Gringoire and Esmeralda’s wedding in the 1939 version

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Maureen O'Hara as Esmeralda and Edmond O'Brien as Gringoire 1939 Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Esmeralda and Gringoire getting married

The first time we see the wedding scene play out in a movie version, at least of a Hunchback movie we can actually watch, it was in the 1939 version.

Pretty much this scene is very much like the book though I would point out that Esmeralda and Gringoire never drink from the jug like they do in the 1939 movie and it’s the Duke of Egypt who presides over the affair. Both changes with drinking and Clopin are fine, I rather like the drinking from the pitcher, it’s a nice touch.

They also get a little song thrown in for funs which is also nice. Though instead of going to Esmeralda’s room, in the movie they go to the bridal chamber which makes sense as it was Esmeralda’s first night at the Court of Miracle so she probably didn’t even have a room.

The dialogue is also a little different during their wedding night but it’s on point. Though if anything is quite different it is at the end of the scene where Esmeralda seeks off because Frollo sent soldiers to find her. Boy, does he mobilize his men fast. Though I’m still not sure how she knew to seek away but whatever.

All in all this scene is solid. It captured the tone of the book but kept things a little different. Really I don’t think they could have improved it. Well maybe if they had Djali but they had different goat though I’m still not sure why.

You’re Invited to the Wedding of Esmeralda and Gringoire

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Let’s kick off this month of wedding stuff by discussing the only actually wedding in the Hunchback of Notre Dame, the wedding of Esmeralda and Gringoire.

So what goes down? I’m sure most of you know that Gringoire wanders into the Court of Miracles and as thieves and beggars are  very rule based, the tell Gringoire that he can either join them via a entrance exam or he will die. Gringoire opts to take the test of stealing from a dummy covered in bells and he must do the theft on one foot, I don’t think I need to say that he failed miserably.

However there is a secret third option, one of the ladies can claim him as her husband. Most of the ladies tease him but Esmeralda takes him as her husband to save his life.

Unlike most weddings with cakes, gowns, flowers, vows and boring speeches, the Court of Miracles weddings are delightfully short and include a easy divorce out. All they do is break a pitcher and the number of shards it breaks into is the length of the marriage. Gringoire and Esmeralda are slated for a four year affair. In that time Gringoire is suppose to care for Esmeralda.

Of course Esmeralda makes it clear that the marriage is in name only (no sexy times) but Gringoire is  suppose to take care of Djali and help with money matters. Pretty much except for the initial sting of learning she married him just save him and that there will be no sexy times, Gringoire takes it all in strides, I mean he is getting food and shelter and isn’t that what marriage is all about?

This scene also sets up some movies to have  a romance between Esmeralda and Gringoire and of all the romance options Esmeralda gets in the movie adaptations, the ones with Gringoire are more natural and sweet than her with Phoebus or Quasimodo. There has yet to be a version where she and Frollo end up together, that would be a very messed-up version.

June is a Theme Month

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

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

I’m happy and excited to announce  June is going to be a theme month for the blog and it’s going to be WEDDINGS. I actually like wedding in theory because I like the idea of prettiness and romance but I sort don’t love going to them but that isn’t the point. June is one of the most popular times to get married and since there were three kinda weddings in Hunchback there is a precedent for the theme and I have been wanting to do another theme month.

So here are the scheduling for the month since I’m going to postpone the regular posts but going to keep the some general ideas for the days.

Mondays – the weddings in the novel
Tuesdays – how the movies handled the weddings
Wednesday – Fun Hunchback wedding stuff, I hope
Thursday – Bad Wedding movies, it’s not too far removed from live-action fairy tales ^_~.

So that is the theme and the plan, should be fun.

Vanessa Hudgens for Quasimodo

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Oh Wait, it’s already happen!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClXeb9B1Fuk&spfreload=10

 

Go to 2:20 for the picture proof.

Musical Petition

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Ciara Renee and Micheal Arden in the Jolla Production of The Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Ciara Renee and Micheal Arden in the Jolla Production of The Hunchback of Notre Dame

I thought the point of the musical performance at La Jolla and Papermill was a Broadway preview there is a petition for a Broadway version.

Sign the Petition Here , I did.

EDIT – Ok, I found the reason for the petition.  According to an article on Playbill that cited Patrick Page a.k.a Frollo, the show was NOT going to be transferred to Broadway hence the petition. Read article here.

Also I just watched a video of  Someday, got say I wish they had kept the song going up till Esmeralda goes to the pyre, it was just so powerful in Glockner but maybe they didn’t want to wait the epic music.

Ciara Renee singing God help the Outcast

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQBAVC1tdjk&spfreload=10

Ok a few things, first off I really like the costume. I like Esmeralda is blues but you can see the Disney inspiration but it doesn’t feel tacky or cheap, it feels right.

Second, I want to thank the person who gave this song back to Esmeralda. In the German version they made this song a duet with Quasimodo, which sure that is was quiet lovely but she didn’t get any other solo and even Phoebus got a solo number and he didn’t even sing in Disney version despite the fact that Kevin Kline can sing (he sings in my new favorite song Electric Love,*) not that really makes a different as Demi Moore didn’t sing for Esmeralda either.

