Morgan M. Morgansen's Date with Destiny
Encyclopedia
Morgan M. Morgansen's Date with Destiny is a short film starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt
and Lexy Hulme. The short was produced by Gordon-Levitt's online production company hitrecord.org with contributions from artists all over the world. Gordon-Levitt directed and starred in the piece which was written and conceived by Irish writer Sarah Daly. The lavish visual effects were created by Scotland's Lawrie Brewster with illustrations from Jenyffer Maria. Nathan Johnson composed the score which was then assembled from the contributions of musicians online.
The film, is a surrealist, steampunk
, romantic comedy
in both black-and-white and color, with scenes framed by collage-like visuals immersed with hand-drawn cartoon imagery, combining live action and animation. The story, a silent film
except for a tongue-twisting narration throughout performed by Gordon-Levitt, follows the first date between Chaplinesque
Morgan M. Morgansen (played by Gordon-Levitt) and a charming young woman of anachronistically
more modern dress, by the name of Destiny (played by Hulme). Backed up by a sour-turned-sentimental waiter—or the "foodpenguin" (played by Lawrie Brewster)—and a band of cartoon feline musicians (among others), Morgan ultimately manages to woo Destiny. After meeting with Destiny at a restaurant and ordering a cooked rabbit, Morgan discovers Destiny's vegetarianism, and decides to eat only the vegetables around the plate rather than eat the rabbit meat and appall his alarmed date. Appreciative of Morgan's sacrifice at dinner for the sake of her comfort, Destiny begins to kiss him in the street, overlooked by the approving foodpenguin. The two rush off to Morgan's abode and it is stated that Morgan, lying in bed that night, needed no longer feel alone.
The film is remarkable for its narration's unusual wordplay and lush aesthetics. With homages to influences as varied as Lewis Carroll
, Sigmund Freud
and Georges Méliès
, it is a striking and unusual film, and a throwback to the silent era, especially with its choppy frame rate
.
The short film premiered at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival.
Morgan and Destiny's Eleventeenth Date: The Zeppelin Zoo
, the sequel to Morgan M. Morgansen's Date with Destiny, saw Gordon-Levitt joined by Channing Tatum
in the role of Morgan's rival suitor. This second installment was also produced by hitrecord.org and premiered at the South by Southwest Film Festival 2010.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Joseph Leonard Gordon-Levitt is an American actor whose career as both a child and adult has included television series and theatrical films....
and Lexy Hulme. The short was produced by Gordon-Levitt's online production company hitrecord.org with contributions from artists all over the world. Gordon-Levitt directed and starred in the piece which was written and conceived by Irish writer Sarah Daly. The lavish visual effects were created by Scotland's Lawrie Brewster with illustrations from Jenyffer Maria. Nathan Johnson composed the score which was then assembled from the contributions of musicians online.
The film, is a surrealist, steampunk
Steampunk
Steampunk is a sub-genre of science fiction, fantasy, alternate history, and speculative fiction that came into prominence during the 1980s and early 1990s. Steampunk involves a setting where steam power is still widely used—usually Victorian era Britain or "Wild West"-era United...
, romantic comedy
Romantic Comedy
Romantic Comedy can refer to* Romantic Comedy , a 1979 play written by Bernard Slade* Romantic Comedy , a 1983 film adapted from the play and starring Dudley Moore and Mary Steenburgen...
in both black-and-white and color, with scenes framed by collage-like visuals immersed with hand-drawn cartoon imagery, combining live action and animation. The story, a silent film
Silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...
except for a tongue-twisting narration throughout performed by Gordon-Levitt, follows the first date between Chaplinesque
Charlie Chaplin
Sir Charles Spencer "Charlie" Chaplin, KBE was an English comic actor, film director and composer best known for his work during the silent film era. He became the most famous film star in the world before the end of World War I...
Morgan M. Morgansen (played by Gordon-Levitt) and a charming young woman of anachronistically
Anachronism
An anachronism—from the Greek ανά and χρόνος — is an inconsistency in some chronological arrangement, especially a chronological misplacing of persons, events, objects, or customs in regard to each other...
more modern dress, by the name of Destiny (played by Hulme). Backed up by a sour-turned-sentimental waiter—or the "foodpenguin" (played by Lawrie Brewster)—and a band of cartoon feline musicians (among others), Morgan ultimately manages to woo Destiny. After meeting with Destiny at a restaurant and ordering a cooked rabbit, Morgan discovers Destiny's vegetarianism, and decides to eat only the vegetables around the plate rather than eat the rabbit meat and appall his alarmed date. Appreciative of Morgan's sacrifice at dinner for the sake of her comfort, Destiny begins to kiss him in the street, overlooked by the approving foodpenguin. The two rush off to Morgan's abode and it is stated that Morgan, lying in bed that night, needed no longer feel alone.
The film is remarkable for its narration's unusual wordplay and lush aesthetics. With homages to influences as varied as Lewis Carroll
Lewis Carroll
Charles Lutwidge Dodgson , better known by the pseudonym Lewis Carroll , was an English author, mathematician, logician, Anglican deacon and photographer. His most famous writings are Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and its sequel Through the Looking-Glass, as well as the poems "The Hunting of the...
, Sigmund Freud
Sigmund Freud
Sigmund Freud , born Sigismund Schlomo Freud , was an Austrian neurologist who founded the discipline of psychoanalysis...
and Georges Méliès
Georges Méliès
Georges Méliès , full name Marie-Georges-Jean Méliès, was a French filmmaker famous for leading many technical and narrative developments in the earliest cinema. He was very innovative in the use of special effects...
, it is a striking and unusual film, and a throwback to the silent era, especially with its choppy frame rate
Frame rate
Frame rate is the frequency at which an imaging device produces unique consecutive images called frames. The term applies equally well to computer graphics, video cameras, film cameras, and motion capture systems...
.
The short film premiered at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival.
Morgan and Destiny's Eleventeenth Date: The Zeppelin Zoo
Morgan and Destiny's Eleventeenth Date: The Zeppelin Zoo
"Morgan and Destiny's Eleventeenth Date: The Zeppelin Zoo" is a short film starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Lexy Hulme and Channing Tatum. The short is the second installment in the Morgan M. Morgansen series. The first film, "Morgan M. Morgansen's Date with Destiny" premiered at Sundance in 2010 and...
, the sequel to Morgan M. Morgansen's Date with Destiny, saw Gordon-Levitt joined by Channing Tatum
Channing Tatum
Channing Matthew Tatum is an American actor and film producer. He began his career as a fashion model and appearing in television commercials for Pepsi and Mountain Dew before turning to film roles...
in the role of Morgan's rival suitor. This second installment was also produced by hitrecord.org and premiered at the South by Southwest Film Festival 2010.
External links
- hitrecord.org.
- http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/movieawards/sundance/2010-01-22-sundance22_VA_N.htm. Anthony Breznican, USA TODAY
- http://exposureroom.com/f0fb970dc6c347f9aac1aa6c79a946d7/ Morgan M Morgansen - The Full Story, Documentary