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Lackadaisy (film)

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Lackadaisy
Official poster
Directed byFable Siegel
Screenplay by
  • Tracy Butler
  • Fable Siegel
Story byTracy Butler
Based onLackadaisy
by Tracy Butler
Produced byTracy Butler
Starring
  • Michael Kovach
  • Belsheber Rusape
  • Lisa Reimold
  • SungWon Cho
CinematographySara Fisher
Edited byFable Siegel
Music by
  • Sepiatonic
  • M Gewehr
Production
company
Distributed byIron Circus Animation
Release date
  • March 29, 2023 (2023-03-29)
Running time
27 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$330,256[1]

Lackadaisy is an American independent animated period crime-heist short film based on the webcomic Lackadaisy by Tracy Butler. It is directed by Fable Siegel, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Butler, and follows the rivalry between the titular speakeasy and Marigold gang, two bootlegging groups who are smuggling alcohol during Prohibition. The short film was released to YouTube on March 29, 2023,[2] and was crowdfunded through a Kickstarter campaign.[3] It was met with widespread acclaim for its animation, voice acting, music, characters and historical accuracy.

Plot

In a feline-populated St. Louis, during the Prohibition of 1927, bootlegger Roark "Rocky" Rickaby performs his violin while reciting his poetic memoir to the Mississippi River. After finishing his recital, Rocky joins up with his cousin Calvin "Freckle" McMurray and their close friend Ivy Pepper to dig up a coffin loaded with whisky from one of their suppliers. By the time they load the bottles into their car, they are ambushed by the rival Marigold gang, consisting of former Lackadaisy member Mordecai Heller and the Cajun Savoy siblings: Nicodeme and Serafine. In the ensuing chase, Freckle disables Marigold's car with his Tommy gun, but Mordecai forces them off the road and into the Sable mining quarry.

The trio takes shelter and Ivy repairs the car while Freckle holds off Mordecai. Rocky wanders the quarry and manages to rig a steam shovel into driving itself while maniacally hurling dynamite to drive the Marigold gang away, accidentally causing a flood by destroying a water tower. However, everyone manages to escape. Mordecai has a chance to stop the group as they drive away, but decides not to after noticing Ivy at the wheel.

At the Lackadaisy speakeasy, the owner Mitzi May expresses her laments to the portrait of her deceased husband Atlas as she recalls how big their business used to be. She meets with her employees and her guest, Sedgewick "Wick" Sable, the owner of the quarry. She asks him for financial help, though he politely refuses to maintain his public image to the community. Rocky, Freckle, and Ivy return with only three bottles intact from the fight. Opposed to Rocky's efforts for approval, Mitzi reluctantly expresses displeasure with the short amount recovered, but states she is happy they came back safely. Rocky and fellow musician Zib play music while Ivy performs a dance with Freckle, during which Mitzi reminisces about how thriving the club was in Atlas' time.

In a post-credits scene, Mordecai calls his superior Asa Sweet, and reports his and the Savoys' failure to recover the supply, and that one of their suppliers has crossed them to sell to Lackadaisy. Sweet suggests that they may need to tie up this loose end before the government catches wind of their operation.

Voice cast

  • Michael Kovach as Roark "Rocky" Rickaby, a compassionate yet somewhat unhinged bard-like violin player and rum-runner eager to prove himself.
  • Belsheber Rusape as Calvin "Freckle" McMurray, Rocky's timid cousin who is prone to sudden outbursts of madness, especially when a gun is in his hands.
  • Lisa Reimold as Ivy Pepper, an educated and confident female cat, and Freckle's love interest.
  • SungWon Cho as Mordecai Heller, a stoic, cold and calculating gunman who used to work for Lackadaisy before joining the Marigold gang.
  • Ashe Wagner as Mitzi May, widow of Atlas May and the new owner of the Lackadaisy speakeasy.
  • Bradley Gareth as Sedgewick "Wick" Sable, a noble business tycoon and the owner of the Sable Quarry.
  • Valentine Stokes as Dorian "Zib" Zibowski, the laid-back but disheveled lead saxophonist in the Lackadaisy band.
  • Jason Marnocha as Viktor Vasko, a short-tempered Slovak with an eye patch who currently tends the Lackadaisy bar and Mordecai's former partner.
    • Marnocha also voices Asa Sweet, the head of the Marigold gang and business rival of Lackadaisy.
  • Walter Tomas Vitola as Horatio Bruno, the doorman of the Lackadaisy entrance.
  • Benni Latham as Serafine Savoy, Nicodeme's trigger-happy sister.
  • Malcolm Ray as Nicodeme Savoy, Serafine's musclebound brother.
    • Ray also voices the trombonist J.J., and the carnival barker in Rocky's imagination.

Production and release

In 2020, the short film was crowdfunded through a Kickstarter campaign.[4] The campaign was originally intended to raise $85,000 for the creation of a ten-minute short, but scored four times its intended budget.[5] According to the creators, more than 160 "skilled artists across the world"[2] became part of the short film's production.

The trailer was released to YouTube on January 16, 2023,[6] followed by the short film proper on March 29.[7] On July 11, it was announced that the film would receive its first theatrical screening followed by a live Q&A with the creators at the Secret Movie Club theater in Los Angeles on August 2.[8]

Reception

The short film has received widespread critical acclaim. Before its premiere, Samantha King of Screen Rant said it would "capture the hearts of...comic...[and] animation fans" and capture the charm and style of the original webcomic.[9] While Mercedes Milligan of Animation Magazine described it as "highly anticipated",[10] Rob Bricken of Gizmodo as looking "incredible"[6] and Madeline Carpou of The Mary Sue describing it as "adorable and fun".[11] After the premiere of the film, Jamie Lang of Cartoon Brew described the "very charming" effects left from the animation process, the "significant aesthetic differences" between the webcomic and film.[2] BJ Colangelo described it as "ridiculously impressive", praised the character designs, impressive animation, said it could be "the next big thing in adult animation", and argued that studios would be "foolish" to pass up the film becoming a series.[12]

Legacy

Music video

On August 5, 2023, a lyric/music video based on the short film, titled "Liquid Gold" by England-based artist PARANOiD DJ featuring Michael Kovach, Belsheber Rusape and Lisa Reimold, was released.[13]

Web series

Following the short's success, a crowdfunding campaign for an animated web series began on the BackerKit platform in late July 2023, and a teaser for the show's first season was released to YouTube.[14][15] A week into the campaign, in August of the same year, $1,000,000 was raised to fund a full 5-episode first season.[16][17] The series is set to debut in 2024.[18] In late August 2023, the BackerKit campaign ended with $2,008,728 from over 16,000 backers, resulting in 3 additional mini-episodes and Blu-ray sets containing the first season, and the pilot/short film.[19]

References

  1. ^ Simons, Dean (March 29, 2023). "The Iron Circus animated LACKADAISY movie is here". Comics Beat. Archived from the original on June 3, 2023. Retrieved June 14, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c Lang, Jamie (April 12, 2023). "Crafting A Viral Sensation: 'Lackadaisy' Director Fable Siegel Shares Behind-The-Scenes Stories And Artwork". Cartoon Brew. Archived from the original on April 12, 2023. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  3. ^ McMillan, Graeme (March 16, 2020). "Iron Circus Comics Moves Into Animation With 'Lackadaisy'". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on March 23, 2020. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  4. ^ Horne, Karama (April 16, 2020). "Hit webcomic Lackadaisy's Kickstarter pounces on $280K for animated short, hopes for series". SYFY. Archived from the original on April 17, 2023. Retrieved June 14, 2023.
  5. ^ Shaunette, Morgan (April 3, 2023). "Lackadaisy Webcomic Gets Moving in Animated Pilot Episode". CBR. Archived from the original on April 13, 2023. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  6. ^ a b Bricken, Rob (January 16, 2023). "Watch: Fan Favorite Webcomic 'Lackadaisy' is Now an Animated Short". Gizmodo. Archived from the original on April 3, 2023. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  7. ^ Alexa, Laurén (April 3, 2023). "Watch: Fan Favorite Webcomic 'Lackadaisy' is Now an Animated Short". Animation World Network. Archived from the original on August 24, 2023. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  8. ^ Massone, Marcello (July 11, 2023). "Lackadaisy Animated Short Film Lands First-Ever Public Screening". CBR. Archived from the original on July 26, 2023. Retrieved July 26, 2023.
  9. ^ King, Samantha (March 23, 2023). "LACKADAISY Movie Clip Introduces the Hit Webcomic's Feline Speakeasy (Exclusive Preview)". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on April 13, 2023. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  10. ^ Milligan, Mercedes (March 22, 2023). "Exclusive Clip: 'Lackadaisy' Short Delivers Rum-Runner Action on March 29". Animation Magazine. Archived from the original on April 11, 2023. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  11. ^ Carpou, Madeline (January 26, 2023). "This Movie Had Me at "Prohibition-Era Gangsters, but Cats!"". The Mary Sue. Archived from the original on April 13, 2023. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  12. ^ Colangelo, BJ (April 7, 2023). "Incredible Indie Animated Lackadaisy Pilot Deserves The Hazbin Hotel A24 Treatment". SlashFilm. Archived from the original on April 13, 2023. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  13. ^ "PARANOiD DJ - Liquid Gold ft. Michael Kovach, Belsheber Rusape & Lisa Reimold". YouTube. August 5, 2023. Archived from the original on August 5, 2023. Retrieved August 5, 2023.
  14. ^ McCullough, Hayley (July 28, 2023). "Lackadaisy Announces Crowdfunding With Season 1 Teaser Trailer". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on July 28, 2023. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  15. ^ "LACKADAISY Season 1 Teaser - YouTube". July 25, 2023. Archived from the original on July 25, 2023. Retrieved July 25, 2023 – via YouTube.
  16. ^ Johnston, Rich (August 1, 2023). "Lackadaisy Webcomic Hits A Million Dollars Fundraising After One Week". Bleeding Cool. Archived from the original on August 1, 2023. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
  17. ^ Lang, Jamie (August 3, 2023). "A Five-Episode Season Of 'Lackadaisy' Is On The Way After Producers Raise More Than $1M In A Week". Cartoon Brew. Archived from the original on August 3, 2023. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
  18. ^ "Lackadaisy: What Comes Next. Books, Plushes, and Animation! - Project FAQ". BackerKit. Archived from the original on August 6, 2023. Retrieved August 6, 2023.
  19. ^ Lang, Jamie (August 25, 2023). "'Lackadiasy' Wraps Crowdfunding Campaign With More Than $2M Raised". Cartoon Brew. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
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