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MTDb โ€บ Best of โ€บ 1988 โ€บ They Live

They Live poster

They Live (1988)

โ€œYou 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.โ€

7.3/10 ยท 3,662 votes 1h 33m r ActionThrillerScience-fiction

#14 of 68 films from 1988 #405 of 2168 in action

Directed by John Carpenter ยท Written by John Carpenter, Ray Nelson

โ–ถ Trailer, images & where to stream

Overview

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.

Cast

Roddy Piperas John Nada
Keith Davidas Frank Armitage
Meg Fosteras Holly Thompsen
George Buck Floweras Drifter
Peter Jasonas Gilbert
Raymond St. Jacquesas Street Preacher
Jason Robards IIIas Family Man
John Lawrenceas Bearded Man
Susan Barnesas Brown Haired Woman
Sy Richardsonas Black Revolutionary
Wendy Brainardas Family Man's Daughter
Lucille Meredithas Female Interviewer
Susan Blanchardas Ingenue
Norman Aldenas Foreman

Facts

Release dateNovember 4, 1988
Runtime93 min (1h 33m) โ€” shorter as the 1988 average of 105 min
GenresAction, Thriller, Science-fiction
LanguageEN
Budget$4,000,000
Box office$13,000,000 (3.3ร— budget)
IMDbtt0096256

More from John Carpenter

The ThingThe Thing1982 ยท โ˜… 8.1 ยท 1h 49m HalloweenHalloween1978 ยท โ˜… 7.6 ยท 1h 31m Assault on Precinct 13Assault on Precinct 131976 ยท โ˜… 7.3 ยท 1h 31m In the Mouth of MadnessIn the Mouth of Madness1995 ยท โ˜… 7.2 ยท 1h 35m Big Trouble in Little ChinaBig Trouble in Little China1986 ยท โ˜… 7.2 ยท 1h 40m Escape from New YorkEscape from New York1981 ยท โ˜… 7.0 ยท 1h 39m StarmanStarman1984 ยท โ˜… 6.9 ยท 1h 55m ChristineChristine1983 ยท โ˜… 6.9 ยท 1h 50m

If you liked They Live

Same genre, released within a few years, sorted by TMDB rating.

Terminator 2: Judgment DayTerminator 2: Judgment Day1991 ยท โ˜… 8.2 ยท 2h 17m AliensAliens1986 ยท โ˜… 8.0 ยท 2h 17m The TerminatorThe Terminator1984 ยท โ˜… 7.7 ยท 1h 48m PredatorPredator1987 ยท โ˜… 7.6 ยท 1h 47m Star Trek II: The Wrath of KhanStar Trek II: The Wrath of Khan1982 ยท โ˜… 7.5 ยท 1h 53m RoboCopRoboCop1987 ยท โ˜… 7.4 ยท 1h 42m The AbyssThe Abyss1989 ยท โ˜… 7.4 ยท 2h 20m Mad Max 2Mad Max 21981 ยท โ˜… 7.4 ยท 1h 36m

Questions

How long is They Live?
They Live runs 93 minutes (1h 33m).
Is They Live worth watching?
TMDB users give it 7.3/10 across 3,662 votes, which places it #14 of 68 films released in 1988 in this index (top 81%) and #405 among 2168 action titles.
Who directed They Live?
They Live was directed by John Carpenter. Other well-rated titles by the same director: The Thing (1982), Halloween (1978), Assault on Precinct 13 (1976).
Who stars in They Live?
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.
What is They Live rated?
It carries a r certification in its home market. Ratings differ by country.
Where can I watch the trailer for They Live?
Open the title in the MTDb app for trailers, images and streaming links: https://mv.peoplentools.com/titles/40385.

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Film data and images from TMDB. This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB. Ratings are TMDB user scores as of 2026-10-05.