Dick Figures: The Movie

Dick Figures: The Movie

Theatrical release poster
Directed by Ed Skudder
Zack Keller
Produced by Andy Fiedler
Nick Butera
Written by Ed Skudder
Zack Keller
Based on Dick Figures
by Ed Skudder
Starring Ed Skudder
Zack Keller
Shea Logsdon
Lauren Kay Sokolov
Mike Nassar
Eric Bauza
Ben Tuller
Music by Nick Keller
Edited by Zack Keller
Production
company
Distributed by Mondo Media
Release date
  • September 17, 2013 (2013-09-17)
Running time
 73 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget Upwards of $313,411[1]
Box office $873,987[1]

Dick Figures The Movie is a 2013 American independent adult animated adventure-action comedy film, written, directed by and starring Ed Skudder and Zack Keller, distributed by Mondo Media. It is based on Skudder's animated web series Dick Figures. It is Mondo's first animated feature-length production and independent company 6 Point Harness' first original feature film. The film was released for rent and purchase on September 17, 2013 on digital download and streaming services including iTunes, Amazon Video, Google Play, PlayStation Network, Xbox Video, Vudu, Netflix, Hulu and Yekra, an all-new movie watching site for indie films. The film was then released a week later on iTunes in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. One of the film's executive producers, Aaron Simpson, aimed to give everyone access to the film, whether they could afford a paid digital download or not,[2] so the movie was also distributed on YouTube in 12 chapters over the course of 3 months.[3]

The film was split into 12 different chapters and published onto YouTube by Mondo. $313,411 was raised through the mass-funding platform Kickstarter from 5,616 backers (including Warren Graff, Fred Seibert, Gundarr creators Corey McDaniel & Ted Wilson, amongst others) through May 31 to July 16, 2012, out of originally a $250,000 goal, breaking the record for the most funded animation project through the site, until it was surpassed by Blur Studio's The Goon (an upcoming computer-animated adaptation to Eric Powell's graphic novel series of the same name) on November 2012. Dick Figures: The Movie successfully had a theatrical debut at the Buffer Festival in Toronto on November 9, 2013[4].

Plot

A meteor speeds towards Earth while characters of the series are dropped off a bus for elementary school. After Blue accidentally walks onto the 5th graders' playground, Broseph, the leader of the 5th Graders, has them beat up Blue. They are interrupted by the arrival of the meteor which crashes into Broseph, killing him. In the crater, Red emerges and beats off all the fifth graders. A grateful Blue promises to be Red's best friend no matter what happens. The movie goes through a montage of Red and Blue's time through school until the two graduate from university; Blue tries to be a conscientious student while Red lives a largely hedonistic, irresponsible lifestyle.

In the present day, Red and Blue are living together as roommates in their apartment, Blue is in a relationship with Pink. Red still has his crude behavior. When Pink's birthday is approaching, Blue lies to Pink about getting her the best birthday gift ever, but he hasn't gotten her anything. Red suggests that they go see the Raccoon (Papa-san) at his pawn shop for a gift to get Pink.

Meeting with the Raccoon, he tells them a story of when he lived in ancient Japan. His village fell under attack by Lord Takagami and his demon army. Raccoon, armed with The Sword of Destiny, singlehandedly fights the army, but falls into rage when he sees his wife get swallowed by Ocho Muerte, a large octopus. In his anger, he slaughtered the army and as he was about to deliver the death blow, Lord Takagami cursed him and split the Sword into three pieces. After the battle, Papa-san realized that he destroyed all of Japan while in a rage; for this he was banished by his kinsmen, never to return. If Blue finds the Sword and returns it to him, he will give Blue the perfect gift for Pink. Blue reluctantly accepts the quest after being called a 'pussy' by Red and the Raccoon.

Hitching a ride on a booze cruise, Red and Blue arrive in Japan, meeting with the Raccoon's son, Son-san. After Blue lies to him that they are not getting the Sword for Papa-san, they are directed towards a mountain, only to discover the hilt of the Sword and a large map with the locations of the other pieces (the blade and a jewel). Their retrieval of the hilt awakens Takagami and his ninjas, who give chase. The duo escapes out to sea on a rowboat, and they eventually end up in the middle of nowhere during an approaching storm. Red questions Blue's reason for doing the quest for Pink who explains to Red that he loves Pink. Red reveals that the reason for beating up the 5th graders back when they first met was to impress Pink and the girls, inadvertently admitting that he's never thought of Blue as his friend. Betrayed by this revelation, Blue fights with him, angrily stating that their friendship is over. Lightning strikes their boat and a large wave sweeps them away. Meanwhile, Pink becomes increasingly worried about Blue's disappearance after calling him several times (his phone having been lost in the ocean).

