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The parasite in this movie is about the size and shape of a. . . well, let's just say it's rather Freudian. In any case, there are scenes where it leaps onto faces and where it bursts from victim's exploded bellies. That, plus the apartment complex name ("Starliner") makes it an easy leap to Dan O'Bannon's parasite story, ALIEN. In fact, when Cronenberg showed this movie at a German film festival several years after it was made, a German audience member stood up during a question and answer period afterwards and accused Cronenberg of ripping off ALIEN. When Cronenberg pointed out that SHIVERS was made (1975 vs. 1979) years before ALIEN and that Dan O'Bannon has admitted that he saw SHIVERS before he wrote ALIEN, the German said, "Ah. So now we know who the thief was."