Matt Laurent from Russia with Love for Esmeralda

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A Video of Matt Laurent (who has played Quausimodo over 400 times) sings Dance my Esmeralda on a Russian TV show.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBegUUnCdF0

I think he does a great job. He really does make some of the more awkward lines work. The arrangement is a bit more of a pop sound than in the show.  I find it cute that he does that head tilt back move that you see Garou do a lot ( at 0.48). Maybe now it’s just a Quasimodo gesture to get the right tone of voice, but I alway associate that head tilt with Garou.

Notre Dame de Paris 2012 Asian Tour Cast Pictures

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Enjoy.

Hunchback Zodiacs

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Astrological Zodiac with corresponding Hunchback character find which character you are. I’m Master Florain the deaf judge who is too vain to admit he’s deaf…… not sure how I feel about that. (For this I ignored the characters birthdays since two are mentioned in the book and I also based this off the book)

Aries – Phoebus (March 21-April 19)

Aries Phoebus hunchback of Notre Dame disney picture image

Aries Phoebus

 

Pros – Independent, Generous, Optimistic, Enthusiastic, Courageous
Cons – Moody, Short tempered, Self-involved, Impulsive, Impatient

 

Taurus -Jehan (April 20 – May 20)

Taurus Jehan 1923 Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Taurus Jehan

 

Pros – Dependable, Persistent, Loyal, Patient, Generous
Cons – Stubborn, Laziness, Possessive, Materialistic, Self-indulging

 

Gemini -Esmeralda (May 21-June 20)

 

Gemini Esmeralda hunchback of Notre Dame disney picture image

Gemini Esmeralda

 

Pros- Energetic, Clever, Imaginative, Witty, Adaptable
Con- Superficial, Impulsive, Restless, Devious, Indecisive

 

Cancer -Quasimodo (June 21 -July 22)

Cancer Quasimodo hunchback of Notre Dame disney picture image

Cancer Quasimodo

 

Pros -Loyalty, Dependable, Caring, Adaptable, Responsive
Cons – Moody, Clingy, Self-pitying, Oversensitive, Self-absorbed

 

Leo -Fleur de Lys (July 23 -Aug 22)

Leo Fleur de Lys Notre Dame de Paris picture image

Leo Fleur de Lys

 

Pros – Confident, Ambitious, Generous, Loyal, Encouraging
Cons -Pretentious, Domineering, Melodramatic, Stubborn, Vain

 

Virgo -Clopin (Aug 23- Sept 22)

Virgo Clopin Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Virgo Clopin

 

Pros -Analytical, Observant, Helpful, Reliable, Precise
Cons -Skeptical, Fussy, Inflexible, Cold, Interfering

 

Libra – Master Florian (Sept 23 – Oct 22)

Libra Master Florian 1939 Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Libra Master Florian

 

Pros – Diplomatic, Graceful, Peaceful, Idealistic, Hospitable
Cons – Superficial, Vain, Indecisive, Unreliable

 

Scorpio – Frollo (Oct 23 – Nov 21)

 

Scorpio Frollo hunchback of Notre Dame disney picture image

Scorpio Frollo

 

Pros -Loyal, Passionate, Resourceful, Observant, Dynamic
Cons -Jealous, Obsessive, Suspicious, Manipulative, Unyielding

 

Sagittarius -Djali (Nov 22 – Dec 21)

Sagittarius Djali hunchback of Notre Dame disney picture image

Sagittarius Djali

 

Pros – Independence
Cons – Unemotional

 

Capricorn – Louis (Dec 22 – Jan 19)

Capricorn King Louis 1939 Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Capricorn King Louis

 

 

Pros – Responsible, Patient, Ambitious, Resourceful, Loyal
Cons -Dictatorial, Inhibited, Conceited, Distrusting, Unimaginative

 

Aquarius -Gringoire (Jan 20 – Feb 18)

Aquarius Gringoire Notre Dame de Paris picture image

Aquarius Gringoire

 

Pros -Witty, Clever, Humanitarian, Inventive, Original
Cons -Stubborn, Unemotional, Sarcastic, Rebellious, Aloof

 

 Pieces -Sister Gudule (Feb 19 – March 20)

 

Pieces Sister Gudule 1923 Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Pieces Sister Gudule

 

Pros – Compassionate, Adaptable, Accepting, Devoted, Imaginative
Cons – Oversensitive, Indecisive, Self-pitying, Lazy, Escapist

Which character is your Zodiac Sign?

