Retro Mechanics

I came across this video tonight. It's a collection of scenes taken from the Academy Award-nomated short film, The Mysterious Geographic Explorations of Jasper Morello, and it's extraordinary.

Both pieces are visually stunning. The animations are top-notch - stylistically unique and the finest of eye candy. The imagery is intriguing and thought-provoking, and the concepts of futuristic/alien energy production are particularly interesting...

 

In The Mysterious Geographic Explorations of Jasper Morello, all of the seemingly advanced machinery looks to be powered by gears, propellers, coal and/or steam - relatively primitive mechanics, reminiscent of the industrial age. I find this peculiar because I normally associate science fiction (Star Wars, Terminator, Minority Report, etc.) with highly sophisticated technologies (usually beyond our comprehension) that often involve the manipulation of particles and light, not the machinery from decades past. I assume the decision to use these kinds of energy-producing techniques was primarily a matter of artistic direction, rather than speculation of future technologies. Still, I believe it's noteworthy.

 

With Solar, the manner in which energy is produced is, as far as I can see, impossible - playing catch with the sun and the moon in order to provide energy for the planet and propel it through space - I don't anticipate that happening any time soon. However, as with the first video, there are old-fashioned mechanics at work everywhere - propellers, pedals, cranks and catapaults. Once again, these were probably determined with a creative perspective, hoping to make the world more charming and appealing, but regardless of why they're there, they are.

 

I think it's interesting when science fictiony productions like these resort back to the past in their depiction of presumeably futuristic worlds. It's refreshing and also a reminder that the more progressive solutions might not always be best for the job.