I mentioned Disney’s Mix and Match Villains Book in a post about the villain line but since then I have found my copy of it. Oh the fun of this thing.

The book is a game where you flip segments of a pictures and words to form absurdities.

Frollo's page Disney's Mix and Match Villains Book pictureimage

Frollo’s page

So for example the Hunchback page features Frollo holding a book with Quasimodo and Hugo off to the side and the text reads “Frollo sneered, I’m very disappointed in you Quasimodo.

With a few flips I can change it to this.

Ursula demands that only love's first kiss will awaken Quasimodo Disney's Mix and Match Villains Book  picture image

Ursula demands that only love’s first kiss will awaken Quasimodo

Oh such fun. Though I confessed as child I loved using Alice’s Head in the mix.

Frollo wants to marry Alice's Head Disney's Mix and Match Villains Book picture image

Frollo wants to marry Alice’s Head

(sorry for the bad pictures)

Benedick Blythe as Phoebus, 1997 The Hunchback picture image

Benedick Blythe as Phoebus with Edward Atterton as Gringoire

Phoebus is not a character in the 1997 version of The Hunchback. He is a featured extra who has a few lines but has no importance to the plot. So what does it mean for the story with Phoebus not present in the narrative?

First, it means that there is no noble presence in the characters. Nobles played a bit of a role in the book and in some of the movies. The Film gets around this a little by making the King a slightly bigger character. Not  as big as the 1939 version but he gets few lines. There is also the King’s minster who is the Frollo kills.

It also means Frollo anger isn’t targeted in regards to his lust for Esmeralda. Instead Frollo is being challenged by the minister who is all for the Printing Press. with his resolved weaken Frollo yearns for Esmeralda and when he can’t get her, he kills the minster. And because Frollo used Esmeralda dagger she gets the blame.

This weakens the core of the story as Esmeralda has no reason to kill the minster, unless you count the one line he says dismissing Gypsies as not real people. But the movie doesn’t make bring that up in her trial, so their interaction is nonexistence. It also robs the intensity from Frollo’s lust.

Not having Phoebus also changes Esmeralda’s character. With no other love interest, Esmeralda doesn’t not come off a childish and flighty which suit a standard strong-independent Hayek role well.

 

Can a Hunchback story take place without Phoebus? I suppose it can but I would say that the 1997 version is not a model for how to do it. The killing the minster plot is a weak and sloppy.

Next time – A little by more on the characters

Salma Hayek as Esmeralda, 1997 The Hunchback picture image

Salma Hayek as Esmeralda

Disney Djali from Hunchback of Notre Dame

Disney Djali from Hunchback of Notre Dame

Djali means a wandering performer/musician/dancer. In some places in the world it has a negative connotation.

Djali  is a performer as she does harmless tricks and mimic people.

Mulan II picture image

Mulan II

As a follow up to the original, Mulan II doesn’t measure up. However you can’t really judge the Disney Sequels by the original. On the spectrum of the Disney sequels, it was fine, a bit mediocre but fine compared to the other Disney sequels you could watch.

Mulan and Shang Mulan II picture image

Mulan and Shang

A mere a month after the original, Shang proposes to Mulan. With their impending marriage it means Mushu will lose his cushy job. While Shang and Mulan get along, her parents fear that they could be different in their future ideas and Mushu gets into his head to break them up. In the midst of this, Shang and Mulan are summoned to Emperor for a new mission.

The Emperor fearing the Mongols, has arranged the marriage of three daughters for an alliance. Shang and Mulan enlist the help of Yao, Ling, and Chien-po. Mulan is very much against arranged marriages but goes along with it. The three princesses fall for Yao, Ling, and Chien-po and Mushu manages to drive a wedge between Shang and Mulan.

Mulan finds out about Mushu’s scheme and starts to make up with Shang but the group is attacked by bandits. In the fight, Mulan thinks Shang falls to his death. Mulan wanting to be true to her heart decides to sacrifices herself to the arrange marriage which would allow the princesses to be true to their hearts. Mushu realizes he was very wrong and wishes he could undo it. Shang shows up and Mushu pretends to be the Golden Dragon of Unity and Mulan is free to be with Shang.

