Will Jennings picture image

Will Jennings

With the new Asian Tour cast singing Will Jenning’s english lyrics, we must ask are Jennings’ Lyrics harmful. I would yes and no. I think performing an English version in Asian countries makes level of sense. Let’s face it, English is a basic skill  in many countries, and odds that people in China, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore can speak English is pretty high and this way they can appreciate the show a bit better and since these people are not native speaker they are not as bothered by  the awful lyrics.

 

Tina Arena played Esmeralda in the London Cast picture image

Tina Arena played Esmeralda in the London Cast

And now the flip-side, Yes, Will Jenning is most certainly harmful to Notre Dame de Paris. First off here’s a little trivia, the London version wasn’t doing well so they brought in Dannii Minogue in a hope of increase sales. The show didn’t last much longer and as 2001 it ended in London and has never played again. The Las Vegas cast didn’t play for very long either and have never revived. Now personally I think Las vegas was a poor choice for this show. Las Vegas is a bright colorful place and Notre Dame de Paris is a pretty minimal on sets and props, I think it might do doing better in New York City. But the show English Lyrics are laughable and I am sure that contributed to show lack of success in its English version.

 

 

Dannii Minogue also played Esmeralda in the London cast pciture image

Dannii Minogue also played Esmeralda in the London cast

The problem is you can tell Jenning rushed the translation, he tried too hard to fit the measure and not the mood. As result we get lyrics like “Out of no where came the Age of Cathedral” (Didn’t Notre Dame de Paris take over 100yrs to build?) “I was born on a road that bends“(So, not Texas? vauge statement Esmeralda) “So look no more for love, love is you.”(this line just sound stupid when sung) “I feel love awaken me, deep down in me, too strong for me.“(oh that  just laziness) “Oh Fleur-de-lys I am a man who knows no law” (I kinda like Belle in english, it’s not bad but this line is stupid, Phoebus is Law in the show or maybe he’s just bad at his chosen profession) “Free today, Flown away. Souls at bay find a way” (Free Today sounds like a local cable advert for a mattress sale- Free Today, just one day buy two on saturday and don’t pay till May (That maybe bad by no one is paying me to write lyrics), that’s just a few, go here (http://ndparis.narod.ru/eng/translations/english.html) and read for yourself, just pick  a random song, there all pretty much horrible. Most of the songs are bad- rhyming me with me, all of Anchary (it’s just stupid), He is shining like Sun and Val d’amour and trying to turn the show into Le Miserable with “My Home in Sky”, really I could on and on, but this is an interlude. (when I get to Notre Dame de Paris I’ll probably go into this more, if I’m feeling suicidal)

 

Janine Masse played Esmeralda in the Las Vegas cast picture image

Janine Masse played Esmeralda in the Las Vegas cast

The mood and emotion is why the show and the original cast are so great. And the translations just sucked it away and not even the alumni from the original cast could save it. Plus and I’m not sure what it is, but it seems that none of the performers can sing these lyrics properly they all seem breathless, mumbly and lost as they sing, which just adds to the weakness and lack of emotion. So you can’t really blame the singers.

 

 

So while I get that William Jenning has done some very lovely lyrics for popular songs “My Heart Will Go On” and my personal favorite “If We Hold On Together” from The Land Before Time, The Notre dame de Paris lyrics is not his finest work and someone should have ordered a better translation before the Asian Tour was even announced. But because of his cache that a retranslation was never done. Let hope someone, someday will look passed the name and actually listen to the English lyrics and get that retranslation that the fans deserve.

So to answer the title of this post “William Jennings Considered Harmful?”,  Yes, Yes He is!

A Dancer performing in Bohomienne in The 2011 Asian Tour of Notre Dame de Paris picture Image

A Dancer performing in Bohomienne in The 2011 Asian Tour of Notre Dame de Paris

Original Cast of Notre Dame de Paris in Kiev December 13 2011 picture image

Original Cast of Notre Dame de Paris in Kiev December 13 2011

Just like in 2010 the Original Cast of Notre dame are set to perform another Notre Dame de Paris Concert in Kiev this evening December 2011. That means there are at least two peformance of the show, the Original cast and the Asian Tour Cast, Kind of Neat Huh?Hopefully we’ll get to see some decent video on Youtude ^^

Madeline and Quasimodo by the fire Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney sequel picture image

Madeline and Quasimodo by the fire Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

 

Quasimodo and Madeline are suppose to be two sides of the some coin. They both have the same up-bringing, raised by someone whose only motivation to do so was to use them in some way all the while being emotional abusive. The difference is Madeline is pretty and Quasimodo is not. However they are quite different, Madeline is ambitious as she wants to walk the tight tope and Quasimodo’s only real ambition is to be in a relationship, and that’a the MAJOR problem with this relationship.

