Game of Thrones and Hunchback

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Let’s talk about Game of Thrones because everyone else is. Game of Thrones is a very popular show on HBO not mention a popular book series calledA Song of Ice and Fire. So what does this have to with Hunchback? Well on a VERY superficial level some of the characters harken to the Hunchback of Notre Dame. (I’m going to try to keep this as spoiler free as I can)

First up fan-favorite Tyrion Lannister.

Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister, Game of Thrones picture image

Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister, Game of Thrones

Tyrion is a dwarf and is often called the imp. But more than that in book he is supposed to be quite ugly. He is described as having stubby legs a jutting forehead, mismatched eyes of green and black, and lank, white-blonde hair. Later he gets an injury that removes most of his nose. So he is deformed. While he isn’t characterized as being a nice as Quasimodo he does have sympathy for outcasts and the mistreated.

Sandor Clegane a.k.a the Hound

Rory McCann as Sandor Clegane, Game of Thrones picture image

Rory McCann as Sandor Clegane, Game of Thrones

The Hound also has a deformity as result of getting very badly burned as a child. He is obsessed with Sansa Stark who is considered a great beauty. He is attracted to her after she shows him some compassion and treats him like a human. He reminds me of Frollo and Quasimodo. And Quasimodo was liken to a dog.

Petyr Baelish

Aidan Gillen as Petyr Baelish, Sophie Turner as Sansa Stark, Game of Thrones picture image

Aidan Gillen as Petyr Baelish, Sophie Turner as Sansa Stark, Game of Thrones

He sort of has Frollo level obession, first with Catelyn Stark and then that get refocuses on her daughter, Sansa Stark who looks like her.

Sansa Stark

Sophie Turner as Sansa Stark, Game of Thrones picture image

Sophie Turner as Sansa Stark, Game of Thrones

She is like Esmeralda in the sense that she captures men’s attentions and is a great beauty.

Arianne Martell

Arianne Martell by Matt Olson, Game of Thrones picture image

Arianne Martell by Matt Olson, Game of Thrones

She seems to resemble Esmeralda in the looks department. She is short, buxon, large dark eyes, olive skin, long black eyes. I would say whoever they get to cast her for the show could make a lovely Esmeralda except the show cut her and that was a dumb movie. I hated season five.

Edited July 27th, 2015

Esmerlada Wristlet & Quaismodo Mug

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Two new products by the Hunchstore. (remember you can change the style on any Zazzle product to suit you taste and wallet)

This one is inspired by disney’s Esmeralda. My thought behind this is that it’s the perfect bag for people cosplaying Esmeralda to incorporate into their costumes and it’s not too out there for everyday use for those who want Esmeralda’s style infused into their wardrobe.

Gypsy Inspired Bag Wristlet Purses
Gypsy Inspired Bag Wristlet Purses by Hunchstore
Check out other Bohomenian Bagettes Bags at zazzle.com

This one is just a fun little mug for those who like Quasimodo

Team Quaismodo Mug
Team Quaismodo Mug by Hunchstore
Look at Quasimodo Mugs online at Zazzle.com

The Costumes of the Other Characters from the 1956 version

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Quasimodo (Anthony Quinn) with a cat, 1956 The Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Quasimodo (Anthony Quinn) with a cat, 1956 The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Quasimodo – One of the Hallmarks of any good Hunchback of Notre Dame version is how Quasimodo’s look. It’s important to his character. The 1956 version tried to humanize his looks and it didn’t work, at all.

He hardly has any deformity and he’s not a hunchback, Quinn just slouches, so he’s a slouch-back.  Did they forget his hunch? Anyway.  His over-all costume is tan and green. It fits in with scope of the other designs of the movie but it’s too neat and clean for a recluse bell-ringer.

Frollo (Alain Cuny), 1956 The Hunchback of Notre Dame picture iamge

Frollo (Alain Cuny), 1956 The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Frollo – Frollo’s costume from a design stand point is simple, he wears black, the end. Mess that up and you have an very incompetent costume designer.Of course ideally he wears a back hooded robe.

And this version got all those elements. There is some more design inserted into the costume but it doesn’t distract. He has wide sleeves typically called “poet sleeves.”  He also has seams that give his robe a padded look. He also sports a cape which gives a dramatic flair.

Robert Hirsch as Gringoire & Gina Lollobrigida as Esmeralda, 1956 Hunchback of Notre dame picture image

Robert Hirsch as Gringoire & Gina Lollobrigida as Esmeralda, 1956 Hunchback of Notre dame

Gringoire – Gringoire, like Quasimodo wears green and tan. His doublet has puffed sleeves that  extend into a false sleeve which gives of top-heaviness which was fashionable at the time. He also has the same padding like seams that Frollo has on his costume.

jean Danet as Phoebus,1956 Hunchback of Notre dame picture imge

Jean Danet as Phoebus,1956 Hunchback of Notre dame

Phoebus– Since Phoebus is rich and a soldier he get a few costume changes. He gets soldier suit and two civilian looks. However these looks are quite similar. All of his looks have sparkles which I’m sure is an anachronism. His costume also use richer fabrics than the other characters but the cut is identical to Gringoire’s costume.

