I finally had a chance to sift through the extras on the "Fifth Element" set. While the featurettes were generally interesting, does anyone know the story about Luc Besson's complete non-involvement. You'd think for a story he'd worked on for so long, he'd express himself a bit more on the predominant media the movie's being archived in? I can understand some people don't like commentary tracks, but to not even appear in front of the camera at all seems a bit odd.

Watching 5th Element now, I forgot that the effects were done in the pre-CGI revolution days. I find the "special effects" features more interesting then than today, where everything is done by guys on computers. It's amazing that the effects were all models, robots, and make-up -- that NYC set was amazing, taking up the whole soundstage. That's more fun to watch than a nerd on a computer.

I was wondering the same thing. Around the same time I bought the Deluxe Edition, I went ahead and bought the UK Special Edition (The taxicab one) and the special features there DID have a decent amount of Luc Besson stuff. I don't think there was a sit-down interview with him, but there were plenty of times that they showed interviews with him on-set and whatnot. I did notice that there was some re-hash of the same interviews between the UK version and the Deluxe Edition, but there were enough differences (including commentary by the special effects crew) that made it worth the $9 or $10 I got it for from cd-wow.

Now Leon, I don't think there's any DVD out there that has any Luc Besson stuff :(

I tend to enjoy movies that use "traditional" FX methods than CGI anymore. I do feel there is a time and a place for CGI but models really are more exciting.

i just saw this...and i just love this movie!
i wish it were a better success. the movie was just shot so beautifully and the music and the sound on the DTS track is just superb.

on to "Leon"...

what I have been always surprised about all these various region SE releases is that Besson/Columbia Home Video has pretty much no access to the film's deleted scenes - as if they were completely discarded or purposely lost.

how do you know there were any?

Maybe Giles is referring to the trash workers strike back-story that never made it into the movie? It's been a while since I watched the documentaries / triva track, so I can't remember if they filmed those sequences or not. I *think* they did.

another Lazarus thread....