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The Fifth Element was released 29 years ago today! This is probably THE film that I discovered, thanks to this account, is very popular. Way more than I expected.

btw

The Fifth Element is really popular. Okay, let's start a thread. 🚨 Note: no one forgets Luc Besson's behavior, but this thread is about the creation of this film (whose script bears the mark of its creator, in fantastic and/or bad ways).

Diva Plavalaguna was played by Maïwenn Le Besco. Albanian opera lyrical soprano Inva Mula lent her incredible voice to the character. Eric Serra would then arrange the song with his sampler. The non-frontal shots were filmed at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden (London).

Luc Besson began to imagine this story in the 1970s. It should be noted that this film had a first life in 1991-1992, when Jean "Moebius" Giraud, Jean-Claude Mézières, Patrice Garcia, and more fantastic artists started to draw this universe. Diva Plavalaguna, early design by Jean-Claude Mézières:

The project was stopped in 1992 for budget reasons. It was only after the success of Leon: The Professional (1994), and the unexpected arrival of Bruce Willis that the film was made. The first version of this movie will be the subject of one of my next articles on my Patreon. Research done.

Mézières: "If some drawings did not find their use (...), some received a luxury treatment: this gouache showing a general view of his New York of the XXIIIth century had pleased Luc Besson who said to me: "That, you can be sure, you will see it on the screen."

↖️New York in 2263 matte painting by @ankaris.bsky.social & Kevin Mack for Digital Domain ↗️Hamburger! ↙️Sydney Opera House! ↘️Qantas Airways ship!

You know I have a very long piece on this kind of secrets, right?

The American poster is amusing because it makes the transport ships look like Star Wars starfighters. More importantly, there is only one in the film. :)

I still have this French teaser poster (160cm x 120cm).

Give Me the Cash!! I realize that some people don't know that this is Mathieu Kassovitz, director of La Haine, Assassin(s), Gothika, The Crimson Rivers, Babylon A.D., and actor in Amélie, Spielberg's Munich, and Star Wars: Skeleton Crew.

The NYC chase scene, prefiguring the Coruscant chase in Attack of the Clones (2002), mixes BIG skyscrapers models, hero vehicle miniatures, and CG cars in the background. Mark Stetson (Blade Runner, LOTR) was VFX supervisor.

The Fifth Element (1997): Mondoshawan ship model, with special visual effects supervisor Mark Stetson

One of the "Starfighter-like" ships on the American poster (above in the thread) is even an Earth Warship, which is much larger than a transport ship. 😁

Fun fact: the original script was titled Zaltman Bléros (the og name of Korben Dallas). He worked in a spaceship factory. A wink was *almost* included in the movie: A "Zaltman G. Bleros" Multi Pass. ▶️ It's the legendary creature design supervisor Nick Dudman! (Batman, Harry Potter, Alien 3, SW)

Jean 'Moebius' Giraud (1938-2012): "Collaborating on a project with a team is a shared effort and a constant stimulation. There is a “reassuring” side to working for someone; I find it less stressful. Basically, you’re not alone." Spaceship design by Moebius:

VFX supervisor Mark Stetson: "The movie's design was heavily influenced by the look of Seventies' French comic books, which made it really fun to work on. Although part of it takes place in a futuristic New York City, I think the setting is quite different from the Los Angeles of Blade Runner."

Mark Stetson had closed Stetson Visual Services just before The Fifth Element. His previous work was the tanker in Waterworld. He joined Digital Domain for The Fifth Element. Hello bigatures!

The production designer was Dan Weil (here with Mézières). He worked on The Bourne Identity (2002), Nikita (1990) and Chaos Walking (2021).

Here's a Mangalore (not Mandalore!) concept sculpt by Gary Pollard from Nick Dudman creature team.

Digital effects supervisor Karen Goulekas: "We worked for a long time to develop the look of the crust and lava, and the activity that occurs when they meet." It was made with Renderman, Prisms, Alias and proprietary softwares.