B. Combs

Henry Kingi

Michael M. Vendrell

Danny Weselis

Billy D. Lucas

Douglas Greenfield

Dianne L. Wilson

Bob K. Cummings

Joy Ewing

Frank Leasure

Jon H. Epstein

Joel Kramer

Gary Epper

Ceci Vendrell

Shane Dixon

Tim Roslan

Russell Solberg

James Lew

Kenny Searle

Phil Downey

William J. Durrell Jr.

Frank E. Jimenez

Robin Michel Bush

Daniel A. Lomino

Marvin March

Gib Jaffe

Sandy King

Alan Levine

Ken Lavet

James Deeth

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

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Keith David

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Raymond St. Jacques

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