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the fifth element - What was the deal with Korben's neighbor?


I just re-watched The Fifth Element last night, and I realized there was something I'd never understood. When Korben Dallas is selected for a mission by his former commanders, they rig a contest to get him two tickets to Fhloston Paradise. This begins a scramble by a number of parties to take his place:



  • Cornelius and Leeloo visit Dallas at his apartment, and end up mugging him.

  • Zorg's assistant tries to frame Dallas for uranium smuggling, and have him arrested.

  • The Mangalores attack the police convoy, to try to kidnap Dallas and shapeshift to look like him...

  • ...but it doesn't work because, it turns out, the man the police arrested was actually Dallas's neighbor, who had stolen his door tag and number moments before.


What's up with that neighbor character? The prize tickets were delivered by mail slot, not at the door, so he must not have been trying to intercept them. (Plus, they'd already been delivered by the time he stole the door tag.)



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He clearly didn't like or anticipate the arrival of the police, so he must not have been in league with Zorg, and the Mangalores thought he was Dallas, so he must not have been with them either. And, if he was trying to take Dallas's place, it's kind of odd that such an impulsive, seemingly violent man (he was shaving with a pretty wicked knife), would simply take Dallas's door tag, and do nothing about/to Dallas himself.


Is there any extra information about this character? Why did he steal Dallas's door tag? Was he trying to intercept the tickets, and simply didn't know that they were coming by mail, and he was too late anyway? Was he just hoping for a vacation, or did he have another motive?



Answer



The implication is that Cornelius and Leeloo removed the unit number when they arrived at Korben's and then placed Korben's card on the neighbor's door.


From the script:



Leeloo and Cornelius search for Korben's apartment. Leeloo carries the card Korben gave her. Cornelius finds the apartment, and yanks the. number off the door. He waves Leeloo over as his hand goes to the bell.



(snip)




C.U. Korben's calling card is clumsily stuck to the door of the neighbor's apartment. COP 3 slaps the viewer on the nasty neighbor's door. The neighbor is at his sink shaving instead of against the wall, COP 1 arrives with Korben's picture.



You can see the card stuck in the neighbor's door in the scene.





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