Facehugger

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The Facehugger

File:Facehugger Prop Alien.jpg
The screen-used Facehugger prop created by Roger Dicken.
Type	Prop / Puppet
Designer	H.R. Giger Dan O'Bannon Ron Cobb Roger Dicken
Materials	Latex, Fiberglass, Resin, Foam, Metal Armature
First appearance	Alien (1979)
Last appearance	Alien (1979)
Current status	Several versions exist. At least one screen-used prop is in a private collection after being sold at auction. Prototypes also exist.

The Facehugger is the iconic parasitoid creature prop from the 1979 film Alien. As the second stage in the Xenomorph life cycle, its design and function represent a landmark in cinematic body horror.

Design and Construction

Concept

The initial concept for the Facehugger came from screenwriter Dan O'Bannon, who, along with Ronald Shusett, was inspired by the life cycle of parasitoid wasps. O'Bannon's early sketches depicted a more octopus-like creature. When Swiss artist H.R. Giger was brought onto the project, he produced his own paintings of the creature, which he envisioned as a larger, more explicitly sexual organism that would wrap around the outside of a victim's helmet.

Director Ridley Scott found Giger's designs compelling but too large. The final design became a collaborative effort. In a key meeting, Scott pointed to elements from Giger's Necronomicon that he liked—specifically the long, finger-like digits. O'Bannon then sketched a composite design that incorporated Scott's preferences with Giger's aesthetic. Giger, upon his arrival from Switzerland, saw O'Bannon's sketch and agreed it was a superior direction. Ron Cobb contributed ideas for the creature's internal mechanics and skeletal structure, resulting in the final design that was handed to the prop maker.

Materials & Build

The physical construction of the Facehugger was tasked to special effects artist and prop maker Roger Dicken. Dicken sculpted the creature in clay based on the final collaborative design. A mold was taken, and the creature's skin was cast in pale, flesh-toned latex. The main body contained a fiberglass and resin torso to house the internal mechanics.

To achieve lifelike movement, Dicken built a metal armature inside the prop. The legs contained articulated wire cores, and monofilament wires were run through the fingers and tail, which could be pulled to make the creature tighten its grip around actor John Hurt's head. Air bladders were installed inside the twin sacs on its body to simulate breathing, and surgical jelly was used to give the creature its signature slimy appearance.

Cultural Impact and Significance

The Facehugger is one of the most terrifying and influential creatures in horror history. Its design is a masterclass in biomechanical horror, blending recognizable anatomy (hands, fingers, a spine-like tail) with alien biology. Its method of reproduction—a violent oral impregnation—is a potent example of body horror and introduced disturbing themes of sexual violation and forced birth that were largely unseen in mainstream cinema. The creature's very existence, which serves no purpose other than to perpetuate its species through a host body, makes it a perfect, remorseless biological weapon and a symbol of cosmic horror.

Role in the Narrative

• Who: The primary host is Executive Officer Kane (John Hurt) of the Nostromo. The creature is later handled and examined by Science Officer Ash (Ian Holm) and Captain Dallas (Tom Skerritt).
• What: Its function is to serve as a mobile implantation system. It subdues a host, deposits a Xenomorph embryo via a proboscis down the host's throat, and supplies the host with oxygen to keep it alive during gestation.
• Where: It first appears in the egg chamber of the Derelict spacecraft on LV-426. It is then brought aboard the Nostromo and examined in the infirmary.
• When: The artifact's attack on Kane is the film's inciting incident, marking the moment the alien threat is brought from the outside world into the confined space of the ship.
• Why: The Facehugger is the biological catalyst for the entire plot. Without its successful implantation, the film's primary antagonist, the Xenomorph, would never have been born.
• How: The creature's aggressive attachment and its defensive mechanism (acidic blood) prevent its safe removal, forcing the crew to bring it aboard the ship and sealing their fate. It drives the narrative by creating a medical and ethical crisis that quickly spirals into a fight for survival.

Versions

At least two primary versions of the prop were created for filming:

• Hero/Articulated Version: The main prop built by Roger Dicken, featuring the internal armature, air bladders, and wires for movement. This was used for the initial attack and for the scenes where it is seen "breathing" on Kane's face.
• Static/"Dead" Version: A simpler, non-articulated prop used for the scene after the Facehugger detaches from Kane and is examined by the crew.

Off-Screen History

The original hero prop was retained by its creator, Roger Dicken, for many years after production. In 2019, a screen-used special effects Facehugger from Dicken's personal collection was sold by Prop Store for £50,000. A prototype version, showing a slightly different design, was also sold by Prop Store in 2021 for £4,000. Due to the latex materials used in their construction, very few original props have survived in good condition.

Trivia

• During the scene where Ash dissects one of the Facehugger's fingers, various real animal parts, including shellfish and oysters, were used to create the internal organs.
• H.R. Giger originally wanted the Facehugger to be a much darker, almost black color, but Ridley Scott insisted on the pale, skin-like tone to make it look more "obscene" and unsettling.

See Also

• Alien (1979)
• H.R. Giger
• Chestburster
• Xenomorph Suit