Runaway Reference

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A brief Hunchback of Notre Dame reference that may  go unnoticed is in the 1999 film Runaway Bride.

 

Maggie Carpenter (Julia Roberts) rings a church bell, Runaway Bride, Picture image

Maggie Carpenter (Julia Roberts) rings a church bell, Runaway Bride

During Maggie Carpenter’s (Julia Roberts) wedding rehearsal rings the church bell to which  Ike Graham says “Sanctuary.” Twice!

 

Ike Graham (Richard Gere) says "Sanctuary," Runaway Bride picture image

Ike Graham (Richard Gere) says “Sanctuary,” Runaway Bride

A mixed-up reference as Quasimodo don’t say Sanctuary when he is ringing the bells but whatever. Bells and uttering “Sanctuary” is a recipe for a Quasimodo reference.

Two White Costumes in the 56 version

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This one mistake I have noticed, I’m sure there is more. This occurs during the attack on Notre Dame at about the 1 hour 39 minute mark in the version English. Esmeralda is sitting in her room and she hears the attack and goes to check it out. Between her hearing the attack and leaving her room she changes her costume.

Long Shot of Esmeralda wearing a second white chemise, 1956 The Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Long Shot of Esmeralda wearing a second white chemise, 1956 The Hunchback of Notre Dame

In the long shot on Esmeralda in her room she wearing a white chemise with short sleeves and a rope tied around her bodice. It has a Grecian vibe. However in the very next shot she is back in her normal long sleeve white chemise.

The shot after the long shot and Esmeralda is back in her standard white chemise, 1956 The Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

The shot after the long shot and Esmeralda is back in her standard white chemise, 1956 The Hunchback of Notre Dame

It’s jarring but not a big deal but this means there is another costume that they either cut or the replaced. Which costume do you prefer. I like the style of the mistake costume but her standard one is more in keeping with novel.

Next 1956 post- Conclusion

Esmeralda (Gina Lollobrigida), 1956 Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Esmeralda (Gina Lollobrigida), 1956 Hunchback of Notre Dame

The King’s Academy Dress Rehearsal

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From this you can get the scope the of the first act. The sets are very well done with lots of levels. I will say I’m a bit disappointed in the costumes but this production has lot of people to dress and chorus and dancer I’m sure have several costume changes so I’m will let that go.

This really does seem like an English version of Der Glockner von Notre Dame.  They have Zuflcht (Sanctuary), Hoch uber der Welf (High above the World), and Esmeralda. I can’t help wondering what changes were made from Glockner to this musical version  as this show was called collaboration between the school and Disney. So I while I’m not against an straight version I do hope that this version has its own spin to it.

 

Myriam Brousseau singing Bohemienne

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUPEw_X6heU&feature=youtu.be

 

This is Myriam Brousseau singing Bohemienne in English during a radio interview for promoting the Asian Tour. She was the Alternate of Esmeralda and Fleur de Lys in the Asian Tour and the World Tour of Notre Dame de Paris.

I rather like her rendition of Bohemienne. She has a really good control of voice. It probably one the better English version of this song.

Fan-art Friday 04-26-13

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Today’s Fan Art is KtObermanns. It’s called Dread Pirate Esme based on the classic movie The Princess Bride. I love this it’s just an interesting spin on the Hunchback and the Princess Bride characters. It’s perfect!

Dread Pirate Esme by KtObermanns

Dread Pirate Esme by KtObermanns

 

Check more from KtObermanns

Game of Thrones and Hunchback

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Let’s talk about Game of Thrones because everyone else is. Game of Thrones is a very popular show on HBO not mention a popular book series calledA Song of Ice and Fire. So what does this have to with Hunchback? Well on a VERY superficial level some of the characters harken to the Hunchback of Notre Dame. (I’m going to try to keep this as spoiler free as I can)

First up fan-favorite Tyrion Lannister.

Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister, Game of Thrones picture image

Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister, Game of Thrones

Tyrion is a dwarf and is often called the imp. But more than that in book he is supposed to be quite ugly. He is described as having stubby legs a jutting forehead, mismatched eyes of green and black, and lank, white-blonde hair. Later he gets an injury that removes most of his nose. So he is deformed. While he isn’t characterized as being a nice as Quasimodo he does have sympathy for outcasts and the mistreated.

Sandor Clegane a.k.a the Hound

Rory McCann as Sandor Clegane, Game of Thrones picture image

Rory McCann as Sandor Clegane, Game of Thrones

The Hound also has a deformity as result of getting very badly burned as a child. He is obsessed with Sansa Stark who is considered a great beauty. He is attracted to her after she shows him some compassion and treats him like a human. He reminds me of Frollo and Quasimodo. And Quasimodo was liken to a dog.

