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Leprechaun 4 took the diminutive slasher to space, and while there, the franchise hilariously reinvented the classic Chestburster from Alien. When it comes to mixtures of sci-fi and horror, few films command the same respect from fans as Alien. While the ensuing Alien franchise has been up and down in the decades since, director Ridley Scott’s 1979 classic was so good that it’s no wonder Hollywood can’t help but try to keep its legacy alive, and fans are willing to give Alien follow-ups chance after chance to impress them.
The original Alien film is full of iconic scenes, but at the top of that list is no doubt the infamous sequence when the second stage of the Xenomorph life cycle is seen for the first time. The crew of the Nostromo sit down to dinner, only to be horrified when a Chestburster emerges from Kane (John Hurt), who had been attacked by a Facehugger earlier in the film. It’s a shocking, hard to watch scene even now, as the effects work is great, and Hurt fully sells the pain and agony of his plight.
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Of course, when a scene becomes that well-known, it gets parodied endlessly, and that’s certainly been the case for Alien‘s original “chestbursting.” The best such take is probably found in Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein, especially since John Hurt actually participates. For a much more juvenile take on the Chestburster scene though, one need look no further than the 1997 horror/comedy sequel Leprechaun 4: In Space.
Leprechaun In Space Hilariously Reinvented Alien’s Chestburster
As usual, Leprechaun 4 cares not about continuity between installments. It’s 2096 now, and for whatever reason, Warwick Davis’ titular Irish monster is causing trouble in space. Some space marines manage to blow him up with a grenade, but then one of them, named Kowalski, makes the mistake of urinating on the Leprechaun’s corpse. This allows the villain to somehow travel up the stream and take up residence within Kowalski’s penis.
After the space marines head back to their ship, Kowalski proceeds to try and get it on with a female colleague. His arousal leads the Leprechaun to violently burst out of Kowalski’s body, Chestburster-style. Of course, since the Leprechaun had stowed away down below, one can imagine how that turns out, although those who watch the film don’t have to, as it’s shown in way too much detail. It’s a funny scene, but it’s also an unsettling one, as passing a Leprechaun out through one’s genitals makes passing a kidney stone seem like a day at Disney World. This definitely isn’t the funniest parody of Alien‘s Chestburster, but it’s definitely the most unique.
