"Somebody wake up Hicks?"

[Heebie]

I just watched Aliens on TV the other night and I always wondered what the point of this comment was. I guess it’s to show how much of a hardened grunt Hicks is and how that, while others may freak out during a ‘drop,’ he remains calm enough to nod off.

It just struck me as a bit pointless. During the descent we see him eyeing up Ripley then the next thing we see is that he’s catching forty winks.

Did he pass out? Has he got narcolepsy?

 

[PTeppic]

An off-hand remark from the Sarge, who expects Hicks to be sufficiently chilled that he'll be asleep.

 

[Heebie]

An off-hand remark from the Sarge, who expects Hicks to be sufficiently chilled that he'll be asleep.

Yeah, you're probably right. I just always thought it could mean either than or that he's passed out - wimp!

 

[ktabic]

Probably a reference to experienced soldiers* sleeping whenever they can, where ever they can, because they don't know when they will get the chance to sleep next.

*Not limited to soldiers, anyone who can have long days where they spend decent chunks doing nothing end up doing the same. According to the LOTR documentaries, Elijah Woods would sleep between takes.

 

[Heebie]

Elijah Woods would sleep between takes.

Yeah, well, Elijah was only three feet tall and had walked half way to Mt Doom - give the poor little guy a break, eh?

 

[Captain Campion]

I think he passed out, just to add some realism to the drop experience and a little comedy relief. Also a way to get Hicks' name out there early enough before he starts to become a major character.

 

[ktabic]

Have just looked at the Aliens Final, Sept 23, 1985 script, the relavent part:

TIGHT ON HICKS: asleep in his seat harness.

 

[Rodders]

Nonsence i know, but my take was always that A soldier needs to sleep when he can as he doesn't know when he's going to be able to next. I felt that it was just a throwaway line to show the experience and to make the audience trust him.

 

[PTeppic]

Also a way to get Hicks' name out there early enough before he starts to become a major character.

I often think about the dialogue in the first five minutes, particularly to see how much is done for exposition and would not actually be used in "real" speech.

 

[Dave]

I often think about the dialogue in the first five minutes, particularly to see how much is done for exposition and would not actually be used in "real" speech.

But I love all that "Have you ever been mistaken for a man?, "No, Have you?", "She saw an alien once!", "Whoopee-do!" interplay. One of the best parts of the film.

It has been suggested that Hicks name is a nod to Ray Hicks, Nick Nolte's ex-marine character in Who'll Stop the Rain? I can't help with the narcolepsy question though.

 

[TheEndIsNigh]

Could it be a disguised reference to Bill Hicks.

 

[Heebie]

Could it be a disguised reference to Bill Hicks.

Or Dwane Dibbley from Red Dwarf?

 

[Lemmy]

I'm telling you there's something moving, and it ain't us!

 

[witchfynder]

Hicks changed a lot from the original idea, so I've heard. I have a feeling that the line was an early draft, because it doesn't fit in with his nice sensitive character of later on.

 

[J-Sun]

I agree with several posters: 40 winks, the cool-calm-collected character, funny line. Self-explanatory and what's not to like? "Hudson, sir, he's Hicks." Hudson's the spaz; Hicks is the opposite.

 

[reiver33]

Hicks is way cool, if only for the "Marines, we are leaving" line, which I've always liked. Don't ask me why.