Interstella 5555

It is curious that "Discovery", the hit record by Thomas Bangalter and Guy Manuel de Homem-Christo (AKA Daft Punk) was launched in the year 2001. Perhaps it was some kind of hommage to that coincidence and the legendary picture named after that year, but it inspired a whole movie. And the result is this one. Some years later, it comes out, and what to say? At first, I remember I didn't like the singles, I remember thinking that "One More Time" was too commercial and bubble-gum. And I thought also that this kind of japanese animation wasn't something that wondered me at all. But there is something magical about this movie, which starts to glory with that same tune, the one I thought I didn't like. The animators really had a field day here, working hard to revive every feel of that 70's style, adding a fantastic feeling to the listening of the music, and making the viewing experience sheer pleasure. The movie never loses breath as long as the music stays up to it, and we are greeted with bone-chilling renditions of "Aerodynamic", "Digital Love" et al. Beautiful sounds, that find their true meaning when married to these pictures and when they come out of theatre speakers. The concept may have looked like risky, since the animation looks so old fashioned, but the revival goes all the way to the music, and the result is a fascinating journey in time. Fantastic achievement, that will change the way we look at "Discovery" forever.

In its way a remarkable film, and a genuine one-off, which deserves to be better known amongst animation lovers. Co-director Leiji Matsumoto, who during his long career in anime has been associated in one capacity or another with such cheesy epics as Space Battleship Yamato, the Harlock Saga, Star Blazers & etc, worked with Daft Punk (a French two-man band specialising in electronic rock) on this unique feature. Deliberately recreating the extreme glam stylisation of the 1970's/early 80's Japanese animation style, albeit done with more fluidity and detail which modern day budgets and software allow, Matsumoto has married image and sound to hypnotic effect in a movie which in effect is both unique and unforgettable. A "digital love story" of a kidnapped technoband - who incidentally travel together in a Scooby-Do like 'Mystery Machine' as events unfold - and an evil music impresario (echoes of the obscure Toomorrow here (1970) - anyone seen that?). Despite some snipes at pop exploitation, there are no great depths here story-wise, although there are dark elements, such as the painful burial of a deceased major character. But the characterisation is not important, as it was not what the creators were after, leaving the graphic designs and timings to unfold. What makes the film so great is the peculiar manga-music hybrid that results, as the stylised visual design and editing rhythms join with a contemporary soundtrack (the entire film is wordless outside of lyrics)in a way which is both culturally nostalgic as well as being strikingly modern in effect. The plastic surface which results entirely transcends the original pulp manga inspiration. In short it's a film which sounds naff but, somehow, works. As an achievement the result is miles ahead of the director's previous, briskly produced juvenelia and ought to be required viewing.

Discovery by Daft Punk was proclaimed to be the greatest dance album ever, at least in some circles. I really liked what i had heard previously 'Da Funk' and 'All Around the World' were some of my favourite songs of the 90s. At first listening to Discovery I'd not really got into it except for the singles I didn't feel much about it.

Interstella 5555 came out well after Discovery, by then i was very taken with Anime and Daft Punk had sort of always been in the back of my head as a band I should try out again. Speaking personally the best thing about Interstella 5555 is that I now love Discovery and find myself remembering how great the film was.

Many reviews I'd read claim that the plot is 'paper-thin' and never really amounts too much, I found myself enjoying the action and the comedy and at the same time not being able to work out where it was going obviously the ending was always anticipated. Interstella was overseen by Daft Punk but it's not really their film, the film really belongs to Leiji Matsumoto, the design, story and direction all are in part by Matsumoto, although his role in the film is unclear. Matsumoto is probably best known for his animated TV series 'Star Blazers' and 'Galaxy Express 999'.

In terms of animation quality Interstella is very good, the characters move realistically the locations look great and range from fantastical and blatantly mundane. However, the first four segments were Daft Punk's commercially released music videos for the Discovery the quality is exceptional, but after that the film seems to jump into a lower standard with thicker outlines and repeating of footage from the first four segments, that's not to say it doesn't look good.

The Films best asset is that it isn't constricted by the music in that the viewer is not subjected to literal imagery from the lyrics displayed on the screen. Instead the films pacing runs like a normal movie occasionally sequencing it's pacing with the music and telling everything very visually. Why include exposition, when you can display it in pictures? As in a news report that occurs during the film.

Basically if you like Daft Punk, Anime or Simply want to try something a bit different Interstella is worth checking out.

From the time that I saw the music videos for "One More Time", "Aerodynamic", "Digital Love, and "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" I fell in love with the story that unfolded in each video and I wanted to know more. After Listening to the cd that the videos where from "Daft Punk's Discovery" I could only imagine what the rest of the stories would be.

After buying the dvd and finally seeing the entire story unfold in each song, I was impressed by the talent and skills that Daft Punk and Leji Matsumoto brought to the project.

The movie's design is a nod to Leji's designs in Captain Harlock & Galaxy Express 999. It's a refreshing change to go retro in anime in see that a story can be told in a simplistic way without the current CG japanese animation.

I highly recommend that if you love anime, Techno, Daft Punk, or just a good movie see Interstella 5555

I hardly ever listen to Daft Punk's kind of music and hardly ever watch an Anime, but this one really got me. The animation and the music is a winning combo together here and I enjoyed every minute of it, even for the second and third run. In fact, I even looked for a recent album of Daft Punk and 'discovered' those moments when I like to listen to it, and even in the gym or at the Friday night parties the tunes come up making me smile. I don't thing to go that far to purchase a complete set of the plastic dolls (Shep, Stella, Arpegius, Octave, Baryl from the movie). But don't be mislead, Daft Punk is a French band of only two guys making electronic music. They started back in 1997 with 'Homework', then released 'Discovery' in 2001 - this movie builds mostly on the music of this album -, and 'Human After All' is dated to March 2005. Interstella 5555 is among the few titles in my collection that I like to watch over and over and each time I got the same addicted to it, 10/10! '… don't stop, come a little closer…'