Film Snail

7.3

They Live

R·1988·93m

Science Fiction

Action

Science Fiction

Action

Summary

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.

Cast

Roddy Piper

John Nada

Keith David

Frank Armitage

Meg Foster

Holly Thompsen

George Buck Flower

Drifter

Peter Jason

Gilbert

Raymond St. Jacques

Street Preacher

Jason Robards III

Family Man

John Lawrence

Bearded Man

Susan Barnes

Brown Haired Woman

Sy Richardson

Black Revolutionary

Wendy Brainard

Family Man's Daughter

Lucille Meredith

Female Interviewer

Susan Blanchard

Ingenue

Norman Alden

Foreman

Dana Bratton

Black Junkie

John F. Goff

Well Dressed Customer

Norman D. Wilson

Vendor

Thelma Lee

Rich Lady

Stratton Leopold

Depressed Human

Rezza Shan

Arab Clerk

Norman Howell

Blonde Haired Cop

Larry Franco

Neighbor

Tom Searle

Biker

Robert Grasmere

Scruffy Blonde Man

Vince Inneo

Passageway Guard

Bob Hudson

Passageway Guard #2

Jon Paul Jones

Manager

Dennis Michael

Male News Anchor

Nancy Gee

Female News Anchor

Claudia Stanlee

Young Female Executive

Christine Anne Baur

Woman on Phone

Eileen Wesson

Pregnant Secretary

Gregory J. Barnett

Security Guard #1

Jim Nickerson

Security Guard #2

Kerry Rossall

2nd Unit Guard

Cibby Danyla

Naked Lady

Jeff Imada

Male Ghoul

Michelle Costello

Female Ghoul

Jeb Stuart Adams

Homeless kid (uncredited)

Jennifer Austin

Teenage Girl (uncredited)

Michael Forino

Ghoul at Bar (uncredited)

Robert V. Greene

TV Technician (uncredited)

Helen Kelly

Woman at the Dinner Party (uncredited)

Al Leong

Asian Revolutionary (uncredited)

Gunnar Magg

Male Ghoulie (uncredited)

Matt McColm

Police Officer (uncredited)

Tommy Morrison

Dave - Resistance Fighter (uncredited)

John Carpenter

Voice That Says 'Sleep'

Crew

Director, Screenplay

John Carpenter

Novel

Ray Nelson

Reviews

tmdb87069603

June 5, 2012

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...