Petyr Baelish

Aidan Gillen as Petyr Baelish, Sophie Turner as Sansa Stark, Game of Thrones picture image

Aidan Gillen as Petyr Baelish, Sophie Turner as Sansa Stark, Game of Thrones

He sort of has Frollo level obession, first with Catelyn Stark and then that get refocuses on her daughter, Sansa Stark who looks like her.

Sansa Stark

Sophie Turner as Sansa Stark, Game of Thrones picture image

Sophie Turner as Sansa Stark, Game of Thrones

She is like Esmeralda in the sense that she captures men’s attentions and is a great beauty.

Arianne Martell

Arianne Martell by Matt Olson, Game of Thrones picture image

Arianne Martell by Matt Olson, Game of Thrones

She seems to resemble Esmeralda in the looks department. She is short, buxon, large dark eyes, olive skin, long black eyes. I would say whoever they get to cast her for the show could make a lovely Esmeralda except the show cut her and that was a dumb movie. I hated season five.

Edited July 27th, 2015

Dressing like Disney’s Esmeralda

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Esmeralda Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Esmeralda exerting some power Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Disney’s Esmeralda has a great style to emulate.It’s fun, bold and easy, what it really breaks down to is a peasant blouse with an interesting neckline and sleeve, purple bottoms, and a teal or blue statement belt. Gold complete the look. you can also had a purple scarf for a bit more punch. Keep the shoes minimal as she is barefoot.

Here are few pieces you get from Amazon to add a little Esmeralda spice to your wardrobe. (post is a little long)

Peasant Blouses; all come in white

Bottoms; all come in purple

Belts;

This is perfect, great color and you get the stripe affect.

Scarfs;

comes in purple

Shoes;

Jewelry; Remember, keep it gold and make sure you get bangles or a cuff and hoop earrings.

A Festival of Flat Angles; The Direction of the 1956 version of Hunchback

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Esmeralda (Gina Lollobrigida) and Quasimodo (Anthony Quinn), 1956 Hunchback of Notre Dame picture

Esmeralda (Gina Lollobrigida) and Quasimodo (Anthony Quinn), 1956 Hunchback of Notre Dame

Let’s talk about the direction of the 1956 version of Hunchback of Notre Dame and its complete lack of style. So what do I mean when I say lack of style. I mean the angle of the framing or the camera angles. Almost every single shot in this film has exactly the same angle:  straight-on or flat angles. Straight-on  angles have their place in cinema but when nearly the entire film in made up of them it get  very, very,  very dull. Every now and then they do a shot-reverse-shot (two people talking) but even that is considered boring.  This movie doesn’t hide the fact it was shot in the most efficient way possible. It was most likely shot this way because they shot it twice, a French version and an English version. This dual version prove detriment to the final product as it’s an 1 hour 49 minutes of straight-on angles with an occasion pan or zoom. It feel like they recorded a play and not a movie.

Esmeralda (Gina Lollobrigida) with Phoebus (Jean Danet), 1956 Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Esmeralda (Gina Lollobrigida) with Phoebus (Jean Danet), 1956 Hunchback of Notre Dame

The flat-angle also making the blocking and composition insanely dull as well. Also the editing rarely cuts away from the medium long shots.  So scene play out  with people talking and the camera sometimes panning to follow. Rarely does it cut to a close up or reaction shot.

Robert Hirsch as Gringoire & Gina Lollobrigida as Esmeralda, 1956 Hunchback of Notre dame picture image

Robert Hirsch as Gringoire & Gina Lollobrigida as Esmeralda, 1956 Hunchback of Notre dame

But for the sake of argument let’s look at the big scene of Hunchback, Quasimodo saving Esmeralda.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zxzj403ihYg&feature=youtu.be

This scene is usual big and epic is rather small and dull. But what really gets me is after Djali walks into the cathedral there is a dissolve which means a passage of time. This makes the big ‘sanctuary shot” feel like it was thrown in. I compare this to Disney

and its dullness is amplified. One can argue that the 1956 scene plays out like the book but there is no excuse for the all flat which steals the life away from any scene. However the film isn’t devoid of inserting camera work they just seem to be allocate to Esmeralda’s dance. The Angles again are mostly flat but the editing has a degree variety.  I think the most interesting single shot in the movie is Frollo staring at Esmeralda as she being reflective in the window next to him.

Frollo (Alain Cuny) stares while Esmeralda (Gina Lollobrigida) dances, 1956 Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Frollo (Alain Cuny) stares while Esmeralda (Gina Lollobrigida) dances, 1956 Hunchback of Notre Dame

All in all this film is made boring in it execution.  The framing, the editing, the composition of the shot are all so mind-numbingly dull.

Interior Set, 1956 Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Flat Angle, 1956 Hunchback of Notre Dame

Next 1956 post- an editing mistake.

Esmeralda (Gina Lollobrigida), 1956 Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Esmeralda (Gina Lollobrigida), 1956 Hunchback of Notre Dame