Filmmakers, even since silent film times, have used various dermatological diseases to characterize their characters as being evil or immoral in nature . According to a team of dermatologists led by Dr. Julie A. Croley, from the University of Texas Medical Center (USA) and who have just published an article in the medical journal JAMA Dermatology, this fact could be at the origin of prejudices towards people in real life who suffer from these dermatological pathologies.
In a cross-sectional study, these specialists wanted to compare the extent to which the most famous villains in film history – the ranking was taken from the American Film Institute (AFI) – suffered more skin problems than their antagonists: the good guys from the movies. The results were overwhelming: “The top ten villains show a significantly higher incidence of dermatological problems than the top ten heroes,” the dermatologists noted. While the first presented problems of this type in 60%, the heroes did not suffer any pathology of these characteristics.
Among the problems of these super-evil characters were: alopecia (30%), periorbital hyperpigmentation –the production of melanin around the eyes is greater, and therefore that area darkens– (30%), deep wrinkles (20%), scars on the face (20%), facial warts (20%) and rhinophyma –a pathology of the skin of the nose that leads to a deformation of the same– (10%).
Darth Vader takes the cake
And many times, according to these specialists, the filmmakers make the bad guys combine several of these problems at the same time in their goal of projecting the image of evil. They take as an example Darth Vader, who, without his characteristic mask, sports baldness, a very unnatural gray skin, periorbital hyperpigmentation, facial scars and deep wrinkles . This accumulation of problems incites apprehension and fear of the unknown. Dermatologists also mention another case of the Star Wars saga: the Emperor (Darth Sidious), who, like his pupil, accumulates not a few skin problems.
Examples of movie villains with dermatological pathologies also include Freddy Krueger, with his scars, in A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), Mrs. Danvers, who sports a large nevus – a congenital alteration of skin pigmentation, usually brown or bluish in color – in Rebeca (1940) or Cruella de Vil, with poliosis – a lock of white hair – in 101 Dalmatians (1996). On the other hand, among the good ones, these problems are much less common .
As the study authors explain, “dermatological problems are used in films to elucidate the dichotomy between good and evil through visual representation .” And that can contribute to our being inclined to feel prejudice towards those people who suffer from these pathologies.
Image: Pat Loika via Wikimedia / CC
