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.
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.
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