leading from
a) Moment of desparation
They quickly reset the rigs while Tiny Nichols scored the fabric even more on the T-shirt with a razorblade, so it would definitely break through this time. Veronica Cartwright had to change costumes because she’d been sprayed with blood. John Hurt was dragged back, draped in more blood and guts, with a second t-shirt positioned over the chest - but this time, Tiny Nichols scored the fabric even more on the T-shirt with a razorblade, so it would definitely break through this time.
Once Tiny had finished, they redressed the table and the actors moved back to their positions. Looking down on Kane struggling like crazy with this huge patch of blood on his chest, the rest of the Nostromo crew moved in even closer to try to see what was going on. The cameras were all duly set running and Ridley called action.
If Roger Dicken have been handling that side of it, he would have weakened the T-shirt chemically over a week or so, to make sure it was ready to be disintegrated, and he would have used his Chestburster as planned
If they had wanted the sequence to carry onm without cutting, then Dickens creature would have burst through and carried on moving, breathing and looking about, but as it was, they had to cut within seconds.
Once the chestburster was rigged up, they stuffed the cavity full of cow entrails. Ridley spent perhaps half an hour draping a little piece of cow entrail so it would hang from the chestburster's mouth. The t-shirt appeared to be heavily ripped open to allow this shot to be done with ease. Ridley went in again.
Another take , Ridley cries "Action!"
Kane goes through the whole scene with his arms held by Parker and Ash. He shakes his face from side to side with his mouth open and tongue sticking out.
Ridley cries out "Ash!"
Ash yell "Get him.. keep him"
Parker screams " I don't understand a god damn thing! What's happening to him? Doc what's happening? Shit on it, Doc what's happening?"
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| Source: Alien Anthology Blu-ray |
b) The creature erupts
Ridley "Tom!"
Tom Skerrit had to move the beer can and a container away from the other side of John.
Tom "Get it out of there!"
The creature suddenly comes through like a large phallus sticking out of the chest with its face covered in cow entrails dressed by Ridley, perhaps so that they don't get still don't get to see the Chestburster properly. They all step back screaming with Sigourney's scream the loudest. Harry Dean Stanton as Brett remains silent and cringes
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| Source: Alien Anthology Blu-ray |
c) Aftermath
Kane is going through the last of his death twitches with his hands.
Dallas cries out "Oh my god!"
Ian as Ash says "Jesus"
Veronica as Lambert groans
"Cut it" said Ridley
Ridley kept on instructing Nicky Allder to keep ramming the head through the T-shirt, searching for that perfect moment of creature and blood squirting.
This time the blood-covered baby alien broke through the T-shirt, but the blood lines clogged up and no blood came. Ridley called out to Nicky to try again while he was still rolling the cameras.
Nicky withdrew the head and rammed it up again; a small amount of blood came with it, so Ridley cued Nicky to ram the head through a few more times, and then he called cut. This small baby alien didn’t really look as shocking as it was planned without blood flying everywhere. Ridley quickly assimilated the reactions of the cast and spoke to Nicky Allder, who said that during the next take the blood would flow.
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| Source: Alien Anthology Blu-ray |
Source Quotes
- Roger Christian: They quickly reset the rigs while Tiny scored the fabric even more on
the T-shirt with a razorblade, so it would definitely break through this
time. Once Tiny had finished, we redressed the table and the actors
moved back to their positions. Looking down on Kane struggling like
crazy with this huge patch of blood on his chest, they moved in even
closer to try to see what was going on. The cameras were all duly set
running and Ridley called action. Ridley kept on instructing Nick to
keep ramming the head through the T-shirt, searching for that perfect
moment of creature and blood squirting.
This time the blood-covered baby alien broke through the T-shirt, but the blood lines clogged up and no blood came. Ridley called out to Nick to try again while he was still rolling the cameras. Nick withdrew the head and rammed it up again; a small amount of blood came with it, so Ridley cued Nick to ram the head through a few more times, and then he called cut. This small baby alien didn’t really look as shocking as it was planned without blood flying everywhere. Ridley quickly assimilated the reactions of the cast and spoke to Nick Allder, who said that during the next take the blood would flow. ( http://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/alien-chestburster-scene/) - Roger Dicken: Poor Veronica Cartwright had to change costumes because she’d been sprayed with blood. All for a second take. Johnny Hurt was dragged back, draped in more blood and guts, with a second t-shirt positioned over the chest - but this time they’d lacerated it with razor blades. If I’d have been handling that side of it, I’d have weakened it chemically over a week or so, to make sure it was ready to be disintegrated. (http://cellulord.blogspot.com/2009/10/a30-alien-30-pt-5.html)
- Roger Dicken: So, there was a helluva lot of time wasted. I wonder how much it cost Fox in delays? Anyway, the cast and crew are assembled, and this time the head bust through and continued to jack-hammer up and down until Ridley said “Cut”. Then the contraption was removed, I positioned myself under the table, and thrust-up my hand-held, articulated creature, suitably bloodied up, and animated it through the next shot - which is what the world finally got to see.(http://cellulord.blogspot.com/2009/10/a30-alien-30-pt-5.html)
- Roger Dicken: Now, clearly, the hydraulic contraption was a waste of time and money because, if the t-shirt had to be lacerated to get it through, then I may as well have used my model, as originally planned. If they had wanted the sequence to carry on, without cutting, then my creature would have burst through and carried on moving, breathing, looking about. As it was, they had to cut within seconds.(http://cellulord.blogspot.com/2009/10/a30-alien-30-pt-5.html)
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| Source: https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/40 years of Alien: Remembering one of the most influential sci-fi movies of all time |
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