Bruno Pelletier as Gringoire in Notre Dame de Paris picture image

Bruno Pelletier as Gringoire in Notre Dame de Paris

 

Here is my newest Squidoo Len Gringoire of Notre Dame de Paris. Lens covers 26 actors who have played Gringoire in Notre Dame de Paris. Two more characters and I will have practically covered all the Notre Dame de Paris performers. But these NDdP Character lenses are a lot of work so who know when I’ll get to Clopin and Phoebus. But enjoy the Gringoire actors. I’m still working on quite a few biographies so be sure to check back. (this also my 50th lens ^^)

I have also been trying to create new Hunchback stuff on zazzle. Tying not sure if I’m succeeding though.

Colored Esmeralda Illustration iphone case
Esmeralda Colored Illustration casematecase
Esmeralda Colored Illustration by Hunchstore

Gringoire Shirt
Gringoire; Poet, Genius, Juggler shirt
Gringoire; Poet, Genius, Juggler by Hunchstore

Hopefully I can think up more Hunchback Zazzle ideas… I’ve been in a creative zazzle slump for a while…  :|

These videos are from “Chabada” a French Tv Show from Decemeber 4 2011 with the orginal cast of Notre Dame de Paris (except Bruno Pellatier) right before the reunion concerts. The last video is the whole thing, so if you have 50minutes to kill, give it a watch or watch the song clips. I think I got all them. Enjoy!

 

 

This Week’s Fan-Art is by TheDutchesse and it’s Gringoire Bruno Pelletier-style ^^! I love the use of color in this piece ^_^

Le Temps de Cathedrales by thedutchesse picture image

Le Temps de Cathedrales by thedutchesse

Today’s Fan-art is by rat-patooty.  It’s a Disney/Notre Dame de Paris cross-over and it’s pretty silly…

Why am I doing this by rat patooty

Why am I doing this by rat patooty

The Original  Troupe of Notre Dame de Paris singing at Bercy Concert picture image

The Original Troupe of Notre Dame de Paris singing at Bercy

In the second week of December 2011 we (the world) were treated to four performances of Notre Dame de Paris by the original  cast/troupe in both Paris and in Kiev. The troupe sang the show in a concert style with a full orchestra and a choir. This marks the second year the troupe has done this but the first year they performed in Paris together since 1999. There were talks of a reunion of the original troupe getting together to perform Notre Dame de Paris since May 2009 when Helene Segara mentioned the prospect in an interview (Click HERE to read that interview).

Notre Dame de Paris Concert Poster image picture

Notre Dame de Paris Concert Poster

So  why did it take them so long reunite? Well it actually it’s the some reason why they have been doing the concerts. Notre Dame de Paris made a lot of the original cast’s careers and they enjoyed a fair amount  of popularity from the show. However over the years the cast’s popularity has been waning. Let’s just look at Helene Segara’s music career. When Segara recorded her studio album “Coeur De Verre” in 1996 it peaked number 6 in France. In 1998 she was cast as Esmeralda, in 2000 she released her second studio album “Au Nom D’une Femme” which peaked at number 2 in France. Her album “Humaine” top at number 1 as well as “Quand L’Eternité” in 2006. However her 2009 album “Mon Pays C’Est La Terre” peaked at 19. Quite a fall, and it’s not like the album is terrible, I like it, I even used one of the songs in an Anime Music Video to Romeo X Juliet (click to watch). In 2010, Segara and the rest of the Original Troupe performed the show in a concert format in Kiev, St Petersburg and  Moscow. Her latest album “Parmi La Foule” which was released in 2011 peaked at 9 on the French chart.  Coincidence, No, I think the concerts are a way for the Original Troupe to get back in the spotlight. That is not to say that I think the concerts are some sort of ploy to make money. I think the people invovled with them love the show and the music and the original troupe seem to respect the fans and like performing the show.

 

Helene Segara and Garou on Stage in Kiev picture image

Helene Segara and Garou on Stage in Kiev

Now how were the concerts this year? I can’t give a full answer as I couldn’t go to either Paris or Kiev and concerts are one those things that you need to be there for. And watching Youtube videos shot/uploaded by fans who were there is not fair to base an assessment on. However watching videos, I must admit I was a little disappointed. It seems to me that with the Kiev performance the Troupe were pushed into a corner of the stage (by the harp) and  just  stayed in that corner or the didn’t really move around the stage much. The weird part is that you can tell they want to act the show, Daniel Lavoie (Frollo) does his Frollo posture with stiff hands. It’s a little forgivable because watching the video the Kiev Stage looks small and there is a full orchestra on stage.

Helene Segara performing Bohemienne at Bercy Concert  picture image

Helene Segara performing Bohemienne at Bercy Concert

Which brings me another problem I had, the full orchestra. Yes, orchestras are lovely and provide great energy, but I really don’t care for the arrangement of the songs. I hate to use Segara as an example again but let’s  look at Bohemienne as an example. Bohemienne is one of the few upbeat songs in the show. The orchestra at the Bercy concert gave Bohemienne a slower tempo and upped the Middle-Eastren vibe, which I liked (even if it only makes sense because Helene Segara is part Armenian). But  the slower pace just makes it seem melancholy, the only thing to saves it is Segara puts the energy back into the song with her performance, even if she is not dancing.

 

Garou, Daniel Lavoie and Patrick Fiori performing Belle in Bercy picture image

Garou, Daniel Lavoie and Patrick Fiori performing Belle in Bercy

Also one more thing, and this a personal thing, I have an issue with Belle (Staging). The point of Belle is that three men sing about a woman but when the Trio sings it where is the “Belle”, why isn’t Segera on stage? She was on stage last year for the concerts. I mean it’s one thing if the trio is performing on a TV show and Segara is not there but she’s there no excuse, she should have been on stage in some capacity.

 

Notre Dame de Paris Original Troupe Promo Picture  Image

Notre Dame de Paris Original Troupe Promo Picture

There are other things I can harp on but I confess that I can forgive my disappoints, because had I been there the thrill of it would eclipsed my critical mind and I would have been lost in the spectacle of it all. It’s very easy to be critical when you’re not there. I do think it wonderful that the Original Troupe has done these concerts. I do hope they will perform the concerts on the other side of the Pond as half the cast are Canadians. I know there were rumors about it last summer but Garou was in Cirque Du Soleil in New York, so that didn’t happen. So we’ll if the Troupe does more concerts in the future, I hope they do.

Patrick Fiori and Julie Zenatti performing Notre Dame de Paris in Bercy picture image

Patrick Fiori and Julie Zenatti performing Notre Dame de Paris in Bercy

Bruno Pelletier performing Notre Dame de Paris in Bercy picture image

Bruno Pelletier performing Notre Dame de Paris in Bercy

Luck Mervil performing Notre Dame de Paris in Bercy picture image

Luck Mervil performing Notre Dame de Paris in Bercy

 

 

 

 

 

 

Garou and Helene Segara performing Ma Maison c'est Ta Maison in Kiev picture image

Garou and Helene Segara performing Ma Maison c’est Ta Maison in Kiev

Julie Zenatti performing Notre Dame de Paris in Bercy picture image

Julie Zenatti performing Notre Dame de Paris in Bercy

Garou and Patrick Fiori giving Daniel Lavoie a Kiss in Bercy during the Notre Dame de Paris Concert picture image

Garou and Patrick Fiori giving Daniel Lavoie a Kiss in Bercy during the Notre Dame de Paris Concert

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Helene Segara performing Notre Dame de Paris picture image

Helene Segara performing Notre Dame de Paris

 

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

Madeline and Quasimodo kiss Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

Phoebus and Esmeralda Kiss Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Phoebus and Esmeralda Kiss Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Stupid La Fidèle Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney Sequel 2 picture

Stupid La Fidèle Hunchback of Notre Dame II

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the case of Disney’s Hunchback sequel, this was Disney’s chance to give Quasimodo a love story as they didn’t in the original movie because Esmeralda and Phoebus are made for each other and pretty much the some person. However the whole plot with the bell was stupid. What Disney should have done was used the sequel to mitigate between the book and the movie instead of creating a villain who was pretty much universally despised by the masses, an idiotic impractical bell and not utilizing the more beloved main characters -Esmeralda, Clopin, and Djali.

 

Bruno Pelletier as Gringoire in Notre Dame de Paris picture image

Bruno Pelletier as Gringoire in Notre Dame de Paris

Djali Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Djali Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Madeline Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney sequel 2 picture image

Madeline Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here what they should have done, since Disney is in the business of contrived romances we’ll keep the Madeline character but instead of working for a vain magical bell thief she’ll be in league with Gringoire whose is a poet and a goat thief. Gringoire is original to the book and he does steals/rescues Djali. But having Djali as a focal point it would have been easier to incorporate Esmeralda and Clopin. Plus Djali was a smart Goat who could spell, tell time and do numerous of other tricks, plus Disney could have marketed more Djali toys instead that stupid Bell. Plus there would have been no lame Sarousch or hopefully no Zephyr. (Did anyone like either of them? Seriously I wanna know.)

 

Esmeralda Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Esmeralda Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

However, I think Disney should have forgone the whole Quasimodo story line and done a prequel with Esmeralda because I can tell you right know more people search for Esmeralda than Quasimodo, she is just more popular. I think an Esmeralda backstory who have been a better waste of time. Who agrees? I mean we know nothing of Esmeralda’s childhood, parents, how she came to the Court of Miracles, or anything. I guess this makes her mysterious but it would have been more interesting to watch than watching Quasimodo force a girl into liking him with a jewel-crusted bell that isn’t even in the first movie. An Esmeralda origin tale  would have mitigated the Disney story of Hunchback and Hugo’s Notre Dame de Paris, I mean Esmeralda is the titular character and the book revolves around her and Disney trying to downplay her in favor of Quasimodo just didn’t work. So they should have done a Prequel full of Esmeralda and not the sequel that they poop out.

Next Time – Conclusion Time for the Sequel

Frollo Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney picture image

Frollo hates the Hunchback sequel and is happy to watch it burn

 

 

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