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Monday, April 25, 2005
My favorite Disney villain
By Miguel Antonio N. Lizada
Kuya's Chair
A FEW days ago, my friends and I talked about our favorite TV shows and movies. The conversation however ended up with the question "Who is your favorite Disney villain?"
I guess the question could also be interpreted as "Who is the most "evil" of all Disney villains?"Some answered Jafar from Aladdin, others, Scar from The Lion King.
For me however, my favorite and arguably the most evil villain that Disney has ever portrayed is Judge Claude Frollo of The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
Unlike any other Disney villains, Frollo's evil lies in his self-righteous and manipulative nature. Jafar has his serpent scepter, Scar has his hyenas, Ursula has his underwater witchcraft.
Frollo however, does not possess any of these. Unlike his fellow villains, Frollo's evil is very human.
His power and source of evil do not come from supernatural and physical sources. Rather, they stem from something that is both human and closer to home. He did not sow misery and despair to the people of Paris through spells and bewitchment but rather through a series of manipulation and false teachings--something that anybody could do.
What makes Frollo all the more despicable however is the fact that he is blinded by a cloud of self-righteousness and hypocrisy. Jafar knows that what he is doing is "bad" yet he persists in doing so.
Scar knows he is evil by plotting to kill his brother and nephew. Frollo, on the other hand, performs his heinous and criminal acts and claims that what he is doing is just and right.
These are reasons why I believe Frollo is the most evil Disney villain of all.He is not just evil, he is also hypocritical. But more than that, Frollo is interesting and disturbing because the source of his evil is a very human one. He is manipulative and mysterious. He is my favorite because I believe that he is the "bad guy" that is closest to home.
The function of any villain in a movie is to embody the characteristics that the audience should despise and refuse to imitate. Frollo represents the dark human characteristics of hypocrisy, deceit and manipulation--characteristics prevalent throughout human history.
The story and tragedy of Judge Claude Frollo should constantly remind us that one does not need to be physically strong or have all sorts of spells to be evil. Evil does not simply come from supernatural and natural sources. It can also stem from something human.
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