Film looks at the last years of the man who created the Alien.
One of the most influential artists in the history of sci-fi cinema, H.R. Giger (1940 – 2014), is the subject of a new documentary coming to theaters in May. Director Belinda Sallin’s Dark Star: H.R. Giger’s World focuses on the last years in the life of the Swiss surrealist, who created the xenomorph in the original Alien as well as the creature in Species, and whose paintings and sculptures have had a massive impact on horror, sci-fi, rock music, Goth culture and much more (he also did some incredible designs for Alejandro Jodorowsky’s never-produced version of Dune).
The official synopsis reads:
Both a mesmerizing introduction to Giger's oeuvre and a must-see for Giger devotees, Belinda Sallin's definitive documentary Dark Star: H.R. Giger’s World shares the intimate last years of the artist's life and reveals how deeply he resided within his own artistic visions.
Behind the shuttered windows and ivy-covered walls of his residence in Zurich, Switzerland, Dark Star brings viewers into Giger's mysterious realm: from the first skull he was given by his father at the age of six, to macabre dinner parties with his close-knit team, to the grisly souvenirs from his time spent on the Alien set and reminiscences about model Li Tobler, Giger's one-time muse, whose suicide reverberates throughout his work.
The film also addresses Giger's complex relationship to the art world, where he defied traditional categories and embraced commercial projects for musicians including Debbie Harry, Korn, Emerson, Lake and Palmer and the Dead Kennedys. Fittingly enshrined in a museum dedicated to his work, Giger's output includes sculpture, painting, drawing, film and architecture, integrating meticulous technique with an instantly-recognizable sensibility that has inspired generations of nightmares.
The film will open theatrically in five cities on May 15, expanding to more than 30 over the course of the month. See the list below (with more here), as well as a trailer and poster for the film. This sounds like a must-see for fans of this master’s dark and disturbing work.
May 15-21 - New York, NY - Landmark Sunshine
May 15-21 - Los Angeles, CA - Landmark NuArt
May 15-21 - San Francisco, CA - Landmark Opera Plaza
May 15-21 - Berkeley, CA - Landmark Shattuck
May 15-21 - Providence, RI - Cable Car Cinema
May 22-28 - Long Beach, CA - The Frida Cinema
May 22-28 - San Diego, CA - Landmark Ken
May 22-28 - Dallas, TX - Texas Theatre
May 23-26 - Austin, TX - Alamo Drafthouse
May 23-28 - Houston, TX - Alamo Drafthouse
May 28 - June 4 - Washington, D.C. - Landmark E St
May 28 - June 4 - Vancouver, BC - The Cinematheque
May 29 - June 4 - Denver, CO - Landmark (TBD)
May 28 - June 4 - Columbus, OH - Gateway Film Center
May 29 - June 4 - Philadelphia, PA - Landmark Ritz
May 28 - May 31 - Fort Worth, TX - Fort Worth Museum of Contemporary Art
DARK STAR: H. R. GIGER'S WORLD Trailer from Icarus Films on Vimeo.
