Though Hollywood caught Snow White fever (as evidenced by the simultaneous filming of the fantastical, cinematically impressiveSnow White and the Huntsmen, starring Charlize Theron as the Evil Queen and Kristen Stewart as Snow White, and the campier, less sophisticated Mirror Mirror, starring Julia Roberts as the Evil Queen), Sleeping Beauty still ranks first in my list of Disney tales. And, as far as Disney villains go, none has been quite as sinister and bone-chillingly frightening as Maleficent, with her bat-like appearance, her greenish skin, the ram-like horns atop her head, her dramatic purple-and-black-robe, her pet raven, and that wretched, spell-casting staff with the electrically-charged green orb at the tip.
For the Vault 28 Villains Collection by Noah, incorporating the most malicious characters in Disney history, the evil fairy is represented as a fire-breathing dragon. The base of the design, as with all the Vinylmation offerings, is the original Mickey Mouse vinyl collectible figure from the Disney Theme Parks.
The Disney Vault 28 Villains Maleficent Vinylmation Figure by Noah ($650 at DisneyStore.com) stands at 9 inches tall and features a dark, ominous, purplish blue iris base coat with a metallic, asphalt-like finish inspired by the colors of Maleficent's garb. Orange County-bred artist Noah channeled Maleficent's essence by hand-painting acid green flames along the body of the Mickey Mouse figure, stretching upwards to the head and all the way to the rounded ears.
The poseable figure's head, meanwhile, features a fire-breathing dragon with an incandescent yellow tongue, eyes, and nostrils. The dragon motif is, of course, a reference to the menacing form into which Maleficent shape-shifts at the climax of the film.
Each Maleficent Vinylmation figure was painted by hand so that no two are alike, and only a limited number were created, making this a fantastic investment for art collectors and Disney fanatics alike.
