MovieChat Forums > Hercules (1997) Discussion > Phil was such a creepy perv

Phil was such a creepy perv

posted 10 years ago by number9-4
6 replies | jump to latest

I'm surprised he's even supposed to be a good guy - He spies on the nymphs from behind the bushes, then chases after them when they're running to get away from him, he immediately hits on Meg even though she hasn't shown a lick of interest in him and then hates her the rest of the movie because she rejected him (until she's dying, presumably because he felt bad for Hercules, not because he actually cared). Because he's shocked she wouldn't want an obese, sleazy goat-man for a lover?

Those all sounds like the behavior of an entitled, sociopathic rapist. Now, I'm not saying he is one - I'm just surprised they portrayed him so sleazily. I don't think they would get away with that nowadays, with all these high-profile crimes coming from entitled guys who do terrible things because they think they're entitled to get some (Isla Vista, the Cleveland kidnapper, etc.)

[–] furienna 10 years ago

You have to remember that Phil was a satyr, and satyrs generally were perverts like that. Satyriasis is even a term for when a man is hypersexual.

Intelligence and purity.

[–] number9-4 10 years ago

Hmm. That's a good point. But then again, they didn't even have to make Herc's trainer a satyr. I always did wonder what Phil's credentials were, after all, that an out-of-shape-looking goat-man trained all these legendary heroes.

[–] furienna 10 years ago

One of the episodes of the TV show was about that. People asked how Phil could be a hero trainer if he had never been a hero himself. But he did pass a written exam on the subject, which most people would have failed. To be fair though, Hercules was his first successful trainee.

Intelligence and purity.

[–] number9-4 10 years ago

Oh, I don't remember that. I used to watch the show every day after school. Disney did a good job with those spinoff shows. They still had some really catchy songs and funny moments. Loved the Aladdin and Little Mermaid ones too.

And yeah, it's interesting how he somehow got this reputation for being like, the de facto hero-trainer, yet none of them could "go the distance." I guess that's what happened before you could read reviews of someone online, LOL.

[–] furienna 10 years ago

Yeah, I loved "Aladdin" and "Hercules" and "The legend of Tarzan".

As for Phil's former trainees, Achilles was going strong until he hurt his heel. And they also mentioned Perseus, but we don't know how he was supposed to be a failure.

Intelligence and purity.

[–] 10 years ago

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