Ommen, M.I.D., van
(2022)
Are They Not So Bad, After All?
Master thesis, Master Geestelijke Verzorging.
Abstract
The conflict between good and evil has a long history in storytelling. Disney masters the depiction of heroes and villains in a dualistic paradigm, ensuring the audience a happy ending for the hero. In the last two decades, there has been a trend of live-action remakes of Disney’s animated movies in which the “classic” villain is re-imagined. The subject of this study is how the portrayal of villains in Disney movies changed over time, from the first feature-length animated movie to the live-action remakes in the 21st century. Disney movies are not merely cinematic entertainment for children and adults. On the contrary, the ongoing dialogue between media and the audience reflects and shapes society’s morality. 27 Disney films have been observed for the research. The animated movies with a live-action counterpart and the first feature-length animated movie Disney has ever made (Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, 1937) are included for the observation. The focus lies on the villains’ physical appearances, the motivations for their actions, and the way their storylines end in the movie’s plot. The literary review on narrative theory and film theory, moral psychology and Disney studies form the frame of reference in which the analysis is conducted. The findings of the research, the depiction of the villains in contrast to or in accordance with the animated movies, are the following: 1) the physical appearances of the villains are similar, depicting the malefactors with sharp facial features that resemble anger and disgust (as opposed to the hero that is portrayed with large and round features), and by continuing the use of the beauty-goodness stereotype; 2) in the remakes, the motivations of the villains are explained situational factors rather than behavioural ones, providing the villains with a background story containing mitigated circumstances, and; 3) the ending of the villains is more present and essential in the live-action remakes, and leave no room for the villains in a happy ending. The (classic) villains are either excluded from the plot (by death, imprisonment or banishment) or able to reconcile with their victims. The concepts of forgiveness and reconciliation are new in the live-action remakes but are portrayed in an oversimplified manner: a hug and an apology are a “quick fix” for the harm and wrong the victims have experienced. The relational aspect of forgiveness is reduced to a therapeutic and individualistic approach, centralising self-healing. It is a trend to be weary of, considering Disney’s role as a moral educator and the reflection of society’s morality in films. Most of all, the audience is introduced to the complexity of villainous characters and storylines, enticed to sympathise with the villains and wonder: perhaps, they are not so bad after all.
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