I was doing some research at work a few days ago on Russian Animation and I found these pictures (which have nothing to do with Russian Animation.) In fact these pictures are concept art by Rowland B. Wilson. Wilson created production art for Disney’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame as well as The Little Mermaid, Tarzan and Hercules.

Enjoy!

Quasimodo by Rowland B. Wilson Disney the Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Quasimodo by Rowland B. Wilson Disney the Hunchback of Notre Dame

Esmeralda and Djali by Rowland B. Wilson Disney the Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Esmeralda and Djali by Rowland B. Wilson Disney the Hunchback of Notre Dame

Frollo by Rowland B. Wilson Disney the Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Frollo by Rowland B. Wilson Disney the Hunchback of Notre Dame

Gargoyle by Rowland B. Wilson Disney the Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Gargoyle by Rowland B. Wilson Disney the Hunchback of Notre Dame

Rats by Rowland B. Wilson Disney the Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Rats by Rowland B. Wilson Disney the Hunchback of Notre Dame

Bats by Rowland B. Wilson Disney the Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Bats by Rowland B. Wilson Disney the Hunchback of Notre Dame

Pigeons by Rowland B. Wilson Disney the Hunchback of Notre Dame pictures image

Pigeons by Rowland B. Wilson Disney the Hunchback of Notre Dame

Birds by Rowland B. Wilson Disney the Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Birds by Rowland B. Wilson Disney the Hunchback of Notre Dame

Quasimodo Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney picture image

Quasimodo’s Reveal

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In an effort to get the audience of Quasimodo’s side, Directors Kirk Wise and Gary Trousdale gave Quasimodo a gentle disposition made compete with a kind look. He has big, friendly doe eyes, a full head of red hair and wears a green tunic. Two of the more uglier factors  are his  big stub nose and his  teeth  (large teeth in the front of his mouth). I mean for Disney he’s ugly but for Quasimodo he’s adorable. I think Disney was afraid of making Quasimodo too ugly and risk scaring people off of seeing the movie.

Quasimodo gazing at Esmeralda Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney  picture image

Quasimodo gazing at Esmeralda

Quasimodo Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney picture image

Quasimodo

Esmeralda, Phoebus, and Quasimodo Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Quasimodo accepts Esmeralda and Phoebus as a couple Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

It’s also interesting to mention (and I’ll be mentioning this again) that for many characters in the movie there is not glint in the eyes. Many of the characters their eyes are just small black pupils, exception would be Esmeralda who has green irises, black pupils, and no glint. Quasimodo is one of the few who does has a sparkle in the eyes (other are Djali (though inconsistent) and the little girl who gave Quasimodo a hug, who doesn’t have it till the final even though you see her at the beginning.) Maybe this glint is indicative of innocence, an inconsistencies, or playing favorites? I dunno. I can understand why Quasimodo would have it but for Djali and little girl (only at the end) to have it and no one else, I sense a deeper reasoning here. I’m going with innocence.

Quasimodo shine in the eye Disney Hunchback of Notre dame picture image

Quasimodo shine in the eye Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Djali Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Djali Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

The Little Girl Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

The Little Girl Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

So how does Disney Quasimodo compare with book Quasimodo?

Oh not at all. I said Quasimodo is adorable here. In the book he is not, not at all. Quasimodo is described by Victor Hugo 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.  Disney’s Quasimodo looks like to extent but everything about is soft and round. His mouth is normal. His eyes are both visible despite the protrusion, His hair isn’t bushy in the slightest, it’s smooth and straight and he eyebrows are slightly think but not bushy.  His teeth are uneven but not like tucks. He doesn’t have callous lip  or a forked chin (he hardy has either).

Quasimodo Illustrtion Francois flameng picture image

Illustration of Quasimodo

Quasimodo Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Quasimodo Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Same character and yet no comparison.

In the concept art for Quasimodo ranges all other the place. Sometime he look scary (the way he should look) and sometimes  almost handsome ( he just needs a haircut, and eyebrow plucking). For More Concept Art of Hunchback

Quasimodo Concept Art Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame  picture image

A Monstrous version of Quasimodo Concept Art Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Quasimodo  Concept Art Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame  picture image

The closest to movie version Quasimodo Concept Art Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Quasimodo  Concept Art Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Jockish looking Quasimodo Concept Art Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Quasimodo in the scope of things is just deformed, not ugly. There are ugly people in the crowds in the movie and they don’t have the crutch of deformties for an excuse.  I mean Frollo is no looker himself.

Next Character up – Frollo

Frollo Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney picture image

Frollo Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney