This is the fifth part of my review on the music of Der Glöckner von Notre Dame

Esmeralda

Esmeralda saving Phoebus Der Glöckner von Notre Dame picture image

Esmeralda saving Phoebus Der Glöckner von Notre Dame

 

Esmeralda is the closing number of Act 1 so it’s high on drama and plot.  This song takes place when Frollo is searching for Esmeralda and Phoebus realizes  that he would rather be “good than smart”, (morality over career ambition) and he disobeys Frollo.  After he stands up to Frollo, Frollo condemn his to death and Phoebus flees with Esmeralda’s help.  Frollo then begins to burn down Paris for Esmeralda while Quasimodo worries.

Musically this song is  the melody that Clopin and Esmeralda sing in Tanz auf dem Seil and Draußen. However there are other melodies floating around in this piece and therefore it have more of  mash-up feel.

Frollo and Phoebus Der Glöckner von Notre Dame picture image

Frollo and Phoebus Der Glöckner von Notre Dame

What I like about this song is that it speaks to the basic plot of Hunchback, three men one women. There is another famous Notre Dame song like this, mmm but it’s name escapes me, what could it be? The inclusion of song is needed to get the point of what Esmeralda does to this cross-section of men, granted it’s different than in the book or the Disney movie especially with regards to Phoebus. Phoebus in the Disney movie didn’t have any character development, he started morally good and ended morally good. In the Book he is a philander but after his meeting with Esmeralda and getting stabbed by Frollo be commits himself to his fiancee Fleur de Lys. In this musical he starts off with career ambition and he wants to have a good time but after he meets with Esmeralda and is pushed by Frollo he decides to act in accordance with doing the right things, morally (ie. not burning innocents because the boss is crazy). Quasimodo here is worried about Esmeralda’s safety and Frollo wants her dead or to be his woman, either is fine. The point is this song shows that Esmeralda creates powerful emotions and with exception of Frollo the Disney version didn’t explored that part of the story.

Esmeralda Der Glöckner von Notre Dame image picture

Esmeralda Der Glöckner von Notre Dame

 

All in all Esmeralda is a very dramatic song that ends the first act perfectly with Phoebus falling into a river. Mmm that reminds me of another Hunchback musical where the first act ends with Phoebus getting injured, mmm which one was that?

Click here to watch a video of Esmeralda being performed on Stage

Note – this song made my list of the top Ten Best Hunchback song which was my fist squidoo lens. Click Here to go there now

Next time – Trommeln in der Stadt & Ein Mann wie du

Mob Der Glöckner von Notre Dame picture image

Mob Der Glöckner von Notre Dame

So I thought I would go a little behind the scenes of the Hunchblog and share some of the names that were suggested to me by a friend for the Blog’s title. (I remember these because they are still on my cell phone) Enjoy

– Rollin’ with Frollo
– Frollo’s Draughts
– Frollo’s Promissory
– Frollo’s Fashion
– The Fashions of Notre Dame
– Dernier Cri de Notre Dame
– Huncnback, Allez
– Notre Dame de Cafe
– C’est la Notre Dame
– The Polish of Notre Dame
– Illuminations de Notre Dame
– Hunchback in Flames
– The Circus of Notre Dame
– Hunchback Spotting
– Assemblage of Notre Dame
– Frollo Files
– Blog of Notre Dame

Two Questions!
Which one of these is your favorite and did I make the right decision with The Hunchblog of Notre Dame?

 

Hunchback Gift

Hunchback Gift

It’s been a while since I made a Hunchback Lens this time it’s a gift lens so it’s fun of stuff.  You can alway get gifts for the Feast of Fools, which is Christmas to some people.

Madeline and Quasimodo kiss Sequel Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney picture image

Madeline and Quasimodo kiss Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

Phoebus and Esmeralda Kiss Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Phoebus and Esmeralda Kiss Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Stupid La Fidèle Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney Sequel 2 picture

Stupid La Fidèle Hunchback of Notre Dame II

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the case of Disney’s Hunchback sequel, this was Disney’s chance to give Quasimodo a love story as they didn’t in the original movie because Esmeralda and Phoebus are made for each other and pretty much the some person. However the whole plot with the bell was stupid. What Disney should have done was used the sequel to mitigate between the book and the movie instead of creating a villain who was pretty much universally despised by the masses, an idiotic impractical bell and not utilizing the more beloved main characters -Esmeralda, Clopin, and Djali.

 

Bruno Pelletier as Gringoire in Notre Dame de Paris picture image

Bruno Pelletier as Gringoire in Notre Dame de Paris

Djali Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Djali Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Madeline Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney sequel 2 picture image

Madeline Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here what they should have done, since Disney is in the business of contrived romances we’ll keep the Madeline character but instead of working for a vain magical bell thief she’ll be in league with Gringoire whose is a poet and a goat thief. Gringoire is original to the book and he does steals/rescues Djali. But having Djali as a focal point it would have been easier to incorporate Esmeralda and Clopin. Plus Djali was a smart Goat who could spell, tell time and do numerous of other tricks, plus Disney could have marketed more Djali toys instead that stupid Bell. Plus there would have been no lame Sarousch or hopefully no Zephyr. (Did anyone like either of them? Seriously I wanna know.)

 

Esmeralda Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Esmeralda Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

However, I think Disney should have forgone the whole Quasimodo story line and done a prequel with Esmeralda because I can tell you right know more people search for Esmeralda than Quasimodo, she is just more popular. I think an Esmeralda backstory who have been a better waste of time. Who agrees? I mean we know nothing of Esmeralda’s childhood, parents, how she came to the Court of Miracles, or anything. I guess this makes her mysterious but it would have been more interesting to watch than watching Quasimodo force a girl into liking him with a jewel-crusted bell that isn’t even in the first movie. An Esmeralda origin tale  would have mitigated the Disney story of Hunchback and Hugo’s Notre Dame de Paris, I mean Esmeralda is the titular character and the book revolves around her and Disney trying to downplay her in favor of Quasimodo just didn’t work. So they should have done a Prequel full of Esmeralda and not the sequel that they poop out.

Next Time – Conclusion Time for the Sequel

Frollo Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney picture image

Frollo hates the Hunchback sequel and is happy to watch it burn

 

 

This video I feel remissed in not posting till now. This video uses the Bollywood Film Devdas , and it’s made by me.  I used to edit to  Devdas  all the time because franky it’s a pretty movie. This video is the symphonic version of Belle.  I did this video as an experiment to learn Final Cut Express and trying to be slightly narrative. Anyway Enjoy

Click here to view it on youtube

There are other Devdas videos to Notre Dame de Paris, I’ll post those sometime soon ^^

 

Jennifer Love Hewitt singing I'm Gonna Love you Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney 2 Sequel picture image

Jennifer Love Hewitt singing I'm Gonna Love you Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

I’m Gonna Love You  was made in part by Jennifer Love Hewitt’s desire to sing a song because at the time she was a singer, check out her other music. Considering Hewitt played Madeline, we can say that Madeline sings this song about Quasimodo. The message of the song is a little difficult to communicate so you’re going to have to stay with me, the message is that Madeline is going to love Quasimodo. And not only that she going to do so for the rest of her life. I guess when she dies she is exempt from loving him anymore.

Madeline and Quasimodo in Love Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney Sequel 2 picture image

Madeline and Quasimodo Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

 

It’s a standard pop song, sweet and innocuous, though there is hint of codependency, she can’t be without him or her soul will die. What’s more Romantic than Codependency??? I wish this bothered me more but I don’t take this song seriously enough to care.

Can’t say I’m a Jennifer Love Hewitt fan, she seems to buy into the pop vibrato and has nasal tone to her voice but at least she sings without auto-tuning, so kudos to her. I do think it’s funny that at the end, she sings “babe” which is a reference to Quasimodo. It feels really out place with rest of the song and is really awkward. Like, it’s there as a pop music trope rather than as an expression of love.

Madeline and Quasimodo kiss Sequel Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney picture image

Madeline and Quasimodo kiss Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

I’m Gonna Love you is a typical pop song with codependent lyrics to boot. But this whole movie is just and attempt to get children to shut-up for an hour while their baby-sitters make-out, so I don’t imagine too many people (kids) actually listen or understand the codependent message of the song or they are too young to understand, so hence I don’t care, I found the lyrics more hilarious than sad, which I guess is sad.

Next Time -TBD

Esmeralda is not happy Hunchback of Notre Dame Sequel 2 II Disney  picture image

Esmeralda is not happy

I wanted to something for Black Friday so I did another anti-motivational poster featuring Hunchback

Quasimodo holding the Madeline figurine Hunchback of Notre Sequel II 2  Disney  Black Friday anti-motivational Poster picture image

Black Friday Anti-Motivational Poster of Quasimodo holding the perfect useless gift

If you want to use this image on your website just be sure to source thehunchblog, the wording is mine.

To kick off the Holiday Season I made an anti-motivational poster.

Frollo and Quasimodo's Family time  Hunchback of Notre Dame disney anti-motivational poster holiday family gatherings thanksgiving christmas picture image

 

Enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving (to those in the USA). If you wish to use this picture be sure to give credit, the wording is mine.

When I say I’d Stick With You is the worse song in the movie I mean it, but it may not be the stupidest. Which is odd considering the lyrics of Fa la la la Fallen In Love, which based on the title, it qualifies  as the stupidest song of the movie.

Gargoyles Fa la la la Fallen In Love Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney 2 Sequel picture image

Gargoyles Fa la la la Fallen In Love Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

Gargoyles Fa la la la Fallen In Love Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney 2 Sequel picture image

Gargoyles Fa la la la Fallen In Love Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

Gargoyles  Fa la la la Fallen In Love Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney 2 Sequel picture image

Gargoyles Fa la la la Fallen In Love Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney 2

 

 

 

 

 

 

So the song is about how Quasimodo  has fallen in love, that’s it. The song starts with the Gargoyles lamenting that their “boy” has grown (their boy is like 27)  and in love but their lament is a fake because they’re happy that “Love has nailed him” then the crowd  joins in about have love has “derailed him“.  (Didn’t this happen more to Madeline???)

Gargoyles Fa la la la Fallen In Love Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney 2 Sequel picture image

Gargoyles Fa la la la Fallen In Love Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney 

Madeline and Quasimodo plus crowd Fa la la la Fallen In Love Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney 2 Sequel picture image

Madeline and Quasimodo plus crowd Fa la la la Fallen In Love Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

Madeline and Quasimodo Fa la la la Fallen In Love Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney 2 Sequel picture image

Madeline and Quasimodo Fa la la la Fallen In Love Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Musically the song isn’t bad, it has a jovial and whimsical tone. The lyrics are one of the problems with this song. First off the song is called Fa la la la Fallen In Love and those are the bulk of lyrics. This is just stupid! But I think the “Oh Wow” lines are stupider. Now here the big problem, I can’t write this song off as completely stupid (and that pains me). The song uses a lot of word that I didn’t know. Like roundelay and madrigal. Roundelay is 1) a song in which a phrase, line, or the like, is continually repeated 2) the music for such a song 3) a dance in a circle; round dance.  And Madrigal 1) a secular part song without instrumental accompaniment, usually for four to six voices, making abundant use of contrapuntal imitation, popular especially in the 16th and 17th centuries 2) a lyric poem suitable for being set to music, usually short and often of amatory character, especially fashionable in the 16th century and later, in Italy, France, England, etc 3) any part song.  However both words are anachronism, I mean if your going to use pedantic words they should at least be fashionable to the setting.  It’s funny that a song in a sequel would use GRE type words and be called Fa la la la Fallen, use that title as a Roundlay and use the line “Oh Wow” it’s mind boggling to say the least.

Madeline and Quasimodo Fa la la la Fallen In Love Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney 2 Sequel

Madeline and Quasimodo Fa la la la Fallen In Love Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

Madeline and Quasimodo Fa la la la Fallen In Love Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney 2 Sequel picture image

Madeline and Quasimodo Fa la la la Fallen In Love Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

Madeline and Quasimodo Fa la la la Fallen In Love Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney 2 Sequel picture image

Madeline and Quasimodo Fa la la la Fallen In Love Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have another issue with the song. The song seems incredulous to the fact that Quasimodo could have fallen in love in the first place. Which is insane since Quasimodo wants to be in love because he think it looks nice. And this isn’t the first time Quasimodo has “fallen in love” remember Esmeralda, she broke his heart (or ripped it). The purpose of this song seems to be that a hard-hearted people has fallen in love which is evident in the lines “Love has nailed him” and “Love’s derailed him.” It seem more  suited to Madeline and not Quasimodo. I mean Madeline as to overcome low self-esteem and has to get past Quasimodo’s deformity. What did Quasimodo have to do? Stare and listen to her.  And further more why does the crowd care? When did Quasimodo become the Darling of Paris? Because the Darling of Paris is Esmeralda  and is a 1917 Hunchback film version starring Theda Bara.

Madeline and Quasimodo Fa la la la Fallen In Love Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney 2 Sequel picture image

Madeline and Quasimodo Fa la la la Fallen In Love Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

Ariel & Jasmine's Love Child Fa la la la Fallen In Love Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney 2 Sequel picture image

Ariel & Jasmine’s Love Child Fa la la la Fallen In Love Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

Circle Dance (Roundelay) Fa la la la Fallen In Love Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney 2 Sequel picture image

Circle Dance (Roundelay) Fa la la la Fallen In Love Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fa la la la Fallen In Love is a dumb little song that uses big words for the sake of alliteration, which makes a level of sense because Quasimodo and Madeline’s relationship is founded alliteration as well  lies but still it’s stupid. And no amount of smart and big words can help save it from it’s stupid title.

Madeline and Quasimodo Fa la la la Fallen In Love Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney 2 Sequel picture image

Madeline and Quasimodo Fa la la la Fallen In Love Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney 

Madeline and Quasimodo Fa la la la Fallen In Love Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney 2 Sequel picture image

Madeline and Quasimodo Fa la la la Fallen In Love Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

Divine Intervention End of Fa la la la Fallen In Love Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney 2 Sequel picture image

Divine Intervention End of Fa la la la Fallen In Love Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next Time – I’m Gonna Love You ( a.k.a Jennifer Love Hewitt’s Vanity Project)

Jennifer Love Hewitt singing I'm Gonna Love you Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney 2 Sequel picture image

Jennifer Love Hewitt singing I’m Gonna Love you Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney