Originally Posted By basil fan I always found Gibber so funny. He'd whisper something & then Don K's answer would just roll you on the floor. Phil's Hero Rules <a href="http://www.whatsitsgalore.com/disney/hero.html" target="_blank">http://www.whatsitsgalore.com/ disney/hero.html</a>
Originally Posted By vbdad55 I love this book -- I have a signed copy I got at the Animation Celection - an art gallery that was in La Jolla in November of '93 -- met both - they were great and drew me as a 'villain' in a quick sketch with the autographs
Originally Posted By FiveBearRugs *plots to steal the book and 'alter' the sketch* Animation Celection...I've heard of them via eBay...they occasionally email me Villain cels that are on sale. What was it like meeting Frank and Ollie, and what kind of a Villain did they draw you as? That is so cool, btw!
Originally Posted By TALL Disney Guy And you call yourself a villains expert? Well, to keep your title, you need to be straightened out a bit: <You know...Maleficent was a cool Villain, but she really didn't have any depth to her. She spent a lot of time with speeches and zapping her goons and making entrances and exits. She waited around for 16 years sitting in her castle instead of hunting for Aurora herself (at least the Three Good Busybodies messed up big time for her). Even Malef's sorority sisters such as Cruella, Ursula and the Evil Queen were constantly plotting, constantly scheming and setting out to do the task at hand.> On these claims, I feel very insulted on Maleficent's behalf. She is one of the most complex and fascinating villains in the entire Disney canon. The excuses you cite, you're simply pretty much quoting from Frank and Ollie's flawed-but-generally-wonderful book. She doesn't even ever technically give "speeches". She has some big moments, but not a true "speech" IMO, excepting perhaps her torment of Prince Phillip in his cel. She has a subtle sense of humor which villains like Cruella and the Evil Queen do not have ("...even the rabble", "For the first time in sixteen years, I shall sleep well,", etc.). Also, she only "zaps" her goons in one scene. She had her goons doing her hunting for her because she is far above such pedestrian labor herself. Instead, night after night, she laid down in her what-must-look-fascinating villanious bedchamber not able to sleep through the night until the girl was found. In fact, she set out to do it herself *after* her minions failed her, which was exactly what the Queen, Cruella, Urusla, et al. did. And having her own evil abode with such a dark mysterious past of its own only makes her that much more interesting. I love and respect Frank, Ollie, Marc, etc. of course for their wonderful work, but like Deems Taylor says in "Fantasia", "sometimes an artist can be wrong about his own work"---how these men try to point out that "she was all in black, and black is not color--it's an absence of light, so there's a hole in those scenes", is utterly ridiculous and groundless IMO. The Evil Queen had a black cape, and her disguise was---guess what? ALL BLACK. Urusla's lower body and tentacles? ALL BLACK. Chernabog? ALL BLACK. Why on earth they decided that was a point of arguable merit to somehow lessen the effect of Maleficent was always rubbish to me. Black has a purpose, and it suits Maleficent extremely well. I don't "sense a hole" on screen during her scenes because it's an "absence of light", she is the Mistress of All Evilâ„¢, and as such, I would expect nothing less but much BLACK from her. That said, her animation, physical appearance, and Eleanor Audley's coldly elegant voice all add up to one of the best Disney villains on screen. Even Ms. Audley's wonderful vocal renderings automatically give layers to her character. To me she has much depth, because we're also fed just enough details on her to get a wonderful picture of who this mysterious villainess is, yet kept thirsting for still more because she is that juicy. <---steps off soap-box, sits FiveBearRugs in the corner to think about the discredit he has tried to turn on Maleficent before he can play on LP again
Originally Posted By Liberty Belle Aw, hell yeah, TDG - Maleficent kicks butt (as does the movie she stars in, as you well know!) The bit about the black clothes puzzled me, too - her whole appearance was incredibly dramatic and memorable, and I can't really think of any other colour that would have looked as effective except possibly red (purple as well but, obviously, her robes already HAVE purple on them). She was aloof, and not bothered with the "fiddly" details of going out and searching for Aurora herself. Most people I know (myself included) list Maleficent in at least their top 5 favourite villains, and most have her at number 1, so that has to say *something* for the strength of her character.
Originally Posted By jasmine7 Preach it, TDG!! Maleficent is one of the all-time best Disney villains, and you summed her up perfectly.
Originally Posted By DlandDug OK. But how come (to borrow an awkward phrase from another site) is Maleficent considered another fairy, when she bears virtually no resemblance to Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather?
Originally Posted By FiveBearRugs ^^^Because Maleficent is in shape unlike those winged Golden Girls. TDG, why are you not in the Muppet Show Season 2 DVD thread that I created? I even tried to email you but it came back to me. And TDG...reelaaaaaaaax baby...you are talking to the Most Evilest LPer in the Worldâ„¢. Why on earth would I go off and want to discredit my soul sister Maleficent? In fact, she's pretty much the center Villain on my bookshelf amidst the other Villains. Perhaps I felt that she didn't have any depth because she wasn't onscreen a whole lot until after Aurora was captured. She is a very subtle, reserved private Villain, unlike her sinister sisters. I do like the fact that even though she dresses in black and purple, she still has time to paint her nails red. I also prefer her over Ursula and Cruella as well. I probably was just requoting Frank and Ollie to show the irony of their statements; they don't treat Maleficent very nicely, but she is the most popular and respected of all the Disney Villains. Who is the main Disney Villain in the Kingdom Hearts series? Maleficent. Who is the most dangerous arsenal in the Villain gang in Fantasmic!? Maleficent. What Villain was the first (and so far only) one to have their own big figure? Maleficent. Maleficent was also the subject of a Villains semi-snowglobe. It was a smiling figure of her while she was surrounded by bubbles that featured various Villains and Villain items (Hook, Shere Khan, Willie the Giant, Lucifer, goon, poison apple, etc).
Originally Posted By TALL Disney Guy It's all good, just felt I had to counter-act those Frank & Ollie viewpoints. ;-) And Dug, she's an "evil" fairy, so I guess that means she can be a lot bigger, more powerful, and completely different-looking with merit. I can accept that. Then again, sometimes Disney cites her as a "witch", though it's usually "fairy". (and about The Muppet Show, let's just say I've been "ahead of the game" thanks to some trades in the past, so not as exciting for me, lol)
Originally Posted By FiveBearRugs Of course you're ahead in the game... you're the LP of the Muppet World... now go post in Community and reveal your return to everyone, pronto! You should be excited, TDG...Richard Hunt gets to voice Janice from 1977 until his death in 1992, fer sure! Only 2 more seasons until the Electric Mayhem rescues her from the idol in the Linda Carter episode!
Originally Posted By Liberty Belle >>Maleficent was also the subject of a Villains semi-snowglobe. It was a smiling figure of her while she was surrounded by bubbles that featured various Villains and Villain items (Hook, Shere Khan, Willie the Giant, Lucifer, goon, poison apple, etc).<< I own that. Perhaps not the most useful contribution to the conversation, but I do. My godmother gave me money for my 21st, I bought that, she complained. I think she thought I was going to use it on something "practical".
Originally Posted By FiveBearRugs She must have been a Three Little Pigs fan. *rimshot* I remember seeing that snowglobe at DL a few years ago...it might have been '02 or '04. Don't feel too bad LiBel...my family criticizes me for having a "lot" of Disney stuff (HA!)...
Originally Posted By CuriosWolfSo >>my family criticizes me for having a "lot" of Disney stuff (HA!)...<< Oh really, 5BR? *Driving a truck full of Disney villain merchandise to 5BR's lair* Now THIS is a lot! ;O)
