Happy Alien Day, Wanna Get Pregnant With a Xenomorph?
And a very happy Alien Day to you, ScreenCrush readership! I trust you’ve already paid homage to the late John Hurt with the customary tense salad dinner and pantomimed death-spasms, and have refilled the ceremonial offerings at the Yaphet Kotto shrines we all keep in our closets. Today’s a day filled with wonders, many of which we outlined earlier this month, including various special screenings, a live trivia challenge, and plenty of exclusive merchandise to gussy up the mantle in need of something that says “expulsive viscera.” But Variety is reporting that one of today‘s surprise offerings dwarfs all pre-announced attractions, at least in terms of potential to give me nightmares.
Those of you in possession of VR-enabled headsets and steel-lined stomachs can check out Alien: Covenant In Utero today, an immersive experience that puts you right in John Hurt’s stomach along with the fetal Xenomorph. The two-minute 360-degree video simulates the conditions of gestation for the violent extraterrestrial, before replaying the seminal chestburster scene from the critter’s point-of-view. Director David Karlak, who should be remanded to a mental institution if not immediately handed the reins to a major horror franchise, said of the project, “For me, it was about giving the audience an element of wish fulfillment ... We’ve always been on the receiving end of [the] violence.” To which I would reply, dear god in heaven, whose wishes are being fulfilled here and how do I best afford them a wide berth?
This isn’t the first time a Ridley Scott project has gotten the Oculus Rift treatment, either. Last fall saw the release of a virtual-reality experience based on Scott’s 2015 film The Martian, which put viewers right in the spacesuit of resourceful spaceman Mark Watney. That one went over pretty well, seeing as most people are curious about what being on Mars is like. Whether they will be as eager to explode in a mist of guts from the torso of the late Mr. Hurt has yet to be seen.