Alien's Grossest Scene Made Stanley Kubrick Call Ridley Scott For A Surprising Reason
"Alien" is a sci-fi horror classic, full of numerous nightmare-inducing scenes. From hostile creatures crawling through air vents to Ripley's (Sigourney Weaver) final showdown with the Xenomorph, Ridley Scott's masterpiece mines fear from various situations. However, it was one gruesomely memorable moment that piqued iconic director Stanley Kubrick's interest to the point where he called Scott to inquire about the secret of its creation.
While speaking with The Times to promote his "Napoleon" biopic, Ridley Scott recalled his conversation with "The Shining" director, noting that the unannounced phone call took him by surprise. "Stanley called me the week 'Alien' opened. He said: 'It's Stanley Kubrick.' I said: 'F**k off!' He said, 'No, it's Stanley Kubrick.' He said, 'I watched "Alien," how did you bring the creature out the guy's chest?'"
The moment in question sees a Xenomorph burst out of Kane's (John Hurt) body while he and the crew of the Nostromo are trying to enjoy a meal. It's an impressive sequence, and Kubrick probably isn't the only person who wondered how it came to be. That said, in the years since the sci-fi classic's debut, the "Alien" filmmakers have spilled the beans about their secrets, revealing that creating the scene required them to think outside the box.
The Alien Chestburster scene has a gross backstory
The Chestburster scene in Ridley Scott's "Alien" is a testament to the power of practical effects. While speaking with Empire, the filmmakers revealed that the scene was created using a puppet and animatronic chest, which they attached to actor John Hurt. However, the creators weren't overly impressed by the prosthetics of the time period, so they acquired various animal innards to ensure the scene was extra gross.
"Once the creature was rigged up, they stuffed the chest cavity full of organs from the butcher's shop," screenwriter Dan O'Bannon recalled. "Then they ran a couple of big hoses to pump the stage blood. During all this, Ridley moved about, tending to the finest detail. I remember easily half an hour was spent with him draping this little piece of beef organ so it would hang out of the creature's mouth."
What's more, the actors didn't expect the sequence to work out as well as it did. Veronica Cartwright, who plays Lambert in the film, told Empire that she didn't have to act to convey her character's fear. The puppet bursting out of the animatronic chest and spraying goo everywhere caused her to have a visceral reaction on the set. The sudden shock even made her hit the floor, but she can appreciate the funny side of her reaction now that it's all in the past.