'Originally published in 1979, Giger’s Alien is the ultimate illustrated diary on Giger’s involvement in the making of the movie Alien and its titular monster, the Xenomorph. The classic status of Alien, the movie, is in large part due to Academy-Award winning artist and designer H. R. Giger. This book provides a complete illustrated record of the months of painstaking work that went into designing the most frightening movie monster of them all.
'This perennial bestseller takes the form of a high-quality illustrated diary, featuring sketches, original paintings, on-set photographs and stills from the finished movie; this is an exquisite blend of words and pictures. A must-buy for fans of H.R. Giger, Alien and science fiction films in general.'
I grew up watching the Alien franchise, thanks in large part to some uncles who probably should have known better letting me see things I shouldn't have, and parents who had a more relaxed view on allowing me to be exposed to certain media that I knew wasn't real. Because of this, not only did I end up becoming quite a weird child, but I became fascinated with the titular Xenomorph from an early age, recognising that even in the decades that followed the release of the original 1979 film there were very few movie monsters that came close to it.
The Xenomorph wasn't just a frightening monstrosity, one that would be an damn near guaranteed death sentence if you ever found yourself around one, but it was also one of the most beautiful. It's mixture of human, insect, and biomechanical traits, some of which that evoked bizarre sexual elements, made it feel like a creature from some dark, sexual nightmare. The Xenomorph managed to be so incredibly alien, so different from what pop culture had prepared audiences for, that the first time it appeared on screen it changed things forever.
Spawning from the brain of now renowned Swiss artist H.R. Giger, the creature was a testament to creativity. Where other sci-fi artists were creating bug-eyed monsters, Giger was tapping into something truly unique; and that uniqueness was exactly what Ridley Scott, Director of Alien was looking for to make sure that his upcoming science fiction movie wasn't lost in the slew of Star Wars clones and cash-ins. Giger's Alien, which was originally published in 1979, is made up from diary entries and notes made by Giger himself, beginning with a sudden call from Dan O'Bannon, who knew from the failed attempt to adapt Dune, who asked him to contribute to his latest sci-fi film.
Over the course of Giger's Alien was get to see Giger going from someone unsure of the process of filmmaking, to being on the set of the movie in Pinewood Studios, frantically decorating the the space jockey so that it's ready for filming, or locking himself away to hastily create a practical Facehugger that could be used to impregnate actor John Hurt. We get to see through Giger's own words how much of that nervousness fell away, often being replaced by frustration as a man used to marching to the beat of his own drum found himself having to operate under the studio's mandate, creating to their specifications and timetable.
There's often a sense of frustration that seems to come through in Giger's writing, especially once production actually enters full swing and he's having to stay in England throughout. He's someone who comes across as not being used to being asked for changes, where his artistic vision is normally absolute, but now he's being asked to go against that, creating by committee instead. It's somewhat sad, but you can almost hear the tiredness in his voice as you read the words he's written, and get the sense that despite Alien making him an international name, and one of the most famous artist of the modern era, he at times probably hated it. This does go against the way he would talk in interviews over the years, usually having such a positive outlook on it, but as these are his words at the time they feel so much more genuine, more raw, in how they come across; and thus it makes this a strangely personal book at times.
Alongside Giger's thoughts, the book contains a number of behind the scenes pieces, ranging from preliminary sketches, to more finalised designs, to the construction of sets and monsters, and things that never made it to the screen. All of this artwork comes from Giger, the evolution of certain designs showing how boldly different the film could have been, whether that is a Facehugger that's some huge creature, the Chestburster that resembled some horrific plucked bird, or the eggs originating in a breast-like silo structure rather than the derelict spacecraft. A lot of these images are ones that I've seen before, through various documentaries and behind the scenes features on DVD and Blu-ray releases of the film, so it's the photographs, taken by Giger's girlfriend of the time, Mia, that took centre-stage for me.
These photographs chronicle the practical process of the film, following along as Giger constructed the alien landscape that the astronauts would trek across from bone and chicken wire, ultimately becoming a full-sized set. There are photographs of the iconic derelict alien craft being constructed from Styrofoam before having all of the gorgeous detailing added to it. And there are photographs of the construction of the Xenomorph itself, of the complexity of the suit that was made by hand, scrapped and refined over and over until the iconic creature came to life. These photographs offer a unique perspective into the making of the film, and alongside Giger's words, create a narrative that I'd not heard before; a brutally honest account of the creation of one of the most important science fiction horror films ever created.
Perhaps my only criticism of the book is that it feels like it ends somewhat abruptly. The final entry from Giger is from the filming of the movie, after the Xenomorph suit has been created and is being used on screen. Giger is talking about how his work is still continuing, as he's spending the nights after each day's filming repainting and repairing the costume, making sure that his creature remains as horrifically beautiful as possible. The next page jumps forward in time, to after the film's release. This final entry, written by Mia, describes the night that she and Giger attended the Oscars, where he and the other members of the Alien team wins the award for Best Visual Effect. She talks about the almost child-like excitement and happiness that Giger experienced upon his win; something sharply at odds with his emotions during the production. It's a lovely way to end the book, but it does almost feel as if some pages have been excised thanks to the sudden change.
Giger's Alien has been lovingly recreated, a huge, coffee-table book that's designed to be read through once, but leafed through over and over again. The artwork inside the book is going to be a major draw for a lot of people, and might be the reason that some folks pick it up to begin with. However, it's also a personal account of Giger's time on the film, one that shows some of the worst parts of the production for him, an account that almost makes the making of the film sound like a horror story unto itself. Giger's Alien is a must-have book for any Alien fan, one that will make you appreciate the beauty of Giger's creations even more.
Giger's Alien is out now from Titan Books for £39.99
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