So I going to start periodically posting hypothetical casting choices for either movies or musicals.

So First off, since there is a new english language cast of Notre Dame de Paris  let’s start there.

The thing about the English version of Notre Dame de Paris is that there are a lot of awkward weird lines and just because someone is a good singer it doesn’t mean that these lines can be delivered naturally. There are very few people in this world that can sing song with truly weird lyrics and sound serious and/or sincere. One singer who can do this well for example is the late Dio, who sang Holy Diver . Now I say in my preface that people could living or dead however this post is not about Dio, it actually about another person who is capable of singing very weird lyrics and makes them seem natural and yet would make well cast in Notre Dame de Paris and that person is David Byrne. David Byrne was the lead singer of the Talking Heads but left to have a solo career.

David Byrne picture image

David Byrne

I only recently became of fan David Byrne when I was introduced to him for potential AMV (anime music video) ideas (Shameless plug- I worked on an amv using  a David Byrne song to Mononoke TV click here to watch, and leave a comment if you like ^_~, the amv is called Dark Interlude).

Lot of his songs are strange out of the ones I have heard I think U.B. Jesus and Speechless are the weirdest (lyrically). So given that he is a great singer who can sing some crazy lines and make them seem normal, I’d cast him as Frollo in Notre Dame de Paris, (He even looks a bit like Daniel Lavoie (the original Frollo))

Quasimodo and Zephyr I'd Stick With You Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney Sequel 2 picture image

Quasimodo and Zephyr I’d Stick With You Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

Madeline I'd Stick With You Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney Sequel 2 picture image

Madeline I’d Stick With You Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

Quasimodo and Zephyr I'd Stick With You Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney Sequel 2 picture image

Quasimodo and Zephyr I’d Stick With You Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’d Stick with you is a Buddy song sung by Zephyr and Quasimodo. Zephyr is feeling his pal, Quasimodo is pulling away from him because he was staring at a girl (or maybe just ignoring his prattle). Quasimodo tells Zephyr that they’ll always be pal. Zephyr via song poses a hypothetical situation, about if  he caught by a witch and is suspended over a kettle of blue glue and he falls he if Quasimodo would still be his pal even if  he was sticky. Which Quasimodo says he would still be his friend because it’s not that big of a deal, kid. As the song is being sung, Madeline (who changed out her pink costume and into her casual garb in record time) watches and judges Quasimodo to be a nice loyal sort, because I guess loyalty to someone who is sticky is an important trait in a lifemate for her. So surprise the song is a plot device for the Quasimodo/Madeline pairing. This fact is compounded when you think this the last time Quasimodo and Zephyr speak to each other.

Quasimodo, Madeline and Zephyr I'd Stick With You Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney Sequel 2 picture image

Quasimodo, Madeline and Zephyr I’d Stick With You Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

Quasimodo, Madeline and Zephyr I'd Stick With You Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney Sequel 2 picture image

Quasimodo, Madeline and Zephyr I’d Stick With You Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

Madeline I'd Stick With You Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney Sequel 2 picture image

Madeline I’d Stick With You Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So is the song bad? Yes, yes it, I originally thought another song was worse but I feel this song is the far worse. The music is lazy and the lyrics are stupid. Visuals on it are terrible too. Let’s start with the music. You know those songs you make up as you go, more less sing-song in natural that’s all this is. I’m not sure if it’s because it was  written this way because a child was singing it, but either Haley Joel Osment couldn’t sing very well or the composer had little respect for children. If the later is true than shame on the composer because children are capable of singing very well.

Quasimodo, Madeline and Zephyr I'd Stick With You Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney Sequel 2 picture image

Quasimodo, Madeline and Zephyr I’d Stick With You Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

Madeline I'd Stick With You Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney Sequel 2 picture image

Madeline I’d Stick With You Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney 

Quasimodo and Zephyr I'd Stick With You Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney Sequel 2 picture image

Quasimodo and Zephyr I’d Stick With You Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney Sequel 2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Lyrics in the song are awful too. It’s just mostly rhymes to the word “stick”. This leads to some stupid lines. Like being as close as Frick and Frack. Does Quasimodo mean the Figure Skaters from the from the 1940’s? Since he says “closer than Frack and Frick” or does her mean the slang for two people being so close that they’re indistinguishable or does he mean it as a term of derision for any two people, on par with calling one person a “Bozo” or three people “Stooges” ? In any case the line doesn’t work, it’s just for a rhyme. The clock line is an anachronism too because a clock can’t tick without a minute hand and that was invented in 1577 by Jost Burgi. But anachronism isn’t in Disney’s dictionary and who can tell when Disney’s Hunchback was supposed to take place. My guess is Disney operates setting like The Epcot World Pavilions, representation of a place but not accurate (it’s all fun for the children and tourist). Anyway the Lyrics are stupid. How can one be Sticky and Slick? Tell me song!

