cup-o-robots

FINALLY! A “special edition” of Luc Besson’s The Fifth Element is coming on DVD. The film is sort of a love or hate thing for most people, but you gotta admit, it’s a wonder to look at. And those who do appreciate it know it’s a not too shabby balance of action, sci-fi and comedy - it just reeks of Frenchie-goodness, hehe.

On the flipside, Besson’s Leon (a.k.a. The Professional) is also getting another DVD treatment. I was really suprised and happy when the first version of “Leon Integrale” came out on DVD a long time ago - just like two years after the DVD format hit the market. Before that I had an import copy (2 copies actually, one from France and one from Japan; yup I’m a dork) on VHS that I put to good use showing my friends in high school. When I first saw Leon back in the mid-90s, I was really taken by Besson’s visual style and pace (which I have now come to compare to a lot of French and Japanese filmmakers of the 90’s - which is no suprise, Besson is a huge inspiration in both markets). I can easily say that it was the film Leon that inspired me to pursue filmmaking (something I’m still trying to get going, though I was able to snag a Film and Photography Minor in college :-P). It also doesn’t hurt that the film introduced the world to Natalie Portman, haha.

So January 11, 2005 is officially Luc Besson DVD Day, when both these special edition DVDs come out. While both have more extras than the previous editions ever had, the Leon DVD has a cool 10-year reunion featurette (something I found to be pretty cool after seeing DVDs like Goonies and Slacker, where the whole cast got back together after many years to see their films again, and it got documented on the DVD). So do yourself a favor and check out these great flicks. I’m going to get myself a glass of milk to celebrate.