10 Terrifying Characters In Non-Horror Movies
9. Judge Doom - Who Framed Roger Rabbit
Who Framed Roger Rabbit is a great crossover film, with bright and shiny toons for the youngsters and keenly observed genre spoofing for the grown ups. Ultimately, though, it is a family film. So why - how - did they make Christopher Lloyd so terrifying?
Lloyd’s performance as Judge Doom is typically energetic, with the veteran actor throwing himself into scenes with his cartoon co-stars. He manages to make the character off-putting enough simply through his mannerisms and physicality - Lloyd has confirmed that it was his intention to be frightening, taking a leaf out of Disney animations of old. With his dark robes, pallid skin, and clear intentions to murder a whole town full of cartoons, he certainly achieves his goal. He’s a threatening figure, but attempted murder is, bizarrely, a pretty common thread in Disney’s family oeuvre.
It’s the film’s final act, though, that sees him become truly terrifying, when he reveals that he, in fact, is a toon. The bulging eyes, the monstrous grin, most of all the helium soaked, frenzied voice - it’s the stuff of nightmares.