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

Despite not really being a Daft Punk fan, i enjoyed this film. Looking at this as a film & not just an extended film clip, i thought it took a little while to move into full swing, the middle sections were very good, while the end tended to drag on a tad. I know it was based on a Daft Punk album, but the end would have been better if it was a couple of minutes shorter.

Well worth checking out if you are a fan of Daft Punk and/or a fan of anime, especially 1970's & 1980's style anime. 7/10

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

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.

This is freakin' tremendous stuff. I love Daft Punk - and I loved their Discovery album. This is basically an animated manga film to the Discovery album - and if you think this sounds crazy - well it doesn't as everything makes sense! If you are a Daft Punk fan - then you probably saw the first three or four video clips for the singles on TV (One More Time, Aerodynamic, Digital Love and Harder Better Faster Stronger) - and it tells a short story of a rock and roll band from outer space get kidnapped by some evil looking guys and get taken to Earth. But all hope isn't lost - as a funky guy in a Gutair rocket ship attempts a rescue mission. There isn't any dialogue - it is all cartoon with a Daft Punk soundtrack! The story tends to fit the mood of the music (of course!) and this really does have an intriguing story of mystery and music. All of the characters and artwork is very stylish in a 1970's-1980's Japanese cartoon sort of way (reminds me of Voltron!). So if you are a Daft Punk fan, a anime / manga fan - or just a fan of things different or cool - then get a copy of this today!

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.