In continuing search of the quality of emo-ness, I thought I’d write another article on emo moments in Disney movies. “What?” you say. Disney is all about sweetness and light, not to mention cutesy anthropomorphic animals with big eyes!” Riiiiight. Very well then, let’s take a look at some of the really, truly Disney movies, and see if we can’t find at least one moments. Roll film!
Now, one could argue that every Disney villain is, by definition, emo. On the other hand, if you recall, the emo stereotype is someone that is seriously depressed or angry. There have been relatively happy, self-confident Disney villains. Remember Gaston? Of course, Gaston was more about ego than emo, if you ask me. On the other hand, there have certainly been emo Disney villains, and the king of them all is Judge Claude Frollo from The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
Now, I personally rather like this movie; on the other hand, I really don’t think it should be shown to small children or tender meadow sprites. Frollo is one of the reasons why. In the opening song of the movie, he nearly drops a baby down a well. Then it’s on to ant-squishing, letting Quasimodo get mobbed by a, er, mob, burning down much of Paris, practically declaring genocide on the gypsies, and for a climatic finish, nearly burning a beautiful woman at the stake. The fiend!
The clincher is Frollo’s theme song. Most Disney villains usually sing songs about their Evil Plans, like Scar’s “Be Prepared.” Our boy Frollo is a little more…..intense. Here are the lyrics of his song, entitled, “Hellfire.”
Frollo:
Beata Maria
You know I am a righteous man
Of my virtue I am justly proud
Beata Maria
You know I’m so much purer than
The common, vulgar, weak, licentious crowd
Then tell me, Maria
Why I see her dancing there
Why her smold’ring eyes still scorch my soul
I feel her, I see her
The sun caught in raven hair
Is blazing in me out of all control
Like fire
Hellfire
This fire in my skin
This burning
Desire
Is turning me to sin
It’s not my fault
I’m not to blame
It is the gypsy girl
The witch who sent this flame
It’s not my fault
If in God’s plan
He made the devil so much
Stronger than a man
Protect me, Maria
Don’t let this siren cast her spell
Don’t let her fire sear my flesh and bone
Destroy Esmeralda
And let her taste the fires of hell
Or else let her be mine and mine alone
Hellfire
Dark fire
Now gypsy, it’s your turn
Choose me or
Your pyre
Be mine or you will burn
God have mercy on her
God have mercy on me
But she will be mine
Or she will burn!
—
Erk. This, my friends…this is emo. You don’t get too many Disney characters singing about their sexual temptations.
