Little-known sci-fi fact: Crohn's disease inspired Alien chestburster scene

When flaring badly and in pain I've thought of this scene in the movie aliens before, not a coincidence!

Little-known sci-fi fact: What inspired Alien chestburster scene

One of the most horrific moments in sci-fi film history is the "chestburster" scene in Alien. Now, thanks to a new book, we know what inspired that nightmarish sequence.

O'Bannon went on to write the script for Alien, but what wasn't widely known is that he suffered from Crohn's disease, a debilitating digestive disorder. According to Zinoman's book, "the digestion process felt like something bubbling inside of [O'Bannon] struggling to get out." From his own torment came the idea for the alien bloodily punching its way out of John Hurt's chest during dinner.

And the next time you watch Alien, remember poor Dan O'Bannon and how his own illness inspired one of sci-fi's most awful deaths.

www.blastr.com/2011/07/little_known_sci_fi_fact.php

Loved all of them, and very interesting to know the inspiration. Those scenes were 100% on the EEEK EWWW factor.

q

Thanks. I'm a big fan of scifi and the first couple aliens movies too. I guess inspiration is taken from wherever we find it, turning something awful (Crohn's pain) and turning it into one of the best, most memorable scenes in the movie. UC pains can be brutal too. It felt like there were repeated knife stabs in my lower abdomen during my worst flare, literally doubled me over in pain.

My husband said, " cool and cruel!".

q