And finally speaking of Esmeralda’s singing, I really like Ciara Renee’s voice for the role. She has a similar voice to Heidi Mollenhauer which is in turn similar to Demi Moore. A voice which has dark, almost smokey tone but with a lot of warmth.

I also think it’s interesting that Frollo is taking the Archdeacon role here which is similar to Frollo from 1982 and 1939 version. Not sure it because of this influenced by the  movies or not just interesting.

Anyway what do you think?

(I might talk about this show more if I ever do posts on other works by Hunchback actors  ^_~)

Oh and Kevin Kline is going to be in the new Beauty and Beast movie as Maurice, Mind-Blown

Disney Live-Action Remakes

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On March 31st it was announced  that Disney is planning on making a Live-Action Mulan movie, Source. This adds to number of Live-ation remakes following Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, Dumbo and I guess Maleficent is in the mix too.

Really we all know what they are doing, these movies are clear cash grabs on popular properties. Though why Dumbo I don’t know. I mean I loved Dumbo as a kid, I still do but it’s kinda of the odd one out. You would think Snow White or the Little Mermaid over Dumbo but whatever, I’m not a studio executive nor did they ask me my opinion, I mean the should have but whatever.

But the question I have to force myself to ask, will Hunchback get this treatment? I’m going on the offence here and say probably not as Disney likes to forget that movie existed though not as much as The Black Cauldron. However unlike The Black Cauldron, which could be awesome as a live-action movie, Hunchback did get a musical which is getting a TONS of praise and does have a fan base. So it COULD maybe happen, like 0.05% chance.

Personally for me, I would love a new movie version, bad or good. And Hunchback makes more sense than a Live-Action Dumbo movie that will be mostly CG anyway so the Live-action in a misnomer. But do you think would you like Disney Hunchback live-action movie and do you even want one?

A Movie that Takes After the Hunchback’s Spirit

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The Hunchback of Notre Dame is a story that has inspires some other great work of cinema. Some movie makers opt to take this story and adaption from its original novel and transform it into a movie, it’s boring path, anyone can adapt a book to a movie. Some other people however take this story use its core essence make a movie. Most of the movies however aren’t worth the resources they wasted, they mock the glory of the Hunchback tale but there is one movie. There is one movie that takes the story of Hunchback and makes it shine through the celluloid, a movie that truly understand, a genius movie.

It’s a story about a group of people whose way of life is being threaten and they much work together to brave the storm and silence those who would judge them. The heart of this movie lies in the relationship of a ugly social recluse who wants both to be loved and to earn the respect of a beautiful young lady who is being lusted after by a shady guy.

What glorious movie is this? Can you guess? Or Click here to reveal this masterpiece’s identify.

The Man who Laughs Part II: Book I: Chapter 1-5

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Part II: Book I: The Everlasting Presence of the Past

Part II: Book I; Chapter 1: Lord Clancharlie
Part II: Book I; Chapter 2: Lord David Dirry-Moir
Part II: Book I; Chapter 3: The Duchess Josiana
Part II: Book I; Chapter 4: The Leader of Fashion
Part II: Book I; Chapter 5: Queen Anne

We’re doing something a little different, instead of me going by chapters I’m just going to do it all at once. Why? Well for one thing one these chapter are broken into four parts making them too long and second I’m not sure about these chapters. They have some mild interest like the history and Josiana was amusing but I scarily recall anything work talking about.

I will say some parts remind me of Hunchback, like Josiana being a prude and proud. Though she is not all that much like Esmeralda. Though what REALLY stood out that was like “Hello, I’m Victor Hugo and I wrote Hunchback” were Josiana’s fiancee, Lord David, belonging to a club where they discuss ugly men, oh if only they could have seen Quasimodo. He also belongs to teh Hell-fire club, (snickers). But what really caused he to stop was in the Queen Anne chapter when it said and I quote;

“She rather liked fun, teasing, and practical jokes. Could she have made Apollo a hunchback, it would have delighted her.”

Just in case you didn’t know Phoebus is another way to say Apollo. Anyway I hope these chapter add to the plot because true be told I would rather read about Lady Josiana and he court pals and shenanigans that starving freezing child who don’t have names and certainly over descriptions of the ocean. If I wanted to read about the ocean I will read Oceans (Ecosystems (Facts on File)) or I will continue reading Your Inner Fish
which is more about evolution but specific about ocean  are mentioned albeit  frozen ones but it’s very interesting.

Musical videos from Papermills

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I have not been keeping up on this  but here are two  videos.

Ok I didn’t really want to interject my thoughts BUT if this musical production is “bare” what does that make Notre Dame de Paris? Non-existentant? I will also say that the videos I have seen from the shows are really good, the singers convey the emotions very well and I like play with the ensemble in Out There, gotta love the no gargoyles stance.

Also Bonus, in case you missed it,
Josh Groban is doing a cover of Temps des Cathedrales on his new album Stages
http://www.idolator.com/7584158/josh-groban-new-album-stages-kelly-clarkson