X-Files - Hungry

From Blogger Pictures

“I don’t believe in monsters, but I do believe in people. And sometimes they do terrible things out of weakness or sickness or fear. But I do truly believe that deep down inside, even the worst of us wants to be good.”

-     Dr. Reinhart “Hungry” (1999)

This was another episode of The X-Files that I was always afraid of, mainly because of the beginning scene when the guy pulls into the drive through and gets eaten. I think the major factor that always scared me was the look of this monster: no ears, no hair, black eyes and razor sharp teeth… it always frightened me and what was even scarier was that it was never really determined whether he was a real monster or a genetic deformity so people like him could be alive and out there.

After seeing this episode now as a young adult.. I have to say this is a favorite of mine because it doesn’t follow around Muldter and Skully but rather the character of Robert Roberts, the monster. What I also enjoyed about this movie is the fact that Mulder keeps antagonized Robert because I think deep down he knows that he is the killer and he’s just messing with the kid. Also, a quote from Robert about why he has an addiction to eating brains – this quote always made me laugh.

“I guess it’s the taste I respond to the most. Salty and… juicy. Kind of buttery. The texture of it inside your mouth. You know, your teeth just sink into it… like this juicy cloud. And it tastes so good. You know, you don’t even wanna swallow it. You just wanna work it around your taste buds until your eye rolls right back into your head.  

-       Robert Roberts “Hungry” (1999)

I also think that it’s kind of sad how Reinhard believes that there is a human, a good person in all of us even though we sometimes act mean and evil, but that’s simply not the case with Robert. I think that he believe that he could control his hunger but in the end when all the chips were down he realized that he is a killer and that’s all he’ll ever be… a monster. It’s sad because he truly wanted to be good but it’s biology as he states.

From Blogger Pictures

I think there is a good in all of us and I think that is the real horror that this episode is trying to convey… there are monsters in our world and they do unspeakable wicked things and I think that is what truly is scary; the monsters of everyday life, the killers, the psychopaths and the criminals.