Danielle Dumont as Fleur de Lys, 1956 Hunchback of Notre dame picture image

Danielle Dumont as Fleur de Lys, 1956 Hunchback of Notre dame

Fleur de Lys–  Fleur wears a light blue gown with a veiled hennin (the princess  pointy hat), which was the fashion in the 15th century.  Her style of dress is very on point with what women wore then, it has a high waistline and a v-neckline. Her gown is detailed with fur and appliques. Though appliques are yet an anachronism.

Philippe Clay as Clopin, 1956 Hunchback of Notre dame picture image

Philippe Clay as Clopin, 1956 Hunchback of Notre dame

Clopin –  Being as he poses a beggar, Clopin wears tan and rougher fabrics. Unlike Quasimodo and Gringoire, his clothing are ragged. He also is typically seen wearing a cloth cap that matches his tan tunic.

Quasimodo (Anthony Quinn) giving flowers to Esmeralda (Gina Lollobrigida) 1956 The Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Quasimodo (Anthony Quinn) giving flowers to Esmeralda (Gina Lollobrigida) 1956 The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Overall, while the costumes in this movie are not to exciting they more or less work within the scope of a medieval movie. However they don’t stand out as being amazing. The worse thing about the costumes in this movie is the lack of effort on Quasimodo’s make-up. Even if you are going to humanize Quasimodo’s looks, he still NEEDS A HUNCH!

Next 1956 Article – The Sets

Set of Notre Dame from the 1956 version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Set of Notre Dame from the 1956 version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

How is Quasimodo! holding up against Theater Critics?

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Steven Webb (Quaimodo) and Zoë George (Esmeralda) in Lionel Bart's Quasimodo! picture image

Steven Webb (Quaimodo) and Zoë George (Esmeralda) in Lionel Bart’s Quasimodo!

There have been a lot of reviews published on the new Hunchback of Notre Dame show “Quasimodo!” by Lionel Bart.  The reviews have been mixed. The show was written in 1963 and only performed in workshops. However the show was never actually finished by Bart. The result of this the the show despite being polished and tweaked still feels unfinished.  From reading the reviews it seems like only Quasimodo and Esmeralda get any sense of character develop. Frollo seems to suffer the most as he is given no scenes or solo to make him the key antagonist. However the review really  focus on Esmeralda and Quasimodo as the heart of the show. The review also praise the cast for their enthusiasms and passion for the show. Perhaps the show needs another round of revisions before it’s given a second round on stage because it seems to have good bones.

The song of the show seems to Abracadabra (which is duet between Esmeralda and Gringoire )

(This is the Hunchblog’s 60oth post)

Hunchback Spotting; Jean de Florette

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For a while I have been thinking about films that has similar character types to The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Like movies that feature Hunchbacks, Gypsies, Obsessed creepy guys, etc.

One famous movie to feature a Hunchback in it is called Jean De Florette.

Gérard Depardieu and Yves Montand inJean De Florette picture image

Gérard Depardieu and Yves Montand inJean De Florette

It stars Gérard Depardieu as Jean de Florette who is a hunchback. Unlike Quasimodo he is not ugly, Daniel Auteuil’s character, Ugolin covers that as well as creepy romantic obsession in the second part Manon of the Spring (more on this in another post). The two films make up one story.

Gérard Depardieu as Jean with his wife Aimee (Elisabeth Depardieu) and Daughter Manon (Ernestine Mazurowna), Jean de Florette picture image

Gérard Depardieu as Jean with his wife Aimee (Elisabeth Depardieu) and Daughter Manon (Ernestine Mazurowna), Jean de Florette

So what is the movie about? Basically, a greedy landowner, Cesar Soubeyran (Yves Montand) and his nephew Ugolin want the property next to them. When the owner is killed in a fight his nephew Jean Cadoret, a tax collector and a hunchback, inherits the property. He moves in with his wife Aimee and young daughter Manon and tries to live off the land. But Cesar and Ugolin’s designs on getting Jean’s property push them to ruin Jean.

Gérard Depardieu as Jean De Florette picture image

Gérard Depardieu as Jean De Florette

The sequel Manon of the Spring picks off where Jean de Florette left off and it gives a reason for why Jean was a Hunchback that could be applied to Quasimodo. I won’t say what it is but it’s fun to think about what caused Quasimodo’s deformity.

 

Fan-Art Friday 03/01/13

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Today’s Fan-art is by SerifeB and it’s a traditional drawing of Esmeralda and Quasimodo. I love the use of colors, it’s so pretty. I also really love the positioning  of Esmeralda and Quasimodo.

Notre Dame de Paris by SerifeB picture image

Notre Dame de Paris by SerifeB

Check out more of SerifeB’s art here