REVIEW: ‘Disney Villains: The Evilest of Them All’
Top Image: Courtesy of Studio Fun International / Provided by Media Masters Publicity with permission.
The new Disney Villains book from Studio Fun International is appropriately subtitled The Evilest of Them All. The children’s tome looks back at the most memorable and iconic villains that have graced the movie screen under the banner of Walt Disney. All of the greats are there, with special placement for the big moneymakers like Ursula (The Little Mermaid), Jafar (Aladdin), Evil Queen (Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs) and the one who has “evil” right in her name, Cruella De Vil (101 Dalmations).
The book uses images of these villains and villainesses and pairs them with diary-like entries in which the characters open up in the first person.
For example, Scar, from The Lion King, states: “I thought at least Simba would be easy to take care of. I lured him and his little friend Nala to the Elephant’s Graveyard.”
These passages are clever and offer a chance to expand upon the mythos of each baddie. There’s also an introductory listing of information to describe each character: weapon of choice, eye color, likes, dislikes, education, prior work experience, skills. It reads like a malevolent résumé, as if the reader were considering which villain to cast in an upcoming motion picture.
Children will enjoy the pull-outs, which are strategically placed in the book. Cruella’s dress, for example, has a little fold that allows readers to see the Dalmatian hiding beneath her garment.
Most of the imagery is well designed by Kara Kenna and Mariel Lopez-Cotero, although it’s not perfect. There’s a drawing of the princess from The Princess and the Frog (under the Dr. Facilier section) that looks like it has been copy and pasted with no thought to proper resolution (rough edges around the lines, ugh). There’s also a difference in quality between some of The Lion King images. The scene where Scar pushes Mufasa over a ledge seems like a fuzzy screen capture from a Blu-ray, while nearby there is a crisp, pitch-perfect image of Simba.
These flaws are rare though. Most of the design is interwoven in a rich fabric of color and seeming texture. It fits nicely with Rachael Upton’s words.
For the holiday season, Disney Villains: The Evilest of Them All would keep a young person entertained for several hours. Disney fans will rejoice in the chance to go deeper with these tentpoles for the company.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Disney Villains: The Evilest of Them All, written by Rachael Upton, features a design by Kara Kenna and Mariel Lopez-Cotero. The Studio Fun International release is now available. Click here for more information.
