MovieChat Forums > The Hidden (1987) Discussion > Like a Star Trek Episode

Like a Star Trek Episode

posted 19 years ago by jabell
4 replies | jump to latest

SPOILER if you haven't seen the movie

I had forgotten this, but the final scene in which Kyle McLauchlan sends his life force into Michael Nouri's dying body reminds me of an episode from the original Star Trek. Guest star Glenn Corbett, who plays Zefrem Cochrane, the inventor of warp drive, has been found living on a deserted planet with a cloud-like creature called The Companion, who loves him and takes care of him. Kirk and the crew, along with a Federation Official played by Elinor Donahue (Betty from Father Knows Best) lands there and offers to take him home, but he doesn't want to leave The Companion. But Donahue's character is dying, so The Companion joins with her and they become one. However, now Cochrane and The Companion are no longer immortal, but they (and Donahue's character) can love each other.

I wonder if Nouri's memories are still there. I thought this was a fantastic ending--and I loved the contrast between the evil, horrifying creature and the golden mist that was McLauchlan's alien.

Boo Hoo! Let me wipe away the tears with my PLASTIC hand!--Lindsey McDonald (Angel)

[–] NezemelJsKega 19 years ago

Very true.....very good eye.

Look When I Listen!

[–] majerem 19 years ago

I think Michael Nouri's memories would still be there. Maybe that is why a race like that could be so "one-step-ahead-of-the-humans" all the time. Memories from previous hosts? Besides, Lloyd still had Robert Stone's idenity and memory.

[–] ClintO 19 years ago

I don't think the movie establishes one way or another if the aliens can read the memories of their hosts. One thing that I noticed was that when they occupied a new person, they are pretty uncomfortable and awkward with their new role. You would think that if they had access to their host's memories that they'd be able to slip right into character.

On the other hand, Kyle MacLachlan's character admitted that he could read minds when they first took a ride in the Porsche, so who knows how much he already knew about his host before he eventually entered his body.

Also, in the scene where Kyle's character gets introduced to Nouri's character's daughter, I got the impression that he read her mind, and that might have been why he didn't say anything to her then.

[–] thecla2 19 years ago

I don't think that Kyle's character was reading the girl's mind when they were first introduced. I think that the whole family scene (which he was watching in silence from the beginning) reminded him of his own family, his own lost wife and daughter, and he simply stared at the girl lost in memory. If you watch carefully, I think that his eyes even get a bit teary while staring at the girl. He didn't say anything to her, because he was too caught up in memory and emotion. Wonderful performance by Kyle MacLachlan!

Also, there's an extra explaination by the director in the DVD's commentary, I add spoiler space if you don't want to read it.

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The director says that it's all about the ability that children have to sense if there's something strange in a person. It's true, children can sometimes see right through you and like you or dislike you in a second. Juliet (the girl) takes one look at Lloyd and she tenses, she can tell there's something weird with this guy. The same thing happens in the end, she can tell there's something wrong with her father, but accepts it, sensing that it will be alright.

:)