In all seriousness Disney’s Hunchback of Notre Dame really only has the basic premise of the original novel. All the characters differ in attitudes and backstorys. The way the story unfolds and comes to its conclusion is different because of the characters.

The biggest difference is the Characters;

Frollo Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney picture image

Frollo Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney

 

In making Frollo a judge and not a priest we loss his turmoil which makes Frollo an interesting and complex character. I really don’t care as much about his lust and obsession for Esmeralda just because he hate Gypsies. Also in the book, his obsession occurs slowly. He sees her and is instantly taken by her youthful beauty. After that he begins stalking her and by kidnapping her he forces the the plot to take action. In the Disney movie, Quasimodo doesn’t have the some loyalty and Frollo abuses him by telling him he’s a monster and keeps him locked in the tower. In the book Frollo did no such thing and Quasimodo could leave  Notre Dame if he wished.

 

 

Quasimodo during Out There Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Quasimodo during Out There Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Quasimodo in the Disney movie is very much like Ariel. He wants to live with the normal people. He is very naive, kind and gentle. In the book, Quasimodo is kind and loyal  to those who have been kind to him  i.e Frollo and Esmeralda. However, Quasimodo is also angry and doesn’t really like people. He would never want to leave Notre Dame as Notre Dame is his universe. He loves Notre Dame so much that he is very much  a part of it and his lovers are bells. The relationship between Quasimodo and Notre Dame is destroyed in the Disney version as Notre Dame is not so much a sanctuary but a prison. Also in the movie Disney he briefly mentions the bell but you don’t get the sense that he loves the bells. I also don’t see this Quasimodo killing Frollo in fit of rage or lying down next to Esmeralda to die.

 

 

Disney Esmeralda Hunchback of Notre Dame Dance picture image

Esmeralda’s Dance Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

Esmeralda is the polar opposition between Disney movie and the book. In the book she is at least part French and is young, beautiful, naive, shallow, childish and kind of dumb. In the Disney movie, while she is beautiful, she has none of the other traits, though the youth is debatable.  She is confident and is in control of her sexual appeal. In the Disney version she is a full Gypsy and we are never given any sense of her backstory. In the book she was unaware of her beauty and she lacks any worldliness. This naivety is what gets her into trouble in the book and ultimately is what kills her and not a passion for social justice.

 

 

 

Phoebus Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Phoebus Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Phoebus in the book is a jerk who is kind of dumb and just wants to sleep with pretty girls. Also he is two-timing cheat, who despite being engaged he tries sleeps with every good-looking girl he can.  In the Disney version is he is noble, moral and likes to crack bad jokes.  Not like book Phoebus at all.

 

 

Clopin Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Clopin Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Clopin in the book in the leader of the Court of Miracles, not the Gypsies. The Leader of the Gypsy in the book was the Duke of Egypt. Typically, the leader of the Court of Miracles and the Leader of the Gypsy get fused into one which is  Clopin. That’s a minor issue. Compared to Frollo, Quasimodo, Esmeralda and Phoebus; Disney Clopin’s differences are not so bad. He tells stories like Gringoiore (a character in book) and is the leader of the Court of Miracles; he’s two characters in one, or three.

 

 

Djali Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Djali Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Djali in the Disney movie is a pretty minor character who doesn’t do anything other than add some charm and humor. In the book however Djali is pretty essential to the plot. Djali is the prime evidence for why Esmeralda is convicted of being a witch. Goats were considered to be representational of the devil and the tricks innocence tricks Djali performed like spelling and telling the time were thought to be the work of witchcraft by the judges in the book. Of course, since the plot veers so far the book it doesn’t really matter. Djali’s main function in the movie is a cute sidekick who sells toys to children.

 

The Gargoyles do not count, they’re not in the book.

 

Xed Gargoyles Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame image picture

 Gargoyles Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

It really does seems like someone early in production took the cliff notes of Hugo’s book, throw them into a blender, strained, added water and poured out the Disney Plot. Then that  got re-written by those people who didn’t read. And the differences in the characters in proof that.

