Alien: Roger Christian witnesses the power of Buddhism over conflict

 leading from
Alien: The Nostromo

and

Roger Christian

 

 

 

 

 

 

a) Problem with an assistant

 

Everyone was happy with the plans that they had cemented at the meeting, except the assistant who seemed to still be threatened by Roger. 

As they began assembling everything that they would need for the bridge dressing, the corridors and the medical room for the Nostromo, whatever was occurring with the assistant came to a head.

 

b) Decision to sack the assistant

 

Roger's situation was that he was appointed primarily by Ridley to get the interiors of Alien working and ready for shooting, and so he needed his team behind him all the way, not challenging what he was doing at every turn but to go with his experience and ability to do what the director wanted.

 

His attitude was affecting Roger's schedule to get the sets ready and his was unacceptable.

 

Driving home late one night, tired and frustrated, Roger made the decision that the assistant would have to go.

 

c) Trying something different

 

That evening, he tried something that his girlfriend suggested as a Nichiring Shoshu Buddhist.

 

He often practised the mantras early in the morning before leaving as he found that they focused his energy and mind for the day.

 

Before eating that night, she had him focus on a solution and do an hour of Nam Myoho Renge Kyo mantra before her Gohonzon.

 

He did this, concentrating on shifting the block, trying to change the negative energy to positive. 

 

d) The Apology

 

On the following morning, Roger drove in to Shepperton, prepared to have the assistant replaced.

 

He had the blessings of Garth Thomas and Ivor Powell who were aware of the problem and had given him permission to do whatever was needed.

The assistant came to see Roger that morning, he walked into his office and say down.

He said "Look,I have come to apologize. I realize I have been totally out of order these last weeks, and I have come to apologize to you. I realise you know what you are doing, you are far more experienced than me, so I would like to knuckle under and learn."

 

e) Roger's response

 

Roger was as it were gobsmacked if there was a word for it. 

 

He thought that this mantra had really worked.

 

With that he kept a calm demeanor, he knew that he himself wasn't the threat, but he told the assistant that that he had been very obstructive in the recent weeks.

 

With that Roger accepted the apology, discussed what exactly he needed the assistant to go and do, leaving it at that.

 

Of course he would see how he did after that if he was true to his work. Then he would stay and help, because at that time they needed all the help that they could get.

 

1. Roger Christian : Everyone was happy with the plans we cemented at the meeting, except the assistant, who seemed to still be threatened by me. As we began assembling everything we would need for the bridge dressing, and the corridors and medical room for the Nostromo, things with him came to a head. His attitude was affecting my schedule to get the sets ready, and this I could not accept any more. Driving home late one night, tired and frustrated, I made a decision that he would have to go.
   That evening I tried something that my girlfriend Patricia suggested, as she was a Nichiring Shoshu Buddhist. I often practised the mantras early in the morning before leaving as I found they focused my energy and mind for the day. Before eating that night she had me focus on a solution and do an hour of Nam Myoho Renge Kyo mantra before her Gohonzon. I did this, concentrating on shifting this block, trying to change the negative energy to positive.
   
   I drove in the next morning to Shepperton prepared to have the assistant replaced. I had the blessings of Garth Thomas and Ivor, who were aware of the problem and had given me permission to do whatever was needed. The assistant came to see me in the morning. He walked into my office and sat down.
   
   "Look," he said, "I have come to apologize. I realize I have been totally out of order these last weeks, and I have come to apologize to you. I realise you know what you are doing, you are far more experienced than me, so I would like to knuckle under and learn."
   
   I was... 'gobsmacked' I think is the right word. Inside I was thinking this mantra had really worked.  I kept a calm demeanor and said that he had been very obstructive these weeks and I was not a threat to him, I was there appointed primarily by Ridley to get the interiors of Alien working and ready for shooting. So I needed my team behind me all the way, not challenging what I was doing at every turn, and this was not arrogance or ego, just experience and an ability to understand exactly what the director wanted. So I accepted his apology and discussed what exactly I needed him to go do, and left it at that. I would see how he did and if he was true to his word then he would stay and help, and goodness knows we needed all the help we could get..(Cinema Alchemist, published 19 April 2016)