{"id":32097,"date":"2014-01-28T08:48:38","date_gmt":"2014-01-28T13:48:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/?p=32097"},"modified":"2022-02-06T00:05:32","modified_gmt":"2022-02-06T05:05:32","slug":"movie-review-hunchback-notre-dame","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/movie-review-hunchback-notre-dame\/","title":{"rendered":"Movie Review: The Hunchback of Notre Dame"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"The
Blu-ray cover Copyright Disney<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Based on Victor Hugo\u2019s 1831 novel of the same name, The Hunchback of Notre Dame <\/i>was released on June 21, 1996. The film, which is 91 minutes in length, was the 34th<\/sup> full-length animated feature in Disney history.<\/p>\n

Plot Summary<\/b><\/p>\n

As was well put by the film\u2019s gypsy narrator, Clopin, The Hunchback of Notre Dame <\/i>is a story of \u201ca man and a monster.\u201d Indeed, the tale features two conflicting protagonists.<\/p>\n

On one hand, there\u2019s Quasimodo, the title character, who serves as the bell ringer at the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. A gypsy orphan, he possesses a warm heart in spite of his less-than-appealing looks.<\/p>\n

Then, there\u2019s Judge Claude Frollo, a government official who has raised Quasimodo for the previous 20 years after, unbeknownst to Quasimodo, killing the boy\u2019s mother. Frollo is a man of questionable morals. He seeks to eliminate sin from the world by ruthlessly purging the gypsy population of Paris.<\/p>\n

So, \u201cwho is the monster, and who is the man?\u201d The answer lies deeper than what\u2019s easily discernable at the surface.<\/p>\n

Quasimodo<\/b><\/p>\n

Quasimodo is a kind young man who is almost literally trapped in a terrible situation. Frollo keeps him cooped in the Notre Dame bell tower, and although said tower features a wonderful view of Paris, Quasimodo wants to get out and explore the world.<\/p>\n

If the tower confinement wasn\u2019t bad enough for our protagonist, the judge brainwashes the boy, repeatedly telling him that the world is cruel and that he\u2019s ugly; the name Quasimodo, in fact, means \u201chalf-formed\u201d according to Clopin.<\/p>\n

The brainwashing is also a major reason as to why Quasimodo is trapped. The boy could probably escape if he wanted to, but he still believes that Frollo is a good man, and he doesn\u2019t want to disappoint him. Sometimes psychology is a stronger force than physical chains.<\/p>\n

Despite having been raised by a terrible man, Quasimodo\u2019s relationship with Esmeralda, a gypsy girl who\u2019s wanted by Frollo, shows him to be a good person. He appreciates Esmeralda because she is the first person that he can remember being kind to him\u2014the gargoyles don\u2019t count because they\u2019re stone creations, not people. Thus, while he is initially heartbroken that Esmeralda loves Captain Phoebus and not him, Quasimodo nonetheless does all he can to help the girl.<\/p>\n

Comic Relief<\/b><\/p>\n

Though The Hunchback of Notre Dame<\/i> is a dark and dramatic film at its core, comedic elements are inserted throughout.<\/p>\n

The most obvious humor comes through the three gargoyles: Hugo, Victor, and Laverne. This trio offers advice to Quasimodo in funny ways. For example, they tell the boy to attend the Festival of Fools because, among other reasons, he can play \u201cdunk the monk\u201d and go \u201cbobbing for snails.\u201d<\/p>\n

Laverne is my favorite gargoyle because she\u2019s both crabby and amusing. In a period of time faster than the launch of Walt Disney World\u2019s Rock \u2018n\u2019 Roller Coaster (zero to 60 miles-per-hour in 2.8 seconds for those of you playing along at home), Laverne can switch from shooing a flock of birds to consoling Quasimodo.<\/p>\n

The gargoyles aren\u2019t the film\u2019s only source of laughs. For the most part, the Festival of Fools scene is visually amusing with many crazy masks and props. Also, several minor characters, including an unlucky old man and Phoebus\u2019 horse Achilles, are inserted as gags, though I don\u2019t think Frollo\u2019s soldiers would concur with the latter choice.<\/p>\n

Music<\/b><\/p>\n

The music in The Hunchback of Notre Dame<\/i> is solid and well-spaced throughout the film\u2019s duration. The songs range from lovely numbers to funny tunes.<\/p>\n

