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The “Alien” Designer
ALIEN - DVD
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Even many science-fiction film fans have never heard of him, but they have no doubt seen H.R. Giger's work. From his art studio in Zurich, Giger (pronounced GHEE-ger) designed the unpleasant but fascinating creatures that frightened moviegoers when they went to see Alien and Species.
 Born in Chur, Switzerland in 1940, Hans Rüdiger Giger originally studied architectural drafting (1959-62). Then his interests turned to interior and industrial design, which he studied at the Kunstgewerbeschule (art school) in Zurich. Giger has been a designer, painter, and sculptor since 1967. A well-known artist before he became involved in theater and filmmaking, Giger is considered one of the foremost representatives of “fantastic realism.” His airbrush sprays out detailed images of a strange world of his own creation. He once painted the cover for an Emerson, Lake, and Palmer album entitled “Brain Salad Surgery.”
He has also designed furniture and dabbled in architecture. One of Giger's architectural projects is set in his hometown of Chur. There he designed a “zodiac fountain” to be placed in front of a bar he also designed. The bar is there, but the fountain is still only a model.
The cover of H.R. Giger's Necronomicon II, one
of several Giger titles available from Amazon.com.
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Director Ridley Scott (“Bladerunner,” “Thelma and Louise”) admired Giger's Necronomicon art book and saw the potential for coaxing a suitably alien and disgusting being out of Giger's imagination. Giger agreed to help create an off-world creature for Scott's Alien. Giger's unique “biomechanoid” monster and Alien set designs earned him an Academy Award for art direction in 1979. More recently, he has been at work creating another imaginary species for Hollywood, this time the chillingly erotic visitors from another planet featured in Roger Donaldson's Species. As he did for Alien, Giger also contributed to the art design for Species.
Giger lives and works in Zurich.
See Giger's books and films, plus Web links below.
Copyright © 1997-2005 Hyde Flippo
N E X T > Film Books
H.R. Giger Films
ALIEN (1979) > BUY this DVD
ALIEN 3 (1992) > BUY this DVD
SPECIES (1995) > BUY this DVD
H.R. Giger books from Amazon.com!
Giger's Alien by H.R. Giger
Necronomicon by H.R. Giger
Necronomicon II by H.R. Giger
HR Giger by H.R. Giger and Stanislav Grof
HR Giger's Retrospective by H.R. Giger
HR Giger ARh+
by H.R. Giger. An introduction to the life and art of H.R. Giger. Features some of his most well-known works, as well as examples of his sketches, pen and inks, and other media. "For someone who has taken an interest in Giger, but is not ready to invest in his larger, more complete books, this is a perfect starting point."
Giger Connections (Links)
HRGiger.com (Germany) - Official site in English or German
Giger.com - Official US site
H.R. Giger Museum in Switzerland
The Little Giger Page - an authorized supplementary site
The H.R. Giger Exhibition - An online art gallery
Other Cinema Web links
N E X T > Film Books
Copyright © 1997-2005 Hyde Flippo
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