Studies at the University of Exeter, considered Le Dernier Combat and The Fifth Element to be Besson's two film's which focus on the theme of environmental damage, as waste and pollution are visible throughout both films. Capitalism was also considered to be a theme; consumer commodities were said to be signs of death, such as the abandoned cars in the desert and the floating washing machines in a flooded abandoned factory. Production Besson described the film as an "imaginary excursion", stating he got the inspiration for the film from an abandoned cinema he saw in Paris. Thinking of all the other abandoned buildings there must be in Paris, Besson decided to create a world where all these places were together, and combined this idea with a previous suggestion that he make a feature-length version of his 1981 debut short film, L'Avant Dernier. Le Dernier Combat was primarily filmed in Paris, with scenes depicted as being in the desert filmed in Tunisia. Locations for filming in Paris included a former Électricité de France building that was demolished the day after filming was completed, and the derelict area where the Bibliothèque nationale de France was later constructed. The film was shot in black and white and contains only two words of dialogue. Release and reception Le Dernier Combat was distributed in France on 6 April 1983. The film attracted 236,189 viewers at the French box office, grossing the equivalent of $1.7 million. Le Dernier Combat was released in the United States in June 1984. Time Out gave a favourable review, calling the film a "welcome addition to the post-holocaust barbarism [film] boom." Steve Macfarlane from Not Coming to a Theater Near You gave a moderately positive review, stating "While the film’s heart is syrupy-sentimental (who’s shocked?), its surfaces are clean, incremental, reverently silent—appropriate, given that ... humankind has lost its ability to speak." Janet Maslin from The New York Times called it "a bravura first film, using the simplest means, yet managing to incorporate humor, pathos, suspense and even a well-articulated definition of basic human needs." Dave Kehr from the Chicago Reader also gave a positive review, stating: "The absence of dialogue ... is a cleverly executed stunt, but it is also an effective alibi for a technically proficient filmmaker who really has nothing to say. Another John Carpenter is born, which is by no means a bad thing." Colin Greenland reviewed