Written by Jodie Becker
ACM132 – Introduction to Animation
The Mysterious Geographic Explorations of Jasper Morello – The First Voyage
The Mysterious Geographic Explorations of Jasper Morello (2005) is an Australian film directed and co-written by Anthony Lucas. It is has a long list of awards and was nominated for an academy award.
This movie is classified in a genre that became popular in the 90’s known as Steampunk - A fiction genre set in Englands Victorian era, where steam power is the prominent technology in the 19th century. However this particular film is set in the year 1276 and gives a look at an alternate world for the human race. As it is a fantasy genre there are also many fictional technologies that are not based on history, the past and present become mixed together to create all new machines. There are floating islands, iron airships and strange creatures that make up the curious world of this film.
The story follows the character Jasper Morello, a disgraced navigator who is haunted by a fatal mistake he made on his last expedition. He nervously sets out on a new voyage but vows it will be his last before he and his wife can settle down and start a family. Their home city, Gothia is currently being ravaged by a Plague and in their travels they are accompanied by a scientist searching for a cure. Jasper worries about his wife back home when he notices she is sick over a video-phone conversation. When the ship is thrown off course, they discover an abandoned ship they are forced to use when their own becomes damaged. Flying in uncharted air, the crew discovers a monster that holds a cure for the disease. Jasper is torn between the need to bring the cure to his wife and sacrificing the lives of his ship-mates.
All of the characters in this film are silhouettes. This animation style has its origins from wayang, the Indonesian shadow puppets which have been around for 300 years. The film is overall very dark and gothic due to the monochrome scheme that is also common in other silhouette films. Color has been used sparingly and only highlights the more dramatic details such as the illness that kills people that appears as a bright orange lava substance.
Traditionally silhouette animation was made using stop motion techniques, the first full length film made with this method was The Adventures of Prince Achmed (1926) by Lotte Reiniger. However traditional cel animation is easily able to imitate the style. The anime series Revolutionary Girl Utena (1997) shows example of this modern version of the technique frequently. It is most likely that The Mysterious Geographic Explorations of Jasper Morello has been made using cel or computers for the 2D animated characters.
The backgrounds in the film are made from a combination of found objects and CGI rendering. Many objects are also silhouettes but there is enough of a balance between detailed objects and the black silhouettes that they all work together harmoniously.
The Mysterious Geographic Explorations of Jasper Morello was enjoyable to watch for both its uncommon use of animation styles and curious plot line. It’s actually rather creepy and is definitely not a story for small children as it deals with darker sides of humanity, violence and death. The plot keeps you wondering how this story is going to end. When it did come to an end I was a little disappointed because the story was left open and I personally like things to be wrapped up. But I discovered that this film is part of a series containing 4 episodes (voyages). I was left wanting more, so I will seek out the other episodes and continue to follow the adventures of Jasper Morello.
Bibliography
Wikipedia, Silhouette Animation, Wikipedia, retrieved 5th August 2009, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silhouette_animation>
Sandall, S, Anthony Lucas on The Mysterious Geographic Explorations of Jasper Morello, Amazon, retrieved 4th August 2009, <http://readersvoice.com/interviews/2006/January/230/>
Madman Entertainment, Gothia Gazette, Madman Entertainment, retrieved 21st July 2009, <http://www.jaspermorello.com>
Wikipedia, The Mysterious Geographic Explorations of Jasper Morello, Wikipedia, retrieved 1st August 2009, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mysterious_Geographic_Explorations_of_Jasper_Morello>
Foster, M, Animated Shorts - The Mysterious Geographic Explorations of Jasper , Google, retrieved 6th August 2009, <http://www.fosteronfilm.com/shorts/jaspermorello.htm>
