| “ | Here's Phido! | „ |
| ~ Phido's catchphrase. |
Phido, also called Phido the Vulture, is a major antagonist of the 1993 animated fantasy film The Thief and the Cobbler. He is a vulture who served as the pet to the evil sorcerer Zigzag.
In the Miramax version, he was voiced by Eric Bogosian. However, in the original version, Calvert version and Illumination versions, he was voiced by the late Donald Pleasence, who also played Ernst Stavro Blofeld in You Live Only Twice.
Personality[]
Phido appeared to be extremely dependable, steadfast and loyal to Zigzag as he seemingly tagged in the latter's plot to marry Princess Yum-Yum. However, it turns out that Phido actually hated Zigzag as the latter was so vituperative and abusive to him, and hardly ever fed him. As a result, Phido even snickered when King Mighty One-Eye attempted to have Zigzag fed to some alligators. He even took the opportunity to get some payback by helping the alligators devour Zigzag alive following the deaths of Mighty One-Eye and his dangerous army of One-Eyes.
Appearance[]
Phido is a big black vulture with yellow eyes, a white beak with a red tip, gold feet, a gray belly, lavender eyelids, and a small red hat. His last scene in the movie implies that he has a strange ability to grow large mouth twice his size full of razor-sharp teeth
Biography[]
Throughout the film, Phido is abused and neglected by Zigzag, never being fed by the sorcerer and constantly having his rump set alight by the careless alight. ZigZag later allied himself with Mighty One-Eye and his army to take over the Golden City, also taming One-Eye's pit of Alligators by promising fine food. In the end following the deaths of King Mighty One-Eye and his men, ZigZag falls back into the gator pit trying to escape and now had to face the hungry gators, vengeful that ZigZag didn't keep his word. Phido is able to grasp his freedom by flying down into the pit as Alligators tear into ZigZag and start eating the wizard alive. As Zigzag looks at Phido, he remarks even his best friend has betrayed him as Phido finishes Zigzag by biting his head off.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- He was voiced by the late Donald Pleasence, in both the original and Allied Filmmakers versions of the film, and also by Eric Bogosian in the Miramax version of the film. Rather than simply using squawks like in the original and Allied Filmmakers versions of the film, the Miramax version dubs over much of his scenes with actual dialogue.
- Phido was originally named Brutay, after Brutus from Shakespeare play, Julius Caesar, thus making his last words to Brutay, "You too, Brutay", a reference.
- Not surprisingly, Phido is similar to Iago from Disney's Aladdin: They both are talking birds who serve as the pet sidekicks to their masters, but eventually turn against them and kill them. In The Return of Jafar, Iago kicks his master’s genie lamp into boiling lava in order to save his fellow heroes, whereas Phido eats his master as revenge for his constant mistreatment.