Particularly in Disney’s two-dimensional animated films, there is something strangely likable about the villains that draws to them. They are sarcastic and humorous while remaining threatening and evil. Although not quite belonging in the horror genre, these villains highlight a peculiar question: why, even as children, are audience attracted to figures meant to represent evil and, more often than not, world domination.
Noel Carroll’s theory that fear and laugher are caused by conflicting triggers makes sense in this case study. Where laughter is meant as a form of release, horror causes tension in the body and paranoia in the mind. However, Disney villains present their dark plots in song form, thus preventing audience from recognizing this pressure and paranoia. When a villain’s song is catchy, the audience will pay more attention to the rhythm of the song than the lyrics describing the villains plots of world domination, genocide, murder and enslavement. The villains plans would horrify audiences if placed in any other context. But because they are revealed through song by a sarcastic and charismatic character, audiences gravitate towards the villains.
It is interesting how Disney in particular manages to successfully combine such distant emotions as fear and laughter. It proves once again that the presentation of a villain/monster/dangerous situation is key to how audiences react to it. I think it will be fair to say that without their evil characters, Disney movies wouldn’t be as memorable and beloved by so many people of all ages, which shows that even in the very young age, we are already attracted to the stories that incorporate elements of both comedy and horror.
I think this example directly contradicts a statement that Carroll makes about how we don’t laugh at the monster. Disney villains are in many respects the comedic relief of the film, while the protagonists are the earnest ones who are taking the situation perhaps a bit too seriously.
I think children’s reactions to films are some of the most interesting as they do not necessarily follow the instructions given by genre conventions and may be terrified of a film even if it is intended to be a comedy. This is the case with Disney villains especially; many children would still be scared event though it’s meant to be funny and ironic – I think this actually supports the point that horror and comedy are fused in these films, as there is still potential for horror, depending on the audience member.
I think that the fearfulness of these characters is undermined by their exaggerated theatricality, which makes the threat seem more unreal. This allows us to laugh rather than cower at their incongruities, even if they are still a little scary. Emily Moreland’s ‘Camp and Tangled’s Mother Gothel’ is an interesting take on this.
I agree with your correlation between Disney villains’ likeability and ability to be comical rather than scary. This likeability has manifested in a subculture within the Disney cult following. It has resulted in films such as the Descendants franchise being based around these villains that were originally scary.