The Fifth Element - Zorg's ZF-1 Remote

[Kadajiroth]

Every time I watched the film I recognised this prop. I knew I'd seen it before, just never been able to identify it properly. Here's a couple of caps (the remote is in Zorg's hand):

I know for a fact that it's a handheld LCD racing game. I used to have one just like it when I was little, except it was red on the top surface (they might have just sprayed it black before filming). Formula One racing, to be exact, and I'm pretty sure it was generic brand. What absolutely SUCKS is that I can no longer find it (just tore apart the room looking for it), and I probably sold it a long time ago.

Here's the most similar game that I could find:

http://www.retrogames.co.uk/stock/assets/images/HH_-_Systema_Formula_One.jpg

There are heaps of obvious differences, such as the extra bit on the top of it is missing, and different-sized buttons, but it's pretty gorram close.

Anyone have anymore info on this, such as where to get one or what company would make these (if they're still being made)? Also, if anyone can get better quality caps please feel free to chime in.

 

[Rik1138]

I know, for a FACT that Matt Munson will be responding to this thread shortly... :lol

Let's just say we found something a little closer... :love

 

[Kadajiroth]

I know, for a FACT that Matt Munson will be responding to this thread shortly... :lol

Let's just say we found something a little closer... :love

Munson's in every Fifth Element thread. :lol Can't blame him, really. It's a brilliant film.

Now what do you guys have up your sleeves?

 

[MattMunson]

Hah!!!

Yup, Rik is right. I spent about 8 months searching for one of those hand held games. it lead me to a forum that Rik is a big wig in, which is all about hand held games. I had a few clues to follow up on. After searching the internet on and off for MONTHS, I finally found some good pictures of what the game looks like, and even tracked down a manufacturer.

I turned to the devoted handheld collectors and asked for their help. After what seemed like an eternity of patient waiting, our man Rik found one in a lot of games he purchased.

I now have it, and I'm prepping it finishing. Haven't gotten to it yet, as I'm swamped with R2. But I'll get around to it eventually

My research revealed that there are DOZENS and DOZENS of different games that all use this exact housing, and even more that use it with slight modifications.

The weird thing about finding this game is that despite there were TONS produced, it's really hard to find because it's not very desireable. Nobody really seems to have saved them, as they're all such junk games. But oh well.

 

[PHArchivist]

MM what do you NOT know about The Fifth Element!?

 

[Rik1138]

It's really got to be weird to be an actor and have to look at some piece-of-cr*p plastic thing and pretend it's a sophisticated to remote to a bad-ass weapon... :lol

 

[Kadajiroth]

It's really got to be weird to be an actor and have to look at some piece-of-cr*p plastic thing and pretend it's a sophisticated to remote to a bad-ass weapon... :lol

I was thinking the same thing.

I wonder what his highest score was? :lol

 

[dexter1138]

That's a really cool find, hopefully when the licensed ZF1 comes out it will include the remote. :love

Nice find!

Dex

 

[Kadajiroth]

Bought this last night on the 'Bay:

I wouldn't have been able to find it without another member's help, HUGE help. :thumbsup

Can't wait 'til it arrives. :love

 

[MattMunson]

That's awesome! What did you use to search for it? I could NEVER find one on ebay! and believe me, I searched.

 

[Kadajiroth]

That's awesome! What did you use to search for it? I could NEVER find one on ebay! and believe me, I searched.

Try "electronic racing". I searched Google and other search engines an incredible before another member helped me, but didn't find anything. I found a few games that were similar, but just not exact. Originally I searched for "handheld racing", "handheld car racing", "LCD formula one racing", "LCD car racing" etc. You name it, I searched it. But they all came up with nada.

 

[Kadajiroth]

Just received my remote today. The battery cover is missing, but that's easily fixed (I hope). It has a nifty little pop-out stand on the back (picture below, sorry for the bad picture), which is cool for displaying.

Am I right that all I'd have to do is paint anything that isn't black (besides the screen), black? Such as the buttons, and secondary faceplate.. thing. Or is it not that simple? Also, what have they done with the screen? It looks like they've just taken out the racing track "landscape" layer of the screen, but I can't see how to do that on mine, after taking it apart.

 

[Rik1138]

To me, it looks like they just painted the whole thing black (front and back), and then put a piece of yellow reflective tape over the LCD. It obviously doesn't need to work, so the battery cover probably isn't an issue, if you don't care about the game at all you can just fill it with putty or clay or something...

Rik

 

[defstartrooper]

Here's a HD grab if it helps now all i gotta do is find one of these damned games


Click for full size

 

[Kadajiroth]

Here's a HD grab if it helps now all i gotta do is find one of these damned games


Click for full size

Wow, thanks, that's much better. I'll be working on my remote today, so if anyone has any input on things, just let me know.

I don't really care if the game works or not, I was just going to fill the battery compartment with something. I'll see if I can get some reflective tape, too, thanks.

 

[MattMunson]

yup, what rik said is exactly right. The whole thing is flat black, with a piece of yellow reflective tape over the viewscreen. Simple.

This is usually the point in a thread that BobaDebt offers to start an active project for this prop!!! :lol

 

[dexter1138]

Would you guys mind stating the maker of this particular game?

Is Boba Debt making these or was that just a joke?

Dex

 

[Rik1138]

I don't think I've ever seen one with a manufacturer name on it. So, even if you found it out, it wouldn't help in searching for it. They are usually just sold as cheap, generic games like 'Car Race' 'Submarine' etc... You might find them released under 'Systema' (they re-brand a lot of these little generic games), but I've never actually seen one with their name on it... Just a guess.

Rik

 

[dexter1138]

Thanks for the information Rik, I figured it may be a UK item since the film was shot there, but who knows.

I'll keep an eye out and maybe someone will mold one eventually.

Thanks,

Dex

 

[Petseal]

Bought this last night on the 'Bay:

I wouldn't have been able to find it without another member's help, HUGE help. :thumbsup

Can't wait 'til it arrives. :love

Hi Guys!
Just a thought here! This game has been described as a mass market flop that few people actually kept, making them very hard to find now! So why not scratch build a copy? Judging form the pic supplied by Kadajiroth it would be a fairly easy build. Even making the buttons movable would not complicate it too much! All that would be needed are the overall measurements and maybe a clear pic of the back! Would like to try coping the stand arm!
Sorry to drop back into Star Trek mode (my natural state) but I had a similar experience! On "Enterprise" a Cabin 4x5 light box was modified to be used as a PADD, see Matt Munson's tutorial for great modification details. I have been trying for months to get my hands on one of these without success, Cabin no longer makes them and no camera shops still carried them!
I finally gave up and decided to scratch build a static version, dang no lights! It then took another few weeks to find a site that listed the correct overall dimensions!
So the basic PADD has been assembled for a some time now with no details added yet! Getting 1/4" half round for the back was almost as hard as finding the light box! Anyway, it finally arrived yesterday from a local hobby shop so I will be getting back to it soon!
FYI: I did find an exact duplicate light box produced by another company but they had taken the original Cabin price of about $80 and multiplied it by about 250 % making it almost $200, AND they also are fazing it out of production!
Anyway back to the game, if someone who has one of these would be kind enough to post the dimensions, and a clear picture of the back, I and maybe others would be very grateful!
Best To All, Petseal