 

Quasimodo and Zephyr I'd Stick With You Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney Sequel 2 picture

Quasimodo and Zephyr I’d Stick With You Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

Quasimodo and Zephyr I'd Stick With You Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney Sequel 2 picture image

Quasimodo and Zephyr I’d Stick With You Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

Quasimodo, Madeline and Zephyr I'd Stick With You Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney Sequel 2 picture imade

Quasimodo, Madeline and Zephyr I’d Stick With You Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Visuals for this song are dull. It’s practically Quasimodo and Zephyr walking around the circus while Madeline is stalks them. That’s it. The song ends because Zephyr gets bored and falls asleep. So one positive I have for it is; At least it’s short, it’s just under two minutes and there is some dialogue in there.

Quasimodo and Zephyr I'd Stick With You Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney Sequel 2 picture image

Quasimodo and Zephyr I’d Stick With You Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

Quasimodo and Zephyr I'd Stick With You Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney Sequel 2 picture image

Quasimodo and Zephyr I’d Stick With You Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney Sequel 2

Madeline I'd Stick With You Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney Sequel 2 picture image

Madeline I’d Stick With You Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I would say I’d Stick With You is the worst song in the movie maybe in all of Disney (as far as original versions of songs are concerned, don’t get me started on the pop covers). Whether it’s the worst remains to be seen, I haven’t seen all the sequels Disney made but I’m sure one of those movies must have their own honorable distinction of pure awfulness for a song, but it would have to abysmal to rival I’d Stick With You.  I  may eat those words with the next song.

 

Next Time- Fa la la la Fallen In Love

Madeline and Quasimodo in the rain Sequel Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney picture image

Madeline and Quasimodo in the rain Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

 

Quasimodo singing Ordinary Miracle Hunchback of Notre Dame sequel 2 II picture image

Quasimodo singing Ordinary Miracle Hunchback of Notre Dame II

Ordinary Miracle is Quasimodo sweeping solo number in the Sequel. It’s akin to the “I want something more” type of songs but it focus on Quasimodo’s desire to be loved by preferably a good-looking lady. He relates people falling in love as miracle but just an ordinary everyday miracle like lightning, architecture and growing-up.  I’ve read that people like this song and they think it’s powerful. I disargee though, I find it clumsy in every aspect.

Quasimodo singing Ordinary Miracle Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney sequel 2 II picture image

Quasimodo singing Ordinary Miracle Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

Quasimodo singing Ordinary Miracle Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney sequel 2 II picture image

Quasimodo singing Ordinary Miracle Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

Madeline Figurine Ordinary Miracle Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney sequel 2 II picture image

Madeline Figurine Ordinary Miracle Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Background Music is fine, the orchestra is quite nice but the medley and lyrics really kills it. Melodically the song has three parts, Quasimodo first bit where he imagines having someone love him, the second part where he discusses the “Ordinary Miracle” and the the last bit is Quasimodo’s singing about how’s he in love. Then the song goes back  to being about miracle and ends on the imagine how great it would be if someone loved him. The trouble with these parts is the don’t flow nicely into each other. The worst offender is Quasimodo singing about love and how it’s a volcano of emotion and gypsy potions can’t undo it. That part seems like it’s from a different song

Quasimodo singing Ordinary Miracle Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney sequel 2 II picture image

Quasimodo singing Ordinary Miracle Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

Quasimodo singing Ordinary Miracle Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney sequel 2 II picture image

Quasimodo singing Ordinary Miracle Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

Quasimodo singing Ordinary Miracle Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney sequel 2 II picture image

