A Disney Villains Retrospective, Part 31: Sykes (Oliver & Company)

[@Kongumon]

Sykes is a strong independent villain who don't need no song.

[@Tadicuslegion78]

I think they pulled it off better with Shan-Yu in Mulan (in part because of that epic theme for whenever he appears) you ever noticed how both just have this presence that engulfs the screen and you know whatever is about to happen ain’t gonna be pretty

[@georgeprchal3924]

Horned King too.

[@commercialairliner]

What a girlboss...

[@brianlevine871]

The fact that Disney made a villain as realistic as Sykes is pretty impressive. Not to mention his death is one of the most intense in any Disney film.

[@aidanhever3369]

Until it was overshadowed by Clayton's from Tarzan.

[@mightyfilm]

I applaud them for making a movie where the villain isn't fun. He doesn't steal the show, he doesn't have a fun song, and he isn't on the level of almost sympathetic, but... like most of their villains. It's truly refreshing to see someone like Sykes or even Frollo that's just thoroughly despicable with no redeeming qualities. A darker villain that you can just hate.

[@austinreed7343]

@@mightyfilm Disney did try this again in Frozen II with Runeard, but he’s long dead by the start of it.

[@racheljackson4428]

Run over by Thomas the tank engine. lol.

[@ElizabethMcCormick-s2n]

His death in the book is very memorable as well!

[@falcoskywolf]

I consider Sykes one of the most ominous villains in Disney because he has absolutely no cartoonish or flamboyant personality traits. He's bone-chillingly gritty, without an ounce of warmth or even real humor. He's not quirky like the similarly sadistic McLeach or Cruella- it's ALL business for him even when he flips his lid. He could exist in this world without any sort of disbelief- he would fit in even better in a hardcore mafia movie than he does here, *but that's why he fits here so well.* Disney almost never gives us villains this bleak and foreboding.

[@Yellowguy0619]

I couldn't agree more!

[@poweroffriendship2.0]

Bill Sykes would fit better as a Ralph Bakshi character than a Disney villain.

[@LeBasfondMusic]

People absolutely forget that NYC was a DIVE until the 90s and Disney bringing in BATB and Lion King. Kudos to 80s Disney for having the guts to show how gritty NYC was.

[@mrdonutswildride7808]

The transformation of New York City into a theme park would not have been possible without the Mouse. Also, Giuliani.

[@Reagan1984]

From Fun City to Fear City...

[@sarafontanini7051]

Sykes not having human henchman might be practical too. WHy spend tons of money to pay some thugs when he can easily get the same result (if not better) with just two dogs that he can spend far less on feeding. PLus, he's jsut dealign with a low time loser like Fagin, so he doesn't really NEED any more muscle than himself and his two dogs. I will say Sykes is a pretty underrated villain. He's pretty mencacing and ruthless, with a very cold tone in his voice. He's willing to kidnap an innocent child jsut to get some extra money, and bullies Fagin just because he can.

[@ΕυάγγελοςΦώσκολος]

Sykes is the most realistic villain thus far. And that is why he is so scary. People like him exist in real life. When I was young I didn't find him interesting, but now I do. Disney villains like him (and Frollo) are the type of villains that once you revisit them as an adult, you discover new levels of evil in them. About the bonus villains from the comics: I don't have much to say about them. They are good for a nostalgia rush, but other than that, they are not very amusing. I see why people prefer Peg-leg Pete and the Phantom Blot. I have the comic with the lawyer who claimed to own America, but it's not really interesting.

[@srstriker6420]

And especially that Governor Ratcliffe and Frollo were also supposed to be realistic as they think they’re doing is good

[@ΕυάγγελοςΦώσκολος]

@@srstriker6420 I wouldn't call Ratcliffe realistic since Pocahontas is not exactly accurate to historic events. Also, I think his end goal was to become rich, so I wouldn't say that he belongs in the "thought he was doing good" category.

[@austinreed7343]

@@ΕυάγγελοςΦώσκολος He does, really; he, along with many others at the time, viewed nonwhites as subhuman, so he didn’t see himself as in the wrong.

[@Popcultureguy3000]

@@austinreed7343Yes, the abhorrent period racism was the realistic thing about him, but his greed was, if you’ll pardon the expression, very cartoonish.

[@adrianthearmorwarrior1605]

​@srstriker6420, have you seen Ralph Bakshi's Wizards(1977) and Fire and Ice(1983)?(Please respond)

[@xaviersaikaley]

Fun Fact: James Mangold, the writer and director of Logan, Ford v Ferrari, and the Wolverine, co-wrote Oliver & Company! It sort of explains some of the darker and gritty material in the film!

[@srstriker6420]

Wow I never knew that because I feel like this movie feels like a animated thriller along with the Rescuers

[@Tadicuslegion78]

That….actually explains a lot at least in regards to Sykes and the Dobermans

[@weirdguy1495]

Wow, James Mangold is a lot older than I thought he was.

[@erikdaniels0n]

⁠@@weirdguy1495he was born in 1963 and the animation screenplay for Oliver & Company was only the second project he ever worked on, with the first being the screenplay for an episode of The Wonderful World Of Disney called “The Deacon Street Deer” that aired in 1986

[@FeralRavage1]

I can really appreciate the slow, calm, down-to-earth subtly of Sykes. It is true that those qualities make him a misfit among the more bombastic, colorful, flashy, and supernatural villians, even villians lacking actual super or magical powers. But that's what makes Sykes stand out, he stand out by not standing out. Personal preference, but flashy villians don't always impress me, though, Hades being a prime example of one who does but I digress. I usually gravitate to villians and characters with some of that subtly or nuance, that's why I really like Amos Slade for example, despite his more underrated, comparatively lesser-known status in the whole Disney catalog. It's kind of like how the Joker from Batman is so beloved as a villian and gets all the attention and spotlight from creators and fans, while I find more realistic villians like Victor Zsasz of the same series (Batman) a bit more intriguing. A lot of that might be fatigue to overexposure though. The less you see and know about a character, the more you want to know, so you scrap every last little bit of screen or panel time they have into a well-written retrospective on them to see what truly made them tick in their short tenure or what we've seen of them. Also, found the segment about Shyster interesting, he's a Mickey Mouse rogue I had no clue about so some history regarding the mouse's comic adventures is neat.

[@cheezemonkeyeater]

An interesting fact about Fagin: he's often cited as a Jewish stereotype, as you say, but there's a version of this story where that's even moreso that never saw the light of day. The original draft of the novel Dickens wrote had Fagin as a much crueler and more Jewish Boogeyman type of character. Dickens had some Jewish friends, however, and when he showed them his first draft, they brought up to him just how demeaning it was to the Jewish community for Fagin to be written like that, so in the subsequent drafts, he was rewritten to change a lot of how he was portrayed.

[@NathanSpies]

Oliver & Company is the only Disney film that actually made me cry. It was literally the first few minutes of the film and I was already ugly crying.

[@forrestdupre87]

Hopefully it won’t get a live action remake.

[@noireisbest6786]

@@forrestdupre87 No, make it a puppet show remake.

[@Yellowguy0619]

@@forrestdupre87 Technically already had one.

[@forrestdupre87]

@@Yellowguy0619 I meant the actual movie.

[@williampj3573]

@@forrestdupre87 yes from bob Iger’s stupidity idea and that’s why this movie needs a sequel as a directed video Still in hand drawn animation and I thought Oliver Will find his parents doing in that sequel which is taking place in the year 1992 but no, it turns out these two dogs had killed Oliver’s parents as cats well at least that sequel needs some of the different darker moments but not 9/11 Because that sequel will taking place in 1992 as soon as after Bob Iger got fired and replace from Disney Until the early 2026 Can you believe it bob Iger is going to lose his job at Disney and hopefully James Gorman Will change Disney for the better With no release dates of live action remakes And focus on movies in CGI animation and hand drawn animation

[@Jackeduphobo33]

Something that I also want to mention is the music that accompanies syke. It's always understated and in the background. Most of it is made up of simple strings and horns, and it really sounds like something from a creepy crime-thriller. The mousic only gets loud when he does something especially heinous, and the strings do a great job in leading us along his dark and seedy path, until his anger erupts like a volcano.

[@SirAsdf]

I think what makes Sykes intimidating is just how real he feels. He's not some evil witch, or a really effeminate lion, or a woman who really wants to murder puppies, he's a criminal. A criminal with no moral code. He feels like someone you would bump into on the streets of New York and then apologize profusely to so he doesn't hurt you.

[@Yellowguy0619]

And unlike Frollo, he doesn't have any song

[@PeruvianPotato]

Doesn't help that New York of the 1980s had plenty of people exactly like Sykes as it's usually described to be one of the worst decades of the city.

[@abrahamaytemo]

I can fully understand why people initially doubted Glen Keane could convincingly animate Ariel when he lobbied for the assignment. Between Ratigan, The Bear from Fox and the Hound, and Sykes who knew he could also animate one of the most iconic DPs of all time? (Talk about versatility)

[@ladylin1992]

It was a brilliant choice. Ariel may have been conventionally pretty but she was also passionate, and as such she needed an animator who could communicate that kind of raw intensity motivating her to become human. This is especially true for animating the eyes - which are Keane's specialty.

[@madcapmakov2]

There was a lot of Ratigan in Sykes.

[@SuperladCK94]

Never mind "one of" at this point with all the adaptations and appearances she gets...she's the most iconic and the one who caused *the tide to turn*

[@kumachan9311]

and BEAST !!!

[@abrahamaytemo]

@@SuperladCK94 Mainly parced my words so that the Frozen stans wouldn't come for my neck lol. Although in terms of raw merchandising numbers its a close race between Ariel and Cinderella (and surprisingly Snow White still ranks pretty high I've found out). Elsa's somewhere at the top if she even counts as a DP

[@SpacialRend7]

It’s interesting to know that some of the realistic Disney villains don’t get much attention, as far as I know. We have some like Madame Medusa, Percival C. McLeach, and Sykes,(to name a few) who do underhanded things like kidnapping children, using them to get what they want, and other crimes like animal cruelty, murder, etc. I find it interesting that these kinds of villains become more notable for their roles when looking at them from an adults perspective. It shows an interesting side to their characters that we’ve overlooked as a younger audience.

[@geoffreyrichards6079]

Man from “Bambi” could be considered to be another example, though his lack of onscreen presence probably contributes to it. And I guess Amos Slade’s redemption in “The Fox and the Hound” kinda prevents him from being added to that roster overall. One of the very few exceptions is probably Lady Tremaine from “Cinderella”, where the story’s inherent fairytale origins kinda overrides her fairly realistic portrayal as a cold and abusive step-parent.

[@finland4ever55]

Frollo and Cruella

[@annelivalkama7451]

My headcannon about Fagin, is that after Oliver and Company, he's given a job or payment by Jenny's parents or Winston for rescue her.

[@WolfmanArt]

An underrated villian, who gives us one of the most intense villian deaths in Disney's history

[@Yellowguy0619]

Forget his death His character is underrated

[@surreal-riley]

i think a reason you don’t typically see sykes ever pop up is because unlike other disney villains you can’t place him in a fantasy world. cruella, clayton and gaston for example while all just being human with no magical powers all feel like they fit within a fantasy world. if you take sykes out of his time period of late 80’s new york he feels out of place

[@austinreed7343]

@@surreal-riley Even Hopper, who’s also a chillingly gritty mobster, is at least an anthropomoprh.

[@peterang78]

I really adore Sykes, due to him standing out from most Disney rogues. He's the most realistic, grounded and a pretty hardcore villain. I love how his gangster persona sort of reflect onto his dogs as well, since most animal or sidekick companions are usually portrayed as silence killer or comedic relief. Roscoe and DeSoto are as grounded as the main villains, talking in a bit more realistic compare to most villain companions.

[@jmn327]

Have to imagine that Disney was also figuring that a lot of the public's knowledge of Oliver Twist might come from the old Oliver! musical, where Fagin was also depicted much more sympathetically; I'm guessing that played into him not being a villain in this one, along with the fact that it made his whole crew more likable, pretty important once they decided they were going to be Oliver's friends instead of antagonists.

[@bigredjanie]

Reminds me of what happened later on with The Hunchback of Notre Dame, where it's based (visually and thematically) more on the 1939 Charles Laughton film version instead of the Victor Hugo novel.

[@austinreed7343]

@@bigredjanie There are more examples with Disney, to boot, such as the McU often taking more cues from the 90s animated shows and the MvC games rather than the comics.

[@christopherwall2121]

​@@austinreed7343 About the only notable exception being the Kingpin, whose MCU version doubles down on his brutality, rather being the Blofeldian supervillain of the Spider-Man cartoon

[@austinreed7343]

@@christopherwall2121 I feel like that was because he’s from the more grounded Netflix shows (which actually knew how to manage a TV budget instead of wasting it)

[@christopherwall2121]

@@austinreed7343 And you can't exactly adapt Frank Miller on a kid's cartoon. (Unless it's _The Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot_ of course)

[@cheezemonkeyeater]

I think the reason Sykes doesn't appear in other media much is because he got a job as a Disney executive.

[@Bardia006plus1]

Sykes is a criminaly underrated Disney villain and he is way better and more threatening than any Disney movie villains from the past 10 years.

[@HobGungan]

All three of them?

[@austinreed7343]

@@HobGungan Yeah, a lot of them are super forgettable, but others are annoying as if they were Illumination villains.

[@HobGungan]

@@austinreed7343 My point being that since 2014 there have only been three Disney Animated Canon villains (3 1/2 if you count Tomatoa). And while I agree Sykes is equal to or greater than them, they're still effective in their own right. My objection was OP's insinuation that Disney has had a ton of bad villains in the last decade when they actually had barely any villains and those were at least decent.

[@austinreed7343]

@@HobGungan Let me count: Yokai, Bellwhether and her cronies, Tamatoa, King Runeard, Namarii, King Magnifico. That’s like 6 villains.

[@HobGungan]

@@austinreed7343 King Reunard doesn't count because he was long dead before the events of Frozen II. He's the villain of another story, even though his actions outlived him. I also hesitate to count Namarii because while she was certainly an antagonist, I feel like the point Raya (the movie, not the character) was trying to make was she wasn't a true villain. So that leaves Callaghan/Yokai, Bellweather, and Magnifico, with Tomatoa getting half a point for being a side adventure villain.

[@jidtoons]

13:03 Roscoe and DeSoto are the only pet dog villains I know that get killed as a comeuppance in a Disney film, most other pet villains either get trapped, they flee out of fear, or are sent to obnoxious human owners to be comically humiliated

[@austinreed7343]

They’re the very first feral animal villains in Disney history to die, the first anthro ones to die being the Toon Patrol shortly prior.

[@ilikepastas7775]

Don’t forget Flotsam and Jetsman, Ursula’s pet eels, they’re also both killed off !

[@jidtoons]

@@ilikepastas7775 Too true! I knew someone was going to point that out 😁👍

[@Yellowguy0619]

In Oliver Twist, Bill Sikes's dog also gets killed. Let's just say, it's more screwed up

[@maurycyoseka1057]

What about the only cat villain that got ripped to shreds by dogs?

[@Swordsmen99]

11:58 I'd like to think that the phone conversation he has when Faggin tries to pitch the idea of ransoming Oliver implies he has other henchmen, but given how pathetic Faggin is, he probably doesn't want to waste manpower on him and just brings Rosco and DeSoto to hold off Dodger and the other dogs.

[@signalfirefly]

I like to think of Penny and Jenny becoming friends at school. Jenny doesn't quite believe Penny can really talk to animals, but she goes along with it and doesn't make fun of her like some of the other kids. Then Penny comes over one day and meets Oliver and Georgette...

[@xylopiano3]

I want to see Sykes appear in a Disney Villain crossover where the other villains initially don't think much of him because he's just a "mere mortal" or something, but he eventually, somehow, manages to outwit them and force them into some sort of deal with him. For example, he could strongarm Dr. Facilier into working for him by taking his talisman and threatening to break it. He could get Oogie Boogie (One of my favorite villains) deep into gambling debts and threaten to unravel him. He could get Cruella to work for him just by promising her some new furs, probably.

[@92JazzQueen]

Clever.

[@92JazzQueen]

Or imagine him working for xanatos.

[@KaizokuGaeru]

@@92JazzQueenHim and Xanatos would be a great team actually.

[@yrooxrksvi7142]

I think Cruella would be one of the few people able to overpower him and force HIM to get her furs, threatening to send the police after him otherwise, given how gigantic her ego and temper are, and would gobsmack Roscoe and DeSoto aside like street mutts.

[@MRWALL.i6732]

What I like about these videos is how it gives villains like Sykes, a more in-depth look at their development and role in the story, there are tons of videos about Maleficent or Jafar but hardly any on the more lesser known villains like Edgar and McLeach, so it's a nice to have a series focused on them!

[@samanthakelly718]

Sykes seems like the kinda guy who wouldn't hang out with the other Disney villains because he's "got better shit to do."

[@Yellowguy0619]

Definitely.

[@nyanpirethecat2257]

On the topic of Oliver and Company, while not Villain related. The film was very popular in France where a song called "Oliver" by Anne Meson was created to promote the film's French release in 1989. The song became a hit in France with Disney actually recording various music videos for the song exclusive to France that was shot at either Disneyland or Walt Disney World. Meson even performed the song when Disneyland Paris in its inaugural year.

[@jamesa.romano8500]

Off topic but Oliver and Company has one of the uniquely best soundtracks out there. And I say this mainly because unlike most of the Disney Renaissance catalog I can play its songs with my car windows rolled down and most people have no idea what I'm even listening to haha

[@Mammothsaber-4457]

While Fagen isn’t the main hero of the story he does get the big hero moment when he bursts into Sykes ware house to rescue everyone

[@aidanhever3369]

I think the reason Sykes hasn't appeared as often is because he's too realistic compared to other villains. Hell, he's like the coachman from Pinocchio, who didn't appear in the theme parks, House of Mouse, Once Upon a Studios, and even the Kingdom Hearts games. However, unlike the diabolical Coachman, who got away with his misdeeds for trafficking children (not even in the live-action version), Sykes received one of the most brutal deaths in Disney history before Clayton's. BTW, you mentioned Sylvester Shyster and Eli Squinch in your retrospective of Mickey Mouse villains, how come you didn't give them a proper history before ? Anyway, just one more for The Little Mermaid !!! XD

[@austinreed7343]

He didn't give complete coverage because they had never been animated before, but with a villain like Sykes, there was the perfect opportunity to discuss them in full.

[@RyanofAndor]

Sykes' physicality reminds me a lot of the Kingpin.

[@jamesbaggett7223]

Built like a brick 💩 house

[@NameGKal]

Fun fact: the actor who voiced Kingpin in the 90s Spider-man animated series was also the voice of Francis the bulldog in this film.

[@jamesbaggett7223]

@@NameGKal Roscoe Lee Brown, he was the cook Jebidiah Nightlinger in the John Wayne film “The Cowboys”

[@catbatrat1760]

Idk if anyone else noticed this, but you mentioned Sykes and Fagin and their dogs being foils to one another, and it brought to mind something I noticed a while ago that may or may not have been intentional: Dodger when first meeting Oliver: Whoa, whoa. Chill out. I don't eat cats. Too much fur. DeSoto when first meeting Oliver: I like cats. I like to eat 'em.

[@samanthakelly718]

Holy shit I never noticed that. Fagin's gang isn't so much good (at least at first) as it is pragmatic, while Sykes' has ruthlessness pouring out of their pores even when it shoots them in the foot.

[@miroslavzima8856]

I wouldn´t even thought about the deaths of Roscoe and DeSoto back then, but my cousin said "If they wouldn´t have such bad, vicious owner, they might have different personality. Their deaths are his fault and they didn´t deserved that." There was something about that and I even think the children illustration book didn´t had the electrocution mention at all (which isn´t suprising, they were in car with Sykes).

[@maxordman4100]

I have always loved Oliver and Company. It’s one of my favorite Disney movies ever and Sykes is also one of my favorite characters in the movie. He’s just the exact type of villain who fits best into this story and maybe that might even be part of why we don’t see him very often anymore. Thank you so much for all the knowledge you shared with us and I look forward to seeing the interview with the art director and your next video on Chip and Dale. This movie has a very special place in my heart and I’m always happy to hear other people’s praise for it too. Keep up the great work on your videos!

[@MrAndrewsaccount92]

Another reason Sykes is not marketed is because his identity is a realistic villain can leave some kids worried about how the criminal underworld remains intact today. Lady Tremaine mistreats her step daughter, but can't pose as a threat to anyone else. Cruella De Vil may have a nasty temper, but what's the worst she can do if you're not a dog she wants to skin for a coat? And while Frollo and Shan Yu are cutthroats that HAVE existed in history, our modern political standards wouldn't truly allow genocidal warriors and politicians to hold that level of authority. Sykes is the kind of criminal who manages to slip through the cracks in our justice system.

[@austinreed7343]

Sykes is basically Disney’s equivalent to Haiji Towa in that regard.

[@MrAndrewsaccount92]

​@@austinreed7343 You could however argue that Shere Khan is somewhat realistic. While Tigers don't naturally go out of their way to track down and murder select targeted individuals, there are serial killers who do.

[@evancredeur7498]

You forgot to mention how Rosco and Desoto seem to care about each other. At first, Rosco wants nothing to do with Oliver, but when the cat scratched Desoto's nose, Rosco snapped. And during the final battle, after Rosco's death, Desoto snaps, roaring first and then attacking Dodger, only to get blinded by Oliver's claws, causing the doberman to fall on the electric tracks.

[@AlfredoPuente8]

This channel is about to enter a renaissance.

[@mikeburnette2190]

Colin, as a longtime Disney fan, I thoroughly enjoy all of the information you give on the villains. Alot of this stuff I'm not really aware of, so thanks. Glad your covering my fav show next, and I'm glad you covered the Big Bad Wolf and Madusa.

[@whiz8569]

8:19 "I have the feeling that Sykes was still planning to feed her to his dogs after he got the money and lie low for a few years." The idea sounds less Disney and more Watchmen to me.

[@92JazzQueen]

Cue a rosharch type giving him justice.

[@whiz8569]

@@92JazzQueen "What does this picture look like, Mr. Winston?" *Sees a dog with its skull cut open* "A butterfly."

[@92JazzQueen]

@@whiz8569 noce reference.

[@brandonlyon730]

Let’s also keep in mind later on Scar had zero issue letting his child nephew be consumed and eaten by starving hyena’s.

[@madcapmakov2]

_Men get arrested. Dogs get put down._

[@systemoperator]

That was funny using the Robert Loggia clip from “Family Guy”. You got a good sense of humor there. I really do love “Oliver & Company”. It’s in my top five list somewhere. Although Sykes may not be seen frequently, I still love it all the same. Very awesome entry and lucky of you to get a hold of the film’s director George Scribner too

[@weirdguy1495]

I did not expect Sykes to have this much focus considering how briefly he's in the movie.

[@Jackeduphobo33]

As others have already stated - Sykes is scary because he is calculating, cold and ruthless. There is nothing funny about him, and no humor comes from him or from the reactions of others. It's hard to make a villain like him interesting, but he manages to become so because we recognice his singular motive: Profit. Profit and nothing else, at the expense of others.

[@Yellowguy0619]

I personally find him interesting because of how different he is from other villains! It's what makes him very unique

[@Ozzygirl17]

18:35 I’m amused. I know she’s not a villain, but Georgette is antagonistic within “Oliver in Company”. She vain, she doesn’t like Oliver from the start, she’s rude to the dogs until she realizes they can help her get rid of Oliver, and she even snickers as Jenny says Oliver is kidnapped. I realize she helps Oliver, Fagin, and the dogs get Jenny back when she’s kidnapped and even helps slow down Desito and Roscoe, but she still unintentionally hinders their progress by breaking one of her claws (giving away their location, in a sense). I do acknowledge, in the end, she’s just a spoiled rich dog. Gotta love Bette Midler playing vain characters.

[@nicholassims9837]

I wonder if she inspired Brandy later on ?

[@hannahmabbott7370]

What i love about sykes is the fact that he is probably in league with either the mafia or he was part of one before becoming what he is today. Also him being a shady loan shark lines up with the fact that are shady loan companies in real life too! And if you can't pay well you disappear.

[@KimFareseed]

7:55 "You do be wise to get a hold of her father faster than ---! If you wish to see her again someday! Do I make myself clear, mr Winston?" Tried my best in getting that translated to swedish, followed to english. Never did study danish or norwegian, I can only be glad that I can understand it enough, from what I am familiar with in swedish. Did not have a clue what to do with "fortere enn svint!". I know that the swedish equalent is "snabbt som attan", but got no clue what an english equalent would be.

[@wolf2912]

One scary thing you can say that the real life villian can be just like sykes

[@jellymcmichaels4240]

Somehow I could imagine that if Disney ever made their own version of "The Wacky Races", Bill Sykes would be Dick Dastardly while Roscoe and DeSoto would both be Muttley...

[@Ardomew]

One of the more underappreciated Disney villains, in my eyes. Sykes had such an intimidating design and demeanor that made him a serious threat to our furry and human good guys! His dogs also did a lot to enhance his already threatening presence!

[@AnaxErik4ever]

Bill Sykes holds a lot of menace, brutalizing both humans and animals, displaying no remorse or interest in the evil he perpetuates, and only losing thanks to vindictive pride getting the better of him. Hearing you describe the process to get to our loan shark with two Dobermans I will always fear… De Soto always stuck out more because of his brutality and ready willingness to ha the weak and helpless. I was reminded of the Disney Renaissance villain who is most similar: Judge Frollo, another one of the “scary because you can easily find them in real life” Disney villains. Gaston and the hyenas from The Lion King went thru my mind for Roscoe and De Soto, similar “animal bullies” characters with no qualms about killing children and Gaston with similar personality/color theming to Roscoe. Rescue Rangers will be a great entry to add to the list.

[@snakycarnival9119]

I'm really excited to see the interview. The Jerry Rees one is how I really got into your channel.

[@ColinLooksBack]

This one is a lot shorter, but there's quite a bit of interesting information in it!

[@KaminoKatie]

9:26 Sykes' villain song could potentially work as a rock opera piece instead of your typical Broadway fare

[@tfly999]

At the very least, a semi-jazzy leitmotif that calls to mind “The Godfather” or at least “Goodfellas”.

