Review of Dark Star: HR Gigers Welt

...of the surrealism of its subject's artistic output and the rather unassuming, almost prosaic, nature of the autumnal man he became. The brief glimpses we get of Swiss artiste H. R. "Alien" Giger's younger, active self are, indeed, almost a surreal contrast to the somehow fragile elder we see poking about his home throughout most of this somewhat melancholic bio-documentary. Giger proves to be a polar opposite to expectations: congenial and unassuming (though much subdued by failing health--he died shortly after filming wrapped), not at all moody or dark as we might imagine. It might have been nice if writer/director Belinda Salin had explored Giger's younger days in more depth (the loss of his first love, Swiss actress/model Li Tobler, was undoubtedly a major influence), but the tale she spins still fascinates, ably abetted by the precise editing of Birgit Munsch and evocative image-crafting of cinematographer Eric Stitzel, with Peter "More Than Honey" Scherer's music providing suitably somber counterpoint as needed. Very much worth a watch by Giger fans, despite its biographical sketchiness, as well as students of the documentary form. This one goes into the plus column of my local library system video buyer's reputation.