INT. ENGINE ROOM 1
Based on screenplay by
Dan O'Bannon and Ronald Shusett
revthry Oct. 4, (128 Brandywine Productions
10201 W. Pico Boulevard Los Angeles, California 90025
SOMETIME iN THE FUTURE:
Empty, cavernous.
WRITTEN BY Walter Hill·David Giler·Dan O'Bannon·Ronald Shusett
Based on screenplay by
Dan O'Bannon and Ronald Shusett
revthry Oct. 4, (128 Brandywine Productions
10201 W. Pico Boulevard Los Angeles, California 90025
SOMETIME iN THE FUTURE:
Empty, cavernous.
Circular, jammed with instruments.
All of them idle.
Console chairs for twe. Empty.
INT, OILY CORRIDOR -"C" LEVEL e-A Long, dark.
Empty.
Turbos throbbing.
No other movement.
Long, empty. .
Distressed ivory walls. All instrumentation at rest.
INT, CORRIDOR TO BRIDGE - "A" LEVEL 3 Black, empty.
Vacant. °
Two space helmets resting on chairs. Electrical hum.
Lights on the helmets begin to signal one another. Moments of silence.
A yellow light goes on.
Data mind bank in bD.g.
Electronic hum,
A green light goes on in front of one helmet. Electronic pulsing sounds.
A red light goes on in front of other helmet. An electronic conversation ensues.
Reaches a crescendo.
Then silence.
The lights go off, save the yellow.
INT, CORRIDOR TO HYPERSLEEP VAULT Hoa
Lights come on. Seven gowns hang from the curved wall. Vault door opens.
INT, HYPERSLEEP VAULT 5
Explosion of escaping gas. -
The lid on a freezer pops open. Slowly, groggily, KANE sits up. Pale, .
Kane rubs the sleep from his eyes. Stands..
Looks around.
Stretches,
Looks at the other freezer compartments. Scratches,
Moves off.
Kane plugs in a Silex. Lights a cigarette. Coughs.
Grinds some coffee beans. Runs some water through.
Now Dallas and Ash. (calls out) Good morning Captain. DALLAS (voice over) Where's the coffee.
Cont.
One of you jokers get the cat. RIPLEY picks a limp cat out of one of the compartments. .
The crew of the United States commercial starship Nostromo seated around a table.
Dallascccccecccccccoeescaptain Kane. cocccccccccccccce Executive officer Ripley. ccccccocceccscces Warrant Officer
Cont.
12 Cont.
Lambert .ccccccccsecvcesNnavigstor
Parker. secesccccccccsechngineer : Brett ecccccccccccscsceenngineering Technician “JONES cccocccsevsccceseeslar
Five men and two women: Lambert and Ripley.
They yawn, stretch, shiver. Dallas looks over at a flashing yellow: light.
Kane is not yet fully awake. | e Yewns.
; PARKER Before we dock maybe we'd better go over the bonus
situation. BRETT Yeah e
Brett and I think we deserve a full share. DALLAS
You two will get what you contracted for. Just like everybody else.
Cont.
S40
REVISED - "ALIEN" - 6/27/78 7 5 X 12 Cont.
Floor to ceiling data banks. Another fiashing yellow light. Dallas enters.
Runs through access procedure. Inner door opens.
Dallas moves to the console chair. Sits.
Dallas punches the keyboard.
Legend on the screen: ALERT OVERMONITORING FUNCTION FOR MATRIX DISPLAY AND INQUIRY
Mother prints out: OVERMONITOR ADDRESS MATRIX (columns of categories béneath)
Dallas picks one and
types out: COMMAND PRIORITY ALERT Mother replies: OVERMONITOR FUNCTION READY FOR INQUIRY Dallas: WHAT'S THE STORY MOTHER
eo
Above eye level the room is rigged by viewscreens.
All of them blank.
Kane, Ripley, Lambert and Ash enter.
Dallas! seat remains empty.
All of them now dressed; they find their Way to individual consoles. : Ripley puts down the cat, straps herself into the high- backed chair.
Cont.
14 Cont.
All three crew merbers begin throwing switches. The control room starts to come to life. Colored lights flicker.
Chase each cther across glowing screens.
Lambert presses a bank of switches. Viewscreens glimmer into life.
On each screen, blackness speckled with stars.
Lambert hits several toggles. On the screens the images begin to drift.
ANGLE ON ONE OF THE SCREENS 15. A moving image of a starfield,. EXT, NOSTROMO | 16
The Factory Starship iumbering within the depths of inter-stellar space.
Function: Petroleum tanker end Refinery. Capacity: 2000,000,000 tons.
Length: One and one half kilometers. Battered exterior encrusted with dark sludge.
INT,.. BRIDGE 17 Lambert pores cver charts.
Consults her console.
Puzzled.
Cont.
540,
REVISED - "ALTEN® - 6/27/78 7 xX 17 Cons.
Ripley switches on her transmission unit.
Nothing but the hiss of static.
-Turns to Lambert. Ripley attempting transmission in b.g.
Found it. Just short of Zeta IT Reticuli. We naven't even reached the outer rim yet.
KANE
What are you talking about.
y
REVISED - "ALTEN" ~ 6/27/78 8
Giant reactor system purring smoothly.
Parker and Brett in a glass cubicle,
Each having e beer.
Huge power-plant stretching before them. All units on automatic hyper-drive. Parker hits a switch above his desk.
A green light goes on.
They both take a swig. Suddenly the beeper signal begins.
I want to know why they never come down here. This is where the work is. °
They move towards the companionway, leading up to "B" level.
REVISED - "ALTEN" - 6/27/78 9
Entire crew present.
Pause.
She's programmed to do that if certain conditions arise. They have...
‘DALLAS Seems Mother intercepted a transmission of unknown origin. ° She got us up to check it out. RIPLEY Transmission? Out here? LAMBERT
What kind of transnission? Cont.
REVISED - "ALIEN" - 7/3/78 10 20 Cont.
Wé're obligated under Section B2...
ASH ‘ You better read your contract. Any systematized transmission indicating possible intelligent origin must be investigated. At penalty of total forfeiture.
Dallas gives Parker and Brett a look.
Brett knows when to ease up. BRETT Right, we're going in. (smiles ) Sir. ‘ Dallas turns to Ash.
_ DALLAS Can we land on it.
Cont.
“ee
orm,
REVISED - "ALIEN" - 6/30/78 LL
20 Cont.l
xX ASH Somebody did. DALLAS That's what I mean. our 20-A
Dallas, Kane, Ripley and Ash stand around the
illuminated map table. Lambert sits at tne radio directional console.
Nods at Lambert.
She switches on the audio system. Hissing.
Static. Then...
An ungodly sound.
Eight seconds worth.
Static. Lambert switches off the loudspeakers.
We'll know soon. (looks at Lambert) Have you homed in on it.
Cont.
REVISED - "ALIEN" - 6/30/78 12
x el Cont.
Lambert punches buttons. One of the viewscreens flickers, and a small dot of light appears,
going to do.
The screen zooms to a small planetoid.
Tiny.
Point eight six. :
_moving within range of the planet.
Continues to count down.
Cont.
REVISED - "ALIEN" - 6/30/78
High above the planet. The factory ship rotates Engines fire briefly.
Now within the planet's orbit. The planet rolling by underneath.
DALLAS
Give me an EC Pressur2 reading. ASH
3 045 n/e m (5 psia). DALLAS
“ Shout if it changes.
ASH
You worried about redundancy ‘ management disabling CMGS
\ control.
12-A x 22 Cont.
23-A
a4
| ener
REVISED - "ALTEN" ~ 6/27/78 _ 13
24 Cont.
; DALLAS Yeah. ASH
CMG control is inhibited via DAS/DCS. We'll augment with TACS
and monitor through ATMDC and computer interface. Feel better?
; DALLAS A lot. Prepare to disengage from platform.
INT, ENGINE ROOM CUBICLE Oh-w
LAMBERT e
Crossing the terminator. Entering night side.
Below, night's curtain rolls across the sphere's surface.
LAMBERT It's coming up. It's coming up. Stand by. tand by. Fifteen seconds...Ten...Five. Four. Three. Two. One. Lock.
me DALLAS Disengage.
The tug disengages from the platform.
Dallas watches the refinery moving away on a view screen.
Cont.
REVISED - "ALTEN" - 6/27/78 13-A
xX . 28 Cont. KANE Precession corrected. DALLAS Okay. The money's safe Let's take it down. :
The tug begins its arc toward the dark surface.
LAMBERT
Dropping: 50,000 meters. Down.
Down. 9,000 meters. Entering
atmosphere. ; ; . Jones sits on window platform and watches cloud approaching.
The ship drops into the thick cloud layer.
Tug-module hydroplaning downward.
A set of brilliant lights switch on. Cut through the thick atmosphere.
REVISED - "ALIEN" - 6,'30/78 13-B
INT, ENGINE ROOM CUBICLE | | 32
Parker end Brett strapnved in their seats, Begin rocking from the sudden, extreme turbulence,
The turbulence continues unabated. Lambert's eyes follow cross-plot gauges.