Quasimodo singing Ordinary Miracle Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That brings us to the next point; the Lyrics. Quasimodo’s references to love and being in love with someone else as a common place miracle and  that for him that would be extraordinary miracle.  However he says that it would that it would “extraordinary if an ordinary miracle happen to him” now I know he’s referring to love but the line is written “an ordinary miracle” meaning any of the other aforemention miracles in the song would be extraordinary. However one of those miracle has already happen to him- “A Baby starts to walk or talk one day then shockingly he’s grown and in love“, Quasimodo is adult and is in love again, so an “ordinary miracle” happen kinda weakens his arrgument. Plus he sites, a natural occurrences like Lightning and Cathedrals being Miracles. Perhaps Quasimodo needs a dictionary but since he never master the alphabet maybe a dictionary is beyond him. Lightning, Architecture, and aging are not Miracles. A Miracle is an  extraordinary event manifesting divine intervention in human affairs or an extremely outstanding or unusual events, things, or accomplishments. Given the examples and how Quasimodo ruins his point I’d say the lyrics are weak.

Quasimodo does a Hand Stand while sing Ordinary Miracle Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame sequel 2 II picture image

Quasimodo does a Hand Stand while singing Ordinary Miracle Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

Victor and Hugo Ordinary Miracle Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney sequel 2 II picture image

Victor and Hugo Ordinary Miracle Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

Quasimodo singing Ordinary Miracle Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney sequel 2 II picture image

Quasimodo singing Ordinary Miracle Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hulce does a decent job with vocals, it’s not a different song to sing but I do feel he didn’t perform to his full capability.

Laverne Ordinary Miracle Hunchback of Notre Dame II sequel 2 Disney picture image

Laverne Ordinary Miracle Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

Quasimodo singing Ordinary Miracle Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney sequel 2 II picture image

Quasimodo singing Ordinary Miracle Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

Quasimodo singing Ordinary Miracle Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney sequel 2 II picture image

Quasimodo singing Ordinary Miracle Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Is this song the worst in the movie? No, it’s not, but it’s not a good song either, it’s barely an adequate song.  It’s just weak.  Dare I say, Ordinary.

Next Time –  I’d Stick With You

Quasimodo and Zephyr Sequel Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney picture image

Quasimodo and Zephyr Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

Maureen O'Hara and Anthony Quinn in Only the Lonely  picture image

Maureen O'Hara and Anthony Quinn in Only the Lonely

A couple of days ago I decided to watch Only the Lonely (Great movie by the way) which stars Maureen O’Hara who play Esmeralda in the 1939 verion of Hunchback of Notre Dame. The movie also had in Anthony Quinn who play Quasimodo in the 1956 french version of Hunchback of Notre Dame.

Maureen O'Hara as Esmeralda

Maureen O'Hara as Esmeralda

Anthony Quinn as Quasimodo

Anthony Quinn as Quasimodo

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the Only the Lonely Quinn’s character is in love with Maureen’s character. It was just great to see two Hunchback alums in a movie. As it turns out O’Hara and Quinn were in five other movies together. The Magnificent Matador , Against all Flags, Sinbad the Sailor , Buffalo Bill, and The Black Swan.

Kind of makes you wonder what it would have been like in they played opposite in Hunchback of Notre Dame.

A few weeks ago images hit the Internet of Disney Heroines that were render to look “Real Life”by  Jirka Väätäinen . One of the renderings was of Esmeralda,

Esmeralda Real Life Rendering by Jirka Väätäinen Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Esmeralda Real Life Rendering by Jirka Väätäinen Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

 

Kajol as Anajali from Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham

Kajol as Anajali from Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham

In my very humble opinion I think she is one of the prettiest of the rendering. I think she looks a bit like Kajol, a Bollywood actress, and I have a soft spot for Bollywood.

Be sure to visit  Jirka Väätäinen’s Blog  http://jirkavinse.wordpress.com/ to see more rendering of the Disney’s Heroine/Princesses

Zephyr Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney Sequel 2 picture image

Zephyr Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

Zephyr is the son of Phoebus and presumably Esmeralda. Zephyr looks like Phoebus but I guess his slightly darker coloration comes from Esmeralda’s side. I supposed if Zephyr had been a girl child he would have looked like a mini Esmeralda with a slightly lighter coloration, though given Disney maybe Phoebus’ color but Esmeralda doppleganger( Esmeralda with Blond hair click here to see).

