Achilles | The Hunchblog of Notre Dame

17Oct 2011

Returning Characters in the Hunchback Sequel

by jess

One of the “selling” point of the sequel is the return of main characters with their original voice actors. Try and guess which pictures are from the sequel, I bet you’ll be shocked.

Quasimodo in new threads Sequel Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney picture image

Quasimodo in new threads Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

Quasimodo Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney picture image

Quasimodo's Reveal Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney

Quasimodo – In this movie Quasimodo wants to be in love. He meets new character Madeline and tries to convince her that he’s awesome. It works because she’s has low self-esteem.

Clopin Evil Smile Hunchback of Notre Dame Sequel Disney

Clopin Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Clopin– Clopin is in this movie, though he does very little. He’s once again the Master of Ceremonies for the Le Jour d’Amour and that’s it.

Esmeralda Sequel Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney picture image

Esmeralda Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

Esmeralda Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Esmeralda– She’s a wife, mother, dancer, and fortune-teller. She retains her sassiness but other than that she doesn’t do that much. Oh and she wears shoes now.

Phoebus getting hit with a ball Sequel Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney picture image

Phoebus getting hit with a ball Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

Phoebus Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame cross eyes picture image

Phoebus cross-eyed Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Phoebus– He’s a father and Captain of the Guards. He doesn’t trust the circus people and he’s makes kind of a jerk out of himself.

Gargoyles Hunchback of Notre Dame Sequel Disney

Gargoyles A Guy like you Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

The Gargoyles – They don’t do that much and don’t contribute that much to the importances of the plot and yet still they are still annoying. However they have one decent joke.

Djali Hunchback of Notre Dame Sequel Disney

Djali Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Djali's reaction to Quasimodo Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Djali– Djali is still awesome

Achilles and his Filly Hunchback of Notre Dame Sequel Disney

Achilles and Phoebus Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Achilles– Achilles somehow learned how to count, I guess he’s not the dimwit any more and he gets a girlfriend. Thank you movie for making single people feel bad with your random coupling of horses

So yeah the main characters from the first film are there but other than Quasimodo they do not do that much. They’re really just side characters, just there as a selling point so you’ll watch thinking you’ll see your favorite return but no it’s mostly Quasimodo and the New Characters.

Next Time – New characters starting with Quasimodo’s main squeeze Madeline

Madeline Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame sequel

12Oct 2011

Hunchback of Notre Dame II The Awfulness

by jess

Disney started releasing Direct to video(DVD) movies in 1994 with The Return of Jafar. Disney continued to bastardized their theatrical releases till 2007 with a prequel to The Little Mermaid called Ariel’s Beginning. Since then they just release TinkerBell movies.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame II

A handful of the film are decent but many are just crap including the March 19 2002 release of the sequel of The Hunchback of Notre Dame . It features some of the same characters (excluding Frollo because if got lucky and was killed off in the first film). Quasimodo, Clopin, Esmeralda, Phoebus, Djali, Achilles and the annoying ones are back in drab colors but with the original voice actors. There also three new dull as toast characters. Plus shit for music, art design and animation.

If you haven’t figured out it I think this movie is crap.

Next Time – The Crapastic Plot

The Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney picture image

Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame II

01Jul 2011

Deeper look at the Disneyâ€™s Hunchback of Notre Dame Characters part 7: Animals – The Epic Conclusion

by jess

So a little bit more on Achilles and Djali— yeah there is more, go fig….

Djali and Esmeralda Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Achilles and Phoebus Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Djali and Achilles rock as sidekicks, adding humor and charm to the movie. However as I was working on analyzing Djali and Achilles I noticed that their function in the movie goes deeper than just being awesome and fun sidekicks. The key element into this function is that both of the have the same coloration. They’re both white and gray, but they’re gray in the same places. Their muzzle, legs, tails, and hair. I think this maybe overlooked by many viewers because Djali and Achilles only appear on screen once together and Djali dancing so it’s hard to make that connection.

Djali and Achilles Same look Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Djali Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Achilles Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

So what does it matter that Djali and Achilles look alike? Well I think this is one more way that the production tries to reinforce Esmeralda and Phoebus as “the” couple. It’s not enough that they see each other first, that they have the same personality, that they are pretty much counterparts in every way but now they animals links them together. It’s pretty funny that the movie works this hard to tell its’ audience that Phoebus and Esmeralda are made for each other and some viewers still malign Esmeralda for being shallow because she fell in love with Phoebus instead of Quasimodo.

Djali, Esmeralda, and Phoebus Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Next Time – Memorable/Important Side Characters

First to bat The Archdeacon of Notre Dame…..mmmmm I wonder if his offical title is the same as Frollo’s in the novel????

Archdeacon Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney picture image

Archdeacon Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

29Jun 2011

Deeper look at the Disney’s Hunchback of Notre Dame Characters part 7: Animals continuation – Djali

by jess

If Achilles gets one of the most concentrated laughs in the movie, then Djali gets more laughs spread out through the movie. Djali is a mascot type of character for the film like other cute animal Disney side-kicks. The up side is that Djali was not created for the film but came out the source material.

Djali is Esmeralda’s pet goat. Djali helps her make money and reminds of her not to leave money when she about to run off.

Part of Djali’s function is to be Esmeralda’s double. In the book this meant that Djali was dainty, pretty, and talented with gilded hooves and horn and was white.

Djali flips Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image — Djali flips Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

In the Disney movie Djali is grayish white with black hooves and an earring. The earring is meant to link Djali and Esmeralda. Like the book, I think Disney’s Djali is also a double for Esmeralda. In DVD commentary, they discussed that the reason why they cast Demi Moore as Esmeralda is because they wanted the heroine to have a rougher quality to the the voice, that sounded like (and I’m quoting this from commentary, I’m not making this up) like “she had been around.” Not saying that I think Djali has been “around” but Djali is not the dainty, delicate goat she is in the book. So I think Disney’s version fits Esmeralda’s aesthetic more in this movie.

Djali also has another functions than being Esmeralda’s better half. Djali is her security system.

Djali is distrustful of anyone Esmeralda meets (Phoebus and Quasimodo included). Djali also bleats when someone is approaching them (Frollo or guards).

DJali as a old man Dinsey Hunchback of Notre dame picture image — DJali as a old man Dinsey Hunchback of Notre Dame

Djali also aids Esmeralda in her old beggar disguise. This enables her to go undetected by Frollo and the stupid guards .

Djali in gut Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image — Djali in gut Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Djali also kicks ass in a fight. More than a few times Djali springs into action

So what makes Djali a great character? Djali provides levity without hindering the movie (like Achilles). Djali reacts to things in the movie and does not inject the movie with randomness to try to make a joke like the Gargoyles.

Another aspect of Djali that is charming which is a good attribute for a mascot character. All of Djali emotions and thoughts are always showed on his (her) face.

Djali started off in the Disney movie as a minor character but do to the animation done by Ron Husband (Commentary, got love them) the executives demanded more Djali and so the screen time was double.

Djali is called a “him” throughout the movie and Hugo has a thing for Djali (Hugo being gay is a sensitive issue with Disney). My guess is this is a case of male pronoun default. Djali’s sex mattered in the book because Hugo(the author) wanted to communicate that Djali is Esmeralda’s double, so Djali is a female goat. In the Disney’s version, it doesn’t really matter so the default male pronouns are used. (Remember this movie came out in 1996)

Next time – a little bit more on Achilles and Djali (there is something more alike about these two)

27Jun 2011

Deeper look at the Disneyâ€™s Hunchback of Notre Dame Characters part 7: Animals – Achilles

by jess

Next – Achilles and Djali

So where the Gargoyles fail to add levity, Djali and Achilles succeeded and they don’t even speak. Let’s start with Achilles. Why? Because we see Achilles first, his name is comes first and there less to say about him

Achilles and Phoebus Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Achilles is Phoebus‘ war horse. According to the DVD commentary, the directors jokingly said that Achilles is Phillippe’s (Beauty and the Beast) dimwitted cousin. Both Disney horses were animated by Russ Edmonds.

Achilles with Phoebus Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Phillippe from Beauty and the Beast Disney

Achilles being a war horse takes excellent direction, he sits on command regardless of who he might sit on. But fear not Achilles never crushes anyone to death, just for comedy.

Sit command Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Achilles Sitting Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Achilles the Set up Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Achilles' Butt Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Achilles Sitting Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Achilles and Phoebus Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Achilles is mosly white and he adds to Phoebus’ perfect knightly look, but he also has grey legs, snout, mane and tail. Mmmm his look is awfully similar to another character…..

Achilles and Snowball Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

One thing that is not commonly know about Achilles is that he hates Frollo’s horse, Snowball ( not sure if it Snowball 1 or 2).

Achilles Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

The command regarding Achilles to sit, according to the commentary was the big laugh during the trailers. Achilles may not have done much and may have been relegate to an accessory but he almost as much laughs than the supposed comic relief even with his limited screen time. If wasn’t for the Gargoyles’ dress/tress line I think the Sit gag would have been the big laugh of the film and that’s only because grown-up heard tress and kids heard dress, so it’s two jokes.

Frollo's nose is long and he wears a tress/dress Disney Hunhcback of Notre Dame

Achilles Heeling Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Fun Fact- Achilles name was chosen just so they good do the “Achilles Heel” joke.

Next Time Djali -Hooray

Disney Djali from Hunchback of Notre Dame

Tag Archives: Achilles

Returning Characters in the Hunchback Sequel

Hunchback of Notre Dame II The Awfulness

Deeper look at the Disneyâ€™s Hunchback of Notre Dame Characters part 7: Animals – The Epic Conclusion

Deeper look at the Disney’s Hunchback of Notre Dame Characters part 7: Animals continuation – Djali

Deeper look at the Disneyâ€™s Hunchback of Notre Dame Characters part 7: Animals – Achilles