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Friday 18 May 2012

The Hunchback of Notre Dame

    

If you haven't seen this movie, for starters where have you been and have you been under a rock? This epic movie was created by the directors of Beauty and the Beast, Kirk Wise and Gary Trousdale, in 1996 and has been a best seller including awards such a the BMI Film Music Award and the Artois Award for Best Casting of Animated Voiceover to name a few. 

Here's a little trailer to start you off:


Characters

Let's start with the awesome cast who did such a fantastic job of pumping energy and spirit into this film to make a classic that will last forever.
  • Quasimodo - the hunchback voiced by Tom Hulce
  • Esmeralda - dancing Gypsy voiced by Demi Moore
  • Jolly - the kid goat 
  • Phoebus - captain of the guard voiced by Kevin Kline
  • Frollo - minister voiced by Tony Jay
  • Clopin - jester and Gypsy leader voiced by Paul Kandel

Plot

For their 34th movie Disney took Victor Hugo's classical novel and turned it into an amazing animated film. Set in 17th-century France, Clopin (the jester and leader of the Gypsies) tells us the tale of Quasimodo a hunchback bellringer of Notre Dame who is ridiculed and tortured because his appearance is different. Not only is this abuse given by the townsfolk but also from his corrupt Master Frollo who believes he is pure and righteous in his ways but actually a twisted old minister.


Quasimodo is enthralled at the idea of going to the Feast of Fools and sneaks out of his sanctuary of the cathedral only to be accepted then shot down for his appearance. However, the Gypsy dancer Esmeralda takes pity on this creature and frees him from his bonds. Outraged by her actions and stunned by her looks, Frollo sets out to either take Esmeralda for his own or to have her burn at the stake.


We continue to see the burning of Paris as Frollo hunts for Esmeralda and once caught only Quasimodo can save her from Frollo's fire. But before he can do so Quasimodo has his inner daemons to fight: has Frollo been right all along and Esmeralda is a witch or should he save her life because she is kind and values all life? Only when he has won this battle can he save Esmeralda and her people.

Verdict

The Hunchback of Notre Dame is another fantastic movie by Disney that has all of my favorite elements in: singing, dancing, secrets, fighting and romance. Disney seem to have this perfect formula that works in any setting - it is not the story line that makes these movies great but the characters that enact it.

The Hunchback starts in a Disney traditional fashion with an epic opening number setting the scene for 17th-century France, almost like the setting for Beauty and the Beast but with deeper themes on a larger scale.

This particular movie is more like a musical than any of the others. I would say that the majority of the story telling is done through song and only when you get to the darker parts of the plot, especially with scenes of Quasimodo and Frollo do you get speech only. This is why this it is one of my favorite movies, the choir backing and epic musical numbers cannot be out done, not even by Belle from Beauty and the Beast. The singing in this movie is just wonderful and sends shivers up my spine along with goose bumps at every song.

The overall theme for The Hunchback is that of tolerance and acceptance which is important for young children to learn. It also talks of friendship, being right and true and respecting others and the laws and customs of the land. Without these guidelines humanity would cease to function smoothly and end up like the end of this movie: city on fire with every person for them self.

Although this movie is Universal (U) it still has some fairly heavy topics that some younger children might not understand just yet - you have been warned for the Q&A session after, or even during, the movie.

I would definitely recommend this movie to every single Disney lover, which should be everyone by my records. Even if you don't like Disney you should watch this film anyway just for the plot and character interaction. If you want to buy the film click on the first link, if it's Victor Hugo's book you want click on the second. 


The Hunchback Of Notre Dame [DVD] [1996]
The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Wordsworth Classics)



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