In the end Mushu gets to keep his job. Everyone is happy except Mulan’s ancestors who have to put up with Mushu.

Mulan with Chien-po, Su, Mei, Yao, Ting Ting and Ling Mulan II picture image

Mulan with Chien-po, Su, Mei, Yao, Ting Ting and Ling

The story isn’t as grand or as epic as the first one but the issue is that until the end there are no stakes for the characters. It’s a Disney movie, you know the heart wins out in the end but Mulan going to offer herself as a replacement felt very tacked on and contrived. It does offer Mushu redemption for breaking Shang and Mulan up and makes Shang change his uptight ways but it felt really forced.

Mulan and Shang Mulan II picture image

Mulan and Shang

Then we have Shang’s personality change or at least I think it’s a change. I haven’t seen Mulan in while but I don’t really recall Shang being such an uptight guy.

This movie makes him pretty much a jerk till the end. I guess it worked better for the contrived narrative to give him a character arc that he never had.

Mulan and Shang Mulan II picture image

Mulan and Shang

Then we have a Mulan’s character change. Mulan in this movie is very much anti-arranged marriages even though she was going to do it in the first movie. Maybe saving China gave her a new preceptive on women’s issues.

Her being against it does add some contrived drama for the ending where she allows others to be loved when she think she lost her love but it felt forced. Perhaps if she had said something to bridged the gap between the to movies to makes this characterization makes sense it would have been more effective. Then again maybe she just forgot her stance on the issue, I mean a whole month did pass.

Su, Ting Ting and Mei  Mulan II picture image

Su, Ting Ting and Mei

Then we have the three plots ladies, I mean the three princesses, Ting Ting, Mei and Su . These three have no really personalities. I guess Ting Ting is the uptight mature one with a weird laugh but they serve as love interests for Ling, Yao and Chien-po as well as a point for Mulan to act on arranged marriages, which are bad in all cases even for peace or something.

Mulan and Shang Mulan II picture image

Mulan and Shang

Mulan II is mediocre and contrived but considering these sequels, it could have been worse so much worse. Best that can be said it’s decent effort, worse that can be said it’s dull and forgettable which still high praise for the Disney sequels.

Disney Princesses/Characters are  common choices for costumes but usually one or costume is chosen more than what that character wears in the movie. But let us see which costumes of each character is the most cosplayed. Characters must have at least two costume changes in the movie. I will go through the first 100 cosplay pictures of the character  in google images.  I will search them by their name and word “cosplay” and in Jane and Anna case, Disney was added. Keep in my mind Google Images change a lot.

 

Snow white picture image

Snow white

 

Snow White

Yellow – 100
Rags – 0

 

 

 

 

Cinderella

Cinderella

 

Cinderella
Casual -1
Pink Gown – 0
Ball Gown -99

 

 

 

 

 

Aurora

Aurora

 

Aurora
Briar Rose -29
Pink Gown -50
Blue Gown -21

 

 

 

 

Ariel Disney The Little Mermaid picture image

Ariel Disney The Little Mermaid

 

Ariel
Mermaid – 50
Ship wreak – 3
Pink Gown -11
Blue Dress – 36
Wedding – 0

 

 

 

 

Belle

Belle

 

 

Belle
Casual -13
Green dress – 0*
Pink – 1
Yellow Gown -86

 

 

 

 

Jasmine

Jasmine

 

 

Jasmine
Casual -93
Disguise -0
Purple Dress -1
Slave – 6
Purple End – 0

 

 

 

 

Esmeralda as a Disney Princess picture image

Esmeralda as a Disney Princess

 

 

Esmeralda
Casual – 84
Red dress -12
Prisoner – 0

 

 

 

 

mulan

Mulan

 

Mulan
Casual – 15
Gown  – 61
Warrior 24

 

 

 

 

Jane

Jane

 

Jane
Yellow -70
Jungle -2
(all I saw)

 

 

 

 

 

Tiana

Tiana

 

 

Tiana
Waitress – 9
Almost there dress -0
Princess costume 1 – 0
Princess costume 2 kiss – 8
Ball Gown -83
Wwdding- 0

 

 

 

 

Elsa picture image frozen

Elsa

 

Elsa
Coronation Gown -16
Snow Queen -84

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anna, Frozen, picture image

Anna

 

Anna
Coronation Gown- 7
Snow Dress – 93
Ending Dress – 0

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’m not surprised by the common costume but some of the numbers are surprising. I thought Belle would have more for her Blue Dress.

*saw 1 under Jane

Jim Dale as Clopin , 1997 The Hunchback picture image

Jim Dale as Clopin

The Clopin in the 1997 version of The Hunchback is very reminiscent of the Disney version. He is pragmatic and slightly cruel in his ruling approach but he is fun.

 

Jim Dale as Clopin , 1997 The Hunchback picture image

Jim Dale as Clopin

 

This Clopin is fairly standard as far of what is asked of Clopin. He is leader of the Court of Miracles and is cruel to outsiders except for Quasimodo. He uses Esmeralda for distractions but he also enjoy her dancing  over listening to Gringoire. Overall he is one of the more jovial Clopins.

 

Jim Dale as Clopin , 1997 The Hunchback picture image

Jim Dale as Clopin

Unlike other Clopins he doesn’t lead the attack to save Esmeralda. This is because the climax was changed and the assault of Notre Dame follows Quasimodo saving Esmeralda in the middle of the film.   Because he is not involved in attack on Notre Dame, he lives. He and Gringoire do lead a fairly peaceful protest to save Esmeralda and he gives a speech to Nobel’s king in her defense. Other than that he is pretty by the book

 

Jim Dale as Clopin , 1997 The Hunchback picture image

Jim Dale as Clopin

 

Is this a great memorable Clopin? No, can’t say he is.  Is it an identifiable and characteristic Clopin? Yes and that is really all one can really ask for in  an a Hunchback movie version.

Next time – Phoebus….. wait he’s not this movie…is he?

Benedick Blythe as Phoebus, 1997 The Hunchback picture image

Benedick Blythe as Phoebus

 

Julie Zenatti as Fleur de Lys Notre Dame de Paris picture image

Julie Zenatti as Fleur de Lys, Notre Dame de Paris

Fleur de Lys de Gondelaurier is Phoebus’ fiancee. She is a young noblewoman.

Fleur de Lys means lily and is the symbol of France and part of the royal family heraldry.    Lilies denote  purity but a theory on her name indicates that it signifies how alike she is is to the rest of her social class. That she is a stereotype, a symbol of the greater populace.

Her surname is Gondelaurier and it doesn’t seem to be a real surname. It can be broken down to Gond meaning “hinge” or Hinge pin” as a  in a door and laurier meaning laurel tree. The Laurel  tree is her house sigil. One could surmises that the hinge means that she is the door to Phoebus’s social climbing and it “hinges” on her. The laurel imagery also reflects on Phoebus as it has connections to Apollo. Very simply, Apollo fell in love with a nymph named Daphne. Apollo pursued her. She begged her father to help and he turned her into a laurel tree. Apollo took the laurel leaves and made a crown. The connection is that when Fleur de Lys avoids Phoebus, he pursues but only to to get respectability, the crown of laurels.

 

Winnie the Pooh Springtime with Roo  picture image

Winnie the Pooh Springtime with Roo

Finally, A Winnie The Pooh video I didn’t hate. Winnie the Pooh Springtime with Roo takes a lot of issues that Winnie the Pooh has and turn the issues into something that is decently charming and not a pain to watch.

