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Sunday, July 30, 2017

The Fate of Disney Villains


Original hand painted and hand inked production animation cel of the Evil Queen over a Courvoisier air brush background from "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," 1937, Walt Disney Studios; Size - Evil Queen: 7 1/4 x 6", Image 8 1/4 x 8 1/4", Frame 21 3/4 x 21 1/2"; Framed using a silver wood frame, two acid free mats and plexiglass.

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*Note: The following discussion pertains to only hand painted cel animation, so the discussion ends with "The Little Mermaid," 1989

Several people have wondered why, in the Walt Disney films, do the Villains always seem to fall to their deaths. My first reaction was that it seemed a very easy and tidy ending. There would be no drawn out brutal fight, and the films have a G rating designed for children. But upon further thought, not that many Villains did plummet to their demise; in fact, the more interesting question is why did so many Villains escape punishment of any kind?

The first Disney full length feature animated film, "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," had as it's Villain The Evil Queen. After realizing that she had been tricked by the Huntsman and The Magic Mirror telling her that Snow White was still alive; The Evil Queen transformed herself into an Old Peddler Woman. She tricked Snow White into biting the Poisoned Apple, and was chased by the Seven Dwarfs up a mountain side during a terrible thunderstorm. A lightening bolt strikes next to her, causing her to fall off the mountain, with a large bolder falling immediately afterwards. The implication was that she not only died from the fall, but was crushed as well. The fact that the first Walt Disney Villain was killed by a fall may have significantly influenced this idea that most Villains die from falls.


Original hand painted and hand inked production animation cels of Maleficent as the Dragon and Prince Phillip set on a lithographic background from "Sleeping Beauty," 1959, Walt Disney Studios; Size - Maleficent as Dragon 6 1/2" x 11 3/4", Prince Phillip 1 3/4 x 3", Image 10 x 16", Frame 30 x 34 3/4"; Framed with a black and gold wood frame, three suede acid free mats, and UV conservation clear Museum Perfect glass.

Probably the most famous villain in the Disney pantheon for the wicked, is Maleficent from "Sleeping Beauty." During her battle with Prince Phillip, she transforms herself into an enormous fire breathing Dragon. Although Maleficent in Dragon form, does fall off of a mountain; her demise is due to Prince Phillip stabbing her in the heart by hurling The Sword of Truth. The only other Villain that plummets to his death is Ratigan from "The Great Mouse Detective." Inside of London's Big Ben, Ratigan and Basil are involved in a battle and suddenly the clock bell tolls; causing Ratigan to lose his footing and ultimately fall to his death. 


Original hand painted and hand inked production animation cel of Foulfellow (Honest John) and Gideon from "Pinocchio," 1940, Walt Disney Studios; Set over a lithographic background; Size - Foulfellow and Gideon: 9 3/4 x 11 1/2", Image 10 1/2 x 13 1/2"; Unframed.

As mentioned prior, the more interesting point about the vast majority of the Disney Villains is that they escape completely from any justice. "Pinocchio" has many evil characters: Foulfellow, Gideon, Monstro the whale; and the most evil of them all is the Coachman. All of them escape from any real punishment. The same can be said of Chernabog from "Fantasia," all the curious characters in "Alice In Wonderland," Br'er Bear and Br'er Fox from "Song of the South," the Headless Horseman in "The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad," and the two cats Si and Am from "Lady and the Tramp." Lady Tremaine from "Cinderella," although neither of her two daughters were chosen by Prince Charming, all three of them continue to live quite well in their large mansion. Captain Hook from "Peter Pan" may have escaped the crocodile Tick Tock (he had done so throughout the film), as they are last seen in a chase fading away into the distance. 


Original hand painted and hand inked production animation cel of Br'er Fox, Br'er Bear, and Br'er Rabbit set on an original hand painted production background from "Song of the South," 1946, Walt Disney Studios; Courvoisier Setup; Studio signed "Best Wishes Walt Disney" (presumably Hank Porter); Size - Br'er Fox, Br'er Bear, & Br'er Rabbit: 6 x 7 1/2", Image 8 x 10", Frame 31 x 31"; Framed using a wood frame, two mats, wood fillet, and Museum Perfect UV glass.


Original hand inked and hand painted production animation cel of Captain Hook and Tick-Tock with Water Effects cel from "Peter Pan," 1953; Walt Disney Studios; Set over a hand prepared custom background; Size - Captain Hook & Tick-Tock: 11 1/4 x 5 1/2", Image 12 1/4 x 16"; Unframed.

The more contemporary Disney films seem to have much happier endings for the Villains. Cruella De Vil from "One Hundred and One Dalmatians" ends up in a car crush with her henchmen Horace and Jasper; and all three end up in a verbal argument. After the Wizard's duel with Merlin, Madam Mim from "The Sword In The Stone" is last seen sick in bed recovering from a disease caused by a Merlin, who had transformed himself into a germ. "The Jungle Book" is full of antagonists such as Kaa and King Louie who both escape any real punishment. Shere Khan is the primary villain, who ends up running away with a burning tree branch attached to his tail; presumably escaping. Edgar, the butler from "The Aristocats" is trapped in a chest and shipped to Timbuktu. Madame Medusa from "The Rescuers" is last seen face to face with her two very angry crocodiles Brutus and Nero; but it seems unlikely that she would have suffered a terrible fate from her two spoiled pets.


Original hand painted production animation cels of Shere Khan and Kaa from "The Jungle Book," 1967, Walt Disney Studios; Set on a lithographic background; Size - Shere Khan cel: 10 x 12" and Image: 6 x 7 1/2";  Kaa cel: 8 x10" and Image 5 1/2 x 5 1/4", Total Image: 9 1/2 x 15", Frame 27 x 32 1/2"; Framed with a gold and black wood frame, three suede acid free mats, a gold wood fillet, and UV conservation clear glass.

Prince John, Sir Hiss, and the Sheriff of Nottingham from "Robin Hood" are caught and punished for their crimes. The end of the film has them in black and white stripped prison uniforms, toiling away in the royal rock pile. Ursula the Sea Witch from "The Little Mermaid" in the final end battle of the film, transforms herself to enormous size; but her fate is sealed when Prince Eric captains a ship that impales her with the ship's splintered bow. Ursula is then struck by a blast of lightening, electrocuting her, and ultimately dismembering her body. 


Original hand painted production animation cels 1) Prince John & Sir Hiss numbered 19 lower right w/production numbers & Disney seal lower right; 2) Sheriff of Nottingham numbered 467 lower right; Both from "Robin Hood," 1973; Set on a lithographic background; Size - Prince John and Sir Hiss 6 x 5 1/2", Sheriff 7 x 7 1/2"; Image 10 1/4 x 13"; Frame 24 x 28"; Framed with silver & grey wood frame & fillet, suede acid free mat, and UV conservation clear glass.

The conclusion is that even though there may be a very happy ending for the protagonists in the Disney films, there is not necessarily a satisfying justice verdict for the Villains. Still, so many animation collectors want artwork of these foes. They are wonderful characters that we all love to hate. Without the Villains, there would be no rip roaring roller coaster of a ride at the movies!


Original hand painted production animation cels of Ursula and her tentacles numbered W99 and T99 on a lithographic copy of a production background from "The Little Mermaid," 1989, Walt Disney Studios; Disney seal upper right; Hand signed in ink by her Disney animator Rubin Aquino upper left; Size - Ursula 6 3/4 x 11", Image 9 x 12", Frame 19 x 21 1/2"; Framed using a solid purple stained wood frame, two acid free linen mats, a black wood fillet, and plexiglass.

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