david n. jahn

Text by Travis Jeppesen

H.R. Giger Revealed

On October 1^st, a new DVD exploring the life and art of the legendary master of the macabre, H.R. Giger, had premiere at Divadlo Archa. We recently sat down with Prague-based director David Jahn to discuss his film and what it was like to work with Giger.

How did you first meet H.R. Giger?

When I was sixteen I tripped over Giger's art at the Baviera Gallery in Zurich. I was stunned by the paintings and the furniture design. I think a year later I had the chance to visit Giger's house through my father's girlfriend Mona, who worked for him at the time. I was born and raised in Switzerland; therefore I speak Swiss-German, which later made my contact with Giger easier. After returning back from Prague [where I studied graphic art and design] to Zurich I was looking for a job, so I decided to ask Giger if he was looking for an apprentice.

What kind of work did you do when you were employed in Giger's studio?

Nearly everything from the garden to the office. Something like a janitor. But mostly, at the atelier, I was fabricating sculptures and small merchandise Aliens. In the garden, there was his train and the Zodiac fountain, which always needed some repair. Then I was working partially at the Giger Bar in Gruyeres, where Giger also has his museum. That was nice, because we were spending the two hour trip from Zurich to Gruyeres listening to audio books in the car. Detective stories and stuff like that. Conversing with Giger was a cool experience. He's a jolly person.

What role did you play in organizing the massive Giger retrospective in Prague two years ago?

Giger often asked me about Prague. He loves books by Gustav Meyrink, Paul Leppin, Leo Perutz and other writers with stories about mystical Prague. I used my contacts to see if it would be possible to do an exhibition here, which turned out to be a three year-long process. After they turned down H.R. Giger's retrospective in the National Gallery, where I originally wanted to mount the show, it was quite hard to find an appropriate gallery or museum that would be willing to stage such a "controversial" exhibition. Prague galleries are surprisingly conservative.

Anyway, at last, together with PP Production, we found open-minded people at the National Technical Museum. The exhibition was a huge success. During the opening, I was organizing Giger's schedule and taking care of Swiss-Czech translations.

I understand that H.R. Giger Revealed project is your first film. Do you have any other film projects that you are planning at the moment?

When I started to shoot H.R. Giger Revealed, I knew almost nothing about filmmaking. Thanks to my cameraman Zbyněk Kunc and the production company Stillking Films, which financed the shooting, I had the chance to learn the whole process step-by-step, from storyboard to final cut. The shooting proceeded over a period of five incredible years. I believe that we've attained the best possible results.

In the meantime, I have continued working on other film projects.

H.R. Giger Revealed features interviews with several well-known artists affiliated with Giger's work (Ernst Fuchs, Debbie Harry, etc.). Did Giger Personally select who would be interviewed for the film, or was it left for you to decide?

During the period when I was working at the atelier, I met many close friends of Giger and people who were visiting him. That was how I got an idea of who should be interviewed. Most of the shooting was left up to me, but Giger often lent a helping hand. Throughout our shooting in New York City, Leslie Barany (Giger's U.S. agent) brought us together with all the important people, including Debbie Harry. Giger's wife, Carmen, organized the interview with Stanislav Grof, the famous Czech psychiatrist. Therefore, I thank them for helping us.

Apparently some of the footage had to be cut from the film at the last minute.

Yes, but fortunately nothing crucial. Leslie Barany called me the day I was finishing the on-line edit, and told me not to resume the film, because there were parts that could not be authorized. In spite of the fact that the film was already authorized by Giger. But I was using bits of takes that would have seemed "degrading" for some of the persons interviewed. Which I don't thing was necessarily true. There is nothing humiliating in human conduct when you have an unaffected sense of humor. Giger doesn't take himself too seriously either. Probably it was just a question of taste.

At the end of July, I took the film to Giger's museum in Gruyeres, where I met the "Giger Gang" Leslie Barany and people involved with Giger's art - collectors, filmmakers and business partners. After we screened the documentary, I was sitting down with everybody discussing major questions. It was good to have some reflection on the film and, on top of that, with real Giger enthusiasts. At the end I used all the feedback to make improvements on the film.