The Evolution of Alien: From Script to Screen and Beyond

In the chaotic world of filmmaking, creative inspiration can take many forms. One film that has captivated audiences for decades is Alien, released in 1979. But where did the idea for this iconic science-fiction horror movie come from? Was it born from a book, or was it a purely cinematic creation?

Was Alien Inspired by a Book?

The genesis of Alien is often attributed to Dan O'Bannon and Ron Shusett, who first had the idea and script concept. According to the history, O'Bannon effectively pitched the core idea. Shusett, a writer in his own right, became an early co-writer on the script. However, when the producers chose not to give O'Bannon and Shusett screenwriting credits, they made significant changes to the original script, purely cosmetic in nature, before moving forward with production.

This journey was not a straightforward path. The ending for the movie was highly anticipated and eventually adapted from a much older novel. The source book, The chest had come out of a nightmare, which was published in 1950, is a science-fiction novel that laid the foundation for the film's storylines. However, Alien itself did not spring from an original novel but rather from an original screenplay by O'Bannon and Shusett.

Novelizations: Expanding the Cinematic Experience

When both a book and a movie exist, the original source is often the novel that inspired the film. However, in the case of Alien, the book that followed the movie was a novelization. A novelization is a written expansion of the movie's story, often with added details to enhance the reader's experience. Alan Dean Foster, known as the king of novelizations, wrote the Alien: Prototype novel, which expanded upon the screenplay by O'Bannon and Shusett.

Novelizations can do more than just expand upon the visual aspects. They can also alter the story based on the film's final cut. Small details and scenes that may have been cut for time or pacing reasons can be reintroduced or expanded in the novel form. For instance, in the movie, Ripley's nosebleed before Ash attacks her is not caused by Ash. This unusual detail can be traced to a cut scene from the film's screenplay that hints at a story arc that expanded in the novel.

The Cutting Room Floor

The Alien novelization by Alan Dean Foster includes a fascinating expanded scene. In the film, after Dallas is killed, Ripley, Parker, and Lambert have a brief meeting. Parker mentions needing to refuel Dallas' flamethrowers. This scene remains in the film but is followed by an altered sequence of events. Parker and Lambert go off to stock the shuttle, while Ripley heads to MUTHR for information, and Ash confronts her.

The cut scene is a pivotal part of the story. Parker goes to engineering, gathers supplies, and discovers and confronts the alien. The scene adds depth to the film's narrative and provides an interesting twist to the movie's events. This hidden scene was a part of the original script and even the novel but was cut from the final film. The film still hints at it, as there's a brief moment that Parker is talking on the intercom about the situation.

Expanding the Narrative

The novelization by Alan Dean Foster provides an opportunity to revisit and expand on the film. One of the critical moments in the Alien film is Ripley's nosebleed. This was not caused by Ash but rather by the depressurization event where the inner and outer airlock doors of the Nostromo spacecraft are blown open, creating a vacuum that can cause severe physical trauma to the crew members.

The novelization adds that Ripley's nosebleed was caused by the depressurization event when the doors fail and the inner hurricane force wind envelops the corridor, sucking everything into space. This final, chaotic event is used to delve deeper into the film's narrative and provide a resolution to the physical trauma caused by the alien invasion.

In conclusion, while the film Alien was born from a screenplay by Dan O'Bannon and Ron Shusett, the story's evolution into a novel was significantly shaped by Alan Dean Foster's interpretation and expansion. This interplay between film and written word highlights the collaborative nature of filmmaking and the power of novelizations to enhance and expand the cinematic experience.