Would Disney’s Hunchback of Notre Dame won the Best Animation Movie Award?

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This post has been like a roller coaster. At first I was going to write on a different idea which I still going to do on why Hollywood should make a new Hunchback movie but that idea lead to this question, If the Best Animated Movie Award was existed in 1996, would Hunchback to have been a contended?

Frollo and Quasimodo Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney picture image

Frollo and Qausimodo Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney

The Best Animated Movie Award for the Academy Awards was introduced in 2001 and that year the winner was Shrek. Since then you’d think a powerhouse like Disney would win a fair number of times and technically since they own Pixar they have but Pixar is the darling of the Oscars and not Disney so much. In fact Disney has won two times and been nominated for eight whereas Dreamworks has two wins but eleven nominations. Pixar has seven wins and nine nominations, Cars and and Monster’s INC didn’t get the award.

Getting back to the question would Disney’s Hunchback has won the award? Well before we can even answer that question we need to know what was the competition that year. In 1996 the animated movies that came out in the United States were All Dogs Go to Heaven 2 (I’m surprised this got a theatrical release), Space Jam, Beavis and But-head Do America, and James and the Giant Peach. I doubt All Dogs Go to Heaven, Space Jam and Beavis and Butt-head Do America would have won so that just leaves James and the Giant Peach.

James and the Giant Peach picture image

James and the Giant Peach

James and the Giant Peach has some weird live-action chunks and weird songs but the animation is imaginative and it met with critical praise when it was released. Hunchback was more mixed with critics. James and the Giant Peach also won Best Animated Featured Film at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival. Annecy is a French based Film Festival which Hunchback of Notre Dame was not nominated BUT no Disney movie has been nominated for an Annecy. Hunchback of Notre Dame did get a lot of Award nominations, including Best Music at the Academy and several Annies. It did win a few award including a Golden Globe for its music and Best casting at the Artois Awards and Best Motion Picture for the Satellite Awards. It was also nominated for a Razzie for Worst written Film grossing over $100 Million, talk about mixed bag.

But what really comes down to is the voters of the Academy, which is made up most of people in the Film business and mostly actors who for the most part don’t know anything about animation. In fact according to this http://www.cartoonbrew.com/award-season-focus/proof-that-oscar-voters-are-clueless-about-animation-109456.html the voters don’t even watch all the movies up for the award and two didn’t even watch any. I’m glad they take their prestigious jobs seriously.

Quaismodo Bells of Notre dame reprise Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Quaismodo Bells of Notre dame reprise Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Basically it doesn’t come down to a well crafted story as told with animation, it’s what ever movie a given person liked more, though some voters take in to account the entirely of the movie. I think that in 1996 the clout of Disney would have made Hunchback of Notre Dame won over James and Peach because name recognition means a lot. Even though James and the Giant Peach is under Disney, it’s not Disney’s James and the Giant Peach.

At first I though this would be an easy question to answer but them looking into the question I thought maybe it would be harder and then that voter website and it because easy again. Talk about a roller coaster.

What do you think? Do you think Hunchback could have won Best Animated Movie if the ward existed in 1996?

Disclaimer, I might hate the Academy Awards.

What is Medically wrong with Quasimodo?

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I was asked a while ago,  What is the cause of Quasimodo deformity? Now I’m no Doctor, I am bad in math and science in general. But I like mild challenge.  Remember this only a blog post intended for fun.

Quasimodo gazing at Esmeralda Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney picture image

Quasimodo gazing at Esmeralda

 

Here is what we know, we know that Quasimodo is a hunchback and he has a large wart-like protrusion over his eye. These two traits are this biggest offenders of his deformity so well just look at them for this post. We also know that he was born with these traits, which mean they are congenital.

