Hallway Scene

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Synonyms: Apis interruptus, Bee stung kiss, damned bee, the almost kiss, FTF Hallway Kiss, Snoggus interruptus
See also: IWTB, FTF, List of X-Files Acronyms and Terminology, Platonic Activity
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In the X-Files fandom, the hallway scene refers to a scene where the two characters of Mulder and Scully almost share their first on-screen kiss in the first X-Files feature film "Fight the Future" that was released on June 19th 1998 in the US. Before the agents can consummate their kiss, Scully gets stung by a bee that carries a genetically engineered virus which leads to the agent passing out in the arms of her partner. The ruse is used by Cigarette-Smoking Man, Mulder and Scully's nemesis, to abduct Scully to the Antarctica.

The bee and it's significance become some kind of inside joke in the Philedom, people starting to blaming the bee or calling series creator Carter a "bee" in terms of ruining something.

a Fake Motivator style image

Fan reactions

After five years, MSR shippers waited eagerly to see the not strictly platonic relationship between the two characters to more. Fans report about people yelling at the bee or grasping in agony in the movie theatre back then.

The hallway scene is pivotal for the relationship of the character and marks the first time that series creator Chris Carter moves a way from his "strictly platonic" approach to the Mulder/Scully relationship.

The scene inspired hundreds of fanworks, such as fan fiction (especially missing scene and post-ep), Fan arts (especially drawing, manips and collages) and videos.

"Of course the hallway scene, which is so famous it's referred to in any circle of x-philes as just that, is nothing short of breathtaking."

The X-Files: Fight the Future review by Heather, Doux Reviews

Cast & Crew remarks about the scene

Soon after the release of the movie, star Gillian Anderson and director Rob Bowman teased fans with the fact, that there were several takes where the characters did kiss which were cut from the final movie. According to Bowman that camera man goofed and the kiss version was captured in film. It turned out, that this wasn't true, since the 2008 Blu-ray release of the movie featured a gag reel that included an alternate take of the scene that included a kiss between Anderson and David Duchovny with a jeering crew in the back ground.

The rumor is that you and Gillian shot a take where you kissed. True?
“No, no, no. No. It was just like, we were acting like it was, like, a gross carnal coupling, you know? It was a joke for the crew and for us. The actual kissing and you know - that was never a part of the movie and so we never would have shot that, no. The only time we did that was as a joke. Gillian and I did it to our liking and then I said, you know, “Let’s do one, let’s do one where we - I take you up against the wall here.” But that was never- there was never any thought - we were outside of the camera’s view actually at that point, so that’s not even on film.” —

David Duchovny, TV Guide, 1998

"I can tell you what's not in the film is a blast. After we did six or seven takes, I said, 'Cut, print. Got it. Thank you very much.' They said, "No, we'd like to go one more time.' So they started the scene. And they got right into the drama, coming closer and closer. And then tongues came out. And then they slapped up against the wall. She drove him up against the wall. Oh, it was fabulous. They did it again, because the cameraman goofed," says Bowman. According to Duchovny, he and Anderson came up with the lip-lock as a lark. "There was never a written [direction] that we would be kissing," he says. "We did it to our liking. It was bad, but we kept going."

Mulder and Scully's Make Out Session Susan Campbell Beachy TV Guide (June 1998)

To me, the highlight was the night the first movie opened. The studio rented a van and Chris and I drove around with the studio chiefs from movie theater to movie theater, and we invariably arrived at the moment when Mulder and Scully almost kiss but they don’t because of the bee on her neck. And the audiences — it was sold out everywhere, and the audiences were screaming that they weren’t kissing. And I just thought, “You don’t get to see that”: When you only write television, you don’t get to see people react. I remember thinking at that moment, “It’ll never get better than this.” And it didn’t. That was amazing.

X-Files’ Executive Producer Frank Spotnitz On His Biggest Regret And Fondest Memories by Maureen Ryan, 07/16/2013

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