Movie Review: Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem

Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem

Toei Animation, Daft Life Ltd. Co., Japan, France, 2003.

In the planet of blue-skinned humanoids Octave (keyboard player with Afro), Arpegius (blond guitar player), Baryl (short drummer dude) and  Stella (beautiful bass player) are performing on a concert. Group of invaders attack and kidnap the band. Space hero Shep, who has a guitar shaped spaceship is a big fan of the band and especially Stella. He gets an emergency message and goes to the rescue.

The band

Evil henchman

Shep

Behind the kidnapping is evil music manager Earl De Darkwood who brainwashes the band members and makes them look like Earthlings. The band Crescendolls gets the most popular band in the world in no time. They are unhappy and overburdened with gigs and publicity events. Shep organizes rescue operation that does not go without sacrifices.

Stella

Earl De Darkwood

Crescendolls

The Earl is an evil alchemist who needs 5555 gold records to rule the universe. He has captured various aliens from different planets and sacrificed themfor cthuthloid space demon when the artists burned out (including Mozart, Janis Joplin and Stevie Ray Vaughan). Will the Crescendolls ever get their memories back and get home?

Fans

Earl ruined many musicians

Back in their alien form

The music videos of Daft Punk record "Discovery" now form a continuous story. There is no dialogue but the songs fit well the mood of the story. It is unique film and the ultimate anime music video. The animation is beautiful and contains some visual puns. Daft Punk make cameo appearance as themselves.

Daft Punk

The characters designed by Leiji Matsumoto look similar as in his other classic films such as "Arcadia of My Youth", "Galaxy Express 999" and "Space Battleship Yamato." Sadly those films are difficult or impossible to get on official DVDs. I once had opportunity to see two of those on the big screen, it was a Japanese movie week in Turku showcasing Japanese films and I became immediately a fan of Matsumoto. Leiji Matsumoto is one of anime artists whose style is immediately recognisable. His female characters are tall, slender and they have pretty 60s style eyes. There are also cool space heroes, comical looking little guys and spaceships with designs based on 19-20th century technology (ships in space, locomotives and in this one electric guitar). The members of Daft Punk are fans of Leiji Matsumoto's "Captain Harlock"-films so they wanted to make a anime musical with him. The story is good with emotional and tragic moments and it has the romantic touch of Leiji Matsumoto.

Here's a trailer for the film:

The 2016 Movie Watching Challenge (#34. Movie that has a number in the title)

Rating: Very good

Starring: Leiji Matsumoto, Daft Punk (Romanthony, Thomas Bangalter)
Director: Kazuhisa Takenouchi