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The truth is the 16th movie on my list is a lot like Alice in Wonderland as its less than sum of its parts coupled with some weird decisions to the narrative and YET it still a fun watch.
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The Disney Movie that eked out my 17th position might not be everyone’s cup of tea but it just holds a curious little place in my heart.
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Now we have highly remembered classic that is still somewhat under-rated
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Coming in at #20 on this weird list is a movie that’s not considered an unrated gem but rather the opposite. It’s an Icy Blue Crown Jewel in Disney’s lofty Princess Tiara…
Read More →Recently I watched the majority of Disney’s Featured Animated movies to get a better sense of which ones are my personal favorites because I didn’t really know the answer to that question. Many of the Disney movies I haven’t actually seen and a few I’ve watched only once or twice.
I watched 52 movies excluding anthology films – sorry Fantasia – and Winnie the Pooh movies, not sure why I just did that. I wasn’t going to include sequels but they got added to the list except for Moana 2. Also I watched these movies in a random order.
There will 20 posts for each movie on separate days. The movies are not so much ranked but movies closer to the one position are closer to S tier. Remember this list will be super subjective.
So what are my top 20 Disney Featured Animated Movies? Will Hunchback be included? What about Chicken Little? Will nostalgia color my perception?
To answer the last question, my rose-colored nostalgia goggles are securely fasten!
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While Disney Esmeralda is a gold standard for a compelling Halloween costume, Disney’s Hunchback of Notre Dame does offer some more unexpected costume ideas. They range in complexity from items that may already be in your closet to more elaborate designs.
These are in no order but the last one might be the most scary one of all……
1. Djali
Djali is the best (a Literal GOAT.) One could get a goat costume and add the gold hoop earring or you could do a cute Disneybounding type look with a cute gray outfit, goat ears and the earring, sort like the SNL A Girl’s Halloween skit.
You could also so the same with Achilles and copy his bridle but less people might get it unless you were with a Phoebus
2 & 3. The Guards
Often called the Brutish and Oafish Guard these two a very mean and hostile in the movie. Basically a medieval knight costume and one has a bushy mustache. Could be very fun as a duo.
Bonus points if you do a Patrick Star impression, if you know than you know.
4. The Old Heretic
The Old Heretic is a running gag throughout the movie. It’s a fairly easy costume with tattered clothing and a white bread.
Bonus points to those who include some kind of prison prop to the costume like a cage or a pillory.
5. Fire Vision Esmeralda
This is a really cool variation of Esmeralda. In Hellfire, Frollo sees visions of her dancing in the flames. One could do this costume in a few ways like one her costumes but in lightweight fabrics to suggests flames. I love this idea so much.
6. Creepy Hellfire Judge
This would be so wonderfully creepy, especially as a group of them with someone dressed up as Frollo. Really this one is pretty simple, it’s dark red hooded cloak with a blacked out face mask. I also love this idea
7. Creepy Statue
The way the statues stare down at Frollo in damning judgment is very chilling indeed. This idea is more conceptual than actually a recognizable part of the movie but you may have fun as a creepy judgment statue.
8. Nightmarish Gargoyle
Another one of Frollo’s hallucination as costume idea. Basically this idea is the hellish, nightmare gargoyle that casts Frollo into a figurative hell. This gargoyle is a nice contrast from the comedy trio.
9. The Torturer
A bit character to be sure but this guy is scary as he loves what he does. The costume is simple and similar to guards but with a black hood, a whip, spike gauntlets, plus a mustache. Doesn’t have a lot of screen time but he makes an impression as he adds to Frollo’s sick sense of humor.
Worst case scenario everyone thinks you’re a torturer and can’t place your costume from the movie but that can be you’re own little secret.
10. The Church Lady
This could be a harder costume to make but it could be an interesting costume. She does bare a slight resemblance to Frollo too.
11. Madeline
Nothing is scarier than a Straight-to-Video Disney sequel, so why not lean in to it and dress up a Madeline. It’s not too hard of a costume as it consists of a light-green skirt and bodice with white sleeves and a short blonde wig. I’m terrified just thinking about the Hunchback II.
Would you dress up as any of these for a costume party?
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As it’s the Spooky Halloween season and since I’ve done a DIY buying guide for Disney Esmeralda’s costume that she wears throughout the movie and her red performance dress, I thought why not do her prisoner costume that she wears at the climatic end of the movie.
This costume is very simple as it’s just white short sleeves dress with a brown rope belt. However like most things in life the devil is in the details. For instance you can add tears and burn marks to make it all your own.
Her costume is a white dress that is super simple, undecorated with short sleeve. No frills & very minimal. You could already have something like it in your own closet but if you don’t;
Dress option #1: FANDEE Maxi Dress for Women Short Sleeve Summer Dress
Dress option #2: Made By Johnny Women Short Sleeve Loose Plain Casual Long Maxi Dress
Dress option #3: GRECERELLE Women’s Casual Loose Pocket Long Dress Short Sleeve Split Maxi Dress
Dress option #4: STYLEWORD Women’s 2024 Summer Maxi Cold Shoulder Sundress Long Dress
Dress option #5: VIISHOW Women’s Short Sleeve Loose Plain Maxi Dresses Casual Long Dress
For the belt you want rope belt in brown.
Belt option #1: Simple Cotton long Waist Rope Tie Belt
Belt option #2: TIESOME Women’s Tassel Braided Waist Belt
Belt option #3: L’VOW Long Rope Ring Knotted Belt for Women
Of course you just get some brown craft rope or cording and simply tie it around your waist.
And don’t forget a wig. Her hair is down in this costume so you don’t need the pink scarf.
Wig option #1: 26 Inches Black Lace Front Wig Natural Long Wavy Synthetic Hair Wig for Cosplay Party Halloween (black)
Wig option #2: Onedor Long Hair Curly Wavy Full Head Halloween Wigs Cosplay Costume Party Hairpiece (1#-Black)
Wig option #3: 13×4 Lace Front Wigs Black Lace Frontal Wig Natural Wave Pre Plucked Tiny Knots 26 Inch Pre-layered Long Wavy Synthetic Lace Wig
Wig option #4: MapofBeauty 28 Inch/70 cm Long Wavy Middle Part with No Bangs Synthetic Fiber Curly Fashion Women Party Cosplay Wig (Black)
Esmeralda white dress does have tears in it. Mostly around the neck, the hem, and at the shoulder and knee. However I think you can be creative as your wish with the amount you add and how much distressing you do to the dress. There are loads of distressing tutorials online and youtube.
If you opt to do burn marks be safe! Materials like cotton can burn and leave marks but synthetic fibers (i.e. polyester) will just melt. I recommend just going for the look of burns rather than actually putting a flame to it. Don’t be like Frollo; Fire isn’t the solution and can lead to serious injury. Do not risk your health and wellness for a costume.
For some non-fire option, Lumber Crayons are a good one option though it won’t come out. Or you could try black eye shadow or a special effect make-up palette.
Since this dress isn’t as iconic as Esmeralda’s other costumes, you can be a little more creative in whatever details you choose to add so have fun with it but try to avoid flames.
Once Upon a Studio is a 10 minutes released back in June 2023 for the Centennial anniversary of The Walt Disney Company. The short features 534 characters from Disney’s animated shorts and featured length movies.
Given that it’s less than 10 minutes and there are several hundred characters in the short what does the mean for the Hunchback Characters? I originally thought some would be BUT you have to keeping an eye out to notice them. So these are the instances I noticed, I could have missed some.
Frollo’s head can be seen in at the bottom of the scene next to Maleficent.
Next you can seen Esmeralda WAY to the far right between Baymax and Jacchus from Fantasia.
Clearly Esmeralda’s skirt in the foreground.
In the short the character are trying to get a group shot. The first try fails but then “When you wish Upon a Star is Sung” as a moral booster.
Quasimodo sings a line of the song. This made me happy because it’s so nice to see Hunchback characters get a highlighted in such a way in the short.
And in the final group shot you can see Quasimodo with the Gargoyles on top of the sign with Frollo, Phoebus, Esmeralda and Djali in the back row next to the Tarzan characters. Djali is kind hard to see but he’s there.
Personally, I really loved this short. I don’t find it hard to separate the corporate side Disney from the creative side. This Short was delightful, endearing and sometimes silly.
No News News
I get Google Alerts on Hunchback New and day I got Speculation Over Live-Action ‘Hunchback of Notre Dame’ Resurfaces With Latest Release. It was about a post from Reddit in which there was excitement around an Esmeralda doll. This lead people to think the doll was ushering a Live-Action remake. The Doll is not new as it came out in 2021
It’s a nice enough Doll, I like wood hair brush. There is one thing minor piece of Live-Action non-news news that I recently happened upon. or I just missed it.
To mark the anniversary of Hunchback’s release, Gad retweeted (are they still called that) Menken’s tweet. Gad even included a pun from the movie.
What does this mean?
Only Gad truly knows what it means. The reports of the project being in limbo were from May and this is from June. Either Gad is alluding to it happening one day with grit and determination or it more of dream at this point.
It’s important to keep in mind that the project hasn’t been officially cancelled and the speculation is that Iger just doesn’t like it. One can wildly speculate as to why Iger dislikes it and can’t be swayed? And I might after Wish comes out, I have a theory.
But It’s also important to keep in mind that Iger’s contact ends in 2026 and there are rumors of a hostile take over of the company. So who knows what is up inside the company? The only reason to really cancel any of the “remakes” would be fatigue. That being said Hunchback MIGHT be one the few IPs that would/could benefit from a live-action remake over more recent ones.
Only time will tell if their live-action plans will come to fruition to be “out there among the millers and weavers and their wives.”