The Fifth Element

Overview

"One of the earliest popular DVD releases, Luc Besson's fanciful, visually striking 1997 sci-fi epic The Fifth Element has a surprisingly spare presentation: it includes standard and widescreen aspect ratios, as well as Dolby Digital 5.1 and Stereo Audio in English and Spanish -- and that's it. While both the sound and audio preserve the film's intricate, and often witty, details, it's still a slightly disappointing package; filmographies, a making-of featurette, or even a trailer would make the disc more substantial. Though the film's fans would want it in any DVD version, The Fifth Element deserves a more thoughtful presentation than this, and Columbia TriStar obliged by releasing a deluxe edition in early 2005."

Product Details

Release Date:	12/10/1997
UPC:	0043396824096
Original Release:	1997
Rating:	PG-13
Source:	SONY PICTURES
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[Full Frame, Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Stereo, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround]
Language:	English
Time:	2:05:00

Special Features

English two-channel or 5.1 [Dolby Digital]; Additional languages: Spanish; Subtitles: English, Spanish; Scene selections; Widescreen or full-screen formats

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Bruce Willis	Korben Dallas,Stewardess
Ian Holm	Cornelius
Gary Oldman	Zorg
Chris Tucker	Ruby Rhod
Luke Perry	Billy
Brion James	Gen. Munro,Scientist
Milla Jovovich	Leeloo
Lee Evans	Fog
Tricky	Right Arm
John Neville	Gen. Staedert
John Bluthal	Prof. Pacoli
Tommy "Tiny" Lister Jr.	Pres. Lindberg
Christopher Fairbank	Mactilburgh
Mathieu Kassovitz	Mugger
Kim Chan	Thai
Richard Leaf	Neighbour
Julie T. Wallace	Major Iceborg
Al Matthews	General Tudor
John Bennett	Priest
Ivan Heng	Left Arm
Sonita Henry	President's Aide
Tim McMullan	Scientist's Aide
Hon Ping Tang	Munro's Captain
George Khan	Head Scientist
John Hughes	Head of Military
Roberto Bryce	Omar,Actor
Said Talidi	Aziz
Justin Lee Burrows	Mondoshawan
Richard Ashton	Mondoshawan
Jerome Blake	Mondoshawan
Kevin Molloy	Mondoshawan/Ground Crew
Bill Reimbold	Mactilburgh's Assistant
Colin Brooks	Staedert's Captain
Anthony Chinn	Mactilburgh's Technician
Sam Douglas	Chief NY Cop
Derek Ezenagu	NY Cop
Roger Monk	Flying Cop/Military Technician
David Kennedy	Flying Cop
David Barrass	Flying Cop
Mac McDonald	Flying Cop
Jean Luc Caron	Flying Cop,Actor
Riz Meedin	Flying Cop
Jerry Ezekiel	Flying Cop
Indra Ove	VIP Stewardess
Nicole Merry	VIP Stewardess
Stacey McKenzie	VIP Stewardess
Genevieve Maylam	Stewardess
Josie Perez	Stewardess
Natasha Brice	Stewardess
Sophia Goth	Check-In Attendant
Martin McDougall	Warship Captain
Peter Dunwell	Diva's Manager
Paul Priestley	Cop
Jason Salkey	Cop
Stewart Harvey Wilson	Ruby Rhod Assistant
Dave Fishley	Ruby Rhod Assistant,Actor
Carlton Chance	Ruby Rhod Assistant
Gin Clarke	Diva's Assistant,Actor
Vladimir McCrary	Human Aknot
Clifton Lloyd Bryan	Mangalore Aknot/Airport Guard
Aron Paramor	Mangalore Akanit
Alan Ruscoe	Mangalore Kino
Christopher Adamson	Airport Cop
Eve Salvail	Tawdry Girl
Kaleem Janjua	Shuttle Pilot
Tyrone Tyrell	Shuttle Co-Pilot
Kevin Brewerton	Shuttle Mechanic
Vince Pellegrino	Ground Crew
Ian Beckett	Baby Ray
Sonny Caldinez	Emperor Kodar Japhet
Zeta Graff	Princess Achen
Eddie Ellwood	Roy Von Bacon
Yui	Fhloston Hostess
Laura De Palma	Fhloston Hostess
Michael Culkin	Hefty Man
Lenny McLean	Police Chief
Robert Oates	Fhloston Commander
John Sharian	Fhloston Captain
Fred Williams	Hotel Manager,Staedert's Technician,Power Operator,Actor
Sibyl Buck	Zorg's Secretary
Sarah Carrington	Scientist
Ali Yassine	Scientist
Sean Buckley	Scientist
Dane Messam	Military Technician
Nathan Hamlett	Military Technician
Cecil Cheng	Military Technician
Scott Woods	Lab Guard
Leon Dekker	Lab Guard
David Garvey	Staedert's Technician
Stanley Kowalski	Staedert's Technician
Robert Clapperton	Robot Barman
Robert Alexander	Warship Technician
Mia Frye	TV Stewardess
Keith Martin	Power Operator,Actor
J.D. Dawodu	Zorg's Man
Patrick Nicholls	Zorg's Man
Shaun Davis	Zorg's Man
Roy Garcia Singh	Zorg's Man
Alex Georgijev	Zorg's Man
Marie Guillard	Burger Assistant
Renee Montemayor	Burger Assistant
Stina Richardson	Burger Assistant
Charlie Creed-Miles	David
Maïwenn	Diva Plavalaguna
John Bluthall	Actor
Tom 'Tiny' Lister	Actor
Inva Mulla Tchako	Voices
Éric Serra	Composer,Composer
Gaetano Donizetti	Composer

