!VAR HAGENDOORN

The Mysterious Geographic Explorations of Jasper Morello

Set in a world of iron airships, The Mysterious Geographic Explorations of Jasper Morello (dir. Anthony Lucas) tells the story of an aerial navigator who sets out on an expedition that eventually leads him to an island which is home to a monster that may hold the cure for the disease that plagues his hometown. On his journey Jasper meets with various dangers, but as in Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness, Jasper discovers that the greatest horror of all lies within man himself.

The Mysterious Geographic Explorations of Jasper Morello has won multiple awards, including the Cristal d'Annecy at the 2005 Annecy International Animated Film Festival and was also nominated for an Academy Award. It is a visually stunning and richly layered adventure story that combines silhouette animation and 2D and 3D animation. The story is part Joseph Conrad, part H.G Wells, part Edgar Allan Poe, part J.G. Ballard. It had somehow escaped my attention when it was first released, but I'm glad to have found a copy on YouTube. The producers originally planned to release two or three additional episodes, but it appears that the plans are off, which is a shame since I would have loved to have seen more of Jasper Morello's adventures.