 

 

 

Saroush magically zap balls to Zephyr HUnchback Sequel Disney 2 II picture image

Saroush magically zap balls to Zephyr Hunchback II Disney

I have been referring to Zephyr as being personality deficient and it’s true, Zephyr doesn’t have a personality and he’s uninteresting as a character. Basically Zephyr is child and acts as such. But Zephyr is not a character he is a plot device. As the best friends of Quasimodo he shows Madeline that Quasimodo is a nice guy and as the son of Phoebus he gets kidnapped. Zephyr is also used to redeem Madeline in Quasimodo’s eyes. If I has to assign him personality traits I would he’s a curious, impulsive, easily impressed, chatterbox with narcoleptic tendencies. The only things he does as  character development are trying to join the circus (cliche childhood fantasy) and saying “yuck” in regards to romance  ( yet another childhood cliche).

 

Zephyr sums up the movie "yuck" Sequel Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney picture image

Zephyr sums up the movie "yuck" Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

The Cast Hunchback of Notre Dame Sequel 2 II picture image Disney

The Cast Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

Quasimodo and Zephyr Sequel Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney picture image

Quasimodo and Zephyr Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So Zephyr wins the award dullest character in not just this sad excuse for a movie but probably all of Disney moviedom.

 

Zephyr's Award for Dullest Character Hunchback of Notre Dame sequel 2 II Disney picture image

Zephyr's Award for "Dullest Character to appear in a Disney movie"

 

And yet oddly enough he’s only new character to get a song in the sequel.

Next Time – The Songs *shudder*

Quasimodo singing Ordinary Miracles Sequel Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney picture image

Quasimodo singing Ordinary Miracles Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

I hope people’s candy bags are full of this;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAot5xHm-I4

The Reason I’m late – I live in New England and over the weekend there was a large snow storm which caused a lot of power outages and it postponed Trick or Treating till Nov 3rd, so yeah… I forgot

So it’s Friday and it’s right before Halloween and what’s more Halloween than Costumes? Candy but Costumes are more fun. Here are some Cosplayers of Esmeralda.

Vampirate777 as Esmeralda Disney Version costume Cosplay picture image

Vampirate777 as Esmeralda Disney Version

To see more from Vampirate77  Click Here

Alex Kami as Esmeralda Disney Version costume Cosplay picture image

Alex Kami as Esmeralda Disney Version

Alex Kami as Esmeralda Disney Version cosplay costume picture image

Alex Kami as Esmeralda Disney Version

To See more from Alex Kami Click Here

Mikan-takaumi as Esmeralda in the Red Dress Disney Version costume Cosplay picture image

Mikan-takaumi as Esmeralda in the Red Dress Disney Version

Mikan-takaumi as Esmeralda in the Red Dress Disney Version costume Cosplay picture image

Mikan-takaumi as Esmeralda in the Red Dress Disney Version

Mikan-takaumias Esmeralda in the Red Dress Disney Version costume Cosplay picture image

Mikan-takaumi as Esmeralda in the Red Dress Disney Version

To see more from Mikan-takaumi Click Here

artsylittlgerbilgrl as Esmeralda from Notre Dame de Paris Italian version costume cosplay picture image

Artsylittlgerbilgrl as Esmeralda from Notre Dame de Paris Italian version

Artsylittlgerbilgrl as Esmeralda from Notre Dame de Paris Italian version cosplay costume picture image

Artsylittlgerbilgrl as Esmeralda from Notre Dame de Paris Italian version

To see more of Artsylittlgerbilgrl Click Here

Now something my readers may not know; I’ve actually have been cosplaying (off and on) since 2002. In 2010, I started making an Esmeralda’s green dress from Notre Dame de Paris for Anime Boston following the French Design. Let’s just say it ended in failure and I never finished it. I may revisit remaking it someday but for now enjoy these pictures of the costume pieces and  the pretty fabric. (Please note, I took these pictures very quickly just for this post, this way my cosplay efforts wouldn’t have been in vain)

Notre Dame de Paris Esmeralda Fabric costume cosplay picture image

Notre Dame de Paris Esmeralda Fabric

Notre Dame de Paris Esmeralda Fabric costume cosplay picture image

Notre Dame de Paris Esmeralda Fabric

(or  I have misidentified you or you wish to have your picture remove)

Sarousch Sequel Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney picture image

Sarousch Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

To be fair any villain when compare in direct opposition to Frollo  is going to look weak and lack luster, so Saroush being in a sequel of Hunchback didn’t stand a chance. The only way he would had avoided negative comparison was if his deeds were far more despicable than Frollo’s which means he would have had to kill many cute things but since this film is about Quasimodo getting a girlfriend that was not going to happen.

