 The genesis of the film arose out of Dan OBannon (qv)s  dissatisfaction with his first feature, _Dark Star (1974)_ (qv)  which John Carpenter (I) (qv) directed in 1974. Because of that  films severe low budget, the alien was quite patently a beach ball.  For his second attempt, OBannon wanted to craft an altogether more  convincing specimen. The goofiness of _Dark Star (1974)_ (qv) also  led him in the direction of an intense horror movie.