Hello & welcome back to A Look at Disney. This week is my birthday and every year for my birthday, I like to do a celebration of something I love. It's usually a Disney movie and last year, it was The Lion King. This year however, we are looking at a film that is more divisive and Disney does consider it a bit of a box office disappointment but I do enjoy it and it is fitting for this to be the theme as the characters are coming to Once Upon A Time in the second half of the season. All this week as we go back to the time of heroes and Gods as we look at Hercules. Now yes, I do know that the movie took some liberties with the mythology but most Disney movies take liberties with the stories that they are adapting. This week will include a Villains Profile, an episode review of the show, which was the very first appearance of Idina Menzel in something Disney related, a review of the film, a Screen To Stage and finally, a Music Fridays of Hercules Covers. With that out of the way, let's begin. And we will be starting with a Villains Profile on Hades, this'll include Voice Actor, Entrance, Personality,Grand Desire, Lackeys, Most Evil Deed, Demise, and finally, Is Hades A Good Villain?
Voice Actor
James Woods
I really liked Wood's Portrayal of Hades here as he really brought a lot energy and charisma to the role. The way that I've always described Woods' portrayal of Hades is that of someone that of a suave, smooth-talking used car salesman. Woods as Hades is one of the highlights of this film as he always brings a lot to the performance. And it's not surprising that Woods loves Hades and has voiced him in most of his appearances as he really brings a lot to the film.
Entrance
We see Hades at the beginning of the movie as he shows up at the birth of Hercules.
In many way, Hades' first appearance and showing up reminds me of Maleficent and her first appearance in Sleeping Beauty.
Granted, it's played more for comedy than Maleficent's entrance as this film was attempting to follow the comedic route of films such as Aladdin as evidenced with the pop culture references. Which were really ramped up in this film. Not too surprising considering that Rom Clements and John Musker directed both Hercules and Aladdin. So, they probably saw what worked with Aladdin and wanted to try it again. I'll get more into that in the review proper. But as I was saying, the comedy is very evident in Hades' first appearance such as when he attempts to give Hercules, a skull rattle.
Hades' first appearance at the birth of Hercules is a great way to set up his comedic side but it's interaction with The Fates that really sets up Hades' hot temper that tends to flair up quite a bit.
It's a nice contrast to his first appearance because we get little moment of his hot-headed nature in the first moment but it's really on full display here as he has a hard time keeping his cool.
Personality
Hades is perhaps one of the more noted schemers and manipulators in Disney Canon, like other villains that I've discussed on Villains Profile such as Facilier, he is not above making a deal as we see with Herc as he makes a deal for Hercules to give up his strength for day.
And while Hades is willing to make a deal like The Shadow Man, he's less vague than the former about the deal and does keep his word. Hades is also rather hot-headed as mentioned earlier and will flair up quite easily, when things don't go his way.
Perhaps, the biggest indication of this comes from the stupidity of Pain and Panic, who I think were only put in the movie, so that the film makers could find ways to get Hades angry.
I've got 24 hours to get rid of this bozo, or the entire scheme I've been setting up for 18 years goes up in smoke,
[begins to shout]
Hades: and you are wearing his merchandise?
And Hades is also rather comedic and a bit of a pop culture spewing machine. The one line that sticks with me in terms of Hades' pop culture spewing would be his reference to I Love Lucy.
Zeusy, I'm home!
I have to imagine that line was put in there for the older audience as I imagine kids that saw this, may not have known who Ricky Ricardo was. But I liked the joke and it fit with the character of Hades because he had a good balance of anger and comedy with the scheming and sleaziness of a used car salesman. And all of that adds up to make Hades, one of the most entertaining Disney villains from any Disney movie.
Grand Desire
Hades in terms of Disney villains is perhaps the most clear cut in what he wanted. To rule Mt. Olympus and he is even told, how he could gain this by The Fates.
Well, The Fates pretty much laid out the entire movie and what's going to happen in that sequence. And yeah, Hades does have Pain and Panic attempt to get rid of Hercules but they fail and only takeaway his godhood. And how, this was never brought up in 18 years is beyond me. And the cartoon makes this even more confusing as the show contradicts this very fact but the cartoon isn't considered canon with the movie. So, that's neither here nor there. And after he learns that Hercules is still alive, his other goal becomes trying to get rid of Hercules in various ways such as unleashing the hydra.
All of these fail until Hades makes a deal with Hercules for him to give up his strength but even then, that goes south as Hades promises that Meg won't get hurt but she does, so the deal is off.
So yeah, it lies less in what Hades wants and more in how he goes about attempting to get his desire. Which for all intents and purposes are rather entertaining.
Lackeys
Pain and Panic
If there is one area, where the movie fails it's villain, it would be in his lackeys. I never understood the need for Pain and Panic. Best I could figure is that they were put in the film for comic relief but really a lot of the other characters were already funny and Hades is no exception, he's funnier than these two put together. Sure, they serve a purpose in terms of helping Hades carry out his plans but compared to say someone like Iago, they don't have anything that really makes them all that interesting. They really brought nothing to the film that wasn't already there. They are in my opinion, the one big sore spot of the film.
Most Evil Deed
This one is tough as there are are a number of things that one could choose from such as him having Pain and Panic attempt to kill Hercules as a baby or striking the deal with Hercules, that had Herc lose all of his strength. I think Hades' most evil deed actually deals more with Meg. And more on the deal that she makes to save her boyfriend from dying. She trades her soul and in essence, Hades now owns her and we see Hades use her against his will in his plot to try and stop Hercules. And it's actually quite tragic, seeing how she is stuck in this hopeless situation as she is Hades' slave and here she is forced into a position, where she has to hurt a man that she has fallen in love with.
Demise
In many ways, Hades' demise is fitting for him as the ruler of the Underworld. After Hercules saves Meg by swimming through the River Styx to save Meg and he ages rapidly, The Fates try to cut his thread but they cannot as this one act has proved that Hercules is ready to be a god. And when Hades see this, he is nervous and Herc just walks out like a boss and punches Hades into the River Styx and he is seen floating in the River Styx as the souls of the deceased that have entered the Underworld start to swarm him and drag him down.
I think that really seems fitting that this would be the demise for Hades as he is suffering the pain that so many of the souls that he has collected suffered.
Is Hades A Good Villain?
Overall, I'd say that yes, Hades is a good villain and he is certainly one of the most memorable villains to come out of the '90s. James Woods really does a lot to make the character entertaining and his own. There are so many things that I like about this character from his personality to watching him to try and execute his plan to get rid of Hercules. The only downside to this character in my opinion would be Pain and Panic. But other than that, I really do like Hades as a villain. Join me next time as we head into Hercules' past with an episode review of Hercules: The Animated Series as we take a look at an episode that featured the very first Disney appearance of Idina Menzel as we look at...
Hercules and The Song of Circe
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