 

 

Sarousch Sequel Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney picture image

Sarousch Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

Circus Sequel Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney picture image

Circus Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

Saroush magically zap balls to Zephyr HUnchback Sequel Disney 2 II picture image

Saroush magically zap balls to Zephyr Hunchback II Disney

 

 

 

 

 

 

Being in a direct to DVD sequel, Saroush was doom from the start, I mean no one takes those movies seriously, No One! Saroush is a Gypsy circus master who wants to be rich. To get rich he steals from his patrons but he has his sights on La Fidèle. It’s curious though, Saroush has exotic animals in his circus which includes but not limited to three elephants, two giraffes, and a zebra. Any of those animals  would have worth more than the Bell. He also seems to employ some magic tricks that look more like magic than illusions, ex the transporting balls into the crowd. Not sure how that one could be explained but it seems that would have been a boon to his stealing. So he’s greedy and dumb.

 

Saroush fawns over Himself Hunchback of Notre Dame II Sequel 2 DIsney picture image

Saroush fawns over Himself Hunchback of Notre Dame II DIsney

Sarousch in his griddle Sequel Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney picture image

Sarousch in his griddle Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

Sarousch being arrested Sequel Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney picture image

Sarousch being arrested Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beside being a “criminal mastermind” he is VERY vain. He has pictures of himself in his cart that can change to mirrors, so he can see himself. He also wears a corset (griddle) and a hair piece. Not sure if this is only for comedy or if they is some under lying commentary on a youth obsessed culture? No it’s just for shits and giggles and to make him look stupid when he gets his comeuppance at the end seeing him all fat, bald and old (actually there is some commentary on youth obsession). Actually my guess is Saroush’s vanity harkens back to Quasimodo and how awesome he is even if he’s ugly. Remember the first rule of a Hunchback cartoon for kids, drive the ” it doesn’t  matter what you look like” moral over the edge. To reiterate Saroush is greedy, dumb, and vain yet ugly.

 

Saroush Hunchback of Notre Dame II Sequel 2 DIsney  picture image

Saroush Hunchback of Notre Dame II DIsney

Phoebus and Sarousch Sequel Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney picture image

Phoebus and Sarousch Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

Sarousch kidnapping Zephyr Sequel Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney picture image

Sarousch kidnapping Zephyr Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saroush is also ruthless. When he gets idea in his head he will do anything to achieve those means even someone has to get hurt. He also blackmails and uses guilt to get what he wants. He sets up Madeline to be arrested by telling Phoebus that she wanted the bell just as a distraction. He then also kidnapped Phoesbus’ son Zephyr and threaten  the boy to ensure his get away.  Saroush is greedy, dumb, vain yet ugly and an Asshole.

 

Saroush  sees La Fidèle Sequel Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney picture image

Saroush sees La Fidèle Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

Now in the scope of villain, being greedy, dumb, vain yet ugly and an Asshole isn’t bad, but Saroush’s non sequitur about referring to things as lovely, his nicknames for Madeline (trinket, Eclair, Bonbon, and other anachronistic treats of the 19th century), and his reference to his underwear make him  comic and not scary or menacing as a  villain. But what chance did he have  of being a Villain whose main objective is to steal a jewel encrusted bell on the inside.

 

 

Sarousch autographs a ball for Zephyr Sequel Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney picture image

Sarousch autographs a ball for Zephyr Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

That being said I kind of enjoy his stupid antics and he’s voiced by Michael McKean who played Mr. Green in Clue and I love that movie (it was my childhood). However Saroush is a lousy villain but at least he’s entertaining.

 

 

 

Next the Personality Deficient Fruit of Phoebus’ Loins Plot Device umm Zephyr

Zephyr Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney Sequel 2 picture image

Zephyr Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney