Why Alien's most iconic and gory scene shocked and terrified the cast too
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: As the highly anticipated 'Alien: Romulus' prepares to unleash a new wave of terror on Friday, August 16, it's a reminder that the franchise's roots in fear and suspense run deep.
Ridley Scott's 'Alien' remains a sci-fi classic, seamlessly weaving suspense, tension, and terror that keeps audiences on the edge of their seats.
While viewers enjoy the thrilling experience, the cast endured genuine fear, particularly during one iconic scene that left Veronica Cartwright fainting.
How Ridley Scott's 'Alien' revolutionized sci-fi horror with this single, shocking scene
Ridley Scott's 'Alien' revolutionized the sci-fi horror genre with its expert storytelling and terrifying elements. To achieve the perfect blend of horror, suspense, and thrill, Scott employed a controversial technique.
During the iconic chestburster scene, the cast was kept in the dark about the scene's details. Prosthetics were unreliable at the time, so Scott used authentic materials from a butcher's shop and fishmonger to create a realistic effect.
The cast recalled the experience in an interview with Empire Magazine, describing how everyone on set wore rain gear due to the gruesome props, and the smell was overwhelming.
John Hurt lay beneath the table with his neck exposed on a fake body. As the scene unfolded, the cast was terrified, forgetting they were filming a movie.
Scott's unorthodox method paid off, making the chestburster scene a horror classic, which still gives some viewers the case of a bad tummy several years later.
Veronica Cartwright's shocking reaction to the iconic 'Alien' chestburster scene made it more genuine
The chestburster scene in 'Alien' is a terrifying moment that caps off a suspenseful film. To make it even more shocking, director Ridley Scott didn't tell the cast what would happen.
So, when fake blood suddenly burst forth, Veronica Cartwright's reaction was genuinely real, she fainted!
In the same interview with Empire Magazine, Yaphet Kotto praised Scott for creating a moment that's iconic and deeply unsettling, not just for the cast members but also for us, as viewers.
The chestburster scene in 'Alien' remains a landmark moment in sci-fi horror, leaving audiences petrified to this day. But as we've seen, its impact was just as profound on the cast, who were left shaken by the sheer intensity of the experience.
It's a tribute to Ridley Scott's skill and the cast's dedication that the scene's terror continues to resonate, making 'Alien' a classic that continues to captivate and unsettle us.
'Alien: Romulus' trailer
'Alien: Romulus' is set to hit theaters on Friday, August 16