Asian Tour Pictures

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Asian Tour Pictures from my tenth folder ^^ Enjoy

1923 Quasimodo Man or Puppy; A Character Review

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Quasimodo (Lon Chaney) Hunchback of Notre Dame 1923 picture image

Quasimodo (Lon Chaney) Hunchback of Notre Dame 1923

The 1923 version of Hunchback of Notre Dame starts and end with Quasimodo but he is not much of  a major player in the middle of film, between the pillory scene and saving Esmeralda. But since Lon Chaney gets top billing since it was he’s project Quasimodo is the main character.

Quasimodo points to at the Parisans Hunchback of Notre Dame 1923 Lon Chaney picture image

Quasimodo points to at the Parisans Hunchback of Notre Dame 1923 Lon Chaney

 

Quasimodo in this version is the closet to how  he behaves in the book. Quasimodo doesn’t like  the people of Paris and this version shows that in Quaismodo’s introductory scene as well as his connection to Notre Dame. You do get the feeling that his Quasimodo wouldn’t have saved Esmeralda if she hadn’t give him water, you get this Quasimodo may have not felt nothing which makes his loyalty to her more meaningful and it gives his character a bit of an arc.

 

Esmeralda patting Quasimodo on the head Hunchback of Notre Dame 1923 Lon Chaney with Patsy Ruth Miller picture image

Esmeralda patting Quasimodo on the head Hunchback of Notre Dame 1923 Lon Chaney with Patsy Ruth Miller

However this Quasimodo acts more like a dog that a person. A scene that showcases this perfectly is right after Quasimodo recuses Esmeralda she pats him on the head. This Quasimodo doesn’t see to be in love with Esmeralda he just seems to want to protect her. There doesn’t seem to the selfless love that in is the book and  Laughton captured  in the 1939 version.

 

Quasimodo on the Pillory Hunchback of Notre Dame 1923 Lon Chaney picture image

Quasimodo on the Pillory Hunchback of Notre Dame 1923 Lon Chaney

Quasimodo make-up may look outdated but it’s well done by Chaney and accurate to the Book. Also Chaney’s Quasimodo is a lot most acrobatic than other Quasimodos as Chaney was capable of jumping and climbing though stuntmen were used in a few instances but the 23 version is defiantly has most range of movement in a live-action film.

 

Quasimodo noticing his fatal wound Hunchback of Notre Dame 1923 Lon Chaney image picture

Quasimodo noticing his fatal wound Hunchback of Notre Dame 1923 Lon Chaney

If Quasimodo was meant to be the lead of the film and the emotional heart he does it well to a point. There some emotional confusion at the end of the movie and Quasimodo’s fate. I’m not sure how to feel that Quasimodo dies, sad, happy, bittersweet?

Quasimodo dying Hunchback of Notre Dame 1923 Lon Chaney pictuure image

Quasimodo dying Hunchback of Notre Dame 1923 Lon Chaney

Honestly I can’t gage any emotion from his death and I think that my problem with movie as a whole I don’t get an emotion or a heart of it. It has little vignettes of it but not in terms of a story that is based on a book with a very bittersweet ending.

 

Quasimodo looking sad Hunchback of Notre Dame 1923 Lon Chaney picture image

Quasimodo looking sad Hunchback of Notre Dame 1923 Lon Chaney

The 1923 is an odd Quasimodo because everything is there to make an compelling character and the film just misses the mark and makes Quasimodo more into a loyal puppy dog than a tragic hero.

Next Time – The 1923 Version of Esmeralda

Esmeralda Hunchback of Notre Dame Patsy Ruth Miller 1923 picture image

Esmeralda Hunchback of Notre Dame Patsy Ruth Miller 1923

More Picture of the 2012 asian Tour cast

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A Behind-the-Scenes Fun Fact – I have 28 folders of Pictures of this Cast alone. I didn’t always have this many, originally I had 11 folders and then  I looking to see when the cast was performing in Taipei or if they even are performing there (I think they are though)  and I found about 200 pictures. And just so everyone knows these pictures in this post are only from folder #9.  I don’t know why I latch on to this cast I haven’t heard enough them to glean any insight of how good the cast is.