 

Next time – Minor Differences,

Hey It’s a Youtube Poop Video by Dinner Warrior. I confess I like Frollo and Gaston as a Comic Duo

(Via Dinner Warrior’s Description)
Transcription (spoiler warning):

Narrator: There’s no intro.
Frollo: You know I have head lice.
Gaston: That’s nothing, I have ticks.
Le Fou: Every guy here loves you Gaston.
Gaston: No shit, this is a gay bar and every last inch of me’s waxed… not!
Frollo: Shall we review your alphabet today?
Gaston: I can’t read.
LeFou: Gaston, you fail at life.
Frollo: Then tell me Maria, why I see her dancing there… what? Why the hell is Lady Gaga in my fireplace?
Le Fou: Gosh that girl disturbs me Gaston.
Gaston: I know, me too.
Ratcliffe: The ladies of court will friend me on twitter when they see how I glitter.
Frollo: Eat my tacos. I have fish tacos, beef tacos, chicken tacos. I have it all! Made with real meat, real cheese, real corn.
Gaston: Hello Frollo, I’ll have four-dozen tacos and a large pepsi and for dessert I’ll have jello.
Frollo: It’s yours.
Tomo: I’m a taco. AHHH!
Frollo: I’ll find her. I’ll find Hellen if I have to burn down all of Troy!
Gaston: Iliad.
Frollo: I am a fish.
Gaston: Manatee.
Ratcliffe: Cheep-cheep!
Gaston: Every last inch of Waxonator’s covered with memes.
Osaka: Well, see ya!

The Differences post is coming…..soon

 

Where do you begin to discuss  the differences between Disney’s Hunchback of Notre Dame and Victor Hugo’s original novel Notre Dame de Paris? I guess it easier to discuss the similarities. They both take place in Paris, there is a hunchback who is the bell ringer of Notre Dame and a pretty gypsy girl and the main characters are attractive to her. She has a goat and is dancers. There names are the same (Quasimodo, Claude Frollo, Esmeralda, Djali, Phoebus, and Clopin) and  that’s pretty much it.

Good Night everybody.

Cast Poster of Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Cast Poster of Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Hunchback of Notre Dame Character Illustration by Francois Joseph Aime De Lemud

Hunchback of Notre Dame Character Illustration by Francois Joseph Aime De Lemud

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No Seriously next time we’ll go through the major differences.

Click here to buy the Disney Movie Poster

 

Notre Dame of Paris Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Notre Dame of Paris Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

I had said in my 1939 Hunchback of Notre Dame review on setting, that movies shouldn’t take too much from Notre Dame’s structure as it’s changed a lot from it’s state from the time the story takes place to when Victor Hugo wrote the book to when Disney created the film.

Frollo and Notre Dame Bells Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Frollo stares at Notre Dame during the Bells of Notre Dame FDisney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Satellite Dish during Out There Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Satellite Dish during Out There Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

First Disney makes  Notre Dame much taller than it actually is. It’s a flaw but it not something to rage over. It’s just kind of laughable large. Another flaw that can be over looked is the all the exterior sculptures on the Cathedral are shown as plain, natural-colored stone. At the time the story is set, they were polychromatic – painted in colors. Again  it can be overlooked because Notre Dame current look is so iconic that it would have looked strange to audience to have colors associated with the exterior. I can also overlook the square in front of Notre Dame also that wouldn’t have been there in 1400 but you can forgive.

The aspects of the depiction that I have a hard time overlooking is the how the sanctuary is depicted. In the scheme of Hunchback cartoons and movies it’s very accurate, there are some terrible representations of Notre Dame but the way it’s set up in the film is problematic. The Sanctuary is show once in the film during “God Help the Outcast

 

Quasimodo watching to Esmeralda during God Help the Outcast Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Quasimodo watching to Esmeralda during God Help the Outcast Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Esmeralda singing God Help the Outcast Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Esmeralda singing God Help the Outcast Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Looking at Notre Dame’s set up and structure Notre Dame seems both bigger and smaller. Esmeralda strolls though the layout a a very leisurely pace yet the Cathedral seems more expansive than it is. She also isn’t impeded by the structure. At about at the 2:00 minute mark of the song, Esmeralda is seen walking in the side aisles and to her left there are columns. Then in the very next shot, Esmeralda is against a Fresco, with no columns in the shot. Which means Esmeralda needed to veer to another side of the column but she did not. So I guess the columns magically go away for a better shot. Also if her head in level with the fresco how tall is she? Because her height is really inconsistent and she’s bare foot and those Frescos are pretty high off the ground. Then this could be inconsistency. But do make the inside of the Church not in proper proportion.

Check out this website to see what I mean;

 http://www.fromparis.com/virtual-tour-notre-dame/ click around to get a visual tour of Notre Dame

Quasimodo during Out There with anachronism Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Quasimodo during Out There with anachronism Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

So getting back to what I said at the beginning of this about being careful not to copy Notre Dame in it current state to much is that after Victor Hugo wrote Notre Dame de Paris, the cathedral when though a massive changes. The statues that can be seen in Out There towards the end when Quasimodo talks “Ordinary Men” where add after the novel was written in 1831. Those statues are 12 apostles that adorned the spire. I don’t think I would mind this but Quasimodo motions to the statues as an examples of “ordinary men” The 12 Apostles are ordinary men Disney? Really? The fact the Disney used the statues as more than just Background but a visual aid is where I find fault.

Next Time – Major Differences between Disney and the Book

Quasimodo Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney picture image

Quasimodo's Reveal Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney

Quasimodo Illustrtion Francois flameng

Illustration of Quasimodo

For the most part Hunchback of Notre Dame has stunning animation and visuals, and isn’t that what Disney is know for… beside songs, and Princesses and Branding the Hell out their movies. Unfortunately Hunchback has one aspect of their visuals that hasn’t aged well; the CG crowds.

 

Topsy Turvy CG Crowds Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney

Topsy Turvy CG Crowds Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney

Topsy Turvy CG Crowds Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney

Topsy Turvy CG Crowds Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hunchback of Notre Dame has had a history of big crowds scenes, they can be seen the the 1923 version, 1939 version and most of the other film versions have scene with a ton of people. So of course Disney had to this to and the opted for computer generate crowds that the could swap out clothing hair and other traits, it was a time saver. The crowds can be seen in Topsy Turvy, the climax and the ending. And My God they stick out against the film’s art style. There just not refined enough to blend in remote to the film. However it is possible to over look it.

Climax CG Crowds Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney

Climax CG Crowds Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney

Finale CG Crowds Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney

Finale CG Crowds Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney

 

 

 

 

 

 

But still when the are notice they’re clunky, angular and not very pretty.  They actually bring the visuals down for me, perhaps I’m too harsh  but they look like the come from a cheap and boring video game about peasants who wear a lot of brown.

Beside the Crowds there is another aspect of the that Disney didn’t quite get right

Next Time – Notre Dame de Disney’s Hunchback of Notre Dame

Notre Dame of Paris Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Notre Dame of Paris Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Frollo singing Hellfire Hunchback of Notre Dame Hellfire Disney picture image

Frollo singing Hellfire Hunchback of Notre Dame Hellfire Disney

As I end discussing the music I want to say ONE thing, in Hunchback of Notre Dame, when the songs differ from the standard Disney format of song-type, the songs were great and when the songs was very formulaic it was bad. I think Disney needs to  pull away from the ridgely formulaic movies and be a little more experimental. I realize the Hunchback wasn’t a great success for them but that’s because they took a book that a) is a piece of literature with a bittersweet ending and b) they muttled the plot so it both be “dark” but also for kids.

 

Tangled Promotion Poster Disney picture image

Tangled Promotion Poster Disney

Snow Queen Concept Art Disney picture image

Snow Queen Concept Art Disney

 

 

 

 

 

 

I know Disney recently has been trying new things, Tangled was CG and more like a Dreamwork movie but it was still a princess movie and I was going to mention Snow Queen but that’s in development limbo right now. But maybe Disney should take what was so great about the Hunchback of Notre Dame (the dark elements) and make a dark animated movie. Let’s what would be good, mmm how about Faust:, everyone loves Faust. Or the The Monk , no that’s too dark, lots of sex and satan (but then again the main character is like a Frollo prototype). I think there was talk about doing Disney doing The Ramayana which isn’t dark but Ravana is demon king and I think it would make a great Disney movie especially if they did really cool animation. I guess either Faust alter to scew younger or the Ramayana which would need very little altering would be great.

Night on Bald Mountain Disney Fantasia  picture image

Night on Bald Mountain Disney Fantasia

Frollo singing Hellfire Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Frollo singing Hellfire Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

 

 

 

 

 

In conclusion Disney, you love Night on Bald Mountain, you love Hellfire, just make a dark movie and don’t market it for kids who know maybe that’s the shot in the arm your company needs; making a good film that people want to watch, and the people like Dark.

Next Time – It’s Fan Art Friday  Can I get a Yay?

Frollo singing Hellfire Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Frollo singing Hellfire Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Let’s us now concluded the musical portion of Hunchback with probably the strongest aspect of it; Alan Menken’s Score. The Hunchback of Notre Dame has one of the best score that Disney has ever produced. Menken was inspired by Mozart’s Requiem Mass and there a lot of dark tonalities to the Music  which in conclude Latin chanting which add    to the gothic nature of tone to the movie. When I say Gothic I referring to the building of Notre Dame and not the genre of the Victor Hugo’s book. The score also has a lot of Leitmotifs (referring to a recurring theme associated with a particular person, place, or idea.)

