Gina Lollobrigida who played Esmeralda in the 1956 version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame passed away today at the age of 95.
You can read her obituary here
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/jan/16/gina-lollobrigida-obituary
which they use a picture of her as Esmeralda.
At Home Depot, minding my own business, looking at the paint swatches and then BOOM!
It’s not a great of the actual colors but if you count the meaning of the name then there are three refs here. Maybe there are more but this what I saw on a super quick trip.
Which one would you use to paint your space????
This post is more off the cuff than normal
Here is a news article about what is I guess known about the not-newest Hunchback version, which is the Broken Lizard version, but the Disney one
https://movieweb.com/disney-hunchback-of-notre-dame-everything-we-know/
So here are some core bits points.
According to this article fans “want’ Josh Gad to play Quasimodo. I’m not on instagram, nor am I all that plugged into what is the cultural zeitgeist of fan casting for Quasimodo is on the internet (which I don’t think is all that up there in relevance.) With respect to Gad, he would not be my first pick. I did listen to a podcast from awhile ago that tangentially mentioned him playing Clopin based on instagram stuff.
I only pegged him as Quasimodo in the past because he was making a push for this adaptation and it just seemed to a role that male actors want to play, for good reason. Also if you read a recent casting post I made, Gad is in the age range for Quasimodo actors, as he is 41. A year older than the average of 40.
However the article has no insight on casting but there is some info on the crew. Also the article says that the movie has a release date of July 19th, 2024.
Also an article from The Wrap (which I’m not linking because of laziness) put Notre Dame de Paris as 3rd (or maybe 4th I can’t recall, this why you shouldn’t be lazy like me) worst production of 2022 in New York City. It is very interesting how mixed the NYC reaction was to the show. I do get that it’s not a perfect show, I still love it but I can understand other POVs on it. The production isn’t super concern whether or not the plot makes sense but it’s more about emotions. And maybe that is an excuse but if people/theater critics didn’t like the show then so be it.
So there is some new nuggets for the end of the year.
Here is a throwback from 2013.
A Christmas Cookie I decorated a very long time ago that was a cross-section of that bell from the sequel. I have never been know for my cookie decor game but I had fun.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.
Here are Ten Titles for Hallmark Christmas movies that would be either inspired by Hunchback or Hallmark Hunchback of Notre Dame versions with Christmas.
If you have no idea what a Hallmark Christmas Movie is, Congrats. Basically Christmas is magic and great, big city bad, rural countryside good, careers bad, family good, and conventionally attractive white people in front of Christmas trees.
So here are just titles they are meant to be not good or at most amusing. To my knowledge these titles don’t exist yet….*
A Christmas Hunch
A Christmas Bell
A Hunchback for Christmas
The Christmas Goat
Our Lady of Christmas
The Feast of the Fool(ish) Christmas
A Broken Christmas Jug
Jingle Cathedral Bells
Deck the Belfry
Christmas at Notre Dame
* Christmas Belle and A Belle for Christmas are real movies. Christmas Goats are a subject of some movies since the Yule Goat is traditional in Scandinavian and Northern European countries. The Broken Jug is a real movie and Christmas at Notre Dame is the name of an album.
Like most people on the internet I make a lot ranked list content. Not here so much but else yes. A few years ago I did a list of Non-Christmas Movies which is not a new concept and how I’m doing again so this a part 2 of the this list except this one is not ranked and there are only four.
Why four? Because. That is a good enough reason. (I had five but one was already on my OG list and I just wanted this out prior to the Holiday so four)
I had a few parameters for these movies. First they had to some kind of winter aesthetic, had to have something to with family and gifts. However none of these film are about Christmas or have scenes Christmas.
Some Spoilers
I don’t know about you but when I think about Christmas the music from The Nutcracker comes up as peak Christmas music. And that makes me think of the setting of Anastasia. Add in some snowscape, “The Once upon as December” song, the necklace motif and reconnecting with family and you could add this to your holiday watch list.
Dumb side story, I love Bob’s Burgers and one of my favorite bits is in the second episode where one of the kids says that Narnia was written by Salman Rushdie. I don’t know why I find that so funny but I do.
So back to Narnia. Giving that Narnia is under a constant winter due to Jadis, The White Witch, I think it very much got that winter aesthetic down. The internal drama is about family and Santa a.k.a Father Christmas gives them presents which are very useful.
Again we have snow imagery with Sarah spinning as snow blows around her. She gets a locket from her father before he goes off to war. The locket is taken after her father is presumed dead leaving Sarah at the mercy of her boarding School’s Head Mistress. Her friends get the locket back for her. And at the end of the movie she reunites with her father and gains an adopted sister.
Surrounding the Beast’s domain is snow, much like the Disney version. The Beast gifts her items, like in the Disney version and the 1946 version. In this version it’s dresses. There is also a family dynamic at play since she offers herself to the Beast to save her father. Why did I pick this? Seemed logical however any version of Beauty and the Beast will work for happy Christmas movie watching. Even the 2017 (or the Christmas mid-quel movie) if you want, it’s not the one I would go for but whatever makes you happy.
Shout out to Three Wishes for Cinderella, I forgot you were on the OG list.
Happy Holidays
Nine years ago I did a casting post on Henry Cavill playing Phoebus which you can read HERE. I still think he could play Phoebus BUT I also think that he could play another role. A role that would be an acting challenge for him. A role that most actors seem to want to play.
That’s right, I think Henry Cavill for Quasimodo.
Given the news that Cavill is no longer playing Superman in the DCU and few months ago it was announced that he was no longer playing Geralt in The Witcher Series, everyone on the internet is casting him for everything.
First reason for this casting pick is that it goes WAY against his type. Henry Cavill is very attractive. Geralt did go against his type but still is his wheelhouse especially since he a fan of the series. Quasimodo pushes actors in all the areas of acting which is why actors spearhead productions to play the role. Whether they are success or not is another story.
Also Cavill is the right age to play Quasimodo. And when I say “right” I mean the average age. Quasimodo in the book is 19 BUT the average age of the actors who have played him in the eight “well known’ productions (movies/mini-series) is about 40.
This is not a casting pick that probably anyone wants nor does it make any sense but it would be intresting to see Cavill playing a role like Quasimodo.
What do you think? Could Henry Cavill play Quasimodo? Or different role like Phoebus? Which actor would you cast as Quasimodo?
About a year ago, in November 2021 it was announced that Broken Lizard was making a satirical take on Hunchback. The Film was dubbed Quasi.
Now if you are like me and I know you are, you keep up with all things Hunchback. From news of the adaptions and so on. For about the last decade there has been eight or so announcements on new Hunchback Tv/Film projects. The Broken Lizard one was the last one and so far the only one to get a release date.
Quasi hits Hulu (US) on April 20th 2023. It will be on other streaming platforms for other countries so no worries. There are also actors listed but no roles given. Like I can guess who is playing Esmeralda (or a character like Esmeralda) but I don’t know for sure.
So in 5 months I better know what that axe means in the logo because I’m puzzled. Mayhaps I need to read the novel again because axe iconography is not something I recall. Bells, sure, gargoyles, hell yeah, cathedral stuff, yup, gallows, a bit bleak but yes, even fire I get but an axe? No.
Also what is a little maddening, at least for me, is that the last film adaptation of Hunchback to come out a little over 20 years was a parody. In the interim between versions nothing and now two comedic takes back to back even with a 20+ year gap. Kinda odd.
So Quasi will be the next Hunchback film version to get released since the 90s.
Source – https://deadline.com/2022/11/broken-lizard-quasi-film-release-date
Site Update- I’m sorry I haven’t done a Magical Adventure post in a while time just gets away from me but I do mean to finish it I just don’t know when. I’m remorseful that it taking me so long. I have no excuses though.
A Hunchback Reference from Hulu’s new show Reboot.
Apparently this is straight-to-video movie that I wish was real. I love that they use the Gargoyle shot.
So QUESTIONS. Does this take place at the Paris Landmark which would explain the setting? But he has a football? Or is he a transfer student???? I mean that could work….. but I’m very confused. And since this a two second gag I bet no one put too much thought into the fake plot of a fake movie. They just wanted it to be ridiculous and silly and that it is.
Just know that I appreciate this.
SO I’m rather sick…. so Throwback image.
Have a Spooky Autumnal Holiday or Halloween to you all.
I photoshopped this back in 2012…..