They’ve come in many guises over the years, from the monarchical to the Machiavellian, monsters to muscle men, sorcerers, schemers and step-parents. And they have shown levels of genius, incompetence and everything in between in their efforts to thwart our heroes. But they are always without fail ambitious, self-serving and strangely compelling.

In a world of promoting good virtues to children, good must always triumph over evil. And so, Disney villains can’t be left to return and cause havoc another day (unless it’s in an inconsequential direct-to-video sequel) and so usually meet their maker in one of a variety of inventive and sometimes gruesome ways.

If the Disney Princess is the most merchandisable element of the Disney canon, then the villains are a close second and inspire even more fervour among adult fans, perhaps because they’re usually more flawed and interesting than the heroes and especially when so many are (intentionally or not) queer-coded, fabulously designed and played with gusto by talented voice actors giving it their all. 

For this edition of Ranked, we at The Film Magazine have taken every significant villain to be found in Disney animation and ordered them in terms of wickedness, memorability and the threat they represent to our heroes and heroines. So practice your diabolical laughter, rehearse your evil monologue, dust off your best purple attire and enjoy Animated Disney Villains Ranked. 

Follow @thefilmagazine on X (Twitter).

36. King Candy – Wreck-It Ralph (2012)

The ruler of arcade racing video game Sugar Rush who is actually Turbo, the resentful title character of a long-disconnected game.

Alan Tudyk has been Disney’s good luck charm in recent years and delivers a manic performance here as a mascot-gone-wrong, but the vocals have to do most of the work to enliven a baddie who’s just not interesting enough to match the heroes.

Demise by: Destroyed by the collapse of Diet Cola Mountain with the addition of Mentos.

35. Prince Hans – Frozen (2013)

A seemingly classic Prince Charming who is actually conspiring to eliminate both heirs to the Arendelle throne and claim it for himself.

Hans is a duplicitous, generic British-accented baddie revealed in the film’s final act, who gets some bonus evil points for taking advantage of Princess Anna’s emotions the way he does, purely to advance himself.

Demise by: Survives but is arrested and banished for his treachery.

Recommended for you: Best Animated Feature Oscar Winners Ranked

34. Alameda Slim – Home on the Range (2004)

An evil cattle rustler and conman who plans to cheat every rancher he can find out of their land.

Randy Quaid’s growling delivery and the character’s hilariously unconvincing Inspector Clouseau-level disguises aside, what makes Alameda Slim stand out is that he’s a rare villain who uses a combination of theft, foreclosure and cow-hypnotising yodelling to get what he wants.

Demise by: Survives, but his schemes and true identity as a rustler are exposed and the reward for his arrest is claimed.

33. Dr Jumba Jookiba – Lilo & Stitch (2002)

An alien mad scientist on the hunt for his dangerous but cute creation on Earth on the orders of the council who imprisoned him for his work.

Dr Jumba is probably the only character who never underestimates the cute blue title character because he was the one who genetically engineered “Experiment 626” and is fully aware of his destructive capabilities. He finds himself lower down this list for being bumbling and for having a late change of heart, eventually helping to protect Stitch when the council’s military arrives to complete his mission with extreme prejudice.

Demise by: Survives to live a fairly happy exile alongside Stitch on Earth.

The Little Mermaid (2023)
Director: Rob Marshall
Screenwriter: David Magee
Starring: Halle Bailey, Johan Hauer-King, Daveed Diggs, Awkwafina, Jacob Tremblay, Noma Dumezweni, Art Malik, Javier Bardem, Melissa McCarthy

For months leading up to the release of The Little Mermaid, Disney promoted their 2023 iteration as being a bold, feminist update of its 1989 animated classic. This tactic is nothing new for Disney. For nearly 10 years, beginning with Cinderella in 2015, Disney has been steadily working toward remaking all of its animated movies, justifying their existence by saying they were correcting all of the problematic, sexist, and outdated things found in the originals. But, as should be abundantly clear by now, Disney is not so much interested in progress as it is in the appearance of it. The company’s recent attempts at diversity are shallow at best and disingenuous at worst. The Little Mermaid is no exception, and not even Halle Bailey’s powerhouse vocals can save this movie from being revealed as the soulless cash grab that it is.

Despite being advertised as fresh and inventive, The Little Mermaid sticks to all of the same story beats as the original – without any of the emotional weight – save for a few exceptions. This movie has nothing to say that hasn’t already been said, and the changes the filmmakers do end up making create one big convoluted mess that robs Ariel of her agency more than it adds to it.

Halle Bailey tries. She really does. But she is utterly on her own, desperately trying to add some magic to a movie completely devoid of life. Her vocal performance is the only highlight of The Little Mermaid (2023), and her version of “Part of Your World” is delightfully different from Jodi Benson’s. It’s a treat to listen to. But when she isn’t singing, Bailey is lost. Instead of trying enthusiastically to covey her feelings by any means necessary, Ariel goes through the middle of the movie completely checked out. Instead of excitement and curiosity for the human world, Bailey plays her as confused, walking around with a blank stare for much of the last half of the movie.

The rest of the cast’s performances are dull and uninspired. Oscar-winner Javier Bardem is utterly bored as King Triton, and Oscar-nominee Melissa McCarthy lacks the gravitas and allure of Pat Carroll’s original vocal performance. Ariel’s sisters are essentially non-characters, which is certainly a choice considering Disney went to the trouble of making and trying to market dolls of them. Awkwafina and Daveed Diggs are fine, if a little annoying, as Scuttle and Sebastian respectively, but they’re constantly dragged down by the fact that Disney’s creepy, pseudo-photo-realistic animals are incapable of emoting.

The decision to downplay Ariel’s affection and attraction to Eric (Johan Hauer-King) is bewildering. The criticism that Ariel only wanted to become human and leave her culture behind for a man doesn’t have any basis in the original film. As it has been pointed out countless times, Ariel sings “Part of Your World” before she even meets Eric. Her wants and desires are made abundantly clear. But since Disney is committed to fundamentally misunderstanding its own film, Rob Marshall and screenwriter David Magee overcorrect to the point where Ariel seems completely indifferent to Eric. She never confirms nor denies her feelings for him, and when she decides to take Ursula’s deal, she just seems stupid rather than reckless and desperate to get what she wants. Ariel’s steadfast belief that she has found her true love is a feature, not a bug, and the idea that women cannot be strong characters while also being in love is not the feminist statement Disney thinks it is.

While the filmmakers attempt to add depth to the central relationship, it’s obvious how afraid they are of expressing any kind of genuine passion on screen. Hauer-King’s dead-eyed portrayal of Eric doesn’t help matters, and their scenes simply bloat the runtime instead of adding anything substantial to the story.

The much-discussed lyric changes to “Poor Unfortunate Souls” and “Kiss the Girl” don’t end up making any more sense in context than they did before the movie was released. In general, though, The Little Mermaid doesn’t seem interested in being a musical. The filmmakers cut most of the ensemble music in favor of new tunes written by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Alan Menken. Scuttle’s song is so unnecessary and grating that it’s difficult to listen to, and Miranda’s signature style just doesn’t mesh with the rest of the songs. He may be in demand now, but Howard Ashman he is not.

The movie doesn’t begin with a concert. We don’t see the vast sea palace or get to see Ariel’s sisters introduce themselves through song. Instead, the movie begins with a mermaid council meeting – one that is exactly as boring as it sounds. Rob Marshall is no stranger to musicals – he directed the Oscar-winning adaptation of Chicago – so it’s difficult to understand what exactly went wrong here. But the camera work is lazy and unimaginative, and the editing doesn’t match the energy of the songs, the latter of which is especially egregious during “Under the Sea”.

The underwater scenes are passable, but there does seem to be a layer of grime over every frame as if Ariel lives in a murky lake rather than a vast, colorful ocean. It’s difficult to see Ariel’s treasure trove and it’s nearly impossible to make out Ursula’s shape against the darkened sky during the climax of the film. When films like Avatar exist it’s hard to forgive how uncanny everything looks.

Ariel does save the day in the end, but it’s too little too late. Disney’s inability to take a risk and make something truly subversive and bold is the film’s ultimate downfall. Young girls shouldn’t have to settle for a half-assed attempt at representation. They should be given their own stories and their own adventures, instead of a pale imitation of a much better movie.

Score: 6/24

In this edition of Ranked, what follows is The Film Magazine’s ranking of Disney’s cinematic output over the decade 1989-1999, known as the Disney Renaissance.

Honourable mention: A Goofy Movie (1995)

While my fellow millennials might feel a bit sore that A Goofy Movie isn’t included on this list, here’s the rationale…

While it was produced during Disney’s Renaissance period, it was made by Disney’s B team as a follow-up to Goofy’s TV series and did not have the studio’s full creative weight thrown behind it, nor the budget. It’s still a cute and heartfelt movie about growing pains and daddy issues, but not a game-changer like all the other films on this list.

10. Pocahontas (1995)

Very loosely based on historical figures, the daughter of a Powhatan chief falls for an English soldier and must chose a side in a war against her people.

I think they were going for earnest with Pocahontas, but unfortunately they ended up coming across as patronising. John Smith really is the worst isn’t he?

Quite aside from how unpalatable a personality Gibson has become over the years, his character here mansplains the concept of civilisation to an indigenous woman. That’s much worse than the actual villain who’s just egotistical and greedy.

The animal sidekicks are cute, but this ends up being stuck halfway between merchandisable entertainment and aiming for prestige.

Animation game-changer: Disney’s first lead character from an indigenous people and their first story inspired by the lives of real people as opposed to fairy tales.

Magical moment: Pocahontas’ efforts to humble the arrogant John Smith and his narrow worldview with undeniable earworm “Colours of the Wind” is gorgeously animated, transitioning between vignettes of nature in harmony linked by living watercolour.

Mark Wahlberg is in final talks to co-star with Tom Holland in Uncharted, Sony’s upcoming adaptation of their famed video game franchise. If the deal is completed, Wahlberg will play the mentor figure of Tom Holland’s lead protagonist Nathan Drake, Victory “Sully” Sullivan.

Variety – 13th Nov 2019

Nicolas Cage is in final talks to star as himself in a meta-drama titled The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent from screenwriter-director Tom Gormican (That Awkward Moment) and his writing partner Kevin Etten. The project will reportedly reference some of Cage’s biggest hits, including Face/Off, and will feature Cage as a version of himself desperate to land a role in the latest Quentin Tarantino movie while dealing with strains in his relationship to his teenage daughter. If the deal goes ahead, this film will mark the first studio project Cage has starred in since the 2nd Ghost Rider movie in 2011.

THR – 15th Nov 2019

Netflix are to make a sequel to the Beverly Hills Cop franchise in a one-time deal with IP owners Paramount that will see a 4th instalment head directly to the streaming service. Original star Eddie Murphy will return for the movie set to be directed by Belgian filmmakers Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah (Gangsta – 2018) and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer.

THR – 14th Nov 2019

One half of the Coen Brothers, Joel Coen, is set to adapt famous Shakespeare play “Macbeth”, and is reportedly looking to cast In Bruges and Harry Potter actor Brendan Gleeson as King Duncan. If a deal is made, Gleeson will join Denzel Washington, who is set to play the film’s titular character.

Collider – 12th Nov 2019

Jonah Hauer-King of ‘World on Fire’ fame has landed the role of Prince Eric in Disney’s upcoming live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid. The British born actor joins Halle Bailey, Melissa McCarthy, Javier Bardem, Awkwafina and Jacob Tremblay in the movie set to be directed by Chicago and Mary Poppins Returns director Rob Marshall,and lands the role following earlier reports that former One Direction member Harry Styles backed out of a proposed agreement.

Empire – 13th Nov 2019

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson this week revealed that the upcoming Shazam! universe DC Comics title Black Adam, in which he will star as the titular character, will be arriving in cinemas on 22nd Dec 2021.

 

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Details have emerged of the next directorial project for There Will Be Blood and Phantom Thread director Paul Thomas Anderson, with The Hollywood Reporter reporting that the film will be set in a high school in the 1970s and centre around a successful child actor. The film, which will reportedly feature several narratives, is set to begin filming in 2020 with casting already underway for the yet-to-be-titled feature.

THR – 12th Nov 2019

BlackKklansman director Spike Lee will direct Legendary’s 1980s-set “hip-hop Romeo & Juliet” graphic novel adaptation Prince of Cats. The filmmaker will team with the original graphic novel’s writer and illustrator Ron Wimberly and screenwriter Selwyn Seyfu Hinds (‘The Twilight Zone’) to develop a screenplay.

THR – 13th Nov 2019

The Big Short and Vice director Adam McKay is setting up his latest movie, which is set to be a meteor disaster satire he described to Deadline as “dark satire in the school of Wag the Dog, Dr. Strangelove and Network” and will be about “two mid-level astronomers discover a meteorite will destroy earth in six months and must go on a media tour to warn mankind”.

Deadline – 8th Nov 2019

The Last Duel, a new film from director-producer Ridley Scott and screenwriters Matt Damon, Ben Affleck and Nicole Holofcener, has been given a 25th Dec 2020 release date by Fox Searchlight and Disney, placing it in a peak awards season window. The film, which is set to star Damon, Affleck, Star Wars star Adam Driver and Jodie Comer, is a 14th century epic set in France.

Variety – 15th Nov 2019

Thor: Ragnarok and Jojo Rabbit director Taika Waititi has completed the cast of his next project as newcomer Kaimana has been taken aboard to portray Jaiyah Saelua, the first nonbinary player to compete in a men’s FIFA World Cup qualifier. The film, titled Next Goal Wins and based upon the British documentary of the same name by Mike Brett and Steve Jamison, is an underdog story of the American Samoa football team trying to overcome their status of perennial losers. Michael Fassbender has already been cast as the team’s coach, while Elisabeth Moss is also set to co-star.

THR – 14th Nov 2019

Amazon Studios seem to be in the midst of a shake-up as their Head of Production and Operations John Lynch has left his position. Though details are currently sketchy as regards a reason why he has left the role, Lynch did reportedly tell employees on Friday that his tenure was over.

Variety – 15th Nov 2019

Amazon have signed a multi-year deal with Lionsgate to ensure the studio’s releases will be featured exclusively on Amazon Prime in the UK during the first streaming window. Recent titles Knives Out, Midway and Bombshell will be among the first releases to be included in the deal.

THR – 14th Nov 2019

And finally…

Czech filmmaker Vojtech Jasny, best known for winning the Cannes Best Director award in 1969 for his work on All My Good Countrymen, has passed away aged 93.

THR – 16th Nov 2019

Moana joins Snow White, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Ariel, Belle, Jasmine, Pocahontas, Mulan, Tiana, Rapunzel, and Merida as the latest role model. (Fun Fact: Elsa, an actual Queen, and Anna, an actual Princess, are not included in the princesses brand due to the overwhelming success of Frozen as its own entity.) To compare, for example, Mulan with Cinderella is a futile task for many reasons, and each princess does bring their own sense of empowerment to inspire young girls.

A key facet of being a Disney heroine is the interactions she has with the main man in her life: her father. The expectations of the daughter of the king (sultan, chieftain etc.) are placed heavily atop the princess’s head as though it were a Lead tiara. Discounting the earliest of the princesses (conceived in 1937, 1950, and 1959 respectively) who represented the demure grace of the daydreaming damsel in distress, 1989’s The Little Mermaid introduced us to Ariel, the first real princess who knew what she wanted and was determined to go for it.

Ariel, the inaugural character of the Disney Renaissance, was, as the title suggests, a mermaid. Daughter of Triton, King of the Sea, Ariel was the youngest of a line of mermaid princesses, each exhibiting the qualities that Triton deemed worthy of a mermaid princess. But not Ariel. Ariel was obsessed with the world up there (our world) and everything about it. Especially Prince Eric, who she happened to save from dying in a shipwreck. As she sings about joining his world, he comes to, and she flips away, but he does remember her singing voice.

Through trickery and deceit, Ariel makes a pact with the Sea Witch Ursula to trade her voice for a pair of human legs in order to win Eric’s heart. After all, “Human men prefer their women silent.” If she can win him over and get true love’s kiss within three days, she gets her voice back, keeps her legs, and they get their happily ever after.

Keeping with the nautical theme, Moana is the daughter of the village chief of somewhere in the Pacific Ocean. She is given a quest by the ocean to restore the heart of goddess Te Fiti in order to stop the blight that is passing through the nearby islands. Moana, like Ariel with humans, is obsessed with voyaging beyond their reef.

When she learns she is a descendant of voyagers, her obsession reaches fever pitch and she breaks off to find Maui, the demigod who can help her return the heart of Te Fiti. Narratives aside, both films depict a young woman, who is expected to inherit a position from her father, breaking away and venturing into lands unknown on their own whim. But the films differ largely by how the heroines’ fathers treat them.

The motivation for both characters is to travel beyond what they know, to learn more, to become independent and self-sufficient, and to decide what they want their lives to become. An issue as equally important in 2016 as it was 27 years earlier. The thing standing in their way: dear old dad. Triton and Chief Tui are similar in that both are motivated by the fear of something happening to their daughters in these unfamiliar new worlds. Tui experienced a friend’s death while voyaging in the ocean and is therefore scared that something similar will happen to Moana. Triton is just scared of humans and our wicked ways (the film came out the same year as the Exxon Valdez oil spill, so he kind of has a point). Chief Tui explains, firmly, that he doesn’t want Moana to suffer the fate of his friend and he is preventing her from voyaging in order to protect her. Triton demands that his daughter stay put under the sea. The approach the fathers take, nearly three decades apart, are a reflection of women’s values and the growth that they have undertaken since 1989. We understand Tui’s reasoning and he offers Moana the chance to rule her own island. Triton, on the other hand, seems to be throwing his weight about because he is the King of the Sea.

The interaction with their fathers represents the interactions young girls have with first male figure in their lives, and it can have an affect on how they view men and how they view themselves. Disney’s evolution of how its princesses interact with their fathers offers young girls some form of solace in their own troubles (albeit of a much tamer nature). Growing up with Triton, Ariel was determined to see what it was like in the human world. To rebel against her father, she made a hasty deal with her version of the devil. The rebellion, arguably at this point, just to see Eric again and be silent doing it, paints a negative picture. Ariel runs away from the controlling man in her life into the arms of one she barely knows, but a man whom represents the vast expanse of the human world. Conversely, growing up with Tui, Moana believes he is too cautious and she knows best (and is largely spurned on by her mother). She rebels because of her affinity with the ocean and her belief that she is the only one to save their island. How selfless. Tui’s cautiousness is counteracted with Moana’s love of adventure, which is wrapped up in helping her island and her people. Tui led from the island, Moana will lead from the sea.

Overall, every Disney princess is a paragon of womanhood, and a different aspect can be taken from each as a strong positive role model for young girls. But, it has to be noted that each new princess becomes just that bit more rounded and fleshed out as a strong woman, not just in femininity and grace, but in heart and mind.

Honourable Mentions:

Belle (Beauty and the Beast) maintains a strong relationship with her father, who is often credited with being the reason she herself has her ‘head in the clouds’. Although… he does wind up getting himself into trouble and, through her having to save him, she is locked away in a castle by a Beast.

Jasmine (Aladdin) and Merida (Brave) are the product of their fathers wanting to have them married off. While Jasmine eventually resigns to the fact that a Sultan’s daughter is a powerful political weapon in foreign policy, Merida refuses to marry anyone, and instead takes her own hand in marriage. Almost 20 years separate the films, reflecting the cultural move away from marrying and staying at home being the norm.

Pocahontas and Mulan are both based on true stories, although it should be noted that Pocahontas is the Chief’s daughter and he is concerned more with her getting married than learning the ropes of running the tribe.

Tiana (Princess and the Frog) and Rapunzel (Tangled) have negligible interactions with their fathers, which in itself shows a move away from being ‘x, the daughter of y’, to being a woman standing on her own.

Written by James Cullen

Number 30: Hercules becomes a God –Hercules (1997)

‘Hercules’ at 25 – Review

Number 29: Higitus Figitus. Merlin works his magic – The Sword in the Stone (1963)

Number 28: The Evil Queens evil plan – Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)

Number 27: Pink Elephants on Parade – Dumbo (1941)

Recommended for you: Tim Burton Movies Ranked

Number 26: Copper saves Todd – The Fox and the Hound (1981)

Number 25: Ohana means family – Lilo and Stich (2002)

Number 24: Mulan gets ready for war – Mulan (1998)

Mulan (1998) Review

Number 23: Ray is united with Evangeline –Princess and the Frog (2009)

Number 22: Pocahontas meets John Smith –Pocahontas (1995)

Number 21: Under the Sea – The Little Mermaid (1989)

Number 20: Alice goes down the rabbit hole – Alice in Wonderland (1951)

Number 19: True love’s kiss – Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)

Number 18: 101! – 101 Dalmations (1961)

Number 17: Aladdin wishes Genie to be free – Aladdin (1992)

Number 16: Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo – Cinderella (1950)

Number 15: Steamboat Willie – Steamboat Willie (1928)

Number 14: Everybody wants to be a cat – The Aristocats (1970)

Number 13 – I’m a real boy – Pinnochio (1940)

Number 12: The Bare Necessities – The Jungle Book (1967)

Number 11: Bambi goes ice skating – Bambi (1942)

Number 10: Let It go – Frozen (2013)

Recommended for you: 4 Most Depressing Disney Moments

Number 9 – The Circle of Life – The Lion King (1994)

Number 8: Ariel gives up her voice – The Little Mermaid (1989)

Recommended for you: The Evolution of Disney Dads

Number 7: The Floating Lights – Tangled (2010)

Number 6: Off to Neverland – Peter Pan (1953)

Number 5: Maleficent crashes the party – Sleeping Beauty (1959)

Number 4: Bella Notte – Lady and the Tramp (1955)

Number 3: Mickey’s dancing brooms – Fantasia (1940)

Number 2: Long Live The King – The Lion King (1994)

Number 1: The Dance – Beauty and the Beast (1991)

Recommended for you: Disney Renaissance Movies Ranked

What are your favourite Disney moments? Let us know in the comments and be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for updates on more articles like this one.

As Halloween draws ever closer, I’m taking a look at 10 of favourite animated films comparing their roots as disturbing and horrifying folk stories to their modern day image as classic children’s fairy tales, beginning with Snow White.

The version you know

Disney’s first length feature animated film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs follows the beautiful and young Snow White who lives happily in her castle in the forest with her Stepmother the evil Queen. The wicked Queen possesses a magic mirror and every day she asks “Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all”, to which the mirror always replies telling the Queen that it is her who is the fairest in the land. This is until Snow White comes of age and one day when the Queen asks her daily question the mirror replies that Snow White is now the fairest of them all. In a fit of rage the Queen orders a huntsman to follow Snow White into the forest and kill her, bringing back her heart as proof that she is dead, and that once again the Queen is the fairest in the land.

The huntsman cannot bring himself to kill Snow White and instead tells her to run off into the woods and never come back and takes for the Queen the heart of a pig instead, the Queen sees through this however when she asks her magic mirror and it replies that Snow White is still  the fairest of them all. In the mean time Snow White with the help of some friendly woodland animals finds a cottage in the woods and after cleaning it she falls asleep across the seven tiny beds. When the seven dwarfs who work in the local coal mine return home they eventually warm to Snow White and agree to let her stay.

The wicked Queen decides the best way to retain her title as the fairest of them all is to off Snow White with poison, so disguised as an old woman she hunts Snow White down in the forest and offers her a lovely red apple. Snow White falls into an eternal slumber that can only be woken by true love’s kiss and the dwarfs place her in a glass coffin. One day a Prince happens upon the scene, he having fallen in love with Snow White when she lived at the castle opens the coffin and kisses Snow White, breaking the spell and awakening her. The seven dwarfs and Snow White’s animal friends all rejoice, and everyone lived happily ever after.

The original version

There are a few early versions of Snow White but perhaps the most well known one is German folk tale Schneewittchen written by the Brothers Grimm (remember Grimm by name, grim by nature) who wrote many different versions of the story themselves. Whilst Disney does stay true to a lot of the original folk tale its deviations happen mostly after Snow White has, at the advice of the huntsman, fled and taken shelter in the home of the seven dwarfs. The dwarfs warn Snow White not to let anyone into the cottage whilst they are out mining in the mountains.

The Queen does not find it so easy to kill Snow White as she does in the Disney version, first she pretends to be a gypsy offering Snow White a lacy bodice as a present, she laces it up so light Snow White passes out and the Queen leaves assuming she will die. The next morning however when she asks her magic mirror it informs her of Snow Whites survival, the dwarfs having returned just in time to loosen the bodice saving Snow White. The Queen’s next attempt at returning to be the fairest of them all involves her posing as a comb seller and combing Snow White’s hair with a poisoned comb, but again her plan is thwarted when again the dwarfs arrive just in time and manage to revive her. The final attempt made by the Queen to get rid of Snow White is with the famous poisoned apple, taking half for herself and offering the poisoned half to Snow White who then falls into a state of suspended animation. The dwarfs are unable to save her as they cannot find the cause of her apparent death.

The next part is fairly similar to the Disney re-write wherein the Dwarfs place Snow White in a glass coffin and a Prince eventually finds them. However the Prince does not kiss Snow White bringing her back to life, instead he barters with the dwarfs for the coffin as he has fallen in love with her beauty. The dwarfs eventually give in and allow the Prince to take the coffin, whilst being carried by his servants they stumble and drop the coffin which dislodges the apple from Snow White’s throat and she wakes up. The Price declares his love for Snow White and they announce their engagement, all the Kings and Queens of the land are to be invited, including Snow White’s stepmother.