DALLAS
What's the terrain. ° , LAMBERT Something coming up. Looks
good, There. Flat. It'll do. Mark.
Cont.
REVISED -
"ALIEN" - 6/20/78 13-C , x 33 Ccnt. DALLAS Let's go with it. Take her down. ‘LAMBERT -
Drop begins...now. Fifteen kilometers and dropping... twelve...ten...eight and. slowing. Five. Three. Two. One kilometer and slowing.
REVISED - "ALIEN" - 6/27/78 13-5 rae
33 Cont A throb of jets. KANE Quads on. DALLAS Kill drive engines. The main engines fall silent. LAMBERT Nine hundred meters and dropping. Eight hundred. Seven hundred.
Storm blowing across the night-shrouded surface. The Nostromo hovers on glowing beams of light. landing struts unfold like insect legs. The ship slams down. Rocks heavily on massive shock absorbers.
Cont.
REVISED - “ALT=EN" - 6/2/78 14
35 Cont. An enormous vibration. The panels in the room flash simultaneously. Lights go out. KANE Lost it. Lost it. ‘ INT, ENGINE ROOM 36°
Another huge vibration. ; An electrical fire breaks out along three control panels.
ouUT 36-A :
Parker and Brett see the pandemonium below.
‘ Brett hits the secondary generator switch.
A pressure valve blows.
Another conduit breaks loose. All lights go out. They grab hand lights from wall.
Still in darkmess. o LAMBERT Secondary generator should kick over. , KANE Where is it.
Moments. Nothing. Kane grabs emergency headlamp from facia. Followed vy Dallas and Lambert.
DALLAS . ° What happened.
Ripley hits the voice-amp.
’
INT, ENGINE ROOM CUBICLE . 352
Parker fighting an elsctrical fire on one of his panels. Brett shouting into his voice-amp.
whole cell...Christ, it’s really breaking loose down here...
Ripley scans her gauges.
A beep from the communicator.
Kane snaps three toggles. The screens flicker, but remain black.
The wind sounds. a
Storm continues to blow around the: craft.
A few glittering lights distinguish the Nostromo from absolute darkness.
?
Parker on the communicator to the bridge.
” PARKER ; h panel is totally shot, the secondary load sharing unit is out, at least three cells on 12 module are gone.
INT, BRIDGE 43
Ripley listening to Parker. Dallas standing over her. No images on any screens.
Cont.
REVISED aw Uarreytt 2 £/9Q /78 16 43 Cont.
Is that it.
- DALLAS
auxiliaries.
Bridge lights come to life.
Illuminate nothing but a patch of featureless ground. The wind and storm now at a higher pitch.
our 45
REVISED - "ALIEN" - 6/30/78 17
Dallas, Kane, Lambert and Ash.
Slouched around the bridge.
Drinking coffee.
Occasionally staring at the opague screens.
Nothing but the same transmission every thirty-two seconds. All the other channels are dead. Pause.
CuT TO:
A ring of floodlights comes to life. Dimly illuminating the rocky landscape. The wind end dust now at a higher pitch. a . CUT -10:
Dallas stares out the windows at the swirling storm, illuminated by the external floodlights.
ASH
Northeast...about 3000 meters.
‘DALLAS Can you run an atmospheric.
Ash punches buttons, starts to consult his panel.
Cont.
REVISED - "ALIEN" - 6//30/78
Ash punches buttons, starts to consult his panel.
Pause.
a ASR 98.p.p. It's wet. With high vapor content. .
going out.
Parker and Brett laser welding one of the ducts. Shirts off. ~ Sweat steaming.
Cont.
xX 46-B Con
LT
y
48 Cont.
Ripley rewiring one of the panels. Parker shuts down the laser, inspects the fusion.
Do we get to go out on the expedition or are we stuck here until everything's fixed.
BRETT o I'm not doing any more work unless we get full shares.
Parker looks at her. Snaps on the laser weld. Starts to join another section of the duct.
Dallas, Kane and Lambert enter the lock. All wear gloves, boots, jackets.
Carry laser pistols.
Kane touches a button.
Servo whine.
Then the inner door slides quietly shut. The trio pull on their helmets.
Cont.
REVISED - "ALIEN" - 6/23/78 20
4g Cont KANE Receiving. LAMBERT Receiving. Iambert isn't happy. DALLAS All right. Keep away from the weapons unless I say otherwise.
Ash descends companicnway to blister. Punches up screens and instrumentation. .
Another servo whine. Ponderously, the outer lock hatch slides open. Clouds of dust and steam swirl before the three crew member A mobile gangway slides out the open hatch.
Burnt orange sunlight teyond. *
The trio walk down the gangplank.
Arrive at surface level.
Their feet striking onto a thick layer of lava rock. The wind at gale force.
LAMBERT ° Over here.
lambert walks into the storm. Followed closely by the others.
7 ~ LAMBERT . Now I can't see a goddamn thing.
(voice over) Turn on the finder. It's tuned to the transmission. Let it lead you.
REVISED - "AUTEN" - 7/17/78 21
INT, ASH'S BLISTER - DAWN . 53
Ash leaning over his console. Watches them beneath him, Corresponding images on the screen in front of him,
; ASH See you. Read you. Good contact on my board.
EXT, PLANET - DAWN 5A
The three crew members push their way. along.
Like divers at the bottom of a dark sea. - , The wind and dust continues driving dewn in dark sheets. Lambert repeats.
LAMBERT ° I like griping.
LAMBERT
What @ wonderful little place. Totally unspoiled,
They wade on, following Lambert.
She abruptly halts. Confused. °
Ash watches his viewscreens intently.
- LAMBERT (voice over} I've got it again.
° ‘DALLAS (voice over) Yeah. A lot of dust and wind. Starting to get some fade on the beem.
REVISED - "ALIEN" - 7,/17/78 22
X: EXT, PLANT - DAWN 56 The trio moves through a dark limo, LAMBERT This wey. : Lambert indicates left. Moves in that direction. The others follow. _ The storm growing.
I'm losing it. ‘They approach a towering rock formation, The transmission dies out. LAMBERT > It's gone again. — They shelter under a grotesque rock. Storm shrieks round them. KANE Now we're really blind. DALLAS - Should be dawn soon. ° Dallas adjusts headset, DALLAS Ash. If you hear me. How long until daylight.
ASH - (voice over) Sun's coming up in about ten minutes. ° KANE. We should be able to see something then. LAMBERT Or the other way around. Something to think about while waiting.
Ash checking instruments.
REVISED - "SLIT=EN" - 7/17/78 23
xX EXT, THE NOSTROMO - SUNRISE 57 Atmosphere turning the color of blood. Then the sun is up. INT, ENGINE CUBICLE | 58 Brett and Parker still at work. Ripley moves away from her panel in triumph... RIPLEY You ought to be able to handle the rest. PARKER Don't worry. RIPLEY If you mm into trouble, I'il be on the bridge. © BRETT Right. ‘She leaves. PARKER ° Bitch. ; ° EXT, PLANET - DAY | 58-A
Tne three figures stand and move away from the rock formati There is enough daylight to see where they are walking.
The signal begins to fade in again.
INT, BLISTER ~ DAY , 59
Ash watches video images of the three. Now moving again.
Ripley's voice comes over. ° RIPLEY (voice over) How's it going. INT, BRIDGE 60
Ripley at her console.
Have you tried putting the transmission through ECIU.
Cont.
REVISED - "ALIEN" ~ 7/3/78 a4
60 Cant. ASH (voice over) Mother hasn't identified it as yet. x RIPLEY I'll give it a shot. ASH _ (voice over) Be my guest. She punches some buttons. The noise is now heard on her speaker. EXT, PLANET - DAY —_ 61 Dust clearing. Three tiny figures against the landscape.
EXT, PLANET - DAY | 62
Empty landscape. Then Kane comes up over a rise startled by what he sees.
_ Suddenly the transmission is deafening.
KANE ° Jesus Christ. ; Dallas and Lambert join him equally startled.
THEIR P.O.V. - DAY. 63
A gargantuan spaceship rising from the rock.
Clearly of nonhuman manufacture.
Noise still at shrill pitch.
All members of the party shouting into their voice amps.
Some kind of spaceship.
Ash looking at the craft on a screen.
Cont.
REVISED - “ALIEN” - 7/3/78 25
65 Cant.
Dallas shuts off his receiver. Sudden quiet.
Dallas' voice fades in and out. As do their images on the viewscreens.
Cont.
REVISED - "ALIEN" ~ 6/23/78 26
67 Cont.
No reply. .
Ripley is running the transmission through ECIU. Over the speakers Dallas! voice fades in.
She studies a long series of binary programs...
His voice fades into static. Disappears. °
The lower part of the entrance filled with dust and pumice.
o
They climb up to one of the apertures and enter.
They move into a high-ceilinged chamber. Ghostly light filters dust-filled air.
A few meters in an opening appears.
Dallas leans over and looks into the hole. Only blackness.
He unclips the light from his belt.
Shines it down into the hole.
Cont.
~
REVISED - "ALIEN" = 6/23/78 27 , 69 Cont
Kane end Lambert come over. Dallas begins unclipping gear from his belt.
Kane and Lambert exchange a glance. Dallas shines his light about, sees... A large, glossy urn, tan coloration. Round opening at the top, empty within.
Then Dallas shines his light on nearby wall...... ,
Moves closer,
They approach. Train their lights along the floor.
A machine. On the mechanism, a small bar moves steadily back
and forth. Sliding noiselessly in the grooves.
Lambert looks down at her direction finder.
Dallas snaps it off.
Cont.
REVISED - "ALIEN" - 7/2/73 28
69 Cart.2
Climbs over the lip and drops into the hole. Now hanging by the wire...
Head and shoulders out of the opening.
Kane activates the climbing unit.
Lowers himself into the fissure.
Kane braces his feet against the wall of the vertical shaft. Switches on his. light, points it into the depths.
The beam penetrates only thirty feet or so, then is lost in darkness.
He starts down, playing out the line.
Descending in short leaps.
Stops to catch his breath.
Breathing rasping loudly in his helmet.
A little light filters from above.
Looking up, Kane can see the mouth of the hole... A glowing spot.
DALLAS ° ; (voice over) You okay in there.
se KANE Haven't hit bottom yet. This is work. Can't talk now.
-He Kicks off and continues down.
Taking longer and longer hops as he gains confidence, Pausing for a moment to regain his breath, he shines the light on his instruments.
o
Ripley at her console, still working on transmission. Gets a readout.
Looks worried.
Speaks into communicator.
RIPLEY x Ash. Urgent. Mother has deciphered part of the transmission. I'm afraid it may.not be an S.0.S.
Cont.
REVISED ~- "ALIEN" -~ 7/3/78 29
A beat. Continuing static.
Pause.
(voice over) What's the point. In the time it takes to get there. They'll know if it's a warning.
°
Ripley looks steadily at Ash on her monitor. His screen, not visible to her, shows blowup of helmeted, skeletal head. Not human. .
Kane resumes his downward climb.
Suddenly, his feet lose their purchase as the walls of the shaft disappear.
The tunnel has reached its end.
Below him is dark, cavernous space. .
Deep breaths due to his violent exertion.
Cont.
REVISED - "ALIEN" - 7/3/78
He consults his instruments,
29-A Te Cont.
Helmet instrumentation strobing softly in the darkness.
°
72 Cont.
Still puffing, he releases his purchase on the stone walls. Begins to lower himself on power.
Now Kane is dangling free in darimess.
Spinning slowly on the wire as the chest unit unwinds. Then his feet hit bottom.
Kane grunts in surprise, almost loses his balance.
He flashes his suit lights.
The beams reveal that he is in a large hold.
Row after row of extrusions stretch from floor to ceiling.
KANE . ; This is weird. »
Examines the organic protrusions.
Dallas and Lambert.
- LAMBERT Twenty minutes.
A look from Lambert. °
Kane approaches the center of the room.
On the floor are rows of leathery ovoid shapes. He walks around them.
Shines his light on one.
Cont.
REVISED - ~ALI Tan" . , 6/23/78 31
74 Cont
He tries to open one of them. It won't open. :
Kane peers closely at the lenthery ovoids.
Turns away.
Raised areas begin to appear where he touched it.
He moves his light along the rows.
Turns back to tne one he was examining.
Something has changed.
The opaque surface begins to clear.
Object becoming visible within.
Kane shines his light on the floor at the base of it. He studies it. .
Viscera and mandible now visible.
The interior surface spongy and irregular.
Kane shines the light inside.
With shocking violence, a small creature smashes outward. Fixes itself to his mask.
Sizzling sound. .
The creature melts through the mask.
Attaches itself to Kane's face.
Kane tears at the thing with his hands. His mouth forced open. He falls backward.
INT, CHAMBER - ABOVE 75
Kane...Kane can you hear me.
Dallas begins to fiddle with the winch mechanism.
‘DALLAS The line's slack.
Pause, | LAMBERT He doesn't answer. (pause)
"ae Do you think he could. have unhooked himself.
Dallas switches on the winch motor.
With a whine, it begins to reel the line in. After a moment the line tightens with a jerk. The motor slows, laboring under added - weight.
DALLAS
°
It caught.
I can't ‘see anything.
Dallas shines his light down into the hole. Shakes his head.
REVISED - "ALIEN" - 3/2/73 33
75 Cont.
A long moment, Dallas shines his light again.
The winch labors heavily.
; DALLAS Get ready to grab him.
Kane appears at the top of the opening.
Dangles limply from the wire. Dallas reaches for him, then recoiis.
Lambert attempts to help.
Kane appears to be completely unconscious. The life form is still wrapped motionless around-his face.
They grapple with Kane's limp body. Lift him from the hole.
; OUT T5-A X EXT, THE NOSTROMO - SUNSET ° 75-B Atmosphere turning the color of blood.
And the sun is down.
The ring of floodlights on the ship comes to life. Feebly combatting the darkness and continuing storm.
NOTE: INTERCUT.
Cont.
wi &
REVISED - "ALIEN" - 6/30/78 34
xX. 76 Cent.
Jones the cat staring through a port opening at the storm. Ripley waiting on the bridge.
Ash stares at his inactive monitors.
Suddenly:
RIPLEY
How many. ASH Three blips. They're coming - this way. °
Ripley presses transmittor.
Dallas. Dallas. Can you hear me, . . DALLAS ©
(voice over) We hear you. We're coming back. e »Kane't Ss injured. e We ' il al need some help getting him in.
Ash moves from the blister. Ripley remains seated at her console.
INT, ENGINE ROOM CUBICLE pre 76-A Parker and Brett listening over the intercon. EXT, LANDING LEG - NIGHT ° 76-A
Dallas and Lambert dragging Kane on a travois towards lardin leg.
INT, PASSAGEWAY NEAR AIR LOCK , 77
Ash comes down the steps. _ Hurries to the inner lock door. Presses the wall voice-amp.
Cont.
S40
ISED - "ALIEN" - 7/8/78
(voice over) Okay. EXT, LANDING LEG - NIGHT Dallas and Lambert drag Kane onto lift pletforn. ; our
Ash waiting. INT, BRIDGE/EXT. LANDING LEG - NIGHT
Ripley seated alone in the bridge.
Dalles and Lambert stand at base of landing legs
supporting Kane between them. NOTE: INTERCUT AND VOICE OVERS
We're coming up.
They move onto lift.
Pause. DALLAS _ ‘Some kind of organism. It’s
‘attached itself to nim. We've gotta get him to the infirmary.
; . " RIPLEY I need a clear definition.. DALLAS Just open the hatch, Ripley. Cont.
77 Cont.
REVISED - "“ALTEN" - 7/8/78
Open the God damn hatch. We nave to get him inside.
Ash hits the emergency switch.
A red light goes on.
Servo whine. ° Followed by a solid metallic clunk.
, ' ASH Inner hatch open.
INT, ENGINE ROOM CUBICLE
Parker and Brett react.
80 Cont.
81-A.
REVISED = "ALIEN" — 8/11/78 37
Ripley's console flashes, INNER HATCH OPEN, She can't believe wnat she sees,
Dallas and Lambert stagger into passageway.
Carry Kane's body between them,
Dallas pulls off his helmet,
Stay clear,
Ash and Parker move back,
ASH
God. PARKER
Is it alive.
i don't know, but don't touch te : DALLAS .
Take him to the infirmary. ° | BRETT ' Right.
Ash and Brett move in carefully to help with the limp burder INT, INFIRMARY 84
Kane's helmet, Hands begin to open it with a laser cutter.
- The helmet separates easily.
The two halves part... ° eeethe life form slowly pulsing on Kane's face.
fries to pull it free.
Unsuccessful. The Alien remains anchored to Kane's tissue.
Lambert, Parker and Brett watch through the infirmary windo: Ripley appears.
Lambert turns and looks at her.
A long moment.
Cont.
REVISED - "ALIEN" - 8/11/78 387A
x 84-A Cor
Ripley looks at Lambert. A moment.
Lambert gives her @ curt nod,
And Kane...
LAMBERT ° He volunteered to search the lower level alone. He found some kind of eggs. We told him not to touch them. Something happened in there...When we -- pulled him out, it was on his face.
_ INT. INFIRMARY 84-8 , ASH
We better let the machine work
on hin.
Cont.
REVISED - "ALIEN" - 8/12/78 38 x.
Ash presses 4 switch.
The machine lights up.
Kane is sucked into a slot in the wall.
Visible inside through the giass layer. .
A blinding colored light performs antisepsis.
Two video monitors pop on.
Ash punches three buttons.
An X-ray image appears.
A color depiction of Kane's head and upper torso.
The Alien is clearly visible.
A maze of complicated biology.
Kane's jaws are forced open,
The Creature has extruded a long tube down his mouth
and throat. The appendage ending at the base of the esophagus,
Dallas presses a switch, Kane slides back out of the booth. Ash takes a surgical laser blade from the case,
He manipulates the knife until he has a comfortable grip. Flicks a small button with his thumb.
The blade begins to hun,
Cont.
540 |
REVISED - "ALIEN" - 8/24/78 33
” gh B Cont.:
Touches the scalpel to the Creature. The electronic blade slides effortlessly downward. Suddenly a urine- ~like fluid begins to drip from the wound.
