Have you ever heard of the Crescendolls? If yes, kudos — even your most hipster friend probably doesn’t ask that question at parties. If you haven’t, don’t worry. You still know all the cool up-and-coming bands, because the Crescendolls aren’t real—they’re a fictional anime pop foursome made up of blue-faced aliens who only play Daft Punk songs. Yes, if only it was real.
These instrument-wielding alien artists are at the center of Interstella 5555 (subtitled “The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem”), a 2003 French-Japanese space-adventure film that might have drifted out of existence if not for its very famous soundtrack, which features the music of Daft Punk’s second studio album, Discovery. It is a deluge of neon colors, Pokémon-era block graphics where no characters’ eyes are too small or too big, and evil robots — all set to a timeless French synthpop soundtrack.
Interstella 5555 is an intersection between music, animation, and art, and serves as a reminder that music in a film is more than just accompaniment. The film highlights the best of Daft Punk (like “One More Time” and “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger,”) while syncing the songs with trippy images of space, epic battle scenes (replete with crossbows and explosions), and multi-dimensional space travel. And every. Single. Moment. Is synced with the music.
The story follows the Crescendolls through many galaxies as they gets abducted and brought to earth by a villainous record producer, who then works to make the band famous. The characters’ journey makes it hard to ignore director Kazuhisa Takenouchi’s views on the greed of record companies or the trials and tribulations of fame—the story follows, after all, an authentic band turned into monotonous industry drones that are sent straight to the top of the charts but inside feel dead and meaningless. At the peak of her fame, Crescendolls bass player Stella stands alone in her penthouse suite atop a dark sky scraper, looking out at the earth in sadness. (This is how I often imagine Drake looks when he is by himself in hotel rooms.) The “it’s lonely at the top” symbolism is unavoidable.
With help from Daft Punk and vocalist/producer Romanthony, Takenouchi (who also directed for Sailor Moon and Dragon Ball Z) successfully mastered a visual and sonic marriage of kaleidoscope dreams with an otherworldly story of love and success. Interstella 5555 is a fine example of how different types of art can complement each other for a unique type of entertainment.
The whole movie runs about an hour, sans dialogue, but with nothing left to be desired. Interstella 5555 needs no words other than lyrics and no nonmusical sounds other than the occasional screeching tires of a van or gunshots fired by a robot. Even 14 years after its release, it’s worth a watch or a rewatch with fresh eyes and ears, if for no other reason than that it may truthfully explain the origins of how earthlings were blessed with David Bowie. We weren’t worthy.
Watch all of Interstella 5555 in the YouTube playlist below:
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