Culture Film Sci-fi surrealist HR Giger, creator of Alien visions, dies in fall

[Katashi_itto]

The Swiss artist who designed the 'xenomorph' creature in Alien as well as imaginative sleeve designs for Debbie Harry and others has died aged 74


HR Giger, whose "biomechanical" artwork lent Ridley Scott's film Alien much of its terror, has died aged 74 from injuries sustained in a fall on stairs, according to the Swiss press.

Following study in architecture and industrial design in Zurich, Giger began a successful career in art and interior design. He received an Academy Award as part of the visual effects team for Alien, after Scott saw his artwork Necronom IV and used it as the basis for the film's murderous creatures. As well as the chest-bursting "xenomorph" that is the film's central focus, Giger's designs, characterised by dark sexuality and cyberpunk energy, also inspired the derelict spacecraft and the masked gunner discovered on it.

Giger also designed iconic and controversial record sleeves: on Debbie Harry's Koo Koo the singer appears with spears cutting through her face, while the poster insert for the Dead Kennedys' Frankenchrist prompted an obscenity trial. He also designed the cover for Emerson Lake & Palmer's 1973 album Brain Salad Surgery.

He later created "Giger Bars" in Switzerland which used his designs for their interiors – he disowned another bar in Japan after they failed to properly realise his designs.
http://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/may/13/hr-giger-dies-alien-artist

[dipsydoodle]

1. Tragic loss

RIP.

[Katashi_itto]

2. .

[NuclearDem]

3. Damn. The Xenomorph gave me nightmares for weeks.

[ellenfl]

4. great talent. his work in alien was awesome and i should know.

i've watched each of the films multiple times. i couldn't look at the screen for my first six viewings of alien!

great movies, great effects, great monsters.

[Katashi_itto]

5. +10000!