Enjoy the Pictures

Three Basic Problems with the Plot of the 1923 version of The Hunchback Notre Dame

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There are three basic problems with the plot the 1923 version of the Hunchback of Notre Dame; its strong adherence to parts  that don’t make any sense in the scope of the movie, the changes that had to be made to appease the almighty censors, and Lon Chaney.

Quasimodo (Lon Chaney) Hunchback of Notre Dame 1923 picture image

Quasimodo (Lon Chaney) Hunchback of Notre Dame 1923

The last problem really isn’t a problem but if you watch the opening scene you can see what I mean. The opening scene starts with the Feast of Fool and then it cuts away to Lon Chaney as Quasimodo basically mocking people from atop Notre Dame. I do appreciate that this is the only version to have Quasimodo that has a basic dislike for people like he does in the book which this scene shows nicely  but to just an awkward way to introduce Lon Chaney as Quasimodo to the viewers and it ruins the pacing and makes the beginning boring.

Jehan Frollo (Brandon Hurst) Hunchback of Notre Dame 1923 picture image

Jehan Frollo (Brandon Hurst) Hunchback of Notre Dame 1923

 

The second issue has to do with censorship laws of the time. The law that pertains to Hunchback is a  movie couldn’t cast a priest in a negative light, meaning we can’t have a Priest lusting after a women. So much like the 1939 the role of the Frollo sinner is cast on the “Jehan” character the “Claude” character is the saintly priest. Unlike the 1939 version Jehan in this version has no reason why he can’t make a straight up move on Esmeralda. Nothing is stopping him; no conflict of her being a Gypsy or no implied religious morality getting in the way. He’s just a coward with no real personality or motivation.

Esmeralda (Pasty Ruth Miller) and Jehan Frollo (Brandon Hurst) Hunchback of Notre Dame 1923 picture image

Esmeralda (Pasty Ruth Miller) and Jehan Frollo (Brandon Hurst) Hunchback of Notre Dame 1923

There is no confliction for this Jehan so there is no interest. The plot of the book is hinged on Frollo’s obsession with Esmeralda so if there is no torment where does the interest to the plot lie? Well in this case the interest to the plot is Lon Chaney’s Quasimodo, so back to that issue, remember this film started the “Quasimodo is main character” mentality that the many of the films buy in to .

 

Gudule (Gladya Brockwell) Hunchback of Notre Dame 1923 picture image

Gudule (Gladya Brockwell) Hunchback of Notre Dame 1923

The finally issue is a weird one to be an issue because when we compare movies to book there is a part of us that wishes that the movie would follow the book perfectly and we get up annoy by what the movie misses or adds. However it is hard to make a movie follow the book perfectly as they are two different median for story telling. One aspect of the book that I wish made into more movies is the Sister Gudule sub-plot. Sister Gudule is Esmeralda’s mother. The 1923 version is one of the few version to have this sub-plot however it goes no where. We get the back story of how Esmeralda was taken and we see Gudule curse her and then as Esmeralda is about to die Gudule realizes Esmeralda is her child and then I guess she dies. So Esmeralda doesn’t learn this, it amounts to nothing. It was just there because it was in the book but if Esmeralda doesn’t learns this and where is the emotion in the end what was the point?

 

Esmeralda (Pasty Ruth Miller), Phoebus (Norman Kelly) and Clopin (Ernest Torrence) Ball Scene Hunchback of Notre Dame 1923 picture image

Esmeralda (Pasty Ruth Miller), Phoebus (Norman Kelly) and Clopin (Ernest Torrence) Ball Scene Hunchback of Notre Dame 1923

Another sub-plot that was added was this division of the nobel and the poor. Now this was a bigger point in the 1939 version here’s it amount to one scene where Phoebus brings Esmeralda to a party and he dresses up and tries to pass her off as a Princess and the party is broken up by Clopin and Esmeralda sadly rejects Phoebus. Like Gudule, these scene that revolve around the classes don’t add to very much to the over all plot

 

Esmeralda (Pasty Ruth Miller) Hunchback of Notre Dame 1923 picture image

Esmeralda (Pasty Ruth Miller) Hunchback of Notre Dame 1923

It’s not that entire plot and pacing of the 1923 version is bad it’s just following the book too closely wrecked the pacing and the removal of Frollo’s torment ruins the emotional intensity.  The “Chaney being forced” to the audiences was just the opening so it wasn’t  a major problem but  it’s the reason why the film doesn’t have a very strong opening scene.

