Mother Gothel, a vain who will stop at nothing to maintain her youthful appearance, is visiting Disneyland Paris for the Disney Halloween Festival.
ETERNAL YOUTH
Don’t be fooled by her seemingly youthful appearance and friendly demeanour – Mother Gothel is really a bitter old woman, suffering from the ravages of time. She was lucky enough to stumble across a magical flower, born from a drop of sunlight, capable of healing illnesses and injuries, but instead of sharing its benefits with the whole world, she hoarded its magic to ensure her own eternal youth.
Despite her efforts to conceal it, the sundrop flower was eventually discovered by the people of the kingdom of Corona, and used to concoct a remedy for their beloved, ailing queen, just before she gave birth to Rapunzel. The princess inherited the flower’s magic, and her golden hair could heal and give eternal youth – just like the sundrop flower.
Determined to reap the flower’s benefits once more, Mother Gothel decided to kidnap the princess and lock her up in a high tower hidden away in the heart of the forest. But that was without considering that the young girl would become a teenager, with a natural desire to discover ‘When will my life begin’.
‘MOTHER KNOWS BEST’
Music is very important to Mother Gothel. To access the flower’s power concentrated in Rapunzel’s hair, all she has to do is sing the healing incantation: ‘Flower, gleam and glow, Let your power shine, Make the clock reverse, Bring back what once was mine.’
‘Mother knows best’ is another song that plays a key role in the film. Initially, Disney artists had imagined an antagonist for Rapunzel following the great tradition of classic fairytales, but the talent of composer Alan Menken (The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Hunchback of Notre-Dame …) transformed her into a complex character, full of ambiguity. After a seductive, caressing start, the tone of this iconic song changes completely and becomes more theatrical, in the style of the great Broadway tunes, with a touch of irony subtly suggesting the true deceitfulness of this master manipulator. From there, the designers and animators just had to put the finishing touches on the character and express her obsession with her appearance through heavy make-up, a flamboyant dress and bold animation. Mother Gothel was born!
DEVASTATING BEAUTY
Rapunzel’s world is represented in Fantasyland by the mythical tower that can be seen towering above Pays des Contes de Fées. Rapunzel herself often lights up Disneyland Park with her radiant presence, such as during Disney Stars on Parade on the ‘Discover Romance’ float or walking arm in arm with Flynn Rider. But until now, Mother Gothel has never made an appearance at Disneyland Paris.
For the first time ever, Mother Gothel is present at the Disney Halloween Festival, giving guests the chance to take a selfie to immortalise this intriguing new encounter. Be sure to flatter her, even if you don’t really mean it: she can’t resist a compliment!