Roo, Tigger, Pooh, Eeyore, & Rabbit, Winnie the Pooh Springtime with Roo  picture image

Roo, Piglet Tigger, Pooh, Eeyore, & Rabbit

The story goes, the gang is getting ready for Easter. Rabbit hosts it every year and everyone is looking forward to especially little Roo. Rabbit however decides that instead of Easter they are going to clean his house. The others sad still go along with it but once they find the Easter decorations decide to decorate for the occasion. When Rabbit sees it he gets mad. Roo and Tigger try figure why Rabbit is angry and doesn’t want to celebrate Easter.

Rabbit thought Tigger was replacing him as Easter Bunny last year and he was mad that no one followed his strict rules. But Rabbit sees a vision of the future where everyone left him alone and he comes around and they celebrate Easter together without rules.

Piglet, Roo, Rabbit, & Pooh, Winnie the Pooh Springtime with Roo  picture image

Piglet, Roo, Rabbit, & Poohwith Roo

So why is this one more enjoyable than the others Pooh movies? The problem with Winnie the Pooh is that all the characters have their very extreme flaws, which are part of their charm but without a straight and even character to lead the audience through them they get overwhelming. Christopher Robin is, or should be the even-key one but his parts are minimal and sometimes non-existence.

In this one we have Roo. Compared to the others, Roo is an excitable child but it still normal. With a normal character the other’s flaws can’t be as extreme and the flaws can be more of a center point.

Pooh and Piglet, Winnie the Pooh Springtime with Roo  picture image

Pooh and Piglet

The plot isn’t as big as the Grand Adventure nor as confused as the Christmas/New Year, but it’s solid and focused. One criticism is that that plot is very focused on Roo, Tigger and Rabbit. Pooh, Piglet and Eeyore don’t have much to do within the narrative.

Piglet, Pooh, Roo, Rabbit, Eeyore & Tigger  Winnie the Pooh Springtime with Roo  picture image

Piglet, Pooh, Roo, Rabbit, Eeyore & Tigger

The plot is heavily influenced by Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol. Now I’m not great fan of Dickens but Christmas Carol is the only story I like but it’s overdone in movies. However I don’t mind it here because at least the characters are at least Tigger know it’s being referenced which makes it fun.

Roo in a meta moment Winnie the Pooh Springtime with Roo  picture image

Roo in a meta moment

Winnie the Pooh Springtime With Roo isn’t the great story in the Winnie the Pooh universe but as story for an hour long video it’s not that bad dare I say fine.

It’s time to pick a bad version to destroy, I mean review.

Next Review???? They are both stupid versions

  • Enchanted Tales (54%, 13 Votes)
  • Secret of the Hunchback (46%, 11 Votes)

Total Voters: 24

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Gargoyles sing to Quasimodo,The Secret of the Hunchback picture image

Gargoyles sing to Quasimodo,The Secret of the Hunchback

Melody & Quasimodo, Enchanted Tales, Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Melody & Quasimodo, Enchanted Tales, Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Poll ends April 2nd at 11:59PM EST.

Edward Atterton as Gringoire, 1997 The Hunchback picture image

Edward Atterton as Gringoire

Like so many, many other Gringoires, the 1997 version of The Hunchback falls into the romantic guy category. However, unlike other Gringoires he doesn’t do anything, he’s kind of  just there to be Esmeralda’s love interest.

 

Edward Atterton as Gringoire, 1997 The Hunchback picture image

Edward Atterton as Gringoire

 

Other Gringoires try and help save Esmeralda by means of the written word or a speech. In this version Quasimodo does the leg work and Gringoire just helps out in passing out Quasimodo’s pamphlet, leading the riot and getting the noose of Esmeralda’s neck.

 

Edward as Gringoire, 1997 The Hunchback picture image

Edward as Gringoire

One could argue that Gringoire doesn’t do that much in the book but he does have a personality here is doesn’t really.

 

Edward Atterton as Gringoire, 1997 The Hunchback picture image

Edward Atterton as Gringoire

I think he is sincere in his affections for Esmeralda but this Gringoire isn’t really allowed to do much except be nice and  follow Quasimodo’s plan.

 

Next time – Clopin

Jim Dale as Clopin , 1997 The Hunchback picture image

Jim Dale as Clopin