Next Time-  Characters starting with Quasimodo

Quasimodo (Lon Chaney), Esmeralda (Patsy Ruth Miller) and Gudule (Gladys Brockwell) Hunchback of Notre Dame 1923 picture image

Quasimodo (Lon Chaney), Esmeralda (Patsy Ruth Miller) and Gudule (Gladys Brockwell) Hunchback of Notre Dame 1923

 

Watch the 1923 version of Hunchback on youtube

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watch the 1923 on youtube in one handy long video, no but serious it’s very nice

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dm09QfKsOQ

Or you could buy the DVD from amazon and listen to former make-up artist Michael Blake  praise Lon Chaney and butcher the character’s name for an hour and forty minute i(namely Quasimodo, Esmeralda and Phoebus). Though I have to admit it was funny because it was kind of obvious that he had never read the book. Because in the book Frollo tries to force himself on Esmeralda and Quasimodo saves her, in the movie Frollo, be it Jehan in this case, does this and Quasimodo save her butBlake this scene is just the product of silent movies tropes and praise the movie for having Qausimodo save her and not Phoebus, :facepalms:

Hunchback Kart

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Which Notre Dame Character would win  in race a la Mario Kart , car racing with random weapons and weird tracks. (based on book)

Hunchback of Notre dame meets Mario Kart Disney

Hunchback Kart

 

I would say that Quasimdo wouldn’t because of his vision. Frollo would just follow Esmeralda so he wouldn’t win. Sister Gudule won’t win either because she too busy looking for her baby. Jehan could win but he would try to aim for coins and prizes. Esmeralda could win as she quick but she is flighty too and might get distracted by Phoebus. Gringoire might do well but he also might get distracted. Phoebus could win because he’s a no-good cheater but he might let a lady win you know in order to sleep with them later. Clopin could win but like Jehan he might go after coins and prizes. Djali could do well as she a very talented goat but I would say Fleur de Lys would win most of the time because she is cold calculating bitch who always win, let’s not forget she’s the only character in the book to have a “happy ending.”

 

Which Hunchback do you think would win in a battle royale kart race? I chose the book but feel free to use Disney in your response ^^


Who is Cuter, Phantom or Quasimodo? Chaney addition

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Since we’re going to be embarking on reviewing the Lon Chaney version of Hunchback of Notre Dame I thought it would be a good time to ask an important question who is  more Handsome, Chaney as Quasimodo or Chaney as the Phantom of the Opera? Mmmm this is a very tough question as beauty is in the eyes of the beholder but then again so is ugliness.

 

Lon Chaney as the Phantom of the Opera picture image

Lon Chaney as the Phantom of the Opera

Lon Chaney as the Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image Quasimodo

Lon Chaney as the Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To answer this very tricky question I asked a crack team of young, impressionable and insecure, teenage girls  who all said that they were both ugly but if they had to pick they all chose the Phantom because even though he’s ugly, he is at least a musician and they all really like musician plus he is a better dresser. Though even when I pointed out that Quasimodo rang bells with making him a musician of sorts the girls still said the Phantom. I guess they like bad boys, typical huh?

My Crack Team of Young, Impressionable and Insecure, teenage girls a.k.a Disney Princesses picture image

My Crack Team of Young, Impressionable and Insecure, Teenage Girls a.k.a Disney Princesses

 

Sorry Quasimodo, the girls prefer the deform, obsessed, musically-inclined psychopathic genius to your deformed and slightly angry yet loyal nature.

Lon Chaney as the Phantom of the Opera With Mary Philbin picture image

Phantom makes the Ladies go weak in the Knees

 

But what do you think? Who is do think is more handsome the Hunchback of Notre Dame or The Phantom of the Opera? (Remember keep it to Lon Chaney)