The liquid flows onto the bedding next to Kane's head. Starts to hiss.
Smoke curls up from the stain. Next the yeliow fluid eats a hole through the bunk bed. Then drips onto the deck below.
Metal bubbling and sizzling.
More smoke rises.
Dalles frantically applies pressure to the wound.
In the process, some of the fluid gets on Dallas' gloves. They begin to smoke.
Dallas leaps back, pulis them off.
They run into the corridor, coughing and choking from the fumes.
BRETT Shit. It's going to eat through the decks and out the hull... They start to run for the companionway.
Dallas wrenches an emergency lamp from a socket. Hurls himself down a companicnway.
' The others follow.
A droplet of fluid is sizzling on the ceiling bulkhead. It oozes down.
Drips to the deck. Continues to oubble. Then goes through the bulkhead. —
They charge down the next companionway below.
Dallas moves cautiously down the passageway. Followed by Ripley, Parker and Brett.
REVISED - “ALTEN" - 8/24/78 ho
INT, MAINTENANCE AREA "Cc" DECK 88
They enter the maintenance aree.. Look up to the ceiling bulkhead. The ‘acid bubbles.
o
Don't get under it.
The acid drips to the deck. Continues to sizzle. Slower.
Dallas fishes a pén out of his pocket. Probes the hole in the deck.
Yeah. After it penetrated two levels.
Dallas straightens up. ° Starts to put the pen back into his pocket. Changes his mind end stands holding it by the end.
- DALLAS -I've never seen anything like that, except molecular acid...
They start beck towards the companionway.
INT, INFIRMARY a 89 They return.
Kene still motionless on the bunk.
The Alien remains secured to his face.
Wound completely healed over. “
Any of the acid get on him.
Cont.
SHO.
REVISED - "ALIEN" - 8/24/78 yh
x 89 Cont. Dallas approaches, peers at Kane's head. |
_ DALLAS - Doesn't look like it. ° BRETT Is it still dripping that crap. ASH Healed over. LAMBERT There must be some way we can get it off. Ash looks at Dallas. ASH
tT don't think you ought to try again. It didn't work out too well last time.
Dalles gives him a look in return.
Ripley presses a button. .
Kane slides back into the diagnostic coffin.
More buttons pressed. . r
Displays light up again, showing the different parts of Kane's body. .
Cont.
89 Cont.
ASH « I better get some intravenous feeding started. So far I can't tell what the Alien has absorbed from his system.
The machine begins to process Kane's body.
_ The X-ray reveals a spreading dark blot in ‘the chest cavity,
At the center, the stain is completely opaque.
ASH — Whatever it is, it's blocking the X-ray. A long moment. The stain spreads. . BRETT
What happens now.
Ash sets aside his partially melted per. Leoks at Dallas.
rett at work in the cubicle. Parker. Supervising. him. BRETT I think I've got it. Give ita try..
Parker pushes a button. | Negative reaction on his monitor.
BRETT : Damn. I was sure that was it.
Adjusts several toggles. °
__- RIPLEY ° (voice over) What's happening.
Derisive laugh from Parker through the speaker.
She clicks off. Parker turns away.
Ash running test on the equipment.
Kane respirating on the viewscreens above. Still deep within a coma. ,
All instruments recording his life processes. The Alien's resition unchanged.
Ripley approaches.
Sits near Ash.
540 Cont.
i.
REVISED - "ALIEN" - 6/27/78 . bs
x 93 Cont. RIPLEY | Anything new. ASH o He's holding, no changes. ° RIPLEY What about the Creature? ASH
It's got an outer layer of protein polysaccharides. Plus it's constantly sloughing off cells and replacing them with polarized Silicon. Which gives it prolonged resistance to adverse environmental conditions...That enough for you?
RIPLEY
Is that why you let it in.
Cont.
540 |
REVISED - "ALIEN" - 7/3/78 6
93 Cont.j
RIPLEY * By breaking quarantine procedure you risk everybody's life. -
Ripley stands...looks at Ash. . ° They walk o.s. x
Lampoert playing with some string, amusing Jones. Cat's Cradle. Both looking bored.
Parker and Brett at work on the final intake screen.
Dallas listening to a primitive tape. His foot tapping with the rhythm. Beer. :
An interruption on the communicator.
Cont.
96 Cont DALLAS Serious. : ° ASH - “(voice over) Interesting. Dallas exits.
Ash stares through window. . Dallas joins hin. Ripley appears behind. A long nause. - : DALLAS It's gone. - Kane's prone forn. . The Alien is no longer on his face. Kane still unconscious, but continues to breathe. - Face covered with sucker marks. RIPLEY ° the door is closed. It must still e in there. ASH ~We can't open the door. We don't want to let it out. RIPLEY Yeah, I remember. We can't grab it. We can't kill it... DALLAS Maybe we can catch it. | _ ASH As long as we're careful not to damage it.
They enter cautiously.
Dallas begins moving slowly around the room. Picking up a stainless steel tray.
Looking.
Ash and Ripley do the same.
Ripley bends down and peers under the bunk. Nothing.
Cont.
48° OT-A Cor
She stands. , _
Doesn't see the Alien on a ledge above her.
Her shoulder brushes against the Creature.
It drops onto her. *
She screams. Twists.
The Alien drops to the floor.
Then lies motionless.
Its skin faded to a dead-looking grey.
Ripley doesn't raise her eyes from the Creature. Prods the Alien. ‘ No response. ©
_ RIPLEY Yeah.
She carefully touches the Creature with a metal probe. Fishes the motionless life-form into the tray.
Quickly closes the lid. °
Lifts it onto a stainless steel table.
Bright light trained on the Alien.
The Creature in a supine position. Ash touches at the Alien with a surgical instrument. ASH Look at those suckers. No wonder we couldn't get it off him.
Wherets its mouth.-
ASH
It's this tube-like thing, up .in here.
(carefully extracts
the end of the organ) It's hardening. ‘(slips the Creature
under a fluroscope) It's dead. No life sign whatever.
Cont.
REVISED - "ALIEN" - 6/23/78 4g
97-A Con:
* ASH . This has to go back. This is our first contact with a specimen like this. All kinds of tests need to be run.
_ - RIPLEY That thing bled acid. God
knows what it'll do when it's dead.
Pause. DALLAS You're the Science officer. Tte's your jecision. ASH Then it's made,..I'll seal it ina stasis tube. Pause.
“RIPLEY What about Kane. - °
Ash turns back to the bunk.. Studies the life support gauges. Kane continues to breathe steadily.
~ Ash begins to seal the Alien in a large vacuum tube.
She turns and waiks away.
REVISED = "Aanren" — §/22/78 50
- Ripley and Dalias.
“ss DALLAS I just run the ship. Anything
that has to do with science division, Ash has the final word.
Same way everything else happens. Orders from the Company.
DALLAS
Standard procedure is do what they tell you...Besides, I only know about flying...I haul cargo
for a living.
RIPLEY — Did you ship out with Ash before.
She looks at him.
_ RIPLEY . They're pretty much finished now.
Cont.
REVISED - “ALTEN" - 6,/27/78 51
x 98 Cont
DALLAS | Why didn't you say so.
° RIPLEY - There are still some things left to do. ° DALLAS Iike what?
That's crap. We can take off without then.
The Nostromo's engines roaring. Belching out streams of superheated air. The starship vibrates.
The crew at their posts. °
Parker and Brett.
‘ee
REVISED - “ALTEN" - 6,°27/78 52
x-
DALLAS | I hear you. Ripley, take us up a hundred meters and retract the landing struts. “ ° RIPLEY Up a hundred.
The Nostromo lifts off, hovers above the ground on beams of shimmering flame. “ The landing struts begin folding.
We hear the thump as the struts retract.
Ripley pushes a lever forward. The engines begin to thunde:
The ship begins to surge forward. Accelerating upward through the dense atmosphere.
OUT 104-
LAMBERT One kilometer on ascension. RIPLEY Engage artificial gravity. Lambert throws a switch. The ship lurches. LAMBERT Engaged. Cont.
REVISED - "ALTEN" - 6,/27/78 53
107: Con
A huge tremor runs .throughout the ship.
What was that?
In answer, the intercom beeps.
Slices through the boiling clouds. Black smoke pouring from one engine.
INT, ENGINE ROOM CUBICLE 109
Parker and Brett in a frenzy of activity.
Outside the windows, clouds, clouds, clouds.
Another tremor runs through the ship.
The crew's eyes riveted to their instruments.
The ship clears the top of the cloud layer.
Bursts out into star-sprinkled space. Trailing a wake of clouds.
The crew cheer. Wave their arms in exultation.
REVISED - "ALIEN" - 5,/27/78 54
x :
Parker breaks open a can of beer. PARKER Walk in the park. When we fix something it stays fixed.
DALLAS Let's pick up the money and go home. Put her in the garage.
Above the planet. . The Nostromo rendezvous with the refinery. -
- DALLAS Set course for Earth. Then fire up the big ones and get us up to light plus four. _ ‘RIPLEY With pleasure. LAMBERT Feets get me out of here. EXT, OUTER SPACE 113
Tie Nostromo now at light speed.
Perceptible movement in the surrounding universe.
A corona effect emerges.
Stars approaching the Nostromo appeer blue.
Receding stars going to red. SO Red shift, made visible because of the craft's velocity.
Parker, Brett, Dallas and Ripley around table. Drinking coffee. -
Cont.
REVISED - "ALIEN" - 7/3/75 55
114 Cont.
Parker turns to Brett. °
; BRETT
Lambert enters.
Beep.
Cont.
114 Cont , ASH (voice over) Come see Kane right away... DALLAS Any change in his condition. ASH (voice over) It's simpler if you just come see hin. out 115
What they see is...Not what they expect. Kane is sitting up in bed...wide awake. They enter... . .
Lo KANE Mouth's dry...can I have some water.
rn
Instantly, Ash brings him a plastic cup and water. Kane gulps it. down in a swallow.
Ripley quickly fills a much bigger container.. Hands it to Kane.
He greedily consumes the entire contents. Then sags back, panting, on the bunk.
- . DALLAS ° How do you feel. KANS Terrible. What happened to me. ASH You don't remember. KANE
Don't remember anything. I can barely remember my name.
5ST
116 Con KANE All over. Feel like somebody's been beating me with a stick for about. six years. (smiles ) God, I'm hungry.
What's the last thing you can . remember. KANE I don't know. DALLAS Do you remember what happened on the planet. ; KANE Just some horrible dream about smothering. Where are we. RIPLEY . We're on our way home. BRETT Getting ready to go back into the freezers. KANE I'm starving. I want some food first. PARKER I'm pretty hungry myself. . DALLAS One meal before bed.
‘The entire crew is seated. Hungrily swallowing huge portions of artificial food.- The cat eats from a dish on the table.
Cont.
Ze)
117 Con
LAMBERT ; Christ, you're pounding down this stuff like there's no tomorrow. —
Pause. . PARKER I mean I like it. |
No kidding. PARKER
Yeah. It grows on you.
Suddenly Kane grimaces.
; RIPLEY ‘What's wrong.
Kane's voice strains.
The others stare at him in alarn.
Suddenly he makes a loud groaning noise. Clutches the edge of the table with his hands. Knuckles whitening.
Cont.
117 Cont
Kane screams.
What is it. What hurts.
Kane's face screws into a mask of agony. He falls back into his chair.
A red stain. ; Then a smear of blood blossoms on his chest. .
The fabric of his shirt is ripped open.
“A small head the size of a man's fist pushes out.
The crew shout in panic. leap back from the table. The cat spits, bolts away.
The tiny head lunges forward.
Comes spurting out of Kane's chest trailing a thick body. Splatters fluids and blood in its wake.
Lends in the middle of the dishes and food.
Wriggles away while the crew scatters.
Then the Alien being disappears from sight.
Kane lies slumped in his chair.
Very dead. ° A huge hole in his chest.
The dishes are scattered.
Food covered with blood.
Cont.
117 Cont ASE It used him for an incubator. RIPLEY That means we've got another one. DALLAS Yeah. And it's loose on the ship. Slowly they gather around Kane's gutted corpse. ‘They all look at one another. Then at Kane. Dead on the table.
Empty. Parker and Brett descend companionway. They join Ash, Lambert, Ripley and Dallas.
Didn't see a goddamn thing.
RIPLEY © We can't go into kypersleep with that thing running loose. We'd be sitting ducks in the freezers. We have to kill it.
Cont.
REVISED - “aLrEen" - 8/2/78 61
118 cont
, BRETT Son-of-a-bitch.
DALLAS
No. First we've got something
else to do. He looks at Kane's body seen tnrough mess doorway.
Kane's body wrapped in a makeshift shroud.
The crew looking at Kane on viewsereens. Silent. Depressed.
Ripley nods.
; - DALLAS Anybody want to say anything. °
Nothing to say. He nods at Ripley. She presses a button.
EXT, NOSTROMO . 121
Tne outer hatch opens.
Kane's body shoots out into eternity. Dwarfed by the giant ship. The hatch closes.
Empty. Completely cleaned uD.
Cont.
REVISED - "ALTzEN" - 8/2/78 62
122 -Con'
Parker, Brett and Ripley enter from one side. Dellas, Lambert, Ash from the other.
DALLAS |
- Any sign on your side. RIPLEY Nothing. It must have gone below somehow. They sit. , DALLAS
We're going to have to catch it and eject it from the ship.
' ASH Sounds great...but how.
Cont.
REVISED - "ALIEN" - 8/2/78 63 .
, LAMBERT ~ , ° And what do we do when we find ite
Dallas turns it over. -
EXT, OUTER SPACE . 123 The Nostromo continues thrcugh the vortex.
our 12h
Dallas seated in the shuttle craft. ° Staring at the myriad lights of outer space. Ripley climbs beside him.
Dallas continues to stare.
Pause.
Cont.
REVISED - “ALTEN" ~ 8/2/78 64-65
x 125 Cont
We've got an hour...Look I need some relief...
" DALLAS Why did you wait until now.
Ripley leans forward.
enough, they'll be peeling you orf the wall.
Ripley begins taking off her boots. DALLAS We're the new pioneers, Ripley.
We even get to have our own special diseases.
She rises and removes her upper garments.
Cont.
125 Con DALLAS You waited too long. RIPLEY Give it a try anyway. " Clothing removed. His arms move around her.
INT, BRIDGE. . 126
The crew has assembled.
Brett unfolds several yards of asbestos netting. Hands out five thin rods.
Each of them like metal broom handles.
He touches the tip to a metal object. A blue spark leaps.
BRETT o It won't damage the little bastard unless its skin is a lot thinner
little incentive.
Ash picks up a portable unit. —
Ripley takes the tracker from Ash's hand.
' RIPLEY What's it key on.
Cont.
REVISED - "ALIEN" - 8/2/78 67
126 Coni
DALLAS
We'll break into two teams. Whoever finds it first catches it in the net and ejects it from the nearest air lock.
(pause) For starters, let's make sure the bridge is safe.
Parker turns on his unit. Scans it around the roon.
They start doling out the equipment.
Lambert and Dallas carry the. net. Ash walks directly behind, carrying the tracking device.
He continually scans from side to side. Lambert stops by a stairwell.
Parker and Brett move silently along. Ripley ahead of them with the tracker by the stairwell.
; RIPLEY Nothing. They move on. . A smell light flashes. | | RIPLEY
Hold it. I've got something. Cont.
128 Con: Parker and Brett grow tense. Start looking eround. BRETT Where's it coming from. Ripley peers closely at the tracker, RIPLEY Machine's screwed up. I can't tell. Needle’s spinning all over the dial. BRETT Goddamn, malfunction. Ripley turns the tracker on its side. The needle stabilizes. RIPLEY No, just confused. It's coming from below us. They all look down at their feet.
Ripley, Parker and Brett come down ladder into an endless oily corridor.
They stop at the foot of the companionway...
They move down corridor into darkness.
Looks at the tracker. Nods down the passageway. Stops.
They begin to walk in that direction. Entering drab section of ship. Surrounded by deep shadows.
Footsteps clanging on the metal deck.
Cont.
129 Con:
They switch on lights. Move around two turns.
; RIPLEY Wait.
They stop quickly, almost stumbling.
- RIPLEY It's within five meters.
Parker and Brett heft the net.
Ripley has the prod in one hand, tracker in the other. Moves with great care.
Almost in a half-crouch, ready to leap back. .
Prod extended, Ripley constantly glances at her tracker, The device leads her up to a small hatch in the bulkhead. Perspiration rivers down her face.
She sets aside the tracker.
Raises the prod, grasps the hatch handle. °
Yanks it open.
Jams the electric prod inside.
A nerve-shattering squall.
Then a small Creature comes flying out of the locker. Eyes glaring, claws flashing.
Instinctively, they throw the net over it.
Very annoyed.
They open the net and release the captive. Which happens to be the cat.
Hissing and spitting, it scampers away.
RIPLEY ° Goddamn it...hold it.
Cont.
“Relieved, Brett moves toward the cat.
129 Con:
Ripley and Parker move down the passageway. Brett follows the direction taken by the cat. Moves across passageway into equipment maintenance area.
‘Te EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE AREA = "Cc" LEVEL 130
Brett walking between rows of Shadowed equipment. Looking for the cat. Nervous.
Scratching noises. A reassuring cat yowl. Brett moves on.
Ripley and Parker walk along. Tracker signal weakens. Finally stops.
RIPLEY , Nothing here, *
INT, UNDERCARRIAGE ROOM ~ "C" LEVEL 132
Brett enters, - Still looking for Jones. Another yowl followed by a hiss. Two eyes shining in the dark. Jones.
Brett reaches for Jones, Jones hisses. An arm reaches for Brett.
The Alien.
Now..seven feet tall. , :
Hanging from the undercarriage strut in reverse position. Grabs Brett and swings up into darkness.
Brett screams,
To no avail...
In the doorway Ripley and Parker. They witness the horror.
REVISED - "ALIEN" ~ 8/4/78 71 INT, MESS 133
The remaining crew assembled,
Long faces. . Dallas sits with a layout in front of hin. Parker stands anxiously by the ‘doorway.
Whatever it was it was big. Swung down on him like a giant fucking bat. ;
Dallas looks up.
‘DALLAS You're absolutely sure it dragged Brett into a vent. . ,
ASH
An incubator perhaps. . RIPLEY
Or food.
A shiver.
LAMBERT
Either way it's-two down and
five to go. PARKER
I say we blast the rotten bastard with a laser and teke our chances.
Cont.
REVISED - "AanrTEn" - 8/4/78 72
x 133 Cont.
saw that when we operated on it.
Dallas runs his fingers over the diegram.
' That duct comes out at the
main air lock. There's only
one big opening on the way.
But we can cover that. Then , we drive it into the air lock
and blast it into space.
DALLAS
Parker, how long to hook up three or four incinerating units.
Cont.
REVISED - "ALIEN" - 8/4/78
A pause.
There's no doubt as to who's going inside the vent.
Te-A X 133 Cont.
YO
PECK rn
REVISED = "ATTEN" 2 3/24/78 73
X. EXT, OUTER sSpacr 133-a
Nostromo at light plus four.
OUT 134.
Ripley stands in vestibule, , Looks through the Bulkhead door to air lock, She throws a Switch, ; Watches airshar+ entrance into air lock open, The trap is ready.
INT, EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE AREA 135-B Parker and Lambert get set,
OUT 136
Completely dark. Dallas turns on his helmet light, Flips switch on throat mike.
DALLAS
Do you receive me, Ripley. ° Parker, Lampert,
“INT. EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE AREA 138
The hum of vast cooling plants,
Large air shafts run off in different directions,. Parker and Lambert Stand ready by a duct,
Lambert hits the wall amp button.
°
Parker hefts his flamethrower, DALLAS
(voice over) Parker, if it tries to come out by you, make sure you drive it back in, I'll push it forward,
REVISED - "ALIEN" - 8/24/78 74-76 x INT, AIR LOCK ~ VESTIBULE 139 |
Near the eir lock, Ripley pops open the hatch. *
, The air lock now open and ready.
She moves to the air duct opening. -
y
REVISED - "ALIEN" ~ 6/23/78 77 INT, AIR SHAFT | 140
| Dallas begins to crawl forwards
The tunnel is narrow... Only a foot or two wider than his shoulders.
Turns a corner.
Several more tight turns.
Instinctively Dalles pulls back.
Raises the flamethrower, -
Fires a blast around the corner into the darkness. It roars loudly in the confined tube.
Smoke drifts back into his face,
A large rectangular duct in one wall.
He throws a switch. A metal pane rises and seals off the opening.
Reluctantly, Parker again throws the switch and raises the metal pane.
INT, AIR LOCK VESTIBULE ° 7 142 Ripley waiting. ; INT, AIR SHAFT | 143
Dallas still crawling on hands and kmees. Ahead the shaft takes an abrupt downward turn. He moves toward the corner.
Fires another blast from the flamethrower. Then starts crawling down, head first.
Lambert sees something on the tracker.
REVISED - "ALIEN" - 8/24/78 . 78
The shaft makes yet another turn. Puts Dallas into an almost immobilized position.
Dallas against a wall of the shaft.
Clutching his flamethrower. Whispers into his throat mike.
I dontt think this shaft goes much farther...It's getting hot in here.
@€ readies the flamethrower.
Wy
Parker readies his weapon.
The air shaft tributary opens into a larger two-tier air tunnel.
Dallas crawls out and stands.
Moves to a catwalk floor. Looks about.
Moves forward. Reaches a repair junction.
Sits.
His feet dangle beneath the catwalk floor to the next level. DALLAS Lambert, what kind of reading are you getting.
Lambert huddled over her tracker. Puzzled.
Cont.
REVISED - "ALIEN" — 6/23/78 | 79
249-A Co. LAMBERT I'm not sure, There seems to be some kind of double - - Signal. - ” xX
Dallas sitting.
His feet still dangling in the dark beneath the catwalk.
Dallas vegins to rise.
From below, a gentle movement towards the henging feet. A hand reaches up.
Misses his leg as Dallas moves ahead.
Further on. | * DALLAS Lambert, am I coming in any clearer, LAMBERT
(voice over) it's clear ali right. But
Itm still getting two signals. +3 (frightening pause)
I'm not sure which one is
which.
Dallas stovs. |
Turns around,
Looks back down through the catwalk.
Lowers the nose or the flamethrower, his finger on the trigger.
From behind him, the hand reaches up. -
The Alien is the front signal. x
INT, AIR LOCK VESTIBULE 150
Ripley bends forward.
Hears the sounds of the struggle... And Dallas' scream.
She cries out.
REVISED - "ALIEN" - 8/7/78
Lambert and Parker, Hearing it all. «
o
Then silence.
Dallas! flamethrower on table surface. . -
Nothing.
Ripley, Ash and Lambert standing by the table. Lambert obviously still” shaken.
She nods.
plan. | LAMBERT And wind up the same way. No thanks. PARKER You've got a better idea.
Yes. Abandon ship. Take the shuttle craft and get the hell out of here. Take our chances on getting picked up later.
The unsaid alternative.
* ASE You are forgetting something. Dallas and Brett may not be dead. It's a ghastly probability perhaps, but not a certainty.
Cont.
&c
REVISED - "ALIEN" ~ 8/7/78 8i
Vv
152. Cont
RIPLEY | Ash is right. We've E0t to give it another try. We know it's using the air shafts. Let's take it level by level. This time wetil laser seal every buikhead and vent behind us until we corner it.
Lanbdert doesn't answer.
indicating Dallas' flamethrower. | RIPLEY Then you'd better get it. Ash, you go with him. °
Parker locks at Ash.
I can't belteve that.
asking questions until you get some better answers. -
Cont.
REVISED - "ALIEN" - 8/7/73 82
152 Cont
Parker selects two full methene cylinders. He tests them. Moves out.
Ripley sits beside Lambert,
° RIPLEY Try to hang on. You know Dallas would have done the same for us.
» LAMBERT : All I know is you're asking us to stay and get picked off one by one.
Parker returning with methane cylinder.
Turns a corner. Comes to an abrupt halt.
A movement in front of him beyond the airlock.
He hesitates. Then another shadowy movement...
REVISED - "ALIEN" - 6/23/78
INT, BRIDGE Ripley and Lambert. ° Parker's voice on voice-amp.
Muffled. ra Ripley hits a toggle.
Ripley.
Parker covers the wall communication with his hand,
Up the corridor, the movement stops. INT, BRIDGE
- " RIPLEY Can't hear you...Repeat...
Parker whispering. PARKER The Alien...it's outside the main air lock door. Open the
door slowly...When I say...close it fast and blow the outer door.
Ash listens.
Parker still whispering.
| PARKER Open Lte.. slowly.
Ripley hesitates,
Starts to reply.
Throws switch.
INT, AIR LOCK - "B" DECK
Low servo whine. Door opens.
Cont.
§3
(156-8
156-B
157-A
157-5
159 Cont
Slowly.
Green light throbbing inside afr lock.
Creature looks curiously at it.
Moves onto the threshold. ad
Parker watches... |
INT, AIR Lock 159-8
Creature moves further “into air lock, . Fascinated by green light.
Urgent whisper into voice-amp,
As Ripley moves to throw switch...
Suddenly, from out of nowhere a kKlaxon wails.
The Creature leaps back across the threshold of the air lock
Bewildered.
Screams as the inner hatch closes on an appendage, Acid boiling out.
The appendage crushed.
The acid bubbles, °
Metal boils in door.
Parker watches,
Frozen.
The Alien wrenches itself free. Comes flying outward.
Smashes Parker down.
Flees.
On the wall a green light goes on.
"Inner Hatch Closed"
INT, AIR LOCK
Metal still boiling. « The outer hatch begins to open,
RIPLEY Parker... Pushes a switch. Pushes it again. “ LAMBERT
What's happening, Parker.
In front of her a green light blinks. "Inner Hatch Closed."
* RIPLEY Inner hatch sealed. The outer hatch is open.
Ripley bolts out of the bridge.
Air lock open. °
Parker unconscious.
The inner hatch still closed.
Metal boils.
The hole growing deeper.
Ripley runs toward the air lock corridor.
Metal boiling in door.
161°
163-A
Ripley slams to a momentary halt against a bulkhead. Regains her balance. * Starts running.
-
INT, PASSAGE NEAR AIR LOCK - "B" LEVEL 169
Parker now half consé@ious.
Ripley arrives as the hole in door blows open. Escaping air shrieks.
Flashing sign comes on.
Critical depressurization.
Emergency klaxon. . Simultaneously vestibule doors close either end. Sealing in Ripley and Parker.
Door nearest to Parker half-closed on one of the methane cylinders:
Leaving large gap.
Windstorm begins as hole in air lock grows. Ripley reaches for other cylinder.
Begins smashing the jammed cylinder out of door. Blood froths at their noses and ears.
Cylinder finally is driven out.
Tne door slams closed.
Lambert watches, Emergency light readings,
"Hull Breached" "Emergency Bulkheads Closed"
Rushes out. Down corridor.
Ripley staggers towards an emergency panel. At far end of corridor.
Pinging sound.
Misty atmosphere.
Tries to activate the door.
Cannot.
Lambert appears other side of bulkhead. Activates door from outside.
Rush of oxygen.
Plume of vapor freezes in the vacuum.
REVISED - "ALIEN" ~ 7/3/78
Repressurization sounds. ° Parker regains consciousness. Struggles to breathe,
Ripley unable to move.
Breath coming in shallow pants. Lambert with an oxygen tank. Ash follows. . Oxygen administered to Ripley and-Parker,
Finally.
_ PARKER We didn't.get it. The warning went off and it jumped back in
the ship.
Who hit the warning. RIPLEY You tell me. _ ASH What does that mean, RIPLEY I guess the alarm went off by itself. ASH
If you've got something to say say it. I'm sick of these coy accusations.
Go patch him up.
Ash and Parker leave, Ripley turns to Lambert.
Cont.
i71 -
REVISED - "ALIEN" — 8/2/78 88.
171 Con:
sO | our = 172- 173-A
INT, COMPUTER ANNEX 174
Ripiey hurriedly taps out the five-digit code. Rams thumb egainst Indentiprint.
The inner dcor opens.
Data banks come to life,
She sits at the console,
Thinks for a moment.
Then punches up a code,
Nothing happens.
Punches another combination.
Nothing happens. °
Frustration.
Another combination.
One screen comes to life.
Another combination.
She moves to the second keyboard.
Screen One spells out the question:
Question: WHO TURNED ON AIR LOCK 2 WARNING SYSTEM. Responses: ASH
Another code.
Question: IS ASH PROTECTING THE ALIEN Responses: YES .
New Code.
Question: WHY '
Response: SPECIAL ORDER 937 SCIENCE EYES ONLY. She starts a new code.
A hand slams down next to Ripley's arm.
It sinks elbow deep into the computer.
She whips around in her chair.
Faces Ash,
He smiles,
Cont.
REVISED - "ALIEN" - 7/17/78 og-A
174 Cont
Ripley slowly backs up out of the chair. Keeps it between them. Plays for time. --
She circles toward the door. Ash still smiles. And moves forward slightly.
All charm.
She starts to turn. He steps toward her. . °
With that he reaches out. ;
Ripley bolts by him into the corridor.
Ash chases her through the bridge and into the mess. Three bulkhead doors slam down behind them.
Ash catches her. Perker and Lambert burst into the mess. Lambert falls on Ash's back,
Cont.
REVISED - "ALIEN" - 7/17/78
Ash turns to Lambert.
Tosses her across the room. .
Returns to Ripley.
Again choking her.. & Parker lifts the tracker. . Steps behind Ash.
Swings the tracker..:Wallop.
Tears his head off...
Wires ascending from Ash's trunk.
Where his head used to be.
Ash's hands release Ripley.
Search above his neck for his missing head: He walks backward.
All eyes on Ash's headless body.
" He walks the room.
Still feeling for his missing head.
Cont.
89-B x 174 Cont
REVISED - "ALIEN" - 8/10/78 90
174 cont.
Ash turns on him.
Starts to advance. °
Parker hits him again with the tracker... Again. ; Again, .
No avail.
Ash begins choking Parker. Ripley picks up one of the prod sticks.
Closes on Ash's back,
Tears away the fabric.
Lambert pulls at Ash's legs. ,
Ripley tearing at the controls buried in the cavity once covered by his head.
Parker's eyes bulge in pain.
Ash, headless, choking, choking, choking...
Ripley finds the wires, stabs the prod home.
Ash's grip lessens.
Another stab...electrical flash...
The grip lessens...
Another stab...flash of circuits.
The headless body collebdses.
Parker trying to regain his breath.
PARKER
ad
Damn you.
Kicks the headless body. Lambert iooks at Ripley.
Pause.
°
, RIPLEY X There's only one way to find out.
PARKER . Xx What's that.
RIPLEY x Wire his head back up. Ash has been protecting the Alien from the beginning. He let it on board. He let it grow inside Kane. He biew the airlock warning.
But why.
‘Cont.
REVISED - "ALIEN" - 8/10/78
-s - RIPLEY | The corporation must have picked
- up the transmission. We happened to be the next ship going by. They put Ash on board to check it out and make sure we followed something Mother calls Special Order 937.
We have to find out what else they're holding back.
Ash's head is on the table. His eyes flicker into éonsciousness.
Wnet was Special Order 937?
Then there's no point in talking. Parker, pull the plug.
- Parker reaches for the wires. Ash quickly reacts.
Cont.
\ ode
~3 Q
REVISED - "ALTEN" - 8/10/78 ’ 92
Xx 174 Cor
LAMBER? Why. Why didn't you warn us.
Because you might not have gone in. The shares notwithstanding.
_ PARKER You and the damn company. What about our lives, man.
' ASE Expendable I'm afraid. It wasn't personal. Just the luck of the draw.
Cold comfort.
' they managed to set up the
warning.
You idiots. You still don't realize what you're dealing with. The Alien is a perfect organism. Superbly structured, cunning quintessentially violent. With you're limited capabilities you have no chance against it.
Cont.
f-
REVISED -
"ALIEN" - 8/10/78 93
x 174- Con
How can you not admire the simple symmetry it presents. An intergalactic parasite, from time immemorial, capable of laying dormant for infinite periods. It's sole purpose to destroy other species merely to recreate itself, for life an anti-life.
_ RIPLEY We built you. You're supposed to be part of our survival equipment. &
Ripley starts to undo the wires. Ash smiles.-
Ripley pauses. Most of the wires undone. Ash's voice slowing.
Cont.
REVISED ~ "ALIEN" - 8/10/78 O3-A
xX 174 Cont ~~ - | ASH Maybe it's intelligent: Maybe you snould try to communicate with it. . > RIPLEY Did you. . ;
~ Please let my grave hold some ; secrets.
RIPLEY ; Good-bye Ash. .
Ripley in the Computer Annex. Lambert and Parker enter.
Gloom.
Cont.
REVISED. - "ALIEN" - 10/11/78 o4
175 Cor
RIPLEY « We're not there yet.
Lambert holds up a small card of spansules. Suicide pills. °
LAMBERT -
I'll stick with chemicals if you don't mind.
We're gonna get the hell off the ship and blcw it up.
Right. We'll need coolant for the life support. You round up all you can carry. I'll start preparing the shuttle.
They move out.
Ripley enters the Narcissus.
Ceutious at first.
Then hurries to throw switches.
Twists her hair back as she works feverishly.
Stops as she hears Jones miaowing over the intercom.
RIPLEY
Ripley runs out of the Narcissus, leaving doors open.
REVISED’ - "ALIEN" - 10/4/78 95 INT, BRIDGE 175-3
Jones lying on Dallas! console. Ripley comes in. Smiles. . -
: RIPLEY vgones. You're in luck.
As she reaches for him Jones jumps cff the console. Moves away. RIPLEY - Come on, Jones. She moves. after the cat.
We hear Parker and Lambert over the communicator from the garege.
* LAMBERT (voice over) How much do you think welll need.
Ripley still in pursuit cf the cat.
CUT To:
° _ Parker and Lembert loading coolant cylinders.
Ripley's voice over communicator from bridge. RIPLEY
(voice over) Goddemn it, Jones. Come here.
Ripley furious but still speaking gently.
Jones moves away.
Arms full Parker moves out of the locker. Tembert is still making her selection. A faint light on the tracker. Unnoticed. 540 ©
Ae,
A!
REVISED - "ALIEN" ~ 6/23/78 96 INT, BRIDGE 175-7
Ripley finally corners Jones. . Finds his box,
Tries to put him in it,
Jgones resists. .
Ultimately futile,
on He
INT; FOOD LOCKER CORRIDOR - OUTSIDE | 185
Farker attempts to pick up the flamethrower, Can't manage it and the food. Drops some of the packages. —
In the locker Lambert gathers food.
The trucker Plashes faster. Now it's noticed. Parker picks up the flamethrower.
The Alien appears out of the air shaft ventilator. Lambert turns.
Screams.
Unfolding, the Alien grabs for her.
INT; BRIDGE ; 185-A Ripley freezes as she hears Lambert's scream,
INT; CORRIDOR OUTSIDE FOOD LOCKER 186 Parker looks back into the locker.
Unable to use the flamethrower without hitting Lambert. He hesitates for a moment, then strides into the locker. Wielding the flamethrower like a club.
REVISED - "ALIEN" - 6/23/78 97
The Alien drops Lambert. °
Parker lands a blow with the flamethrower.
No effect. ~
The Alien strikes him once. Killing him instantly. He now moves to Lambert.
Ripley listening on the communicator.
Lambert's dying shrieks. «
Then the voice-amp goes dead.
Silence.
: ' RIPLEY Parker. Lambert.
She waits for a responsk.
But her expression shews that she expects none. A long moment.
Expectation fulfilled.
Nightmare without end.
Ripley descends cautiously, holding flamethrower. Jones left above, squalling.
Ripley moving warily, carrying flamethrower. Nears entrance to food locker, looks in.
Sees carnage... ° | our 188
Ripley running toward engine room.
Out of breath.
Exhausted she stops, gulping in air.
Suddenly, ahead of her, the sound of human weeping.
She moves quietly ahead until the source of the sound is airectly under her feet.
She is standing on a round metal plate.
Ripley starts to remove the disc.
The round opening illuminates a dark ladderway.
Still carrying flamethrower, Ripley starts downwards. Pitch black.
Cont.
ee
190 Cen
Ripley arrives at deck level, Shines her light. ‘ oe Its are reveals the Alien's lair, Bones, shreds of flesh.
Pieces of clothing,’ shoes. Bizarre extrusions on the wall.
Something moves in the darkness. Ripley spins, turns her light toward the movement.
Hanging from the ceiling is a huge coccon, Woven from fine, white, silk-like material.. Flamethrower ready, Ripley apvroaches,.
Sees that the cocoon is semi-transparent. The body of Dallas inside,
Unexpectedly, his eyes open. FOCUS ON Ripley. His voice is a whisper.
” DALLAS Kill me.
Dallas moves his head slightly.
Ripley turns her light.
Another cocoon dangles from the ceiling.
But of a different texture.
Smaller and darker, with a harder shell.
Almost exactly like the ovoids in the derelict ship.
A long moment. It's hopeless.
Ripley stares at hin.
Raises the flamethrower.
Sprays a molten blast.
Another blast.
The entire compartment bursts into flames. Ripley turns and scrambles back up the ladderway.
INT, OILY CORRIDOR - “"c" LEVEL 191 .
Ripley emerges from below, Gasps for breath. ° Regains control of herself,
EXT, OUTER SPACE - 192
At ligkt speed. ° The Nostromo and refinery appear to hang motionless. Star clusters rolling past in the infinite distance,
our 193 INT, ENGINE ROOM - CUBICLE ° 194
Ripley enters the power center,
Stares at the massive light-plus engines, Approaches the main control board.
Begins closing the switches, one by one. A long moment.
Sirens begin to honk, Mother speaks.
&
INT, OILY CORRIDOR - "Cc" LEVEL 194—a Ripley running toward "B" deck companionway.
Ripley starts toward Narcissus. Remembers Jones.
Jones howling.
In his box.
Ripley reaches up and grabs him.
Ripley carrying Jones, holding flamethrower.
Jones hisses.
Fur rises.
Ripley stops, and stares down corridor toward Narcissus. The Alien can be heard thrashing about the shuttle craft, Ripley turns and bolts toward the engine room, leaving Jones on "B" level companionway.
e+
INT, COMPANIONWAY INTO OILY CORRIDOR - "E" LEVEL 196 -
Ripley bounds down the companionway. Her footsteps clanging metalliéally throughout the ship. A final sprint towards the engine room,
e
Attention. “Engines will overload in three minutes, twenty seconds,
The door crashes open, Ripley comes poundirtg in.
The chamber filled with smoke. ;
Engines whining dangerously. ©
Ripley breaks out in perspiration from the intense heat. She runs to the controls.
Begins throwing the cooling wnit switches back into place. The sirens continue sounding.
( " MOTHER'S VOICE O.5e Attention. Engines will overlcad. in three minutes.
Ripey pushes a button and speaks into At.
A moment. Then Ripley turns and runs from the engine room.
INT, OILY CORRIDOR - COMPANIONWAY 198
Ripley runs back down the corridor, Up the companicnway, exhausted, stumbling...
Attention. Engines will overload in two minutes.
She reaches companionwey. Picks wp Jones.
ro
Ripley staggers towards the ain lock.
The Narcissus berthed beyond,
She drags Jones and raises the flamethrower, Turns to see if the Creature is behind her, Then advances down the passageway.
Goaded on by the computer.
Attention, Engines will explode in ninety seconds. .
e
She makes it to the vestibule. Looks into the shuttle,
INT, NARCISSUS Ripley scans the narrow deck...empty. INT, VESTIBULE . She turns and dashes back. Grabs the cat hox. Runs back toward the shuttle. MOTHER'S VOICE (0.56) Attention. The engines will explode in sixty seconds,
Ripley enters on the run. Hurls the cat box toward the°front. Dives into the control chair, Hits the “Launch” button.
The retainer clips drop away. A blast of ram jets. The shuttle is launched from the mother ship.
Ripley frantically straps herself in.
G-forces from the shuttle's acceleration pulling against he:
The Narcissus continues to power eway from the mother ship.
The larger bulk of the Nostromo quietly receding.
All is strangely serene.
te
INT, NARCISSUS . 206 Ripley finishes strapping herself? in, Reaches and grabs the cat box. The cat yowling within. Ripley hugs the box.tc her chest, - Hunches her head down over the container, EXT, SEACE . 207
The Nostromo drifts farther away from the shuttle-craft. Finally becomes a small point of light. ,
Then it blows up.
Transforms into expanding orange fireball. *
Pieces of metal flying in all directions.
And then the refinery explodes.
200,000,000 tons of gas bloating silently into the cosmos.
' The shock wave hits the shuttle-craft,
Jolting and rattling everything within.
Then all is quiet.
Ripley unhooks herself from her straps.
Rises, and goes to the back of the escape craft. Stares out through the porthole,
Face bathed in the orange light.
EXT, SPACE 209 Pieces of debris float past. .
The boiling fireball fades into nothingness.
The Nostromo has ceased to exist.
INT; NARCISSUS 210
Ripley watching the final destiny of her ship and crew mates,
A very long moment.
Then, behind her, the lethal hand emerges from deep shadow. The Alien has been in the shuttle-craft all along. The cat yowls.
Ripley whirls. Finds herself facing the Creature.
Ripley's first thought is for the flamethrower.
It lies on the deck next to the Alien.
Next she glances around for a place to hide.
Her eye falls on a small locker containing a pressure suit. The door standing open. ; She begins to edge toward the compartment.
The Creature stands.
Comes for her,
Ripley dives for the open door,
Hurls herself inside.
Slams it shut,
INT, LOCKER
A clear glass panel in the door.
The Alien puts its head up to the window.
Peers in at Ripley. -
Their faces only two inches apart, , . The Alien looking at Ripley almost in curiosity. The moening of the cat distracts it.
The Alien moves to the pressurized cat box,
Bends down and peers inside, . The cat yowls louder as his container is lifted,
_ INT, LOCKER
Ripley kmocks on the glass.
Trying to distract the Creature from the cat.
The Alien's face is instantly back at the window. Getting no more interference from her, the Creature returns to the cat box,”
Ripley looks around.
Sees the pressure suit,
Quickly begins to pull it on,
The Alien Licks up the cat box. Shakes it. The cat moans.
INT, LOCKER apley is halfway into the pressure suit.
The Creature throws the cat box down,
Picks it up again.
Hammers it against the wall,
Then jams it into a crevice,
Begins to pound the container into the opening. The cat now beyond all hysteria,
Ripley pulls on the helmet, latches it into place. Turns the oxygen valve.
With a hiss, the suit fills itself.
A rack on the wall contains a long metal rod, Ripley peels off the rubber tip.
Revealing a sharp steel point.
211-—
Ripley inhales,.
Kicks the door open, .
The Creature rises,
Faces the locker, ° . Catches the steel shaft through its midriff,
The Alien clutches at the spear, -
Yellow acid begins to flow from the wound.
Before the fluid can touch the floor...
Ripley reaches back and pulls the switch, «-
Blows the rear hatch,
The atmosphere in the shuttle immediately sucked into space, The bleeding Creature along with it.
Ripley grabs a strut to keep from being pulled out. The Alien shoots past her.
Grabs Ripley's ankle with an appendage,
EXT, NARCISSUS - OUTER.SPACE 220 Ripley now hanging halfway out of the shuttle-craré,
‘The Alien clinging to her leg.
She kicks at iv with her free foot. The Creature holds fast, :
INT; NARCISSUS 221
Ripley looks for any salvation.
Grabs the hatch lever.
Yanks it.
The hatch slams shut, closing Ripley safely inside.
The Alien still outside the shuttle-craft,. Within the vacuum of space. The tip of its appendage mashed into the closed hatch.
Acid starts to foam along the base of the hatch. Eats away at the metal,
Ripley stumbles forward to the controls.
Pushes the ram jet lever.
EXT; NARCISSUS - OUTER SPACE 2oh
The Creature struggling.
Jet exhausts located at the rear of the craft.
The engines belch flame for a few seconds.
Then shut off.
incinerated, the Alien tumbles slowly away into space.
f-
REVISED. - "Arter" _ 10/4/78 105
Ripley hurries to the rear hatch. Peers out through the glass,
oo
The burned mass of the Alien drifts Slowly away. Writhing, smoking.
Tumbling into the distance,
Pieces dropping off,
The shape bloats, then bursts.
Spray of particles in all directions, - Then smoldering fragments dwindle into infinity.
Now repressurized.
Ripley is seated in the control chair. Calm and composed, almost cheerful. Cat purring in her lap.
She dictates into & recorder,
She switches orf.
' Ripley in hypersleep.
Tre shuttle-craft Narcissus sails into the distance, FADE out