[@KaminoKatie]

@@tfly999 That can work too

[@sirhenrymorgan1187]

​@@tfly999It could be a diegetic piece, Sykes singing a jazzy tune to himself while playing on a massive piano or something.

[@srstriker6420]

@@KaminoKatieor even give him some depth and the same for the Horned king

[@Tadicuslegion78]

Almost like he’s half singing along to like a Sinatra album while he’s doing his dirty work

[@totempoleman7810]

20:52 Not just any bizzare foreign country, but the speech bubble there mentions Brutopia that in fact originated from Donald Duck comics written by Carl Barks. I wonder if Colin noticed that detail while reading in the story?

[@mevb]

The Rescuers was also set in the time period at the movie's release in 1977.

[@nickchavez720]

Thanks!

[@92JazzQueen]

You know the abanonded panda plot could a great side story after the movie where he befriends a panda at the zoo and learns someone has kidnapped it then gets the dogs to help find him/her.

[@GanonGhidorah]

If I could make an addition to Fagin's character and the "bittersweetness" of the ending. The idea of making Fagin a more sympathetic character is nothing new, and I think one of the best portrayals was in _Oliver!_ - the musical adaptation of the story, where Fagin is arguably one of the best characters. In the third-act, when Fagin realizes just how dangerous Bill Sykes is, he realizes that if Sykes' "back-is-up" (as in backed into a corner) then he himself will not be safe. So he attempts to _cut and run,_ taking a small chest of treasures he's hoarded over the years from his pick-pocketing rink. He gets his own musical number about how he wants to get-out of his life of crime to pursue a fresh-start; settling down and getting married, parlaying his wealth and connections into a successful carriage business, and even getting an honest job. The problem is, throughout the song, he reconsiders each position as having an unfavorable outcome; his wife spending all his money and making his life miserable, having no social connections who can help him break into high society, and then - the final consideration - the fact that he's _getting old._ His apprehension to getting a job isn't out of lack of honesty or laziness, but instead from knowing he doesn't have that long left in this world and fears the day when he turns 70. Because at that age, his usefulness to any employer will be up, and no one will care if he lives or dies. So he settles on staying where he is, despite lamenting how he wants to get-out; he will be what he is until he can fully retire. However, during the climax, the Hideout is destroyed and in the mad rush to get away, Fagin loses his chest of gold and jewels. All of his pickpockets that he trained have scattered and Fagin has nothing left. But just as Fagin resigns himself to turn over a new leaf, _Dodger appears_ and offers him a pocketbook he stole during the chaos - implying that Dodger wants to continue working with him. The scene basically ends with the two of them going off together to continue their life of crime; implying that despite wanting to or even having the opportunity for a fresh start, the two simply accept that they are what they are. They do what they do because it suits them. I think that's what Oliver and Company implies - yeah, Fagin and the dogs are back to slumming, but in a lot of ways, it suits them. Fagin has the possibility of getting in deep with another loan-shark, but I like to think he learned enough from Sykes not to try again. And better still, the dogs will probably keep him in-line. They're still destitute, but this life suits them, and without Sykes hanging over them, they're a lot better than they used to be.

[@Yellowguy0619]

Fagin now owes to money to the crooked loanshark Monks. Goodnight everybody!

[@bm_burger]

Woah! This was a really good video, I'm glad the algorithm randomly recommended this lol. It must have known I have a soft spot for Oliver and Company 🤣 There was always something really mesmerizing about Sykes, I'm glad this video did justice to the kind of role he served in giving the movie its vibe. We won't see him Disney's Descendants but he was super evocative for Oliver and Company's worldbuilding.

[@mwk_powerlifting]

That was such a jump scare when you showed the Norwegian comic strip hahah my god always weird seeing my language in a different context

[@TylerRakstis]

Congratulations on talking with George Scribner. Maybe you can use him for when you eventually get to The Lion King and Dinosaur down the pipeline. Since he was involved in their earliest drafts.

[@DKCfan10]

There’s also been another Sylvester Shyster in a Donald story. He looked and acted nothing like the usual Shyster, and to my knowledge, only appeared once in the story, Race to the South Seas, to inform Donald and Gladstone about the sailboats Scrooge gave them. Not sure if he was meant to be a prototypical Sharky, or if this is just a weird coincidence.

[@lightningstudios3630]

16:00 Given how much less aggressive he seems (and how DeSoto friggin’ died) my personal headcanon is that this is actually Roscoe and DeSoto’s secret third brother, Jarold.

[@LowellLucasJr.]

Not going to lie.. Oliver & company really feels like a Don Bluth film more than a Disney film!😂

[@BrandonPilcher]

Hyenas may not be all that closely related to dogs, but I can't help but see a resemblance between these Dobermans and the hyenas in The Lion King. I guess pack-hunting predators being a villain's henchmen tends to create an illusion of similarity.

[@jonathanwatson4484]

he a villain I reamber and love, his introduction was excellent, and the way he continue associated to the car he often use was what made him memorable, serouisly my first idea of him was a hand sticking out the car demanding money, I always thought the man as a loan shark, heck the car is what made him so well done as I cant help imagine the guy but him inside a ominous car in the corner of a bad street while talking to a bunch of crooks he paying, very well done.

[@AbrasiousProductions]

Sykes used to really scare me as a kid because I knew someone who mistreated me in my childhood who was bulking and massive like him

[@jopat87]

Sykes - Sandwiched in-between Ratigan and Ursula, the same year as Judge Doom. And he’s but a mere loan shark. Best known for the shocking way he and his Dobermans died. (And of course, he has to have dogs in this movie. Apt choice of breed tho.)

[@madcapmakov2]

The most intimidating form of weaponry Disney has ever shown for a villain is a Gun.

[@CountryballstudiosYT]

8:10 so I know that Jenny comes from a rich family, but if this got on the news she probably would be dead by now since the entire NYPD would probably be swarming Sykes’ warehouse

[@cataquackwarlord5389]

Something that you didn't mention about Squinch is that he initially insisted on selling Bobo for $1000, claiming he just wants his money back. Mickey, who had already seen the bill of sale, tricks Squinch into revealing it to the circus master, who then pays Squinch back the true amount on the bill: $100.

[@Garrettk41]

The only thing missing from this video for me personally would be photos of the voices of the dobermans.

[@masedaace5473]

I'm glad that you included some more comic villains in this as well as Sykes.

[@CYM-K]

Thanks to this video I developed an intense hyperfixation over Sykes, shame he's not featured more, I ADORE him!

[@Yellowguy0619]

Bro I looked at every single scene just to get so many little pieces of his characters. Me too bro

[@evancredeur7498]

Oh, ho! I've been waiting for this! Thank you so much, it's about time these three were involved!

[@shadowpuppet8192]

Oliver & Company has always been my absolute favorite movie! Sykes was always the most terrifying villain to me.

[@Yellowguy0619]

You don't got the money...

[@tylerlong5112]

Sykes is how you do a realistic villain people like this are real and very much as evil.

[@timothylyons1529]

didn't see those bonus villains coming well i know you going to do something due to how sykes hasn't made alot appearances outside his movie but nice surprise none the less

[@jaggerguth4391]

In relation to Mickey Mouse Comics, One story titled "The Kid Gang" has Mickey Mouse taking down Benton E. "Big Ben" Benton, A immensely hefty-weight gangster with a childlike mind. Aided by his diabolical toymaker Dr. Squeemish, Big Ben lures unexpecting children into his "Adult-free" playground with the intent of corrupting their minds so they would work for him. Basically, he's a combination of Oliver Twist's Fagin and The Coachman from Pinocchio.

[@sammyt7981]

5:22 Sykes 10:02 Roscoe and DeSoto 17:50 Sylvester Shyster 21:37 Sylvester J Sharky 22:06 Eli Squinch

[@DevinTownsend-fg1xs]

I will say that Sykes is an imposing villain, I was more exited about the bonus villain section, Mostly because of my Mickey bias. Shyster and Squinch were really cool villains. I wish Disney would use there comic characters in a show, I mean Ducktales and it’s reboot did this for Carl Bark’s characters.

[@jennyAsta]

For some bizarre reason, my most vivid memory of this movie is the musical Christmas tree ornaments that I believe were given away by McDonalds.

[@MarvinEscobar-hd3es]

I remember reading somewhere that the original Oliver Twist had enough villains for 3 whole movies. Seems like Rita was supposed to be the Nancy equivalent of the film but thankfully Sykes never lays a hand on her (although Roscoe and DeSoto rough up Dodger in a way that makes me think it might have been homage - that scene might be the most touching in the film actually). The chapter in the Dickens book where Bill Sykes kills Nancy has to be one of the most graphic passages I've read in any book to this very day...

[@ColinLooksBack]

I never made the Rita-Nancy connection, but I can kind of see that.

[@sirhenrymorgan1187]

​​@@ColinLooksBackFor what it's worth, Wikipedia agrees that Rita = Nancy: en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_%26_Company#Cast_and_characters Clicking on Rita takes you to Nancy's page.

[@KTChamberlain]

You know, in hindsight if Sykes really wanted a good bargaining chip, he would have abducted Georgette at the docks and not Jenny because it's no secret that Jenny's parents prize that poodle over her and he would have gotten the information from her dog tag. Talk about close but (ironically) no cigar for Sykes. I imagine if Jenny told Sykes that he'd be quick to assume it's a high-stakes bluff on her part, because I imagine he'd think it would sound absurd, and the irony would be lost on him.

[@LilyBannel]

Sykes is one of those Disney villains that is good for the movie but hard to inspire creativity. There's sparks there but man it's not fun to picture him with other villains. Not much to speculate or see how he would interact except for profit or torture maybe. Fanfiction sites would be a good source to see how many actually like him but I'm afraid to investigate. There's a drab factor which stinks. I think that's why he isn't used as often. Roscoe and Desoto at least have some punch to them. I think he could easily be forgotten if it wasn't for his death scene. My word that shocked me as a kid and still does today. Like the accidental hanging scene from Tarzan. If anything, this is one of those movies where a side character gets more hate than the main bad guy. Georgette gets more hate in the comments I read for actively hurting Oliver physically and mentally. I'm surprised she wasn't mentioned since she indirectly got Jenny kidnapped.

[@nicholassims9837]

Wonder what Skykes would think of Shadowman and Hades as all 3 are deal makers .

[@mightyfilm]

This may be my nostalgic bias, but this movie is why I roll my eyes anytime someone says "The Little Mermaid saved the studio." At least in a quality of films sense. Not only is this one of my all time favorite Disney movies, I think it's a far superior Oliver Twist musical than that...ugh...other one that everyone loves so much. I mean, the songs are actually catchy and don't stop the movie dead cold for 5 self indulgent minutes. Also, I love how it's the one Disney movie that Dom Deluise has a role in. Like the one time it wasn't a Don Bluth film. Just everything about this movie, as well as Basil of Baker Street, screams the Disney spirit is still there after Black Cauldron was a disappointment. And yes, pleasant memories of the movie when I was little and the part where Sykes belches his cigar smoke at Fagean always stuck out to me because I was given that anti-smoking propaganda lessons in school at the time.

[@jdpragmatic8644]

I own a Bull Terrier with colors similar to a Doberman. I cannot see them being Disney villain henchmen, they’re way to adorable and lovable. Even with mean looking eyes and teeth their egg shaped head just makes you smirk.

[@Yellowguy0619]

I think that's what makes a bull terrier to fit as Sykes's henchmen. The point is that without all of the shadows, Sykes and his dog look like normal people you could see walking down a street, but in the shadows, they can be very menecing and intimidating.

[@harismirza6447]

I can’t wait for the darkwing duck villains retrospective. Quackerjack is my favorite.

[@ghosthost100]

Aww man, so close to the Renaissance Disney era. Like the content.

[@mitchfletcher2386]

I feel like Oliver and Company could've made for a cool TV series after the movie. Get like one season outta that.

[@Yellowguy0619]

there's a reason why there isn't...

[@Wolfcreed117]

Two things I need to say. One, I love this movie. The animation, the music, the characters and of course the villain. Two I'm sure someone has brought this up, but Syke's death in this movie was brutal. Like holy 💩😱.

[@timothylyons1529]

wasn't rescuers & it sequels and fox and found set in modern times just like this movie

[@Yellowguy0619]

no

[@MarcMagma]

As someone who grew up on the european Duckverse comics, I do miss Squinch. He appeared regularly at the beginning but much like other comic villains, such as Doctor Vulter or the Professors Ecks, Doublex and Triplex, he is barely used by the writers these days. I can only think of one comic featuring him in the last decade (which, tbf, is still more than can be said about Vulter and the professors).

[@Psycopathicus]

Eli Squinch is also kind of interesting as a villain because he's pretty clearly defined as an older man, in late middle age at least - so implicitly, he's already had a very long career of getting away with underhanded deals. It kind of adds to his air of backhanded respectability - sure, he's a crook, but he's made an art out of getting away with it under the eyes of the law. There's even one story (which you showed a panel from) in which Eli loans his gun to Pete so he can kill Mickey, but once his hatred for the Mouse wears off, he realizes, hang on - if Pete kills him with MY gun, that means the law will pin it on ME! And he's terrified about it, because for one brief moment it looks like he might NOT weasel out of things, and he has no idea what to do.

[@BenNelson-zl6lj]

Just one step closer to your first Disney Renaissance Retrospective (not counting The Rescuers Down Under). ⬇️ Update 1: After binging your entire retrospective series so far, I look forward to seeing your first take on reviewing Ursula's retrospective, beginning the Disney Renaissance/90s Disney Retrospective lineup. I even look forward to your first retrospective of the Pixar villains starting with Sid from Toy Story. ⬇️ Update 2: Of course until both opportunities show up, you can take all the time you need to study the baddies of Chip and Dale Rescue Rangers. See you then. 👋

[@TheNMan64]

You got more out of Sykes than I thought you'd be able to. A tip of the cap to you :)

[@Zach-bo8bz]

I wonder if keeping Bill Sykes in the shadows is also a reference to Inspector Gadget Dr. Claw. He never shows his face, and he sometimes drives around in the car. So I think that’s also a reason why this happened. and inspiration from Inspector Gadget. ❤️🥰😍🤗🤩👍🏻

[@danalexander6049]

Oliver and Company reminds me a lot of the Touchstone properties Disney made in the 1980s. Especially the scenes with Sykes, the Dobermans, and Rita's interactions with DeSoto---plus the inclusion of Touchstone Pictures queen Bette Midler, Touchstone TV stars Richard Mulligan (Empty Nest), Joey Lawrence (Blossom) and Cheech Marin (The Golden Palace). And the 1990 Touchstone sitcom "The Fanelli Boys" used "Why Should I Worry" as the theme song.

[@AlfredoPuente8]

By far the most realistic Disney villain, you coud see him in any Scorcese movie.

[@LowellLucasJr.]

One unusual coincidence was a kitten getting rescued in an early Rescue Rangers episode featuring a character design similar to Oliver...although with a white and spots coloring.

[@Rubberman202]

I watched this movie quite a few times growing up. Not one of my favorites, but definitely not a bad movie. I know this is loosely based on Oliver Twist, but I've unfortunately never read that. The only things I know about that book are "Please, sir, I want some more", the Artful Dodger, and Fagin and his gang. It's actually interesting that the Fagin in this movie is a lot more sympathetic compared to the Fagin I've heard about from the book. It's weird, though, I'm wholly unfamiliar with the Sykes, or rather Bill Sikes, of the book, so I don't know how similar the two characters are. Actually... I feel like I don't have much to say about about Sykes in general. I suppose he's an imposing presence but it feels like he was barely in the movie... Actually, I only said that because one of the video recommendations I'm getting because of this video is "Oliver & Company But Only When Sykes is on Screen", and it's only 3 minutes long. Still, Skyes is a strong contender for "Disney Villain with the Most Brutal Death" award, like damn... His dogs don't get it any better, being electrocuted and all. I think I'll have more to say about Chip & Dale's villains, though, I'll be looking forward to that one (especially hearing what you think of the Rescue Rangers movie)!