"THE FIFTH ELEMENT" (1997) ESL LESSON
ARCENAL STUDIOS presents LEARNING ENGLISH WITH MOVIES: "THE FIFTH ELEMENT" (1997) - a video lesson for ESL students who would like to improve their English skills by using MOVIES as the main topic.
"THE FIFTH ELEMENT" (1997)
The FIFTH ELEMENT was directed by Luc Besson, the acclaimed French writer/director behind hits such as “La Femme Nikita”, “Leon the Professional” and “Lucy”.
Besson had been a successful French director until the success of “La Femme Nikita” brought him international acclaim.
After the critical and box office success of “Leon the Professional”, Luc Besson co-wrote and directed the sci-fi action adventure ‘The Fifth Element”.
The film stars Bruce Willis, Gary Oldman and Milla Jovovich.
The film was inspired by the director’s love of French science fiction comics, specifically “Valerian and Laureline” as well as the work of comic artist Moebius, who worked on the art design of the film.
Besson would later adapt the “Valerian” comics in his 2017 movie “Valerian and City of a Thousand Planets”.
World famous fashion designer Jean-Paul Gaultier was hired to create the incredible futuristic costumes for the film.
The original story for the ‘Fifth Element’ was years in the making. In fact, Besson started working on the script when he was only a teenager. The final script was co-written by American screenwriter Robert Mark Kamen.
Kamen is a successful Hollywood screenwriter, behind hits such as ‘The Karate Kid”, and ‘Gladiator”, and he would also collaborate on other Luc Besson projects such as “The Transporter”, “Colombiana” and “Taken”.
The “FIFTH ELEMENT” was financed and produced by Besson’s French production company. For this reason, the production struggled to find the financing necessary for such a big-budget independent production.
It was only after the success of LEON THE PROFESSIONAL, that Besson convinced COLUMBIA PICTURES to finance the film. It was also during this time that he convinced Bruce Willis to take the part of Korben Dallas, the hero of the film.
For the part of the villain, Jean-Baptiste Emanuel Zorg, Besson hired Gary Oldman.
Besson had worked with him on LEON THE PROFESSIONAL, and also co-financed the independent film “NIL BY MOUTH”, which was written and directed by Oldman.
For the character of Leeloo, Besson chose Milla Jovovich from almost 300 applicants.
Besson and Jovovich fell in love during filming and would later get married. Unfortunately, they filed for divorce a few years later.
They also work together for the 1999 historical epic “The Messenger: The story of Joan of Arc”.
Comedic actor Chris Tucker also appeared in the film as fast-talking Radio personality Ruby Rhod.
The film’s huge sets were built in London’s legendary Pinewood Studios, famous for being the home of the 007 films.
The spectacular special effects were produced DIGITAL DOMAIN, James Cameron’s special effects company.
Because of the giant scale of the massive production, it was considered to be the most expensive European film ever made at the time.
After premiering at the world famous Cannes Film Festival, The FIFTH ELEMENT opened in theaters worldwide becoming one of the most successful movies of 1997. Not only that, but it has also become a cult favorite among sci-fi and action fans.
The plot of the film centers on a mysterious ‘Fifth Element’ of alien origin designed to fight against a mysterious evil entity that could destroy humanity.
Just when a race of alien protectors is delivering the FIFTH ELEMENT to Earth, their ship is attacked and destroyed.
From the remains, a group of scientists re-create the FIFTH ELEMENT only to discover that it looks like a beautiful young woman.
The woman, named Leeloo, escapes and crashes into a flying taxicab. The cab driver, an ex-military soldier named Korben Dallas, helps her escape.
Not knowing what to do, Dallas delivers Leeloo to a priest named Cornelius.
The priest, aware of the prophesy of the FIFTH ELEMENT, discovers that the stone pieces needed to fight the mysterious “great evil” are hidden in another planet called Fholston.
Zorg, a power hungry industrialist also aware of the prophecy, sends his henchmen to retrieve the stones.
Dallas, still smitten by Leeloo, helps her find the missing stones by travelling to Fholston Paradise.
Once there, they find the stones, hidden by an alien opera singer.
Zorg and his minions arrive and after an action packed shootout Zorg is killed while Dallas and Leeloo escape with the stones.
With the help of the priest, they arrive at the temple where the stones are finally reunited but Leeloo is unable to activate them because she has lost all faith in humanity.
Dallas declares his love for her and kisses her, as a result, Leeloo is able to activate the stones and destroy the “great evil”.
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