Shrek’s Lord Farquaad Was More Evil Than You Remember

by Panzer
Some of you may die, but it's a sacrifice I am willing to make.
This is Lord Farquaad.
While he may seem like just another unserious character
in an animated kids' movie, there's more to him
than one might initially believe.
Every aspect of Farquaad was crafted with meticulous intent.
From his insidious worldview to his perfectly maintained
castle, Farquaad is a much more compelling villain
than he has any right to be.
But perhaps the most interesting aspect
of his character, and indeed the whole movie,
is the spiteful, real world rivalry
that allegedly motivated it.
What is that?
[GASPING]
It's hideous.
Oh, that's not very nice.
It's just a donkey.
But before we get into the details,
be sure you like this video and subscribe to Nerdstalgic
if you're into deep dives like this.
At this point, we can all agree that DreamWorks's Shrek
is more than the sum of its earwax laden parts.
Based very loosely on a book of the same name,
this gross out kids' movie could have very easily crashed
and burned.
Against all odds, it turned out to have heart,
not unlike the swamp dwelling ogre himself.
Its message of acceptance and authenticity
rings as true today as it did in 2001.
And its obvious parody to the Walt Disney Company
is still relevant and funny.
The movie opens with our protagonist
using Disney's tried and true storybook
formula as toilet paper.
And things only ramp up in aggression from there.
The sorts of fairy tales Disney bases their movies on
are purposefully mocked and mishandled in Shrek.
They're even made out to be the butt of racy jokes.
Although she lives with seven other men, she's not easy.