The Mysterious Geographic Explorations of Jasper Morello (2005)

Director:

Anthony Lucas

Writers:

Mark Shirrefs (written by) and
Anthony Lucas (story)

Genre:

Animation | Short | Mystery | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

"Do you wish to see a miracle?" Dr Claude Belgon, Aerial Biologist from the Academy

Plot:

Set in a world of iron dirigibles and steam powered computers, this gothic horror mystery tells the story of Jasper Morello, a disgraced aerial navigator who flees his plague-ridden home on a desperate voyage to redeem himself.

Plot Keywords:

Gothic | Ghost Ship | Industrial | Scientist | Stop Motion

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 7 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Joel Edgerton	...	Jasper Morello (voice)
Helmut Bakaitis	...	Doctor Claude Belgon (voice)
Tommy Dysart	...	Captain Griswald (voice)
Jude Beaumont	...	Amelia (voice)
Richard Moss	...	Kovaks and Additional Voices (voice)
Lewis Fiander	...	Engineer Kemp and Additional Voices (voice)

Also Known As:

The World of Jasper Morello (Australia) (informal title)

Runtime:

Australia:26 min | Argentina:28 min (Mar del Plata Film Festival)

Country:

Australia

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Argentina:Unrated | Australia:M

Company:

3D Films

Beautiful Animation Sets Off A Marvelously Macabre Story

"The Mysterious Geographic Explorations of Jasper Morello" is a wonderful cross between the animation of Hayao Miyazaki and the science fiction of Jules Verne.

Beautiful animation sets off the stark, futuristic, macabre story by Mark Shirrefs that has historic resonance from the Black Plague to AIDS to "On the Beach," and recalling tales of mad scientists from "Frankenstein" to "The Island of Dr. Moreau" to the cloning scandal in today's South Korea yet creates a completely original and very suspenseful film.

Not only is a whole other worldly environment and civilization created, but the silhouetted people (with their all too human foibles) and their complicated vehicles travel through breathtakingly beautiful weather and dangers. This is a very fresh take on the human role in nature vs. technology in the guise of an old tale of obsession as if told by Herman Melville or Edgar Allen Poe.

Joel Edgerton's gentlemanly journal narration as the titular navigator marvelously captures the Victorian formality of the storytelling, like an Australian Sherlock Holmes or Robinson Crusoe.

This film was viewed as part of a commercial screening of Oscar nominated shorts.