Blue wakes up to discover that he and Red have washed ashore on a paradise island, which Red sets fire to while trying to tan. They are rescued in a plane by alcoholic British pilot Captain Crookygrin, who was an old friend of their landlord Mr. Dingleberry back in World War II, and has been sent to stop them from finding the Sword of Destiny. Luckily, Crookygrin has alcohol blindness, and cannot recognize them from pictures. They fly to Paris, France, but are suddenly attacked by Takagami's ninjas in jetpacks. Blue fends them off with the plane's machine gun, however they crash, with Crookygrin being mortally injured. They are told to find the blade of the Sword at 'Le Tour Eiffel' (the Eiffel Tower), and head into a restaurant where they find their friend Lord Tourettes playing accordion to the diners. Outside, Mr. Dingleberry directs the French police to follow them, and it is revealed that he is taking orders from Takagami, who promised a reward for his help; he kills Dingleberry. The French police discover the three friends inside the restaurant and chase them to the Eiffel Tower, where Blue unites the hilt with the blade while Lord Tourettes distracts the police with a lullaby. Red and Blue return to their hometown in America to find the jewel that goes with the blade, according to a letter given to them by Crookygrin.

Pink's birthday party has started, and Red abandons Blue to go partying, much to Blue's frustration. Blue decides to finish the quest alone, only to be captured by Takagami and taken to a nearby mountain/volcano where the jewel rests. Takagami reunites the jewel with the Sword, and has Blue thrown into the lava. Red and Raccoon arrive in the knick of time to save Blue and seize the Sword; a battle ensues with Red and Blue fighting the ninjas while the Raccoon fights Takagami with the Sword of Destiny. Cutting off his mask, Raccoon discovers that Takagami is really his father, Father-san. When asked by his son why he became evil and started killing people, Father-san replies that it was to avenge every person that ever died. The Raccoon points out the obvious that just by killing more people, there are more people to avenge, to which Father-san says he could continue killing for eternity as a result. Raccoon beheads him, and his remains fall into the lava, but his head emerges, morphing into Ocho Muerte, who heads off to attack their town.

Blue, Red, and Raccoon arrive at Pink's party before Ocho Muerte can hurt Pink. Ocho Muerte devours the Raccoon and is about to eat Pink too, but not before Blue rescues her with the Sword. Blue hangs over a ledge with Red holding him and the Sword, and after some deliberation Red pulls Blue up to safety. The Sword falls into Ocho Muerte's mouth, which kills him in an explosion of light.

As the dust settles, Red apologizes to Blue for being a bad friend, as he has never had a real friend before, and promises to change (if only a little). They find Raccoon alive, as well as his wife Mama-san. He reveals that he sent Blue and Red on the quest ultimately to rescue his wife, but as a result of the experience Red and Blue have reaffirmed their friendship. In return for Blue's bravery, Mama-san gives Blue and Pink the lotus flower that Papa-san once gave to her, blessing their love for each other. Now closer friends than ever, Red and Blue celebrate their adventure with a high-five, closing the movie.

Cast

Production

The movie was originally set to be a 40-minute-long special, according to the "stretch goals" announced for the Kickstarter campaign, but the film was changed into a length of 73 minutes[5] and was also made available for public access.

Kickstarter backers David Haley, Brendan Haines, Rob DenBleyker, Dave McElfatrick and Ashley Shelhon were given an animated appearance and actual voice role in the film for their $2,500 pledge contributions.

A book called The Art of Dick Figures The Movie was written and published by Skudder and Keller onto Amazon.com, in both paperback and Kindle versions. The book depicts some concepts, designs, storyboards and pre-production information of the movie.[6]

Soundtrack

The film's soundtrack composed and created by Nick Keller using the software Apple Logic, including the complete score and the movie's closing credits theme,
"Dick Figures: The Movie: The Song" performed by Ninja Sex Party, was released on September 16, 2013. Music from the original series can be heard in certain parts of the movie.

Reception

Critic Mark Bell of Film Threat stated, "It may appear to be as simple an animation as you can get, but it is perfectly executed and extremely entertaining."[7]

Home media

Dick Figures: The Movie was released on DVD and Blu-ray in the United States on December 3, 2013.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Dick Figures. "Dick Figures: The Movie by Dick Figures - Kickstarter". Kickstarter. Retrieved 4 January 2015.
  2. ↑ Jillian Aubin. "YouTube Series 'Dick Figures' to Release Kickstarter-Financed Film". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
  3. ↑ ""Dick Figures: The Movie" Attempts Unique Distribution Model". Cartoon Brew. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
  4. ↑ "Mondo". Mondomedia.com. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
  5. ↑ Faughnder, Ryan (30 July 2013). "YouTube stick figure cartoon series to be full-length film". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 27 November 2014.
  6. ↑ "The Art of Dick Figures The Movie (9781492240556): Zack Keller, Ed Skudder: Books". Amazon.com. 2014. Retrieved 27 November 2014.
  7. ↑ "Film Threat - Dick Figures: The Movie". Filmthreat.com. Archived from the original on 14 September 2014. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
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