They Live is a 1988 American science fictionhorror film written and directed by John Carpenter. The film stars Roddy Piper, Keith David, and Meg Foster. It follows an unnamed drifter (referred to as "John Nada" in the film's credits) who discovers that the ruling class are aliens concealing their appearance and manipulating people to spend money, breed, and accept the status quo with subliminal messages in mass media. It is based on the 1963 short story "Eight O'Clock in the Morning" by Ray Nelson. At release it was number one for a short time in the box office. It was nominated for twoSaturn Awards and became a cult film. It had a lasting impact on street art, particularly that of Shepard Fairey; its quotations have entered the popular culture, and its near six-minute alley brawl between the protagonists makes appearances on all-time lists for best fight scenes.