Technical Credits

Luc Besson

Robert Mark Kamen

Luc Besson	Director,Screenwriter
Robert Mark Kamen	Screenwriter
Nick Allder	Special Effects
Norman Baillie	Special Effects
Marc Boyle	Stunts
Neil Corbould	Special Effects
Nick Dudman	Special Effects
Patrice Ledoux	Producer
Francine Maisler	Casting
Mark Stetson	Special Effects
Mark Mangini	Sound/Sound Designer
Lucinda Syson	Casting
William Aldridge	Special Effects
Lucy Allen	Stunts
David W. Alstadter	Sound Effects
Benoit Eon	Special Effects
Steen Young	Stunts
John A. Amicarella	Producer
Kevin McVey	Special Effects
Mike Sanders	Special Effects
Jonathan Angell	Special Effects
Bob Bromley	Special Effects
Paul Clancy	Special Effects
Michael Dunleavy	Special Effects
Paul Dunn	Special Effects
Michael Durkan	Special Effects
Nick Finlayson	Special Effects
Matthew Harlow	Special Effects
John Hatton	Special Effects
Kevin Herd	Special Effects
Terence Lathwell	Special Effects
Rob Malos	Special Effects
Peter Notley	Special Effects
Melvyn Pearson	Special Effects
Roy Quinn	Special Effects
Shaun Rutter	Special Effects
Andrew Smith	Special Effects
Timothy Stracey	Special Effects
Jamie Thomas	Special Effects
Brian Warner	Special Effects
Peter White	Special Effects
Dave Chagouri	Special Effects
Marcus Richardson	Special Effects
Daniel Brisseau	Sound/Sound Designer
Vision Crew Unlimited	Special Effects

Editorial Reviews

The Fifth Element is a colorful riot of a story, not precisely long on sensible plotting but making up for its flaws with nonstop movement and humor, courtesy of director Luc Besson. It's a flat-out comedy with a handful of dramatic elements designed to appease those looking for an event movie, and Bruce Willis does a brilliant job of playing the tight-jawed, fast-shooting, hard-hitting hero. Gary Oldman's Zorg is a flare of color, tacky and dangerous, no physical antagonist for Dallas (Bruce Willis), but making up for it in intellect -- which tends to come a cropper, since none of his assistants has the brains to tie shoelaces without disaster. Ian Holm is in fine form too, turning in a lightly comic performance that's a delight to watch. The Fifth Element is really worth the candle when it comes to the design and visual effects. Sticking with the story will get viewers through all the eye candy in a speedy enough fashion, and even Chris Tucker's seriously over-the-top performance as Ruby Rhod is unlikely to cause a bump. New York in the 23rd century is crowded and overactive, buildings rising for miles and traffic running in multiple lanes between those buildings. While the makeup effects seem to be relatively ordinary, the visual effects -- computer-generated as well as model-based -- are eye-popping and brain-straining. The flying traffic alone is phenomenally detailed. Overall, the film is a joy to look at, though video viewers are recommended to find a letterboxed copy. As a whole, The Fifth Element lives up to its title as a self-proclaimed "Sci-Fi Pop Epic." Taken in the intended spirit -- as a comedy, rather than as a dramatic effort -- the film is grand entertainment.