Quasimodo during Out There Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Quasimodo during Out There Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Frollo singing Hellfire Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame pitcure image

Frollo singing Hellfire Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Esmeralda singing God Help the Outcast Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Esmeralda singing God Help the Outcast Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

 

 

 

Quasimodo = Out There, Frollo =Hellfire, Phoebus has this march that is heard a lot when ever he appears on the screen, and Esmeralda = God Help The Outcasts. Clopin doesn’t seem to get one because he is always singing. You can hear the song tune throughout the movie. Track 4 Humiliation has the tunes of Out There and  God help the Outcast.

Quasimodo declares Sanctuary for Esmeralda Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney picture image
Quasimodo declares Sanctuary for Esmeralda

 

So while the songs are pretty hit and miss, the score is strong. My Favorite track is defiantly Sanctuary!, it over the top and dramatic. Plus I’m a fan of Latin choir, it maybe a cliche but they really do make everything sound much more epic

 

Next time a slight Rant and Plea to Disney

As Long as there's a moon Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

As Long as there’s a moon Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

In a Place of Miracles Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

In a Place of Miracles Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So there were two Deleted Songs in Hunchback of Notre DameAs Long as there’s a Moon and In a Place of Miracles. Both songs were love songs for Phoebus and Esmeralda, and occurs right before Frollo arrested anyone. It was an awkward place for the songs as it’s like “Hey Frollo is coming” “Oh no but first a love song”, it just didn’t work. The other problem is that the directors felt that a love song for Phoebus and Esmeralda took any the Quasimodo-ness from the movie, yada yada yada the directors loved Quasimodo as the focus and no else. As result no love songs.

 

In a Place of Miracles Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

In a Place of Miracles Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

As Long as there's a moon Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

As Long as there’s a moon Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

 

 

 

 

 

Both deleted songs were meh, In a Place of Miracle was a duet between Phoebus and Esmeralda and As Long as there’s a moon featured Clopin sining and followed a scene from the book. They’re average songs that were awkwardly placed.

 

As Long as there's a moon Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

As Long as there’s a moon Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

In a Place of Miracles Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

In a Place of Miracles Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I prefer As Long as there a moon more than In Place of Miracles but then agian Clopin the best human character. I also  kind of like that they didn’t have a love song however maybe the addition of love song for Phoebus and Esmeralda would have made fans believe their romance instead of just thinking Esmeralda was shallow in not choosing Esmeralda.

In a Place of Miracles Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

In a Place of Miracles Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

As Long as there's a moon Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

As Long as there’s a moon Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next Time – ?

 

Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

 

 

 

 

 

So now we come to the Demo reel of Someday. If Someday had been chosen over “God help the Outcast” the animation would have looked have followed this. It’s pretty the some as “God Help the Outcast” and it’s sung by Heidi Mollenhaur.

Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Quasimodo Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Quasimodo Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

 

 

 

 

 

So the story goes that Alan Menken wrote “God Help the Outcast” for the “Esmeralda Prayer” sequence. The director felt that they wanted a song with more energy for this part because they felt Outcast was to quiet. Menken then wrote “Someday”  which is a bigger number. However untimely the Directors felt it was too big a  number to be sung in Notre Dame of Paris and they went with “God help the Outcast”. Now if you read my review of “God help the Outcast” you’d know I have some problems with song as I find to be on the condescending side. It bothers me that Directors opted for Outcast over Someday by claiming it was more humble. Example what more humble  saying your at loss words or trying to relate to Mary? I find Someday far humbler.

Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

 

 

 

 

 

It also bothers me that they claimed “Someday” was too big for Notre Dame. In “God Help the Outcast” Parishioner sing loudly and Esmeralda does belt a little bit towards the end of “God Help the Outcast”. So why was “God Help the Outcast” chosen over “Someday”? The reason I think is untimely “God Help the Outcast” reflects Quasimodo more. Esmeralda maybe singing about Gypsies but the song heavy eludes back to Quasimodo. And this film never wants you to forget Quasimodo, ever. In “Someday” she says the phase “Out There” but other than that Quasimodo is really reflected back. So since the film can’t seem to go 5 minutes without Quasimodo the songs is about Outcasts and not the world as a whole.

Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

A Picture from the demo reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame image picture

A Picture from the demo reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Should they have gone with “Someday” over “God help the Outcast” for Esmeralda’s Prayer? Hard to say, while I like Someday better “God help the Outcast” has more Drama and tension to it plus it refers back to the source material; The 1939 version of Hunchback of Notre Dame, so if nothing else Film Buffs can better catch Disney ripping off another movie which what Disney loves to do.

Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next Time – Let’s look at the songs that time forgot; The Deleted Songs of Hunchback of Notre Dame    

Esmeralda  As Long as there's Moon Demo Reel Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Esmeralda As Long as there's Moon Demo Reel Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame