A villain isn't complete unless they have a maniacal and chilling laugh to round out their aesthetic. Not all villains pass the laugh test, such as Hades from Hercules or Mother Gothel from Tangled. Many famous Disney animated villains are well known for their devious plans and even more devious laughs.
A good villain laugh needs to come deep from inside and have enough of a sinister tone that will have audiences quivering. Taking a look at Disney's more famous villains, some are recognizable for their laughs than others like Yzma's more pitched tone and mannerisms. Yzma is only one of many that made audiences shrink in fear over their evil laughs.
Prince John (Robin Hood)
The story of Robin Hood has been remade many times, from a Disney animated movie to live-actions and even a parody. In all movies, the central villain is Prince John. In the animated version, Prince John forces taxes upon his people, even the poor. While in his carriage with his newly collected money, he lets out a laugh in glee.
The laugh is unique on its own, as it doesn't have the same resonating hefty feel like other villain laughs. It sounds as if Prince John is mocking everyone as he goes, "Ah! Ha! Ha!"
Cruella (One Hundred And One Dalmatians)
Cruella's original laugh in the animated movie is a bit subpar compared to Glenn Close's live-action version, but the laugh still holds up when taking into account the ruthless villain that Cruella really is. When discussing buying the puppies, her laugh has a taunting feel to it.
Unlike other female villains, her laugh isn't as high-pitched, most likely due to her habit of smoking. This makes the laugh more throaty and deep which changes to be more rapid in sound and slightly higher the more Cruella gets invested in it.
Yzma (The Emperor's New Groove)
Yzma is known for her unique appearance with her tall slender skin and bones look, her slightly grey and purple-hued skin, and her laugh. In The Emperor's New Groove, there are some instances of her laugh that really fit the character. When devising a plan to get rid of Kuzco, she laughs with a shrill tone that creates a gurgling sound at the end.
The evil villain gets some extra brownie points when she accidentally turns herself into a cat. As a cute and feisty kitten, Yzms is still conniving and so is her laugh. The laugh still has the shrill tone to it, but, seeing as her voice becomes a bit more "fluffy" as a kitten, it's slightly less menacing.
Maleficent (Sleeping Beauty)
Angelina Jolie's laugh as Maleficent has nothing on the original animated version. Sleeping Beauty had every young fan fearing Maleficent for her witch-like character, dark and haunting ensemble, and her evil plan of having Aura in a comatose state. In the movie, the villain really showcased her evil laugh even in the face of peril.
Her henchmen fail to locate Aurora, and Maleficent snaps into an evil laugh. It comes deep from within, and her pent-up frustration lets loose. The tone of her laugh is maniacal and shrill enough to hurt anyone's eardrums.
Dr. Facilier (The Princess And The Frog)
Dr. Facilier in The Princess and The Frog did the job of eliciting chills and fear into the young audience. One of Disney's most underrated villains, Dr. Facilier was a voodoo mastermind who used different forms of manipulation to get what he wanted. Not only does this villain have a dark aura of evil wherever he goes, but his laugh completes the character.
In any scene, where Dr. Facilier gets the upper hand, he tends to laugh in a haunting way. His laugh comes deep from within his chest and has a resonating echo sound to it. The laugh is downright devious.
Queen Grimhilde (Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs)
Everyone knows the evil plan of the poisoned apple by Queen Grimhilde in Snow White. Besides her nefarious plan, Grimhilde had a laugh that stuck with fans even years after. What really tied the laugh together was how the scene unfolds while she does so. After succeeding in her plan, lighting strikes creating a big booming sound.
In the midst of the storm, fans hear her shrill laugh. To make the scene even more chilling, this is when Grimhilde transformed into an old woman to fool Snow White. Her laugh ranges in tone from a low sound to a pitched sound as she smiles with her one tooth grin.
Ursula (The Little Mermaid)
Ursula is often recognized as one of Disney's villains who might also be misunderstood, but her evil laugh is the definition of being purely sinister. After succeeding in taking Ariel's voice, Ursula's eyes sparkle, and her eyebrows peak as she goes into her laugh.
Her laugh is a bit more of a deeper tone to it that finishes in a slight pitch. Fans might notice that the laugh sounds as if her throat slightly constricts giving a gurgling sound. The laugh is complete with her crazed eyes, sharp teeth, and arching her back as she does so.
Claude Frollo (The Hunchback Of Notre Dame)
The Hunchback of Notre Dame is a unique Disney film that's superior to most of their animated output. One aspect that fans often remember is the movie's central villain, Claude Frollo, and his laugh. The laugh is heard a few times in the movie, and the most resonating one comes when he almost kills Quasimodo and Esméralda.
If listening closely, as he rises to his feet with a sword, he starts laughing maniacally. It's chilling and has a more deranged feel to it as Frollo is at the end of his rope. Frollo's short laugh has a more phlegmy and snotty tone than expected.
Jafar (Aladdin)
Jafar from Aladdin is downright evil, sinister, and everything in between, and the animated version of Jafar has one of the most maniacal laughs ever committed to film. As he goes off the rails with his villainess, his laugh is only accentuated by the bright purple and red-hued tone of the scene.
He rises in pitch and sound as he gets invested in his laugh, and fans can see why the movie dedicated a whole scene to just his undoubtedly evil laugh. The drama of the storm behind him makes it even more noteworthy.
Scar ( The Lion King)
The Lion King's Scar has gone down in history as one of Disney's most evil villains. He had it all: his unforgettable scar, piercing green eyes, and his hate for Mufasa. His laugh is not only memorable for its eery tone, but the overall scene in which it occurs.
At the very top of a pointed cliff, while bathed in green, purple, and blue tones of the night, he's surrounded by his followers. After his song, Scar goes into a maniacal laugh while arching his head back as everyone joins him. Fans can distinctly make out Scar's laugh, as it's deeper in tone and has a domineering quality to it.