They Live
“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.”
Synopsis
A lone drifter stumbles upon a unique pair of sunglasses that reveal aliens are systematically gaining control of the Earth by masquerading as humans and lulling the public into submission.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Official TrailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2012-10-18
Top Cast
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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
Release History & Theatrical Window
Kyiv Critics' Week
Festival / Special Debut
November 4, 1988
Wide Cinema Exhibition
April 13, 1989
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$4M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$13M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
3.25x
+$9M net gain
Theatrical Status
Mega Hit
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- John Carpenter
- Screenplay & Story
- John Carpenter
- Original Score
- John Carpenter, Alan Howarth
- Original Title
- They Live
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 33m
- Production Budget
- $4M
- Worldwide Gross
- $13M
- Production Studios
- Alive Films, Larry Franco Productions
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
John Carpenter
John Carpenter, Ray Nelson
John Carpenter, Alan Howarth
Gary B. Kibbe
Gib Jaffe, Frank E. Jimenez
Larry Franco, Andre Blay, Shep Gordon
Department Leadership Roster
John Carpenter
Director
John Carpenter
Screenplay
Larry Franco
Producer
John Carpenter
Original Music Composer
Alan Howarth
Original Music Composer
Gary B. Kibbe
Director of Photography
Jeff Imada
Stunt Coordinator
Gib Jaffe
Editor
Frank E. Jimenez
Editor
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
R: Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
International Certification Matrix
Mature — Recommended for viewers 15 and older.
FSK 18 — Restricted to adults 18 and older.
Suitable only for adults 18 years and over.
Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for They Live.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring They Live.
FILMS
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Movie Collection
TSPDT - 1000 Greatest Films
They Shoot Pictures, Don't They? (TSPDT) - The 1,000 Greatest Films. A definitive meta-list aggregating thousands of critics' polls, historical rankings, and director top 10s to represent the ultimate critical consensus in cinema history. TSPDT 影史最伟大的1000部电影： 全球最权威的电影元榜单，由该网站汇总世界各大电影刊物历史评选结果及数千名影评人、学者的个人十佳榜单，通过算法加权计算得出的终极共识。 *片单说明：* 本片单只收录纯电影，以下剧集或迷你剧不予收录： • [#335] Berlin Alexanderplatz (1980) • [#514] Twin Peaks: The Return (2017) • [#614] Edvard Munch (1974) • [#703] The Sorrow and the Pity (1969) • [#890] Elephant (1989) • [#925] Heimat (1984) • [#968] Doomed Love (1978) 以下作品在 TMDB 被拆分为多个独立电影条目；本片单按作品/章节顺序连续收录，且每个分拆条目均沿用同一 TSPDT 名次： • [#171] Dekalog (1989) — 展开为 10 部电影 • [#988] Olympia (1938) — 展开为 2 部电影 *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-18 07:30:01 UTC+8)*
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Frequently Asked Questions About They Live
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is They Live about?
A lone drifter stumbles upon a unique pair of sunglasses that reveal aliens are systematically gaining control of the Earth by masquerading as humans and lulling the public into submission.
Who directed They Live?
They Live was directed by John Carpenter.
Who stars in They Live?
The principal cast of They Live includes Roddy Piper, Keith David, Meg Foster, George Buck Flower, Peter Jason.
When was They Live released and how long is it?
They Live was released in 1988 with a total runtime of 1h 33m.
What was the box office and production budget of They Live?
They Live had a reported production budget of $4M and grossed $13M at the worldwide box office (3.25 return on budget, classified as a blockbuster success).
Who composed the musical score for They Live?
The original motion picture soundtrack for They Live was composed by John Carpenter, Alan Howarth.
Is They Live based on a book or true story?
They Live is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "Ray Nelson".
What is the age rating and content advisory for They Live?
They Live holds official age classifications: AU: M (Mature — Recommended for viewers 15 and older.); CA: 14A; DE: 18 (FSK 18 — Restricted to adults 18 and older.); FR: TP; GB: 18 (Suitable only for adults 18 years and over.); US: R (Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.).