 

This means Quasimodo more than likely has Congenital Kyphosis. Which is failure of formation OR failure of segmentation on the front part of one or more vertebral bodies or discs. Now which one does Quasimodo suffer from; failure of formation OR failure of segmentation? A difference between two is that failure of formation is visible in the infant’s spine and failure of segmentation would diagnosed later after the child begins walking. It’s hard to say which one Quasimodo suffers from as Quasimodo was about four when Frollo adopted him. The Chapter where Frollo adopts sites the event as taking place 16  years before from the story proper and Quasimodo says in another chapter during the trail that he is almost 20, or  so thinks anyway. In any case Quasimodo was not an infant when he was adopted.   We can surmise that Quasimodo has round hunch so we’ll use that to come to a conclusion;

(Goes to Look at pictures..)

o0

Looking at  pictures of people who suffer from Kyphosis, it’s pretty clear which one Quasimodo suffers from, he suffers from  failure of formation. Failure of formation causes rounding in the spine while failure of segmentation causes more of cricked-ness in the spine.  Remember I’m not doctor.

Now the wart over his eye. I doubt this really is a wart, as warts tend to go away over time and they don’t seem to be congenital. He has  some kind of growth on his forehead. It would seem to be benign and didn’t lead to any infections or anything, it just impairs his vision. I would venture a guess that it’s a bone mass of some sort but I don’t think Hugo ever specified the texture of the protrusion but I would go for bone over tissue after looking at some distressing pictures on google.

Anyway, that is my meager diagnoses but perhaps someone who has medical training can give better insight to Quasimodo’s deformities.

Esmeralda and her Earring

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Question; Why does Esmeralda only wear one earring?

An Esmeralda that wears one earring clearly indicates the Disney Esmeralda.

Esmeralda Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Esmeralda Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

This question was answered in the commentary. According to commentary, Esmeralda wears one earring because Djali wears the other one in the set. This links them in together. It’s unclear if this reason was invented after Esmeralda and Djali were designed it probably was the case.

Djali Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Djali Esmeralda Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Disney’s Relationship with The Hunchback of Notre Dame

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Question; Why does Disney act like Hunchback of Notre Dame never happened?

To be fair, there is another Disney film Disney ignores more famously than The Hunchback of Notre Dame and that would be The Black Cauldron. This is because The Black Cauldron was a failure at the box-office and therefore didn’t money for the company. It also received mixed reviews, one being ” It lacked the dark elements of the book.” (sounds like a criticism for another Disney Film)

The Hunchback of Notre Dame Blu-Ray Cover picture image

The Hunchback of Notre Dame Blu-Ray Cover

The Hunchback of Notre Dame received mostly positive reviews from critics and actually was a box-office success as its budget was $100 million and its gross revenue was $325.5 million, although it did barely only broke-even domestically. So with this info why does Disney ignore The Hunchback of Notre Dame? The Hunchback doesn’t have the levels of products as a lot of the other films in the Disney pantheon and looking at Disney’s presence on Zazzle, they don’t have a single Hunchback product but they do have stuff for Treasure Planet, which bombed at the box-office. Then you have the blu-ray of Hunchback which had no extras on it. Whereas Pocahonatas’ blu-ray does have quite a few extras and Pocahontas was not only offensive and historical very very very inaccurate but wasn’t received as well. However it appeals to children which pushed Pocahonatas in to the secondary tier of the Princess line of toys, which mean Pocahonatas makes money for the company.

Disney Princess Kitchen Set picture image

Disney Princess Kitchen Set
(Does anyone else think this is Hilarious?)

I would theorize that the reason why Disney ignores the Hunchback stems from they don’t know who to market this movie to. The film didn’t really appeal to children which is Disney’s primary demographic. The film’s darker tones and the more heavy subject matter more likely distances children for it. If the film has done better with their key demographic we would more than likely see Esmeralda* in the Disney Princess Brand and her face would grace the likes of blenders, bed sheets, bikes, shoes, baby dolls, chairs, ect. (They make a lot stuff for that brand). *Before you say Esmerald can’t be part of the Princess Brand as she is not a Princess,  Mulan is not a Princess nor does she marry a Prince and yet she is part of the Brand, here is a Muan Baby Doll )

The Art of the Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

The Art of the Hunchback of Notre Dame

As a company Disney is not going to put money in developing products for a film that didn’t appeal to its core demographic after its initial release. As Hunchback is part of the Disney family it did get it’s entitled blu-ray treatment but Disney did extended any extra effort into the extras which would have cost them. More then likely when Hercules‘ blu-ray comes out it will get extras because had more appeal to children. Plus it would seem that Hunchback’s popular is recent so if starts to gain a big enough following Disney will start showing it love. But It’s a two-street, Disney may think the Hunchback blu-ray failed because people dislike the movie and not because there no real incentive to buy it when the DVD has extras and blu ray doesn’t.

I think the question is why doesn’t the Hunchback of Notre Dame really appeal as much to children and who is does this movie appeal to? Maybe if Disney has a demographic to target they would show Hunchback a little more love.

Quasimodo’s Hair Color

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Garou as Quasimodo Notre Dame de Paris image picture

Garou as Quasimodo Notre Dame de Paris

A question that comes up a lot is about Quasimodo’s hair. Why does he have red hair? I recently saw this asked on http://notredamedeparisfans.tumblr.com/. Quasimodo in both Notre Dame de Paris and Disney version is depicted as having red hair. Other version also have him with red hair.  And the answer is very simple, it’s in the original novel. Quasimodo has red hair in the book. In Book 1 chapter 5 entitled “Quasimodo” It says “…..A huge head, bristling with red hair….” as part of Quasimodo description. It’s on page 50 for those who have the Barnes Nobel version.

Quasimodo Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney picture image

Quasimodo’s Reveal Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney

So why did Hugo pick red for Quasimodo’s hair color? Well the reason could be that there was a medieval belief that red hair marked a beastly sexual desire and moral degeneration. Or it makes him more of a social outcast than if he had a blond, black or brown hair.

Anthony Hopkins as Quasimodo from the 1982 version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, picture image

Anthony Hopkins as Quasimodo from the 1982 version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Though why Esmeralda in Notre Dame de Paris sometimes has red hair is a different question. I mean I the first person cast had black hair (Noa), Helene Segera has brown but against the red light looks reddish. Then when Julie Zenatti was cast she got the red hair as well as France D’Amour. Since then of the more than a few other opted for red hair.

Frances d'Amour as Esmeralda in Notre Dame de Paris picture image

Frances d’Amour as Esmeralda in Notre Dame de Paris

Phoebus vs Jehan

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Who would win in a drinking contest, Phoebus or Jehan?

Phoebus Vs Jehan picture image

Phoebus Vs Jehan

 

This is a difficult question. Both Jehan and Phoebus are fans of alcohol and in the book they do drink together. But when it comes to a contest who would win? I suppose it would come done to stakes, what would the win? If it’s Money I would say Jehan. If it’s pride I would say Phoebus. But if it’s a kiss from a pretty lady then either of them could win as they both love pretty ladies. I think Phoebus would ultimately win as Jehan is a slacker who hates hard work and Phoebus is more disciplined.

Phoebus (Norman Kerry) revealing Esmeralda's bare shoulder (Patsy Ruth Miller) 1923 Hunchback of Notre Dame image picture

Phoebus (Norman Kerry) revealing Esmeralda’s bare shoulder (Patsy Ruth Miller) 1923 Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

So I think it’s Phoebus. But what do you think? Agree or Disagree

Esmeralda & Phoebus 2togher, 4ever

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Question; Why did Esmeralda choose Phoebus?

This question get asked a lot and it’s directed to the Disney movie. A lot people resent Esmeralda for picking Phoebus after all Quasimodo did for her. They resent her despite the fact that movie tries very, very hard to convince the audience that Esmeralda and Phoebus are the perfect couple.

Esmeralda and Phoebus Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Esmeralda and Phoebus Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

When a film tries to present a future couple to the audience it is always done at the start of the film by showing the couple interacting in someway. This is almost always the case unless it is important to the development of the character to break it off with the person the are supposed to be with. Titanic is a good example of this. In Disney’s Hunchback the only scene that does not have either Frollo or Quasimodo is when Esmeralda and Phoebus meet. Now this may seem trivial but remember that the movie’s theme is “what makes a monster and what makes man” and every scene but this one and most of their time in the church reinforces that theme.

Esmeralda and Phoebus Disney Hunchback of notre dame image picture

Esmeralda and Phoebus Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Next, Esmeralda and Phoebus have almost identical personalities. They’re both witty, friendly, selfless and very self righteous. Frollo is very self righteous and somewhat witty and Quasimodo is friendly and somewhat selfless, he kind of has to overcome some self pity first.

Quasimodo's figurines from "Heaven's Light" Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney picture image

Quasimodo’s figurines from “Heaven’s Light”

Another tactic the movie uses to try to get the audience of the couple’s side is the contrast of how Quasimodo, Frollo and Phoebus view Esmeralda. Frollo views Esmeralda as demon-witch sent from hell to ensnare him in hellish fire whereas Quasimodo views her a s heavenly-angel sent from high above to love him. These point of views are made crystal clear by their songs “Heaven’s Light” and “Hellfire.” Now Phoebus on the other hand doesn’t view her as an angel or demon, he views as a human and treats her as such.

Phoebus Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image hit in the face by Esmeralda

Phoebus being hit by Esmeralda Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

However the most conniving thing the movie does to try to showcase that Esmeralda belongs with Phoebus and not Quasimodo is how she interacts with them. With Quasimodo, she treats with a lot of kindness and compassion. Not to mention she treats him like a child. Esmeralda never expressed any romantic interest in him. The peck on the cheek was to convince him let her stay in his life because she was on the side of the outcasts. She liked him as a friend nothing more. With Phoebus, she was coquettish, witty, snarky, and romantic. All most all Disney couples start off snarky without each other, it’s a troupe.

Esmeralda, Phoebus, and Quasimodo Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Quasimodo accepts Esmeralda and Phoebus as a couple Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

The inability to accept Esmeralda and Phoebus as a couple isn’t really do with how much Quasimodo helped Esmeralda because she helped him too it is more to do with acceptations and hopefully optimism. First, it is very rare that a protagonist doesn’t end up with the leading lady. The Hunchback of Notre Dame is one the few Disney movies where this happens. And there is the fact that Quasimodo is an underdog and the audience wants him to succeed and get the girl but it was disheartening when he doesn’t even though Quasimodo accepted the relationship and was happy for them.
And if the protagonist is cool with this than the audience should acceptance it as well.

Esmeralda and Phoebus Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Esmeralda and Phoebus share the longest kiss in a Disney movie

Is Esmeralda Quasimodo’s Mother?

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Esmeralda and Quasimodo Disney Hunchback of Notre dame picture image

No, Esmeralda is not Quasimodo’s mother. Pending on what version is question Esmeralda is four years younger than Quasimodo in the book. In the Disney version while she may be maternal towards Quasimodo we know she is not because we see Quasimodo’s mother die.

Quasimodo's Mother Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Quasimodo’s Mother Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

But who is Quasimodo’s mother? In the Disney we see a young women who just wanted to get her child in Paris for a perhaps a better life. But what were her hopes, fears, ambitions, desires? What was her favorite color, foods, pastimes? The real tragedy is we never got to know her as a character.

Illustration of Frollo with baby Quasimodo picture

Illustration of Frollo with baby Quasimodo

In book we only know that Quasimodo’s mother was an unfeeling vile women who abandoned him as baby. But Maybe she died in childbirth and some other relative abandoned him. Maybe she was lied to and  she was told her baby died at birth and then he was abandoned.

Quasimodo's Mother Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Quasimodo’s Mother Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

We’ll never know the truth regarding Quasimodo’s mother but one thing we do know is that she was not Esmeralda. Unless that was her actual given name and then I guess the answer is yes but what are the odds of that?

Who would triumph in a Cat-fight? Notre Dame de Paris edition

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Today’s Question is Who would win in a cat-fight, Esmeralda or Fleur de Lys? To answer this excellent question we must first identify who are the Fleur de Lys and Esmeralda in question. Since Fleur de Lys gets the most characterization in the musical Notre Dame de Paris version we’ll choose that one and for consistency well take out cue from that Esmeralda as well.

Okay we have are Fighters, Let’s look at the stats;

Esmeralda vs Fleur de Lys Notre Dame de Paris

Esmeralda vs Fleur de Lys

Neither of them have good strength. Esmeralda has excellent dexterity and agility that helps her evade attacks. She has excellent charisma but doesn’t help in this fight. Fleur de Lys has a Constitution so she can endure a fight longer. She also has high stats in wisdom, perception and luck.

Mmm… they seem to be  evenly matched. However we can’t forget personalities. Esmeralda is sweet and I don’t think she much of a fighter and Fleur de Lys is  a ruthless, calculating bitch. She strikes me as someone who fights dirty while that notion wouldn’t even cross Esmeralda’s mind.

I would say that the winner would be Fleur de Lys, Esmeralda won’t even know what hit her.

How does Esmeralda have green eyes?

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Esmeralda Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image red dress

Esmeralda Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Today’s question is “How does Esmeralda have green eyes?” I’m going to go out on a limb and say that the Esmeralda in question is Disney Esmeralda, since she’s the only one with green eyes.

Also a Disclaimer, I have read the book, many many times. In the Book, Esmeralda has Black eyes. This question is about Disney Esmeralda, the book does not enter into this question except with regards to her name with her name.

Esmeralda and Djali Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Esmeralda and Djail Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Since this question is “How” which means “by what means” and since she is a cartoon this question is very simple; it’s green ink. But allow me to make yet another massive assumption, this question is actually a “why” question meaning “what reason for.”  So let’s answer this new question, Why does Disney’s Esmeralda have green eyes?

Esmeralda Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Esmeralda Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

I think the reason was to link the character to the name. In the book Esmeralda got her name because of an amulet she wears which is a pouch that has a paste emerald on it. It’s worth mentioning that Esmeralda in the book is rarely called “Esmeralda” it’s either “La Esmeralda” or something linked to her being a gypsy or a dancer. So the name is a title in someway. Now the in the disney movie, Esmeralda is a proper name and was given to her based on her eye color.

Esmeralda singing God Help the Outcast Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Esmeralda singing God Help the Outcast Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Now let’s ask one more question, is it possible for Esmeralda to even have this eye color. Well yes and no. No is the sense that this shade of green is not a natural eye color but it’s a Disney film so to hell with logic and the law of nature. And yes, given that the Romani (Gypsies) came out of Northern India, it’s possible, albeit quite rare. After all some of India’s top actresses have green or blue eyes like Rani Mukherjee (Golden- green) and Aiswariya Rai (blue).*

Rani Mukherjee posingpicture image

Rani Mukherjee posing

Aishwarya Rai umrao jaan Blue eye

Aishwarya Rai as Umrao Jaan

I mean without getting to a whole anthropological, genealogical, and tracking human migration patterns over the centuries discussion, let’s just say that this type of color is possible for a Romani and therefore it’s not impossible for Esmeralda. Though it inaccurate to the book where she has dark brown eyes but creative license and what not.

Esmeralda Disney Hunchback of Notre dame picture image

Esmeralda reaching out to Quasimodo Disney Hunchback of Notre dame

Please Note – This answer was not meant to be 100% serious, so relax. It was more about ink color and character design than about Genes and Hereditary patterns.

*Movie Recommendations with Rani Mukherjee and Aiswariya Rai (I’m a Bollywood fan ^_^)
Rani Mukherjee- Black, Paheli,Dil Bole Hadippa
Aiswariya Rai- Devdas , Umrao Jaan, Jodhaa Akbar
This movie has both actress through Rai is just a cameo. But It’s a funny movie.
Bunty Aur Babli