It works as a combo. I have no shame in admitting I thought this was going to use the trailer from the film E.T. and not a male cover of Katy Perry’s E.T.

It’s Disney Hunchback  18th Birthday!

Quasimodo as the King of Fools Topsy Turvy Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Quasimodo as the King of Fools Topsy Turvy Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Being forced to watch very, very bad versions of Hunchback makes me more grateful to the Disney version. The Disney version is not perfect but they did at least put out a solid effort into their version and made a good movie. You can’t really say that for the Enchanted tales version. So I thought I would list of what I consider to be the Top Ten  Best Things about The Disney version of the Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

 

Clopin with Puppet Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Clopin with Puppet Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

10. Clopin
Clopin is just such a fun and interesting character. He kinds neither good or bad. I guess he more of a light gray. I wish he was in more of the movie.

 

Esmeralda Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame singing "God Help the Outcast" picture image

Esmeralda singing “God Help the Outcast” Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

9. Animation
Gorgeous Animation is a Disney hallmark and the Hunchback is no exception. There are some gorgeous shots. Though the CG crowds didn’t age well but you seldom really notice them unless you’re looking.

 

Esmeralda and Quasimodo Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Esmeralda and Quaismodo Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

8.The Pacing
The pacing is great in this movie. There are no low points and the story moves from point to point really well.

 

Esmeralda singing God Help the Outcast Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Esmeralda singing God Help the Outcast Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

7.  Accuracy to Notre Dame
The way they rendered the  Cathedral is lovely and you can see all the effort that went in to it. I mean they did make it larger but they did capture its Beauty and it intricate little details. They might have been to accurate since they included elements that were not present at the time of the story but that is a nitpick that you would have to be aware of.

 

Clopin Topsy Turvy Disney Hunchback Notre Dame picture image

Clopin Topsy Turvy Disney Hunchback Notre Dame

6. The Songs
With one exception, you know the one, the songs are really great. Some are better than others but on the whole they are great.

 

Frollo and Notre Dame Bells Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Frollo stares at Notre Dame during the Bells of Notre Dame FDisney Hunchback of Notre Dame

5. The Music Score
The Score was inspired by Mozart’s Requiem Mass and it really is gorgeous especially Sanctuary. It really one the best Disney scores ever.

Frollo and Baby Quasimodo bells Disney Hunch back of Notre Dame picture image

Frollo and Baby Quasimodo during the Bells of Notre Dame Disney Hunch back of Notre Dame

 

4. Frollo
Frollo is one of the most complex Disney Villains. On one hand he is cool and cruel and the other he’s bat-shit crazy but he thinks he’s good and just even when trying to kill a baby he thinks he is in the right.

 

Frollo singing Hellfire Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Frollo singing Hellfire Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

3. Hellfire/Heaven’s Light

 

This is kind of like A Night on Bald Mountain/Ave Maria in reverse. A Lot of the drama comes from the duality of the Heaven and Hell. Though you would get little argument that Hellfire is the better song in both the visuals and the lyrics. It so dark and twisted but Heaven’s Light just elevates Hellfire crazed hellish tone. It’s kind ironic that Frollo is praying to Mary in this song.

 

A Puppet of Quasimodo bells Disney Hunchback of notre dame picture image

A Puppet of Quasimodo during the Bells of Notre Dame Disney Hunchback of notre dame

2. The Opening
The Opening is amazing. In 5 minutes we get some drama, some humor and all the backstory. The song and the visuals are wonderful.  I like how dark this gets and there is no denying that crescendo at the end. Flawless

Quaismodo Bells of Notre dame reprise Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Quaismodo Bells of Notre dame reprise Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

1. It introduced people to The Hunchback of Notre
While of course this is not true for everyone, The Disney version did introduced people to the characters and the ideas of the novel. Without it people may not be fans of original story today.

 

Honorable mention Djali

I love Djali to pieces

Djali Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Djali Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

The Gargoyles were by in large, the biggest flaw in Disney’s The Hunchback in Notre Dame. Out of the three Gargoyles, Hugo was the most annoying. He was loud, brash and stupid. In June 2013 Disney released a teaser trailer for Frozen that featured Olaf and Sven trying to get Olaf’s carrot nose on ice. This was not a good introduction to Olaf because all he did was laugh. For many people they thought this snowman was going to be annoying. Perhaps not as annoying as Hugo but still annoying. As it turns out Olaf wasn’t annoying, he was likable.

Olaf vs Hugo

Olaf vs Hugo

Olaf and Hugo are polar opposites while still being very similar. They are both short comic relief sidekick who are of the magically variety that help the main protagonist. But where Hugo is loud, Olaf has a soft tone most of the time, where Hugo talks about looks all the time, Olaf talks about people’s warmth. Olaf seems to have a childlike innocences while Hugo is more affective. Olaf wants warm hugs and to see summer while Hugo wants Quasimodo to get a girlfriend or to at least gain some self-worth.

Anna and Olaf Frozen picture image

Anna and Olaf

And this makes sense with their characters. Olaf is newly given life in the movie so his innocence makes sense. I’m sure Disney could have made him loud rough talking like so many of the 90’s sidekick but the soft innocence worked so much better and was refreshing.

Hugo playing poker Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Hugo playing poker Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Hugo on the other hand was a product of the other Disney movie cashing in on the wisecracking sidekicks. His affectedness makes sense if you think of him as part of an old work structure. It could make sense if he was a facet of Quasimodo’s personality too. Maybe Hugo is Quasimodo’s Id personified (more on this in a future blog post).

Sven and Olaf from Frozen picture image

Sven and Olaf from Frozen

While Hugo brings down The Hunchback of Notre Dame, it’s not really his fault that he is a product of the Disney Standard of the time. He is a colossal fail and that why Olaf, Sven and even Tangled sidekicks are refreshing and seem better by comparison. Olaf clear winner.

Megara seduces Hercules picture image

Megara seduces Hercules

So what do most Disney character females have in common. They expose their shoulders! Only like three are the exception

Snow White – Exception
Cinderella – when her dress is torn
Alice – Exception
Sleeping Beauty – her color changing gown
Ariel – Come on
Belle – Ballgown
Jasmine – Every outfit but her disguise exposes her shoulders
Pocahontas – has one shoulder exposed the whole movie
Esmeralda – Both outfits do except but her prisoner shift but that has a hole near the shoulder
Megara – her strap falls off when she is seducing Hercules in the garden
Mulan– Once in the bath and once when she sit up after being injured
Jane– wears a sleeveless shirt, shows off half of her shoulders
Tiana– Swamp wedding gown
Rapunzel – Exception
Anna– Coranation dress
Elsa – Snow Queen Gown

13 out of 16 Disney Heroines that expose their shoulders.

 

Belle and Beast's argument Beauty and the Beast picture image

Belle and Beast’s argument

People think Belle from Beauty and the Beast has stockholm syndrome because they think they’re smart and in scheme of things Belle does not. Stockholm Syndrome
is a psychological phenomenon in which hostages express empathy and sympathy and have positive feelings toward their captors, sometimes to the point of defending and identifying with them.

Stockholm Syndrome affects 8% of hostages so it’s pretty rare. A note, I’m not a psychologist, take what I say with a grain a of salt but it makes more sense than the people who will convince you that Belle does have stockholm syndrome.

For Belle to have gotten stockholm syndrome she would have needed to bond to the Beast for her survival. Beast never threatened Belle’s life, he was just an immature jerk. However one could say that in Beast giving Belle her own room and access to castle it was an act of kindness that could have triggered the syndrome. However Belle then blatantly rejects the Beast’s dinner offer, she and his servants disobey his edict that she can’t eat and then she disobey’s him again by going into his off-limit area before effortfully leaving the castle. Does she get stockholm syndrome when she is no longer a prisoner? The fact that Belle left without much trouble points that she can’t have stockholm syndrome as it hardly seems like she is a prisoner in the place.

People also think that Belle gets it after the Beast saves her from the wolves and she brought him back  to the castle and treated him. During that scene she is still standing up for herself and makes better points about how he should have kept his temper. Belle then thanks him for saving her life. She is not in fear of him and she is speaking to him as equal.

