The irony is that despite how intense and aggressive the weasels seem in this scene, the song itself is pretty much about how the Weasels are prey and will hide and use tricks to avoid danger. They may certainly be dangerous to Mole, but knowing there is plenty more things out there more dangerous than the weasels just helps to scare Mole even more, and the weasels exploit that fear just for their own amusement and maybe to seem predatory.
That's a good take, and I agree 100%. The weasels are both predators AND prey; they are omnivorous mammals that sit somewhere in the middle of the food chain/hierarchy. This position in the hierarhcy has meant they are forced to adapt to the role of both capturing prey (i.e. predator) and avoiding becoming prey from potential predators themselves. And to their credit, they appear to have mastered their craft, as evident from this song. The world they live in is cruel, and they must be crueler in order to survive.
Yeah the people in particular are getting very nasty indeed. With this virus going around, most of them are committing crimes left and right. They're thinking "Hey, if I'm gonna die real soon because of the virus, that means I don't have to face consequences. I can do whatever I want!"
say what you will about the film but this song is one of the best villain songs ever, it has nightmarish imagery and threat without relying on cheap gore or jump-scares.. it's that right mix of dark and light that many kid's films are missing these days.
I came from Nostalgia Critic too. I was watching villain songs. I a a fan of the Anastasia movie. So I watched that villain song. Then I watched the songs that I am not familiar with. I watched the Chicago on, the the Treasure Island on and then this Wind in Willows one. I think I have two songs left to check out. There is the dentist one and the pretty women. I do agree with Nostalgia Critic that Hunchback of Notre Dame has the best one. It is one of my favorite movies. It has my favorite Disney villain. It also has one of the best set of songs in any Disney movies. The mix of a good villain and good music makes the Hellfire song the best villain song ever. It is so freaky.
This song is so sinister, so evil, so funny, so good! I could go on forever about this song, but I'd run out of words eventually. I also love Steve Coogan's take on Mole, and, as crazy as it sounds, my favorite amongst the weasels is St. John! Love, love, love this song and film!
I wish the song was a little longer. I actually came here because the part with the disembodied hands scared me a bit when I was very young. Also, most movies, if they have a villain song, that will be the best song even if the rest of the movie's not so good. Ever notice that?
I know people may say 'boo on Nostalgia Critic' but I'm glad he brought my attention to this song, because to be honest I always hated Wind in the Willows...
Infinity4Laughs The majority of the movie is talking everything. It's rather annoying, watching the sun, the clock, and the lake ask the main character how he's doing. This song, however, is a welcome change of pace!
Alrigth, I came because of Nostalgia Critic, but I actualky have seen the film before he talked about it. Also, am I the only one that liked the film? Yes, it has some mayor problems and it's silly, but it's a fun kind of silly. It doesn't take itself too seriously and is quite amusing.
I remember first learning about this sing when I saw the Nostalgia Critic's Top 11 Villain Songs, of which this song made it to Number 2 on that list. Needless to say, that was a very long time ago.
I just wish there was a higher-rez version (This is the best visual one I've seen) with audio in both ears. The dancing in it is woefully underrated; the weasels have style and panache.
Thank you Doug Walker/Nostalgia Critic. The movie's been pretty much forgotten - I've never seen it - but this song is great and it's thanks to Doug that I'm even aware of its existence.
The Disney Company was an idiot for not funding this movie more. It was wonderful, sweet, catchy, and the acting was spectacular. Plus, it had four of the six Monty Python crew in it -- Eric Idle as the Water Rat (Ratty), Terry Jones as Toad, Michael Palin as the Sun, and John Cleese briefly as a lawyer. Go Nostalgia Critic for bringing this movie into the spotlight it has always deserved.
Love the Psycho violin reference there when he pokes him. Also love it when Toad cowers on the ground in the snow in fear. It's so humbling and has gotta make you feel sorry for him. And omg the lyrics are simple but good and dealt with very well in the song. Gotta love the drumbeat.
I have a different secret of survival for this very nasty world, personally…but I wouldn't mind having theirs. Now you see me…now you don't. Now you hear me…
they should make a longer version...and make a live broadway/west end version of this :P I'd pay £40 for good seats to sit through it just to see a longer version of this song..just imagine the weasels running through the audience scaring people and playing mind tricks and stuff - awesome
I love this song! Demented Anthony Sher's abound! I know people had a problem with this film straying so far from the original story but I remember liking it as a kid. Its a bit hit and miss...especially the Ratty and Moley characters...but then I have always had a fondness for the warped Pythonesque take on things. In fact if Graham Chapman were alive and in it I would say it could almost qualify as a Python film. I particularly loved the take on the weasels and 'Weasel Corps'...brilliant.
Truthfully, it is a very nasty world indeed. The people in particular are getting very nasty. With this virus going around, most of them are committing crimes left and right. They're thinking "Hey, if I'm gonna die real soon because of the virus, that means I don't have to face consequences. I can do whatever I want!"
I really wish they had an extended version of this. Like I know they pulled out all the shots for this short villain song in terms of the scene itself, but I would be totally fine if there was an extended recorded version of this song, or at least the POSSIBILITY that they made this song as short as they did because they couldn't do a whole version of it(for run time is a good example).
I'm sorry to be a brony here but haters please disregard this: This would probably be Fluttershy's nightmare, since she dosn't have much of an awareness of the dangers of the world.
I didn't realise when I first saw the film but many years later I realised they were supposed to look like Nazis. I should have seen it considering that the banners they hung up in Toad Hall were very similar to swastika banners (they just replaced the swastika with a big Times-New-Roman font "W").
I actually had, through my long and rambling travels through the YouTubian Wastes. I was delighted to hear it again, and have it be spread to more listeners.
I like this movie, it's funny and pleasant, and all the characters are memorable, especially charming weasels (must see the film at least for their sake). I think if I watched the movie as a child, I would have been delighted. In short, my time well spent. But every man to his own taste :)
This should have been how they did Cats. Minimal makeup but evoke the animal through suggestion. Every single character in this movie is more convincing than all of Cats.
A badass, haunting and cool villain song that has a somewhat realistic lyrics about a cruel world. And when I am younger and see this video, I thought they’re actually ghosts.
One of the plus sides of NC is that, even when you disagree with him, he does do a good job explaining why he thinks the way he does. I mean, I saw his Ferngully review, FYI: I love Ferngully, and I had to admit that he and NostalgiaChick had good points.
I just saw Antony Sher (aka Chief Weasel) doing Falstaff on stage. He is such a versatile actor; going from being the sinister baddie in this to the comic character in Henry IV!
