Notre Dame, Paris, France - Matted Photo

Notre Dame, Paris, France – Matted Photo

It’s true that Notre Dame owes a lot of its cultural significance to Victor Hugo and his novel but Notre Dame didn’t just sit there and let Hugo’s imagination work with out her influence.

Anaykh craved on the wall, 1956 Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Anaykh craved on the wall, 1956 Hunchback of Notre Dame

One story goes is that as Hugo was up in the towers of Notre Dame he came across a word craved on the wall. The Word was “Ananke.” Ananke is a noun that means “force, constraint, necessity” and is the personification of destiny, necessity and fate. Seeing this word craved on the wall made Hugo think about the person who wrote it. From this word Frollo was conceived, making him the first character for the novel. Ananke is also a major theme in the novel.

Quasimodo is crowned King of Fools (Charles Laughton) 1939 Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Quasimodo is crowned King of Fools (Charles Laughton) 1939 Hunchback of Notre Dame

Also while Hugo was exploring Notre Dame, the cathedral was going though repairs. One of the stoneworkers was a Hunchback who was also British. His name was Henry Sibson This suggests that Quasimodo was inspired  by Sibson.

You can get the  Print of Notre Dame by clicking here!

March 29 is apparently Ananke Day according to the good people at The Frollo Forum. Ananke was the original inspiration for the character of Frollo. Victor Hugo say the word carved into a wall in Notre Dame and wonder about the person who carved it.  It’s a greek concept that means roughly (very, very very roughly) “Death Destiny”.

So in honor Ananke Day here’s a video of “Anarkia” from Notre Dame de Paris peformed by Daniel Lavoie (Frollo) and Bruno Pelletier (Grongoire) Enjoy

Also I know I put this song as number 7 in the worst song list of Notre Dame de Paris but I really do enjoy it. So many subject changes for such a short song, I think Gringoire has ADD.

Given how every facet of Disney’s Hunchback of Notre Dame is different from the original novel, there aren’t that many minor differences. However there a few;

 

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

Quaismodo Bells of Notre dame reprise Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Phoebus and Esmeralda Happy Ending Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Phoebus and Esmeralda Happy Ending Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Clopin Reprise of Bells of Notre Dame Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Clopin Reprise of Bells of Notre Dame Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Good Guys lives. Yeah, this isn’t a big differences. Most film adaptations let the leads live. It is interesting that Esmeralda is really only spared because she is sentence to burn instead of hanging. If she had hanged  the scene would have been less dramtic. So another minor difference is all the fire imagery including Esmeralda on the stake. Also in letting the character live it takes away the theme of “Ananke” (simply meaning Death Destiny) Ananke is the word that book is based off of. However it’s only been features in like two adaptations and beside this movie is about how we  “not to be deceived by appearances, for beauty is found within” no wait that’s Beauty and the Beast…. no it’s the same in Hunchback of the Notre Dame. Stupid Disney morals ruining their movies.

Clopin with Puppet Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Clopin with Puppet Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Bruno Pelletier as Gringoire in Notre Dame de Paris picture image

Bruno Pelletier as Gringoire in Notre Dame de Paris

Phoebus Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame sun god picture image apollo

Phoebus explaining his name Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another minor difference is the lack of Gringoire. Gringoire in the book was a cowardly poet who runs off with Djali. He also acts like a story teller and the voice of author. In Disney, Gringoire is divided between Clopin and Phoebus.  It’s a minor difference because when it comes to cutting characters out Gringoire is seldom cut. Phoebus is the one to get diminished over Gringoire.

 

Quasimodo Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Quasimodo Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Esmeralda about to burn Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame  picture image

Esmeralda about to burn Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Phoebus Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame cross eyes picture image

Phoebus cross-eyed Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is just so many differences between Disney and the book that to write these posts has been mind boggling. I could just have an entire blog about the differences and  it would probably last a good long time. Because let’s face Disney didn’t re-tell Hugo’s story they retold the 1939 version. Then they got 18 people to collaborate on the story who may not have even seen the Charles Laughton version or read the book. This is  why Esmeralda is impressed with Quasimodo’s space and not with Phoebus’ name (in the book she loved his name) , why Quasimodo builds models instead  ringing his bells,  and why Frollo is more obsessed with fire than Esmeralda.  If you read the book and then watch the Disney you would know that this movie has very little in common with book. The only things that are correct are names and the settings. That’s it but in regards to the setting Disney may have got the place right but Notre Dame role in this movie is very much twisted.

 

Next Time -Disney’s Norte Dame Prison or Sanctuary?

Notre Dame of Paris Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Notre Dame of Paris Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

The Old Heretic Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

The Old Heretic Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

A Memorable Character who has no affect on the plot is The Old Heretic (voiced by Gary Trousdale one of directors who as did non-baas for Djali). The guy who yells “I’m Free’ after getting out of some form of confinement but then immediately gets into a new one and then proclaim “Dang it” because they can’t use the word Damn.

The Old Heretic Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame  picture image

The Old Heretic is free Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

The Old Heretic Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame  picture image

The Old Heretic falling Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

The Old Heretic Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame  picture image

The Old Heretic railing against the cruel hand of fate Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So why I’m I bothering with this character. Well, he’s funny, he’s a running gag done well. You see him twice, it the same joke but it’s funny. And though the film goes out of it’s way to do this joke, it feel natural and not forced. Mainly because of control freak Frollo it’s believable that an old guy would be locked away in a cage for X number of years. But odd that a stock would left open during a festival.

The Old Heretic Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame  picture image

The Old Heretic Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

The Old Heretic Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame  picture image

The Old Heretic Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

The Old Heretic Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

The Old Heretic Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Old Heretic looks likes Jafar from Aladdin in his disguise (this make four cameos by other Disney characters, others are  Belle (Beauty and the Beast), Carpet (Aladdin), Pumbaa (The Lion King) and the Baker (Beauty and the Beast) . Maybe the Jafar Disguise is the default  look for Disney’s prisoners. If Disney made  a version of the Count of Monet Cristo, Abbe Faria  would probably look like Jafar/Old Heretic too.

Jafar Disguise Disney Aladdin picture image

Jafar in Disguise Disney Aladdin

Belle, Carpet, Pumbaa Disney Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Lion King picture image

Belle, Carpet, and Pumbaa

 

 

 

 

 

 

Baker Figurine Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Baker Figurine Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

The Baker Disney Beauty and the Beast picture image

The Baker Disney Beauty and the Beast

 

 

 

 

 

 

Little is known about the Old Heretic. We have no idea why he is a heretic or even how old he is. You don’t even learn that he is supposed to be a heretic. One thing that we do know is this; he has a Confinement Destiny*.  He just a gag no more no less. But in the scope of  a running gag it’s enjoyable.

The Old Heretic Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame  picture image

The Old Heretic Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

The Old Heretic Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

The Old Heretic Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

The Old Heretic Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

The Old Heretic Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

 

 

 

 

 

*This is a lame joke relating to Ananke (very simply it means Death Destiny). Ananke plays a big part in the novel and I’m making up another type of destiny, it’s a lame joke, I have a Lame Joke Destiny ^_~.

Next Time – It’s a surprise ^_^

Quaismodo and Hugo Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Quaismodo and Hugo Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame