In 1979 Ridley Scott released a terrifying and iconic science fiction film known as the movie Alien. The film’s title refers to the exceedingly aggressive extraterrestrial creature that stalks and kills the members of a space ship. This film has engrossed millions of fans and spawned countless sequels over the years since it’s inception 35 years ago. As the movie’s tag line says … “No one can hear you scream in space”.
Of all the terrifying scenes that the first Alien movie brought, the one that has stayed etched in many fans minds, is that particular part with poor John Hurt’s character. All the man wants is some decent earth food but it doesn’t quite work out for him. One minute, he’s got a bit of indigestion, the next, he’s writhing around in utter agony with an alien baby bursting forth from his chest. It’s the stuff of full-fledged nightmares folks.
That sequence always stayed with me, locked in the back of my mind. Filed deep away for later reference. Throughout the years though, from time to time, I would be plagued with stomach issues and pain. As my issues came back again and again, that particular movie moment would float through my mind. It was the only visual descriptive that I could conjure up to express how I felt. Henceforth, my affectionate nickname for the beast. My alien within.
Sharing a body with a resident crohn’s alien, at times, can be trying, but I’d rather laugh over it than cry. It’s rather akin to having a room mate that you can’t evict because they’ve been granted squatters rights. You can picket, protest, scream and yell at the top of your lungs. You can try to kick it’s invisible ass and even call the authorities, but it’s still not leaving. The alien may go on vacation ( remission ) at times but it has a nasty horrible habit of getting back in your face with flares and full fledge wars. If it was just as simple as mind over matter, I would happily coexist with my alien.
So instead, I try to find the humor in all the funny situations my alien companion has landed me.
I would like to dedicate this post to the screen writer of Alien, Mr. Dan O’Bannon. He credited his own personal experiences of suffering with Crohn’s disease as the inspiration for that iconic chest-bursting scene.
Thank you for fighting the good fight sir.
R.I.P.
Dan O’Bannon
1946 - 2009
