Customer Reviews

Daft Punk - Interstella 5555

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This is an anime cartoon set to the soundtrack of Daft Punk's "Discovery." There are NO other words, dialogue or songs!

If you like "Discovery" and don't particularly care about anime one way or another, you will still like this movie. If you love anime but don't have any particular feeling about Daft Punk, you will also like the movie.

If, however, you happen to be someone who really likes anime AND really likes Daft Punk, this movie will make you wet yourself. Go nuts.

I bought discovery a few years back, and to be honest I wasn't impressed, so into the back of the collection it went. Then I saw Interstella 5555. Now I can't stop listening to the damned thing, and smiling when certain tracks come on, because Discovery finally has a context that is pleasing.

Interstella 5555 really is an over the top, sentimental piece of anime, and that's what is so great about it. The fact that the hero of the story flies around in a gigantic space guitar only really bothers you the first time you see it.

I really liked that there is zero dialogue in this movie, just Discovery as the soundtrack, and lots of non-verbal communication, meaning that there's no need for translation, or bad dub-overs. One can view it in any country.

The animation is trully top notch, if not heavily 70's themed. It's deffinately a cheesy movie, but that cheese pays off big time in the form of charm, and in the end a kind of sci-fi optimism, which is kind of nice in an age when everyone is surly, sarcastic, and irony ladden.

This movie will leave you feeling good, so why not buy it?

I was amazed that this movie works as well as it does. I first became acquainted with Daft Punk when I was living in the UK and the first bits of the movie were released as the videos for the first four tracks on the album.

Discovery doesn't sound particularly like a concept album when one listens to it, so I was expecting that they would have to at least insert dialog or rearrange the tracks for the film, but they did not. The visuals carry the story, but the songs are so well integrated that there is never a clash, nor does the viewer find himself wondering what is going on. Even the motivation of the villain is clear.

Matsumoto's visuals are beautiful. I think this film is accessible even to those who are not normally fans of anime or house music.

Animation done to music is nothing new, but "Interstella 5555" does a great job of breathing new life into this tradition. Essentially an hour-long music video animated to Daft Punk's album "Discovery", it tells a good story about kidnapping, theft, rescue, love, and adventure across space. Music being the central theme, the highly stylized anime (brought to life by the legendary Leiji Matsumoto of "Harlock", "Space Cruiser Yamato", and "Queen Emeraldas" fame) and music mix makes this a fun way to spend an hour. Epic almost on the scale of Chage and Aska's Studio Ghibli animated video "On Your Mark", "Interstella" is something relatively new, something fresh in both anime and music circles. Hopefully the success of this DVD will inspire a new generation of stylish and fun music videos. While the album itself has its high and low points, and the movie lacks any major dialogue, mixed together these minor flaws really don't matter. I would recommend this video for any anime fan or music video enthusiast. Enjoy!

The idea of making a film out of Daft Punk's 'Discovery' album was a strange and difficult thing to do; although the album had a good variety of moods in its tracks as well as speed and themes, the album was not meant to be a soundtrack to anything. Not only was the seemingly impossible task of making an animated musical from 'Discovery' present for Leiji Matsumoto and Daft Punk, but to do one without any dialogue or subtitles.

It struck me as more of an insane effort than a daring one.

Yet, not only did they pull it off, but they made an EXCELLENT motion picture! The 65 minute story-line is astoundingly dense given the absence of dialogue, yet, never confusing for the viewer.
The animation is beautiful, fluid and tells the whole story with ease. All the songs from Discovery are present, played back-to- back and fit with all the scenes moderatly well, especially 'Something about Us'.
If you don't like Daft Punk's Discovery album, then this is one work or art you're unlikely to appreciate, if you do, then I doubt you'll be disappointed with Interstella 5555.

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Anime and Daft Punk fans have been anticipating this DVD since the first four videos hit MTV in 2001. We never expected a merger like this, but after seeing the videos, we were glued to our seats, ready for more. It comes to a huge surprise that Discovery was semi-produced to work as a musical, which actually made me like the CD even more.

So finally comes the complete musical. It's non-vocal the whole way through except for lyrics which lip-synced... humorously. There is, in fact, a story only Leiji Matsumoto could think up, and it works tremendously with the music. The designs are just as innovative as anything Matsumoto, as is the storytelling. The only detractors from the whole experience are the same as what you would get from other musicals anyway, such as plot holes, really fast editing and pace (though details are given enough screen time so the story isn't lost). Also, you can't go about watching this without bumping into cliches. Still, the pros outweigh the cons more than enough to make these passable. It asks a lot of a man to create a musical where instrumental music is constantly the foreground. In this standpoint, Interstella 5555 is excellent.

For those who haven't heard Daft Punk's Discovery before, the album is House with extra doses of funk. It heads more into disco and shameless dance than in their last album, Homework, but it is a steady progression in their sound. Songs have more of a pop appeal this time around, repetitive minimalism is toned down a step to make way for more varied compositions. There are also a couple tracks that undoubtably were meant for cinematic treatment ("Aerodynamic" being the biggest example), which tend to make the album drift in a different direction. Most of the songs are catchy and memorable and definitely worth sitting through as a soundtrack.

It should be noted that this is one of the last cel-animated works in anime. This is during the digital takeover in anime so the compositing and motion will look a little dated. The colors, effects and tone, though, are picture-perfect. The DVD transfer is gorgeous.

A surprise to me are the extras. No commentary or other traditional DVD extras, but a heavy emphasis on interactivity, something reminiscient of Daft Punk's first DVD, D.A.F.T. The interactive game is cute, though passable. There is another feature, though, that mimics The Matrix DVD where an icon appears and once 'play' is clicked you get a look into the designs and backgrounds from the animation. Also included are biographies, the trailer, Karaoke (smart thinking), and others.

There's been a long wait for this musical, but the end result is something miles beyond expected and truly delivers. I think it goes without saying what kind of audience would appreciate a DVD like this, but it's garaunteed to get more dance music fans from the hardcore anime fans and vice versa. From the standpoint of a fan of both sides, this is a dream come true.

Words can not express the feelings I had after watching the movie - just as they were not needed to tell the story. Daft Punk is Thomas Bangalter and Guy Manuel de Homem Christo (both French) and the Discovery animation is done by animation legend Leiji Matsumoto. After first hearing those guys years ago on Toonami, I then spent forever scouring the boundless field of drivel that is the internet trying to find the videos. But as luck would have it, all I ever found were the first four. And I NEEDED TO KNOW what happened to the characters!!! I became ravenous - it took over my life!! I could think of nothing else! This movie will change your life. After watching it for the first time, I sat and stared at the screen for minutes on end. A single tear rolled down my cheek. I now have no regrets. Riveting, wonderful, catchy, upbeat, tragically sad, and so full of joy it makes you cry. Not enough good can be said about it. Buy it now!

As an adult who dislikes both anime and Techno music, I was vastly surprised by Interstella 5555. I viewed the first few videos on a popular video-sharing website, almost by accident. By the time I got through with installment 4 ["Digital Love"], I was completely and totally HOOKED. "OMG he CRASHED, oh no!... what now?!" One of the things that sets this DVD apart is how much and how quickly it makes you care about the characters. When was the last time you cared what happened to a character in a music video? I was doomed; I simply had to find out what happened, not to mention I wanted to see it in a more appropriate format, so I bought my own copy.

This saga of a kidnapped alien pop/rock band and the fan trying desperately to rescue them, no matter the cost to himself is a beautifully-done DVD with images that you will not quickly forget, people you will love and music that will stay in your head for days - if not weeks, and in this case, that is a positive thing. I think "brilliant" is not too strong a word for this project... and remember, that's coming from someone who has always hated anime. Highly recommended.

By itself, the Daft Punk Discovery album will keep me dancing, headbanging, and singing for hours on end.

By themselves, the works of Leiji Matsumoto will keep me in an awed daze for long spans of time.

Combine the two, and I am hooked.

The story is predictable. But that isn't why anyone really watches this film. It is the connection between art and music; it is being able to speak without words.

There is no dialogue at any point during the movie. Just music and soundeffects. But I have never needed words during this movie. The characters are deep and thoughtful, the settings full of life, all from images and pulsing house rythyms.

My personal favorite scene is the introduction of the character Shep. He first appears lip-syncing to the song "Digital Love" while cleaning his beautiful guitar-shaped spacecraft. How can you not love a character who, when you first meet him, is air-guitaring with a waxing machine? And he's just one of many.

The extra features are a lot of fun. I love singing along with the karaoke.

Basically, if you enjoy anime or music, this is a must-see. If you don't, this will convert you.