The Queen asks her mirror again who is the fairest of them all, to which it replies “You, my queen, are fair so true. But the young Queen is a thousand times fairer than you.” She tentatively accepts her invitation to the wedding, unbeknown to her that Snow White is the bride. At the wedding she realises the truth and a pair of red hot iron boots are brought forward for her and as punishment for her evil acts she is forced to put them on and dance herself to death. Everyone else lives happily ever after.
Other variations include the Queen being Snow White’s own mother, and rather than a huntsman the Queen instructs a servant to take Snow White into the woods to pick flowers and abandon her.

By Kat Lawson & Holly Bowler

15. Edgar Balthazar, The Aristocats, 1970.

Trying to do away with those adorable cats just to get your hands on Madame Adelaide’s fortune, shame on you Edgar.

14. Prince Hans, Frozen, 2013

Taking advantage of poor Princess Anna, she only wanted someone to love her. There’s a lesson here girls (and guys): the first person you meet might not always be Mr/Miss Right.

13. Gaston, Beauty and the Beast, 1991.

There is no need to lead a troop of angry villagers to try and kill the beast, it won’t make Belle love you any more! You just need to find a woman who likes you for your vain, narcissistic and villainous self, and leave Belle to her “happy ever after”.

Oh and never come between a girl and her books!

12. Lady Tremaine (The Evil Step Mother), Cinderella, 1950.

Wanting the best for your children is all well and good but it shouldn’t be at the expense of your step-child, and if you want a maid why not hire one? After all, you are the widow of a wealthy aristocrat; surely you can afford staff?

11. Dr Facilier (The Shadow Man), The Princess and the Frog, 2009.

Offering potions and lotions to people who want a way to make their hair grow again is one thing, offering the souls of New Orleans as payment for your dastardly schemes is just a little bit naughty, but we’re sure your “friends on the other side” will have fun with you.

10. Prince John & Sir Hiss, Robin Hood, 1973

Most of the comedy in this film is provided by the vain but clueless Prince John and his inability to listen to his assistant Sir Hiss. While his brother King Richard is off one “another crazy crusade” Prince John attempts to rule England with an iron fist (or paw) but is outwitted by Robin Hood and his gang who rob the rich to feed to poor.

No wonder Sir Hiss always looks panicked.

9. The Evil Queen, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, 1937

Snow White’s wicked step mother who becomes obsessed with offing Snow as soon as her magic mirror announces that Snow White is the fairest of them all, couldn’t just grow old gracefully could you?

8. Shere Khan & Kaa, The Jungle Book, 1967

Bengali Tiger Shere Khan stalks man-cub Mowgli through the jungles of India, his desire to kill him based on his hatred and fear of mankind with their fire and guns. Kaa the python on the other hand spend the film trying to eat Mowgli but fails comically each time.

7. Oogie Boogie, The Nightmare Before Christmas, 1993

Trying to kill Santa will only ever make everyone hate you, especially when you then try to assasinate the well loved skeleton king. Don’t be THAT guy Oogie!

6. Jafar, Aladdin, 1992

Look we know that you’re power crazy, you want the genie’s power and to be ruler of all Agrabah and marry Princess Jasmine, but sometimes you just have to learn to live with disappointment.

5. Ursula the Sea Witch, The Little Mermaid, 1989

Stealing an innocent mermaid’s voice so you can steal their man? That is one of the biggest betrayals in womanhood!

4. The Queen of Hearts, Alice in Wonderland, 1951

We all love a red rose as much as the next person, but did you really have to behead those playing cards for planting white ones? Everybody makes mistakes.

3. Cruella de Vil, One Hundred and One Dalmations, 1961

Attempted skinning of 101 dalmatians for a fur coat is the fastest way to be hated by everyone, living up to your evil name Cruella.

2. Maleficent, Sleeping Beauty, 1959

We hear you girl, nobody likes being missed off the invite list for a party, but there’s no need to curse a newborn baby for it is there? Oh apparently there is.

1. Scar, The Lion King, 1994

Attempted murder of your entire family will never make you a good leader, just feared and hated by your not so loyal subjects.

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