The Fifth Element is a 1997 French science fiction action film in English, directed and conceived by Luc Besson, with a screenplay co-written by Besson and Robert Mark Kamen. The film stars Bruce Willis, Milla Jovovich, Gary Oldman, Ian Holm, and Chris Tucker.
Set primarily in the 23rd century, the story revolves around the survival of Earth, which falls into the hands of Korben Dallas (Willis), a former special forces major turned taxi driver, after a mysterious young woman (Jovovich) unexpectedly lands in his cab.
Together, they must locate four mystical stones needed to protect the planet from an impending attack by a malevolent cosmic force.
There’s probably a lot that you don’t know about The Fifth Element (which happens to be one of my favourite Science Fiction films of all time), but today my aim is to change that…
Here are 15 Interesting Facts you might not know about The Fifth Element
1. The film was produced with a budget of approximately $90 million and grossed around $264 million worldwide, with significant earnings from international markets. At the time, it was the most expensive film ever produced outside Hollywood and the costliest production in Gaumont’s history.
2. Milla Jovovich was selected for the role of Leeloo after an extensive audition process that involved over 8,000 actresses. Luc Besson noted her unique physicality, which made her suitable for the character’s otherworldly nature.
3. The Fifth Element is renowned for its vibrant visual style, imaginative set designs, and unique costumes, many of which were created by French fashion designer Jean-Paul Gaultier.
4. The film has gained a cult following and is celebrated for its blend of humor, action, and philosophical themes regarding humanity and love.
5. Luc Besson insisted that the majority of the action scenes in the movie be set in broad daylight. He was reportedly weary of the dark spaceship corridors and dimly lit planets typical of science fiction films and aimed for a brighter, “cheerfully crazy” aesthetic rather than a grim, realistic tone.
6. When composer Éric Serra presented soprano Inva Mula (the voice behind the Diva) with the sheet music for the Diva Dance, she reportedly smiled and explained that some of the notes were impossible for a human voice to sing, as they required changes too rapid to achieve naturally.
To overcome this, she recorded the notes individually rather than singing them consecutively, and the notes were digitally assembled to match the music. If you listen closely, you can notice subtle differences in the Diva’s vocal tones in a few moments.
7. Luc Besson first developed the story and imagined the world of the movie during his childhood as a way to escape his loneliness. He began writing the original screenplay at the age of 16, but it wasn’t brought to the big screen until he was 38.
8. When filming started for The Fifth Element, the production team decided to dye Milla Jovovich’s hair from its natural brown to her character’s iconic orange hue.
However, the frequent re-dying required to maintain the vibrant color soon caused her hair to become too damaged and brittle. As a result, a wig was made to match Leeloo’s hair color and style, which was used for the rest of the production.
9. This movie was originally intended to be part of a trilogy. Luc Besson had written three separate scripts, which he later condensed into a single one.
10. Luc Besson stated that casting Bruce Willis was the easiest part of the movie. “I came to New York City. He read the script, and two hours later, he agreed to do it.” Because The Fifth Element was French, Willis’ salary was lower than his usual Hollywood fee.
However, he made a deal with Besson to receive a percentage of the profits if the film succeeded at the box office, which it did internationally.
In a 2017 interview, Besson revealed that Mel Gibson had originally been his first choice for the role of Korben Dallas. He explained, “We became friends, and for three months, he said he was thinking about it. But in the end, he passed.”
11. The animatronic mechanisms from the Mangalore masks in The Fifth Element were later repurposed for the Neimodians in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999).
12. Gary Oldman played Zorg as a cross between then-Presidential candidate Ross Perot and Bugs Bunny.
13. It took a team of 80 workers five months to build the models used in The Fifth Element.
14. The only phrases from Leeloo’s alien language included in the captions are “mlarta,” “big ba-dah big boom,” “akta,” “seno akta gamat,” “san agamat chay bet. Envolet,” “danko,” “domo danko,” and “apipoulai.” All other dialogue is labeled as Unknown Language or, once identified, the Divine Language.
15. Milla Jovovich was covered in bruises for the entire shoot. Luc Besson mentioned that even Bruce Willis told her, “C’mon, it’s fake… don’t stress over it.”
Well, there you have it, 15 interesting facts you might not have known about The Fifth Element. If I’ve left out something important, feel free to comment below.
Check out the trailer for the film below:
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