Kirby looks at Disney's Poor Unfortunate Souls - the best Disney villains of all time. (Part 2 of 2)
A Toon Talk Special:
POOR UNFORTUNATE SOULS:
DISNEY’S 50 MOST WANTED VILLAINS
Part 2 of 2
Happy Halloween and welcome back to the second half of our
countdown of the top tricksters-and-treaters. (Click
here for Part 1.)
VANITY
Foolish pride and the vane quest for perfection can easily
escalate to megalomania. Got an itch to conquer the world? Apply here.
THE QUEEN and THE WITCH
Film: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
Voice Actor: Lucille La Verne
Animators: Art Babbitt (Queen) and Norman Ferguson (Witch)
DVD: Available
She doesn’t have a name, but if she did, it would fittingly
complete the phrase “Vanity, thy name is …�? Obsessed with her own beauty (and
threatened by Snow White’s), she destroys it via a dark spell that transforms
her into a haggard crone with a special gift for the fair maiden in the form of
a luscious red apple.
Partners in Crime: The Slave in the Magic Mirror, the Huntsman.
Quote: Queen: “Magic Mirror, on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?�?
Witch: “Now, make a wish and take a bite.�?
Final Verdict: Chased by the dwarfs to the top of a high peak, lightning
strikes and the Witch falls to her doom.
THE TREMAINE FAMILY
Film: Cinderella (1950)
Voice Actors: Eleanor Audley as Lady Tremaine, Lucille Bliss as Anastasia,
Rhoda Williams as Drizella and June Foray as Lucifer
Animators: Frank Thomas (Lady Tremaine), Ollie Johnston (the Stepsisters)
and Ward Kimball (Lucifer)
DVD: Now available
Lady Tremaine, the mother of all stepmothers, coddles and spoils
her two homely daughters Anastasia and Drizella (not to mention that brat of a
cat Lucifer) at the expense of stepdaughter Cinderella, who she has brow-beaten
into submission as their scullery maid. What more proof could there be of her
inherent wickedness?
Quote: Lady Tremaine, regarding Cinderella: “Oh. Pay no attention to
her.�?
Drizella: (scoffing at the thought of Cinderella attending the ball): “Hah!
Her, dancing with the Prince!�?
Anastasia: “I’d be honored Your Highness. Would you mind holding my broom?�?
(both sisters laugh viciously).
Final Verdict: Although Lucifer apparently falls to his doom
out the tower window, the fate of the Tremaine trio is left unsaid in the
film. That may have been for the best; in the original story, they had their
eyes pecked out by angry birds.
THE QUEEN OF HEARTS
Film: Alice in Wonderland (1951)
Voice Actor: Verna Felton
Animator: Frank Thomas
DVD: Available
This loudmouth is practically bursting with rage, and pity any
underling who crosses her. It is ironic that she’s the queen of hearts, as she
doesn’t seem to posses much of one of her own; witness the revelry in her eyes
when she whacks that poor hedgehog in the bizarre croquet game - or has some
unfortunate whacked for the most miniscule of offenses.
Partners in Crime: The King of Hearts, a whole deck of card soldiers.
Quote: “Off with their heads!�?
Final Verdict: She, along with all of Wonderland it seems, chases that
foolish Alice out of their dreamlike realm.
CAPTAIN NEMO
Film: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954)
Actor: James Mason
DVD: Available
The infamous captain of the Nautilus yearns to crate his own
undersea utopia, and he’s not above a little terrorism to make his plans
succeed. All that time underwater has driven Nemo a little mad - mad at the
world, that is. He plans to unleash his discoveries (such as a little thing
called atomic power) upon all of mankind, his idea of payment for all of its
injustices.
Partners in Crime: The crew of the Nautilus.
Quote: “What you fail to understand is the power of hate. It can fill the
heart as surely as love can.�?
Final Verdict: Wounded, Nemo blows up his island fortress of Vulcania and
orders the Nautilus to the ocean floor one last time.
MALEFICENT
Film: Sleeping Beauty (1959)
Voice Actor: Eleanor Audley
Animator: Marc Davis
DVD: Available
Just think - it all could have been avoided if she had just been
invited to the ceremony. But the devilishly delightful Maleficent is too proud
to let this royal snub go by without due recourse, which she provides courtesy
of a cursed spinning wheel. And if that doesn’t work, well, she can always turn
herself into a dragon …
Partners in Crime: Diablo, a mess of goons.
Quote: “Now shall you deal with me, o Prince - and all the powers
of hell!�?
Final Verdict: Prince Phillip, who can’t do anything without those three
meddling fairies, hurtles an enchanted sword into the breast of
Maleficent-as-dragon. All that remains of the grand sorceress is a black stain
on the ground.
