Dark Star: HR Gigers Welt

Well, as I sat down in 2021 to watch the 2014 documentary / biography about HR Giger for the first time, I must admit that I was expecting a bit more than what this documentary actually managed to deliver.

Now, it should be said that the words documentary and biography should be taken very lightly when you sit down to watch the 2014 "Dark Star: HR Gigers Welt".

It felt more of a reality TV episode of some kind where you follow a famous person around for a day, than it did as an enlightening and informational documentary.

This 2014 documentary offers some insight into the early life of the artist and a bit into whom he was, but it was hardly a fulfilling documentary for me, and I must admit that I was not particularly thrilled or entertained by what was being shown and told.

While I definitely enjoyed the artwork of HR Giger, then this documentary hardly does the man much of any justice. Especially not if you are interested in knowing more about his work, the man himself, and such. But hey, if you want to follow a former artist around for a day or two, then this is the stuff for you.

I am rating "Dark Star: HR Gigers Welt" a three out of ten stars, as the documentary failed to deliver something wholesome for me.

Not unlike CRUMB, DARK STAR: H.R. GIGER'S WORLD gives us a glimpse into the day-to-day life of a singular talent- and in what turned out to be his "final days," as it were. I've always wondered why filmmakers didn't make greater use of Giger. Imagine a train, designed by Giger, entering a tunnel also designed by him. Or cave sets connected by tunnels on an alien world that lead to... Gigerland Underground- the bowels of the planet itself. Of all the possibilities, the most intriguing to me would have been to see Room 101 from George Orwell's NINETEEN EIGHTY-FOUR designed by Giger: imagine the long walk down the corridor to THAT room, every step of the way looking like a hallway in his home. Brrr...

Don't bother watching this crap, there's no subs for the people speaking in ENGLISH, when others who spoke different languages got English Subs, totally unfair for us deafs who wants to understand this fricking documentary, thanks a lot for wasting our time! Sick of this Audistry biases!

'DARK STAR: H.R. GIGER'S WORLD': Two and a Half Stars (Out of Five)

A documentary film exploring the life, and work, of the popular Swiss painter, sculptor and set designer (known as) H.R. Giger. The film focuses on Giger, at the age of 74, when his health was severely deteriorating. It was written and directed by Belinda Sallin, in her feature film debut, and it contains multiple interviews with Giger, as well as his friends and work associates. I found the movie to be extremely slow-paced, even boring (at times), but still, definitely, visually pleasing (like the majority of Giger's work).

The movie takes place in the last days of Giger's life, shortly before he died (on May 12, 2014). The filmmaker interviews Giger, and follows him around, watching him slowly do day-to-day things. Sallin also interviews Giger's wife, and multiple co-workers, and friends of his, as well. A lot of the visuals are filled with Giger's beautiful art.

The film, like I said, is really slow paced, to a somewhat painful extent; I found my thoughts drifting (a lot)! It is interesting, getting to know Giger, if only just a little, in his final days of life. It's also cool to see that he was a 'cat person', like me! I can never really get tired of looking at his fascinating art, too; but I wish there would have been more time spent on 'ALIEN', or 'SPECIES'. Although I was bored, I'm sure obsessive fans of his will be more than pleased.

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I wouldn't consider myself a rabid fan of Gigers work, I don't have anything besides the Alien movies and a poster packed away somewhere to show my love of Giger. That being said you can't deny the genius that is Giger and this documentary had everything I could hope to see from the man and his small crew of loyal followers. In Dark Star the filmmakers give us more than just a peek at Gigers expansive often discussed home. Giger is a gentle man, a quiet and humble eccentric who puts you through a range of emotions in his amazing yet sometimes tragic life. Everything Giger owns and has surrounded himself with has his biomechanical signature on it. I'm very happy Dark star was completed while Giger was still alive I don't think anything can beat seeing his life through his eyes. Absolutely fascinating from start to finish, get lost in the disorienting Nightmare Labyrinth of this genius.