Immediately at the movie\u2019s commencement, “The Bells of Notre Dame” is performed by Clopin. This dramatic song sets the stage for the ensuing plot.<\/p>\n

Sung by Quasimodo, \u201cOut There\u201d reveals the hunchback\u2019s burning desire to experience life outside the bell tower for once. I found the rendition of this song in the film proper to be exhilarating; the sights of Quasimodo using the cathedral as a jungle gym and sliding down a waterfall, respectively, gave me an adrenaline rush! Also, although we\u2019re dangling at high altitudes, be sure to look down during this segment\u2014Belle from Beauty and the Beast<\/i> (1991) makes a cameo in the street.<\/p>\n

“God Help the Outcasts” is performed by Esmeralda while she\u2019s trapped in the church. With beautiful lyrics and great imagery of Notre Dame, I actually shed tears while beholding this scene.<\/p>\n

Though “Heaven’s Light” is also a heartwarming song, I found the corresponding visuals of the gargoyles drawing funny pictures to be out of place. The doodles may be amusing, but I thought they took away from the beauty of the song.<\/p>\n

Frollo\u2019s \u201c”Hellfire” is arguably the darkest number in Disney history. Detailing the judge\u2019s desire to kill Esmeralda, the lyrics and the visuals are both chilling. The song is catchy but not very child friendly.<\/p>\n

At the opposite end of the spectrum from \u201cHellfire,\u201d \u201cTopsy Turvy\u201d and \u201cA Guy Like You\u201d are included for comic relief. \u201cTopsy Turvy\u201d uses silly rhymes to describe the Festival of Fools, while \u201cA Guy Like You\u201d depicts Quasimodo\u2019s positive attributes amidst a burning Paris.<\/p>\n

In the Parks<\/b><\/p>\n

Since the closing of Walt Disney World\u2019s \u201cThe Hunchback of Notre Dame: A Musical Adventure\u201d stage show in 2002, The Hunchback of Notre Dame<\/i> hasn\u2019t held a major place in Disney\u2019s parks. Still, characters from the film, most notably Quasimodo and Frollo, make occasional appearances at Walt Disney World.<\/p>\n

Overall<\/b><\/p>\n

The Hunchback of Notre Dame <\/i>is unquestionably one of Disney\u2019s darkest animated features, and the suitability of its \u201cG\u201d rating was questioned at the time of the film\u2019s release. Mature themes aside, this film has always been my favorite, not necessarily because it\u2019s Disney\u2019s best movie, but because of nostalgia.<\/p>\n

To digress a bit, I was six years old when The Hunchback of Notre Dame<\/i> was released, and I have great memories of it. Aside from seeing and enjoying the film at the theatre\u2014I think the mature aspects went over my head\u2014my only collection arose from this movie. For about three months in mid-1996, Burger King regularly released new Hunchback <\/i>character figurines with its Kids Club Meals. I got my mom to take me to the restaurant at least once each week so that I could collect the toys, and if we were given a duplicate, she would ask the cashier if the next one in line was available. Hamburgers and chicken nuggets were definitely secondary factors in these fast food adventures!<\/p>\n

I eventually succeeded in my figurine quest, though they have, unfortunately, long since been taken to the town dump. Ah, the power of childhood memories!<\/p>\n

What do you think of The Hunchback of Notre Dame? Let me know in a comment!<\/i><\/p>\n

Sponsored Ad:<\/strong>\u00a0 Would you like to help support The Mouse For Less website in continuing their mission of being THE Disney vacation planning resource?\u00a0 You can do so by purchasing The Hunchback of Notre Dame<\/em> from our affiliate link through Amazon<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Based on Victor Hugo\u2019s 1831 novel of the same name, The Hunchback of Notre Dame was released on June 21, 1996. The film, which is 91 minutes in length, was the 34th full-length animated feature in Disney history. Plot Summary As was well put by the film\u2019s gypsy narrator, Clopin, The Hunchback of Notre Dame…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":67,"featured_media":32098,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wprm-recipe-roundup-name":"","wprm-recipe-roundup-description":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[73],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-32097","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-disney-movies"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32097","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/67"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=32097"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32097\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":82618,"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32097\/revisions\/82618"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/32098"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=32097"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=32097"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=32097"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}