 

Quasimodo Creepy Look Hunchback of Notre Dame Sequel 2 II picture image

Quasimodo Creepy Look Hunchback of Notre Dame II

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 Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney sequel 2 picture image

Madeline Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quasimodo will say and do anything to get Madeline to like him. Really, he would have done the same thing with Esmeralda. But this blatant desire for a relationship makes Quasimodo creepy and he completely rushes the relationship. I think the movie spans like two days. Quasimodo pursues her like she the last chopper out of Nam and tries to convince her that he is beautiful on the inside. In fact that is what their whole first date is about, how Quasimodo is awesome and shame on her for judging him. However Quasimodo is just as guilty of judging people on their looks. He claims that he think there more to her but he comments on her looks. And Madeline is no innocent player either, she is using Quasimodo. First, because she has to as her boss wants the stupid bell but she also uses him as source of both redemption and self-worth. Both are bad things to use other people for.

 

Madeline and Quasimodo laugh about Dumb Topic Sequel Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney picture image

Madeline and Quasimodo laugh about Dumb Topics again

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

Madeline and Quasimodo Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

Madeline and Quasimodo in the rain Sequel Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney picture image

Madeline and Quasimodo in the rain Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

 

 

 

 

 

 

As far as a love story goes, it’s a horrible one. Quasimodo manipulates a girl with low-esteem into believing that they’re in love. He tells her that  thinks “there is more more to her” but  what Quasimodo thinks this “something more” is, is not known. It really just seems that Quasimodo just says whatever it is that people want to hear (Frollo’s Training). Had he said what it was that he saw in her beyond her face it would have given the love story more depth. As a result of bad writing, this love story is weak and shallow. Quasimodo says the right thing to hook the girl and is blessed that she is dumb enough not to ask for any follow-up questions about said deeper attributes (though I sure if Quasimodo had any they would have been wholesome – perverts). And on Madeline’s end, she thinks she found someone who think she is more than a pretty face, too bad she is wrong though.

 

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

Madeline and Quasimodo kiss Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

The reason for this film’s existent is to give Quasimodo a love story and the love they gave him is shallow, empty, and hollow, which make the this movie worthless.

 

Next Time – What the Disney Corporation should have done with a sequel to Hunchback, but before that a special article, an interlude if you will.

Esmeralda and Djali Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Esmeralda and Djali Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney

After I did the Esmeralda My Little Pony Fan-art, I knew I wanted to do more and someone search for Fleur de Lys My Little Pony so I figured why not.

Notre Dame de Paris Fleur de Lys as a My Little Pony Fan Art  picture image

Notre Dame de Paris Fleur de Lys as a My Little Pony Fan Art

It’s based off Fleur de Lys from Notre Dame de Paris. Kind of makes me want to do an Esmeralda Notre Dame de Paris Pony. If you want to use it please credit the Hunchblog.

Every now and again I get hits from people searching odd questions. So I’m going to start answering your searched questions. I’m going to answer these questions with the all the academic-ness/pedantic-ness I can muster (it’s more fun that way)

Quasimodo Illustrtion Francois flameng

Illustration of Quasimodo

Big Bird of Sesame Street picture image

Big Bird of Sesame Street

 

 

 

 

 

The first one I noticed was the question of who is uglier Quasimodo or Big Bird? A very interesting question to be sure. The answer comes down to a simple matter of opinion but that is cop-out response so let’s go deeper and really answer this aged-old question. First thing, is which Quasimodo should we compare Big Bird against? Not all Quasimodo as created equal some are very ugly and deformed, some are cute, and some are handsome and just have low self-esteem. So to be fair let’s go to the source Victor Hugo’s Quasimodo. In the novel Quasimodo is decribed as having a horse-shoe mouth, a small left eye with bushy red eyebrow, a right eye that’s completely hidden by a monstrous wart, uneven broken teeth with gaps that project out like tusks, callous lips, and forked chin. He was also described ” a giant who had been broken and badly put together again.”  Big Bird is a  perpetually 6 year old 8-foot, 2-inch yellow bird.

 

Quasimodo Recusing Esmeralda picture image

Quasimodo Recusing Esmeralda

Big Bird of Sesame Street Picture image

Big Bird of Sesame Street

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now beauty maybe in the eyes of the beholder but there are certain truths that lie within aesthetics.  Symmetry is a big one.  Facial Symmetry denotes health and from an evolutionary stand point anything that denotes a healthy being is worthy of mating and thus becomes a sign of beauty. Quasimodo’s looks as described by Hugo is in total opposition to symmetry and that is why Quasimodo triumphs over Big Bird in the Ugly department, at least Hugo’s Quasimodo. Sorry Big Bird.

Quaismodo on the Offense L.H. Rudder 1884 picture image

Quaismodo on the Offense L.H. Rudder 1884

Big Bird of Sesame Street picture image

Big Bird of Sesame Street

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you search an odd question and find the Hunchblog (And I notice it) I’ll answer it or leave a comment with your weird/odd questions and I’ll answer them in a post. The weirder the better.

Back in November I started a series  of for hypothetical casting for Hunchback musicals or movie.

Erika Marozsan picture image

Erika Marozsan

So for an Esmeralda in a movie, I think Hugarian actress Erika Marozsan would make a good Esmeralda. She has the right look for the role  and she is a decent actress. Though in truth I’ve only seen her in one movie, Gloomy Sunday, but she was great in it(it’s one of my favorites). They only fault that she has is that she a little old for the role, as Esmeralda should be played by someone who can pass for 16 years old, but that’s if you want to adhere closely with the book and let’s face what Hunchback adapation follows the book very closely.

Erika Marozsan in Gloomy Sunday picture image

Erika Marozsan in Gloomy Sunday

Erika Marozsan picture image

Erika Marozsan

Erika Marozsan in Gloomy Sunday picture image

Erika Marozsan in Gloomy Sunday

The Music in the Hunchback Sequel is bad but it’s not the worse aspect. The worse aspect is the animation and the art style. Everything is lackluster from the colors, to characters’ movements and looks. Even the in-between animation, which typically isn’t supposed to be anything spectacular, makes the characters either look deformed or derpy (pardon the meme).  It all seems like there was no joy in this project on the part of the animators, like it was something they did because they had.

Sequel in-between frames

Madeline looking scary in a in-between Frame Hunchback of Note Dame II Disney 2 Sequel picture image

Madeline looking scary in a in-between Frame of Hunchback of Note Dame II Disney

In Between Frame of Phoebus Hunchback of Notre Dame Sequel II 2 Disney picture image

In Between Frame of Phoebus Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

In Between Frame of Sarousch Hunchback of Notre Dame Sequel II 2 Disney picture image

In Between Frame of Sarousch Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

VS.

Original  in-between frame

In Between Frame of Esmeralda Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney picture image

In Between Frame of Esmeralda Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney

In Between Frame of the Oafish guard Hunchback of Notre Dame Disneye picture image

In Between Frame of the Oafish guard Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney

In Between Frame of Phoebus Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney picture image

In Between Frame of Phoebus Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney

 

 

 

 

 

 

The movie was animated by Walt Disney Animation (Japan). And as it happen that Disney Japan expertise lies in there action scenes, which is an odd pairing seeing how the climax of this movie is a woman picking up a child. No battles, no fights. No wonder the animators appear not to interested in this project, they probably wanted to get it over and done with.

Madeline saving Zephyr Sequel Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney picture image

Madeline saving Zephyr Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

I think the animation is one of the biggest problems with this movie along with many of the other Direct to release Disney movies. If a movie is terrible you can forgive it if it’s pretty, but if it lacks any redeemable qualities how can people like it? Actually there is a question, Does the Sequel have any redeemable qualities that makes it enjoyable? People may argue Quasimodo and Madeline finding love, but is the love interesting and good?

 

Next Time -Let’s answer that question. L’histoire d’amour de Quasimodo et de Madeline

Quasimodo Creepy Look Hunchback of Notre Dame Sequel 2 II picture image

Quasimodo Creepy Look Hunchback of Notre Dame II

Madeline looking weird Hunchback of  Notre Dame II  Disney Sequel 2 picture image

Madeline looking weird Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

 

 

 

 

 

 

Special Bonus Picture;

This is joke, Yoko and Ono are common Japanese names…just thought it was a little funny that a Yoko Ono worked on the movie.

Sequel Animators Feature one Yoko Ono picture image

Sequel Animators Feature one Yoko Ono

 

 

 

 

 



This Video I found on Youku and it’s of Matt Laurent (Quasimodo) and Candice Parise (Esmeralda) singing an excerpt of “The Birds they put in Cages” from the English version of Notre Dame de Paris. This is not a perforrmance of the show but a concert for a crowd. Please forgive the Audio and Visuals but it’s better than nothing right? Enjoy

click here to view on youtube

I’m going to give Parise and Laurent a pass on judgement till  better audio clip comes around. (though I hear clips Laurent singing the role before)  but I have a feeling Parise belts Esmeralda as did Tina Arena, which I do not care for but for know not going to pass judgement or criticism.

I saw it and as a fan of Little Kuriboh’s Yu-gi-Oh the Abridged Series I had no chose to feature it. It’s awesome! ^^

Yugi as Clopin from The Hunchback of Notre Dame by ARCatSK

Yugi as Clopin from The Hunchback of Notre Dame by ARCatSK

Artwork by ARCatSK

Notre Dame de Paris Asian Tour La Cour des Miracles picture image

Notre Dame de Paris Asian Tour Cast performing La Cour des Miracles

So the 2011 Asian Tour Cast has ended in it’s first location of Guangzhou, China and it’s heading to Shanghai. The show premires there on the 2nd (which techinally today-the day of the post) and it will be there till December 24.  So if you’re in Shanghai go see it ^^

I will say that I find it funny that a big selling point of the show for the Asian Tour is William Jenning’s lyrics. William Jenning, of course is a well regraded lyricist who wrote the lyrics for “My Heart will go on” but the english lyrics in this show are terrible for the most part and yet that it’s a big selling point. *shakes head in disappointment*