Notre Dame de Paris 2012-2013 Tour
Good News! The English World Tour of Notre Dame de Paris has dates in Russia. It premires October 31 2012 the Crocus City Hall and lasts till November 4th.
When I hear more on dates and locations I’ll post them.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2FLMZrXrng
Frollo is a Ladies’ Man
(based on the wonderful book
Follow these 10 easy steps and the women will be your’s or dead, but if you can’t have her no should.
however I changed name of to “Gobbo” which is Italian for Hunchback)Now I’m actually not the biggest fan of the most recent Italian cast of Notre Dame de Paris. I’ll get more in that another time when I actully start reviewing Notre Dame de Paris
Today’s Fan-Art is by Nezma and it was inspired by the song Temps des Cathedrales from Notre Dame de Paris. Not only is this a beautiful work of art, it really captures the mood of the song perfectly.
Temps des Cathedrales by Nezma
Be sure to visit Nezma ‘s devianart page and check out her check out her art blog!
Sister Gudule (Gladys Brockwell) Hunchback Notre Dame 1923
In my Gringoire review, I said that the 1923 version of Hunchback adhere too much to the book that is it is detrimental to the film and while it’s true with Gringoire, it’s even more true with the addition of Sister Gudule. Her being in this movie makes not sense to anything and it doesn’t add anything to the story.
Sister Gudule (Gladys Brockwell) with young Esmeralda Hunchback Notre Dame 1923
Ok, if you have read the book you would know who Gudule is. She is Esmeralda’s biological mother and is a french women from Rheims. She is in very few versions of Hunchback since she takes some of Esmeralda’s mystery away. However, in the story Gudule is part of the whole dark/tragic destiny theme. In the 1923 version she adds nothing.
Sister Gudule (Gladys Brockwell) showing the necklace to Esmeralda Hunchback Notre Dame 1923
So what does Sister Gudule do in this movie apart from nothing? Like in the book she is a recluse who lives in a basement. She hates Esmeralda and yells at her through a window. Shortly after she is introduced we’re are given her backstory about how her beloved little daughter was stolen by gypsies and how she prays for her child’s return while her child’s little shoe to comfort her. Unlike in the book, Gudule was a noble and gave Esmeralda a necklace which Esmeralda still wears. So Esmeralda is really a noble this whole time.
Sister Gudule (Gladys Brockwell) Hunchback Notre Dame 1923
The next time we see her she is yelling at Esmeralda while Quasimodo is being whipped and we see Esmeralda is afraid of her. She tells Esmeralda that she should be whip instead of Quasimodo.
Sister Gudule (Gladys Brockwell) Hunchback Notre Dame 1923
The last time we Gudule is when Esmeralda is being taken to be hanged. She runs up to the wagon and grabs her and manages to pull of Esmeralda’s necklace. She then realizes that it is the same necklace and instead of thinking that the gypsies stole off her daughter and gave it to another little girl she just happens to know that Esmeralda is her daughter. She tries to help by walking a few paces but then dies. And that’s it.
Sister Gudule (Gladys Brockwell) Hunchback Notre Dame 1923
The mere fact that Esmeralda is never made aware of her mother makes Gudule pointless to the story. It’s all build up for a necklace and a scene where a woman dies. More than that Gudule scenes can be edited out so easily. If you look at the Gudule part during the pillory scene, Esmeralda walks in and Gudule yell at her. Esmeralda walks off in a panic but in the very next shot Esmeralda is calm, like whole interaction never occurred. Maybe Gudule yelling made her empathic to Quasimodo but she was empathic already as evident by her saving Gringoire.
Sister Gudule (Gladys Brockwell) Hunchback Notre Dame 1923
So she does nothing. She just pads out the movies. If the movie had a more tragic tone she might have worked but the movie isn’t tragic. To be fair maybe in 1923 this film was a considered a tragedy which would justify Gudule but it’s also considered a horror so I guess this movie has some genre confusion. Either way Gudule was wasted.
Sister Gudule (Gladys Brockwell) Hunchback Notre Dame 1923
Next Time; The Others
Fleur de Lys (Winifred Bryson) Hunchback of Notre Dame 1923
Richard Armitage
As a possible movie (or mini-series) Frollo I would suggest Richard Armitage for the role. While Armiatge is younger and more attractive than Frollo is meant to be, he has a talent for playing brooding and complex characters.
Richard Armitage as John Thornton from the BBC of North & South
Armitage’s biggest roles have been playing John Thornton in the 2004 BBC version of North & South
Richard Armitage as Guy of Gisborne from the BBC version of Robin Hood
Armitage is a very versatile actor. I think he pull off the descent into insanity very effectively. I know Armitage could give Frollo the complexity he has in the book but is lacking from other film versions.
Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield from The Hobbit
As for his looks, yeah Armitage would be a handsomer and younger Frollo but his looks work with the character. He is tall and lean which would enhance Frollo’s austere look. With the right costume and make-up he could be made up to look like the ideal Frollo.
Richard Armitage
Tell me what do you think. Do you like Richard Armitage would make a good Frollo or do someone else is the perfect Frollo?
Bonus – Armitage was also in Captain America as Heinz Kruger and in Star Wars Episode I The Phantom Menace as Naboo Fighter Pilot (he was uncredited)
Richard Armitage as Heinz Kruger in Captain America
Richard Armitage as a Naboo Fighter Pilot Star Wars; The Phantom Menace
Dom Claude (Nigel de Brulier) 1923 Hunchback of Notre Dame
Dom Claude in the 1923 version of Hunchback represents the religious aspect of Frollo’s character. He is also the brother of the evil Jehan though they don’t interact much. In fact if it wasn’t for a few text cards you wouldn’t really even know. In the 1939 version the brothers actually had scenes together.
Dom Claude (Nigel de Brulier) with Esmeralda (Patsy Ruth Miller) & Quaismodo (Lon Chaney)
Basically this guy is a saint. He’s kind and sticks up for the little guys i.e. Quasimodo and Esmeralda. In fact despite Quasimodo being Jehan’s “Slave” Quasimodo spends more screen time with Dom Claude and generally seems to like Claude better.
Dom Claude (Nigel de Brulier) with Clopin (Ernest Torrence )
He is also well respected. This is proven by Clopin’s interaction with him where Clopin seem to back down to him.
Dom Claude (Nigel de Brulier) 1923 Hunchback of Notre Dame
Basically his ONLY function in this film is to give plot exposition because after it has to go somewhere.
Dom Claude (Nigel de Brulier) 1923 Hunchback of Notre Dame
Next Time; Sister Gudule or “Godule” as she is credited
Gudule (Gladys Brockwell) Hunchback of Notre Dame 1923
I don’t really enjoy the singing or the performance that much, Tony Jay is just infinitely cooler as Frollo (see I did a thing there). However I enjoy the lyric (here is another video with the French lyrics and translation) Then I had a thought, how cool would it be if Daniel Lavoie (Frollo in Notre Dame de Paris) sang a cover of Hellfire in either English or French? That would be sooo awesome ^^ Anyway enjoy “Infernal”
More Pictures of the 2012 Asian Tour Cast of Notre Dame de Paris