Actually the one act of kindness people connect the Belle’s supposed stockholm syndrome to is Beast giving her the library. Ok no, the act of kindness is that is associated with stockholm syndrome is the victim thinking that the captor is keeping them alive is the act of kindness. When Beast gives her the library it’s a thank you he her saving him and not a ploy to bond to his hostage.

Clearly, I’m rambling. If you want a well written argument agianst Belle having stockholm syndrome, I highly recommend reading Triple Nerd Score: The Truth About A Beauty, A Beast, And Stockholm Syndrome. They explain it far better than I.

But Belle does not have Stockhom Syndrome, if I see one more idoitic website thinking they are smart by suggesting it, I will scream.

Ariel and Erin on the Beach, The Little Mermaid  picture image

Ariel and Erin on the Beach, The Little Mermaid

People like to think that The Little Mermaid , Ariel, was more than likely traumatized by her wedding night and the goings on of human sex opposed to her “fishy” ways. Well, for those people who think they are oh so clever, I’m going to say  that she more than likely was not. I’m not a scientist but I do enjoy studying evolution and Ariel has several features that indicate that Mermaids are mammals and would give birth and have sex and not lay a clutch of eggs.

People claim  that mermaids reproduce like fish, in that females lay a clutch of eggs and males fertilized them. However, let’s just look at some traits of Ariel’s that show they are not related to fish and they for wouldn’t reproduces this way. Three traits and two are stupid obvious so we’ll start with the one that people would not think of; Ariel’s fins.

 

Ariel's Fin The Little Mermaid picture image

Ariel’s Fin, The Little Mermaid

Ariel’s fins, like all mermaids’s are horizontal much like dolphin’s and whale’s fins. Fish fins are vertical. But what does this mean? This reflects the evolutionary locomotion of the animal.  Fish evolved from creatures that moved from side to side and the vertical tail allows for that motion or what is called lateral undulation. Dolphins and whales evolved from land mammals and they adapted an up and down locomotion  or dorsoventral undulation. This means that for mermaids to have these fins they would have to evolved from land creatures.

Ariel Disney The Little Mermaid picture image

Ariel Disney The Little Mermaid

 

Then we have the two traits that make it very, very clear, that mermaids are mammals; Mermaids has breasts and Bellybuttons. These two traits make it so clear that Mermaids give birth to live young that I’m not sure where the Fish egg idea came from, probably from that Futurama episode. However belly buttons, or navel, are where the umbilical cord is attached. All placental mammals have a navels. Breasts are mammary glands found on the upper torso of primates. The purpose of which is to feed milk to offspring.  This means that Mermaids are  mammals who nurse their young and navels indicate that they would get pregnant.

 

Ariel Kiss the Girl Little Mermaid picture image

Ariel making icky face

 

I think the only thing Ariel might have been weirded out by would that Eric doesn’t keep his genitalia inside his body like marine mammals.

Quaismodo Bells of Notre dame reprise Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Quaismodo Bells of Notre dame reprise Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Most of you already know this, but the debut of  the stage version of the Disney version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame has a location. It will debut at La Jolla Playhouse. It will be part of the 2014-2015 season in October. La Jolla Playhouse is a not-for-profit  professional theatre-in-residence located on the campus of the University of California, San Diego. It is unclear if Disney has plans to bring the show to Broadway after its run at La Jolla Playhouse but the Aladdin ran in Toronto before it went to Broadway,  so it hopefully will happen for Hunchback too.  It’s very exciting news!

Source – http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/BREAKING-DISNEYS-HUNCHBACK-OF-NOTRE-DAME-to-Have-US-Premiere-at-La-Jolla-Playhouse-20140124

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/culture/la-et-cm-hunchback-of-notre-dame-musical-20140123,0,181081.story#axzz2roLqX2rp

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Jolla_Playhouse

Disney Villains picture image

Disney Villains

On the other side of the Disney branding spectrum, we have the darker and less well known line of products called the Villain line. Unlike the Princess Line which doesn’t feature heroines based on a “royal” title this line is said to encompass all the villains but really only focuses on a few. Those being; The Evil Queen from Snow White, Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty, The Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland, Cruella from 101 Dalmatian, Captain Hook from Peter Pan, Ursula from The Little Mermaid, Jafar from Aladdin and recently Mother Gothel from Tangled. Other villains like Scar, Gaston, Dr.Facilier, Hades and the Cheshire Cat filter in on products occasionally. Though I would argue that the Cheshire Cat is not villain but a Chaotic Neutral.

Frollo Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney picture image

Judge Claude Frollo Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

So here is the big question, Where is Frollo? He is considered to be one of the great Disney villains because of his complexity. As far as I can tell he might be hiding in the products like in the Disney Vile Villains Playing Cards or in the Disney Legendary Villains Personal Checks, I do know he was in the Disney’s Mix and Match Villains Book, I owned it as a child. But as far as him being an advertised villain, he is not and he doesn’t have many his own featured products.

 

Disney Villain Monopoly Box picture image

Disney Villain Monopoly Box

But why isn’t Frollo a key villain in this line? Is it because Hunchback was super unpopular? Well that doesn’t help but it’s not like Hades was attach to a popular movie and was Pater Pan that popular that Hook gets a major spotlight? On the Disney Villain Monopoly there are three unknown Disney villains featured, Pete who was antagonist in the Micky Mouse universe, the Big Bad Wolf who was another antagonist from the older Disney shorts and Kaa from Jungle book who wasn’t even the major villain, Shere Khan holds that roles.

I don’t think it so much that Frollo is from an unpopular movie, I think it’s because as a villain he is not fun. Don’t get me wrong he’s a great villain, he just never revels in his evil schemes the same way the others do, in fact he’s thinks he the good pure one. So he is not the logical choice as the one of line’s front runners who love and enjoy their machinations. And if this is indeed the case, it doesn’t really bother me that Frollo isn’t prominent, he just not the funny goofy charming villain that this line seems to love. And that’s ok.

Vicious Villains - Disney Movie Art Poster picture image

Vicious Villains – Disney Movie Art Poster

So what products does villain line offer? Well, in many ways it’s not very different from the Princess Line. It has with games like Monopoly, fashion dolls and makeup, lots of make-up. You can get make-up kits for Maleficent, Evil QueenUrsula, and Cruella De Ville. It’s just aimed for older girls

And like the Princess line, the villains have their fair share of weird products like a Cruella stapler and yes even a Disney Villains Cupcake Kit.

In many ways the Villain line is just like the princess line except the products are black, red and purple instead pastels and pinks and it carter to older more jaded girls who are not quite ready Hot Topic.

I harbor a bit of a love for pretty clothing so when I saw that renowned Fashion Designers made gowns using the Disney Princesses as inspiration, I was excited. But some of these reflect the designers more  than the clients, the Disney princesses. So here is my take on them.

 

Ariel by Marchesa picture image

Ariel by Marchesa

Ariel’s gown is by Marchesa. I can see Ariel a little bit in this. The top is a call back to her sea-shell bra and the skirt has a fish tail silhouette. I wish the color was a bit more vibrant. Marchesa has a vintage and Asian influence aesthetic to the brand. I can see the vintage but I think it’s too much of a throw back. Also I dislike the volume at the waist, it would be so much better and more like Ariel if the volume was just at the bust.   6/10

 

Aurora by Elie Saab picture image

Aurora by Elie Saab

Aurora’s gown is by  Elie Saab. I don’t see Aurora in this. I mean it’s pretty and very Elie Saab, whose aesthetic is feminine and romantic which suits Aurora but the style of this doesn’t. Maybe if the neckline had more details or if the belt at the was more interesting it could have been more in keeping with Aurora. Also the color is not right. I think a deeper pick would have been better and then chiffon could have contrast it instead of being the same color. 4/10

 

Belle by Valentino picture image

Belle by Valentino

Belle’s gown is by Valentino.  When I first saw these gown I thought it was Jane’s from Tarzan. I like the skirt, the vertical ruffles are very nice and the color is a nice take on Belle because let’s face it that gold color works on Belle but it can look very tacky in real-life. The bodice however No, No, No. I don’t understand the hood at all. The puff sleeves and the mid section don’t work with Belle’s gown either. 3/10

 

Cinderella by Versace picture image

Cinderella by Versace

Cinderella’s gown is by Versace. Like Belle’s gown my main reaction is no,no  a thousand times no. What the hell, Versace? This is tacky. The only thing I can see of Cinderella is the peplum. The color is wrong. I can  kind see what they were doing as Cinderella’s gown can look white but it has a cool tone and this is a a warm. It’s so wrong.  1/10

 

Jasmine by Escada picture image

Jasmine by Escada

Jasmine’s Gown is by Escada. I’m confused by this one. Jasmine wears red once and that was when she was Jafar’s slave. I guess the bracelets point that that is what this gown is based on, so we’ll just say that  even though Jasmine had two Princess gown’s in the film plus her normal blue outfit it’s based on Jafar’s look, which was pretty sexy admittedly. But ok. Despite not really reading Jasmine. I like cut and the color is nice. I dislike cape though. I don’t get as part of the look or as Jasmine really. Maybe it was a train off the wait it would have been better because I like the way it drapes. I think the cape cut off the neckline and Jasmine wore open necklines. I love the accessories.  7/10

 

Mulan by Missoni picture image

Mulan by Missoni

Mulan’s gown is by Missoni. Missoni is all about prints and it seems that like they just remade Mulan’s with their prints. I really like the blue print and the beige chiffon. The applique flowers are a bit much but I think the overall look is a bit much and looks costume-y.  4/10

 

Pocahontas by Roberto Cavalli picture image

Pocahontas by Roberto Cavalli

Pocahontas’s gown is by Roberto Cavalli. Pocahontas is a tough one to design a gown for as her being in a Tsencommacah it’s hard to get her to a shiny princess gowns. Cavalli aesthetic is rock, wild and sexy. I guess wild fits Pocahontas’s personality. The fabric fits Pocahontas natural aesthetic but the gown reads Cavalli more than Pocahontas.  The feather-like fringe details on the skirt is a bit silly. The cut of the gown is very similar to Pocahontas’s costume so it’s an appropriation. It’s not a bad idea for Pocahontas it just fails to connect with me. 4/10

Rapunzel  by Jenny Packham picture image

Rapunzel by Jenny Packham

 

Rapunzel’s gown is by Jenny Packham. I love with gown, I would wear this but it’s a Jenny Packham’s gown and not Jenny Packham’s design for Rapunzel.  In fact basically this dress is a copy of one of Packham’s wedding gown in purple with more fabric that pools on the floor.  (click here to see the gown). I’m not sure how to rate it. 8/10 for the gown as itself and 2/10 for it’s connection to Rapunzel because other than the color there isn’t one.  So sad.

Snow White by Oscar de la Renta picture image

Snow White by Oscar de la Renta

 

Snow White’s gown is by Oscar de la Renta. At first glance this is over-the-top but looking with a  a more critical eye and keeping Snow White and Oscar de la Renta in check, this one is really good. It captures both Snow White and Oscar de la Renta’s personalities very well. Oscar de la Renta aesthetic is ornate and luxurious which this is but the color are in keeping with Snow White. The details also fit with her design in a new way which I appreciate. There is the neckline and the puff sleeve it communicates her look but it different. Yes, it over the top but it works. 8/10

 

Tiana by Ralph & Russo picture image

Tiana by Ralph & Russo

Tiana’s gown is by Ralph & Russo. I can see Tiana in the puffy skirt and the diagonal draping in the bodice. The color is more blue than Tiana’s vibrant green but it’s quite pretty. I like the cowl neckline and I’m glad that it wasn’t strapless, I hate  strapless gowns. I hate the line at the waistline though, I wish it was either embellished somehow or not there. That line kills me.  If the color was amp up a little more or more green it would be more Tiana-ish. 6/10  I still like it though and if the color worked on me I would wear.

 

I should do research to see what Design would be the best to bring Esmeralda’s costume to life.  Also do you agree or disagree with me?