Secret of the Hunchback Goons; 50% Bad Guys & 50% Evil Minions

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Esmeralda and friends The Secret of the Hunchback picture image

Esmeralda and friends

Instead of having a Clopin character or even a desginated Court of Miracles, The Secret of the Hunchback with have three thieves/entertainers that Esmeralda hangs out with and whom she doesn’t seem to care. First we have the leader, who doesn’t have a name, a dumb fat one who is named Andre and the other one. Basically they steal and get into Lord Frollo’s gang. Frollo has them do his dirty work like kidnap Quasimodo and then has them pose as the Archdeacon.

As Far as personalities go, they are goofy and not to nice. They like stealing and work under Frollo do to him threatening them and Esmeralda. But they don’t have any sense of a moral compass, so they don’t mind doing Frollo’s work.

They do add a little bit to Esmeralda’s character, as she doesn’t like all the stealing but we don’t know how or why Esmeralda fell in with them, so it doesn’t REALLY all that much. Really these character are more for silly bad comic relief like Frollo’s other minion, who is really a Le Fou Rip-off.

Next Time – The Priests

The Archdeacon and Brother Labas with Baby Quasimodo The Secret of the Hunchback picture image

The Archdeacon and Brother Labas with Baby Quasimodo

 

The Phantom of the Opera 1925

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Lon Chaney as Erik, the Phantom and Mary Philbin as Christine Daae Phantom of the Opera, Picture image

Lon Chaney as Erik, the Phantom and Mary Philbin as Christine Daae

Despite what some people think, the 1925 version of  The Phantom of the Opera is not the first film version. There was an earlier one that now lost. This version was also reissused in  1929.

Of all the movie versions of Phantom this one is the most culturally ingrained and till Webber’s musical is one of the more seminal versions of Leroux book. It was a landmark film not only for the Universal Monster genre but sets and make-up. Like in The Hunchback of Notre Dame two years earlier, Lon Chaney did his own make-up and it was a real set-up from Quasimodo. People were terrified of Chaney’s Erik. But also the look and mood of the movie is great.

As far as the movie goes as adaptation of the novel it follows short, especially of how it COULD have been. Number one, the characters are all pretty darn simplistic. Erik just comes off as crazy; albeit with dramatic crazy in love but it doesn’t go as deep as in the book. He doesn’t even get the redemption that makes him a bittersweet figure.

Raoul is also different. He is not the whining stalker he is in the novel but more dashing and the typical lead of the time. He is also played by Norman Kerry who played Phoebus in the 1923 version. Mary Philbin’s Christine is one point but again she not a wish-washy as she is the book.

For the most part, scene per scene, beat by beat the movie plays out close to the book while streamline things that is TILL the ending. In this movie Christine agrees to marry Erik and instead of him dying a alone of a broken-hearted, he grabs Christine and is chased and killed by a mob. Which is ridiculous. Chaney didn’t care for this ending but it tested better with audiences. The original ending that was shot, is more faithful, with Erik’s redemption of letting Christine go and dying at his organ.  They also shot the scene where Erik plays the violin at the graveyard. So the movie could have been more like the book. Though the chase does go by Notre Dame.

All in all, the 1925 isn’t a bad movie and is a fairly good version of book. But I would say watch it more for this movie’s importance and not for the story and the characters.

 

 

 

New Years Resolutions for 2016

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Well this has been a thing for the last few years so why stop now?

Quasimodo – Start Online Dating.
Esmeralda – Start a Youtube Channel dedicated to dancing, being wonderful, and all things pretty.
Frollo – Stalk her more through Social Media!
Phoebus – Join Tinder,
Gringoire – Start a VlOG channel dedicate to my genius and poetic proses!
Clopin –  Start an Internet Scams.
Fleur de Lys – Start a Youtube Channel  about how to be fashionable, graceful and the classiest way to break up with men who are scum.
Jehan – Learn how to get money with no work or effort.
Djali –  Learn Python.
Sister Gudule –  Post more pictures of my baby on Facebook.
Notre Dame –  Join Myspace

 

 

Past Years ;

https://www.thehunchblog.com/2015/01/2015-hunchback-new-year-resolutions/
https://www.thehunchblog.com/2014/01/hunchback-resolutions-2014/
https://www.thehunchblog.com/2013/01/new-years-resolution/

Hunchback News of 2015

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There has actually been some decent amount of Hunchback related stuff that popped up in 2015 opposed the last few years where there has been much other that Josh Brolin popping up to say something about his movie that will never be I’m guessing.

So 2015 started off with the sad news. On October 24th 2015 Maureen O’Hara, who played Esmeralda in the 1939 movie version of Hunchback passed away at the age of  95.  The 1939 version is considered to be one of the best Hunchback version. It was also O’Hara’s American debut.

Musicals next; The Notre Dame de Paris 10 year anniversary tour in Korea which was French language. Notre Dame de Paris in Asian isn’t anything new but this was the first time in a while for a French Production to be presented.  There also a new Italian cast the uses member from the original cast. But that is set not next year, but this cast has been catching my attention and just recently did that cast come out so yeah, I’m including it here.

There was also the Disney Hunchback musical at the Paper mills Play house in March and April. Since it didn’t go to broadway there will more local productions so keep an ear out if one should be performed near you and it still might go to broadway someday, never say die. Also the cast recording of the Paper Mills and Lo Jolla casting is coming out next month so preorder here.

Also in April, Josh Groban did a cover of Le Temps de Cathedral on his Stages album. I wouldn’t say it did much to help Notre Dame de Paris’ popularity but people who didn’t know might have heard it so that is great.

Let’s what else. Eva Mendes and Ryan Gosling named their baby Esmeralda which they directly sited Hunchback as being a favorite novel of their. First is a little funning because I a while ago I was looking up Celebrities and their favorite books and Hunchback never came up. Les Mis did. I sort of abandoned the idea due to how pretentious and/or how self severing their picks were, so I’m glad some actors liked the book.

But the BIGGEST news of the year is that there are 2, not one but 2 Hunchback movies in the works. One has been in the works for a while and is a independent movie from some actor who was in the second Sex and the City movie, Max Ryan. This version I don’t even know what to say. Everyt ime I try to make sense of it I’m reminded that there is a giant and a figment in the cast list and The Mask directors is going to direct so my expectations for this movie are low to hoping ti hilariously bad, but we’ll see maybe we’ll be surprised and it will be a really good version. Strangers things happen.

The second movie seems to be an off-shot of an idea for Once Upon a Time from 2013, a movie for Esmeralda’s POV, which I’m excited about. There hasn’t been a Esmeralda centric Hunchback version since the 1950’s and that was mostly a French movie. For Hollywood there has been a Hunchback version focusing on Esmeralda since Theda Bara’s 1917 movie The Darling of Paris. Not much is known about this movie other than it’s being spearhead by Peter Cherin and will focus on Esmeralda. I hope this movie is good and happens, you never know with movies.

Let’s hope 2016 has more Hunchback stuff!

The Phantom of the Opera; Chapters 24-Epilogue

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We’re Done! Also there’s a conclusion!

Chapter, 24, Barrels! Barrels!

yet another recount for our newest bestest pal Daroga the Persian, I wish he had a name but what are you going to do about it. The bulk of this chapter explains the toture in the forest room or heat. Basic the room makes people go crazy with thrist till the kill them selves on iron tree a.k.a the gibbet. Raoul kind or moans around and complains will Daroga tries super hard to find a spring which is the way out. He does find a way out which leads them to a SHIT-ton (that is the counter word) of barrel all filled with gun powder. Which comes back to Erik’s Ultimatum for Christine; Marry me or die with everyone else in the building.

Gotta say I don’t know what to say on this chapter. It’s mostly the Persian looking for that spring while describing the room and then the method behind the Phantom’s threat. But also maybe it’s just in my copy of the book but the word Phantom is never used, they use the word Ghost. Just interesting.

Chapter, 25, The Scorpion or the Grasshopper: Which?

Christine pulls the Scorpion, which mean yes she’ll marry him and with the turing on Bronze Scorpion it floods the cellar with the barrels nearly drown Raoul and the Persian. Just want to add the Scorpion and Grasshopper piece seems like they would be really pretty.

The chapter is pretty short. There is some confusion over if the Scorpion really means yes to the marriage or if will kill everyone. But Erik was being honest even though very dramatic.

The chapter end the Persian recount.

Chapter 26, The End of the Ghost’s Love-Story

So Erik saves Raoul and the Persian because Christine asked him. She also displays aspects that she will be his wife and stay a live, or what Erik called his “living wife”. She also let Erik kiss her, albeit on the forehead and not that passionate kiss like in the musical but that was enough him. His own mother never let him kiss so her so it was a big deal for him. Erik let her go to be with Raoul. He was redeemed just like Grinch. But then he dies.

It’s a good ending, very heart-breaking and sad for teh crazy, dramatic, genius who just wanted love.

Epilogue

And we’re back to Mr Leroux still trying to make us believe that this story is 100% true. This chapter tries to sum up what happened to everyone, though Christine, Raoul and her guardian lady all just disappear. Leroux claims to have found Erik’s skeleton which has the gold ring he gave to Christine which she lost which he back to her only for her to put of his dead figure after he announced his death in a newspaper. The skeleton was found in that area behind Christine’s dressing room, the place where he first carried her off. Where or not it’s Erik’s skeleton, Leroux’s character of himself believes it.

This ending chunk also gives some vague background of Erik, which is the basis for Susan Kay’s Phantom, which I would recommend reading. It’s sort of a Prequel, Midquel, sequel. There is actually a lot of novels based on Phantom. Most people think Christine and Erik should have been together. Heck, even Andrew Lloyd Webber has musical sequel based on a shitting book.

It’s an ok ending even if does offer a clear ending for the many of the character. Heck even that whole Safety pin thing is never explained. I did like the imagery of the Northern railway Station in the world, the end of it just feels like a cold winter’s night.

Conclusion
Over-all The Phantom of the Opera is an entertaining read. It’s way easier to read that Fricken The Man who Laughs. It’s not the deepesy or thought provoking story but it’s has nice gothic bitter-sweet vibe. I could have left out the stuff with the mangers and money talk, that was just boring. Also I’m not really a fan of the story within a story thing the book did. It meant that while the Phantom the object of the story he never was the subject. Would it have been better if we ever got into the Phantom’s head or is less more? I think not knowing what makes Erik ticks make him more interesting and it the reason why there is all the Phantom retellings. But presenting the book this way really Erik is only in the action a few times. He alluded to and flashback more than actually being a part of a scene.

But yeah, it’s a fun book. On to the movie versions! And lastly, Safety-Pins!!

Merry Christmas 2015

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This is my favorite Christmas song off my Favorite Christmas album.

And no matter your creed, I think everyone wants peace in the world.