The Many Styles of Frollo

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In the realm of Hunchback we know that Quasimodo will (or should) be ugly and deformed and Esmeralda should be pretty, these are truth in in the novel, they have set looks. Frollo, while he does have a set look in the novel and is supposed to have an austere harsh look gets a wide variety of looks in the movies.   So today we’re are going to look at some Frollo’s various hair styles.

Frollo’s hair in the book is balding. he had tuff of ugly gray hair on the side which give him a natural tonsure. Movie never go for this look

Jehan 1923 Hunchback of Notre Dame Brandon Hurst picture image

Jehan 1923 Hunchback of Notre Dame Brandon Hurst

In the 1923 we have two Frollo, Pious Claude and Jerk Jehan. Jehan has black hair that  goes to ears and he also seen wearing a bowler-like hat. Claude has  sepia color. He has a receding hair line.

 

Jehan Frollo (Sir Cedric Hardwicke) 1939 Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Jehan Frollo, Sir Cedric Hardwicke 1939 Hunchback of Notre Dame

In the 1939 version we again have Pious Claude and Jerk Jehan. Jehan has black hair that is a straight cut across his forehead. He has lock that curl on the side his face. Claude has white hair and he wears a bishop hat.

 

Frollo (Alain Cuny), 1956 The Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Frollo (Alain Cuny), 1956 The Hunchback of Notre Dame

In the 1956 version, Frollo has a full-head of brown hair. He keeps it short.

 

Kenneth Haigh as Frollo 1977 Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Kenneth Haigh as Frollo 1977 Hunchback of Notre Dame

In the 1977, Frollo has the brown hair with a straight bang line.

Derek Jacobi as Frollo, 1982 Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Derek Jacobi as Frollo, 1982 Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

In the 1982, Frollo hair at is at it’s most stupid. It’s a blond bowl cut.

Frollo singing Hellfire Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Frollo singing Hellfire Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

In the Disney version, Frollo has the same cut of 1939 Jehan but with gray hair. His bangs cut straight along the center of his forehead and then it recedes.

 

Richard Harris as Frollo, 1997 The Hunchback picture image

Richard Harris as Frollo

In the 1997, he is bald.

Daniel Lavoie as Frollo Notre Dame de Paris picture image

Daniel Lavoie as Frollo Notre Dame de Paris

 

In original Notre Dame de Paris version, he has very short brown hair.

 

Richard Berry as Frollo 1999 Quasimodo d'El Paris picture image

Richard Berry as Frollo 1999 Quasimodo d’el Paris

In the 1999  parody version, Quasimodo d’El Paris, he has short black hair with long thin sideburns.

 

Frollo’s look in the movies (and musicals) are very different than the novel but they seem based Frollo’s look on the past movies than on the novel.

 

 

Average, Average to the Max; The Costumes of the 1982 version of Hunchback

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Like so many other movies, The 1982 adaption of the Hunchback is influenced by its times, in this case the infamous early 1980s. The costumes themselves are not super 80s looking, I mean when you think about the 80’s these costumes could have been so much more crazy. The costumes were design by Phyllis Dalton who designed the costumes for another little known 1980s medieval fantasy movie, I dunno maybe you have heard of it; The Princess Bride.

Lesley-Anne Down as Esmeralda, 1982 Hunchback of Notre Dame, picture image

Lesley-Anne Down as Esmeralda, 1982 Hunchback of Notre Dame

Esmeralda gets two costumes, which look very similar. The first one is a blue corset that has sleeves and a leaf-y gold pattern and a blue skirt with a green under skirt. The second is a pink cinch corset so her chemise is more part of the look.It also has a matching pink skirt.

Overall these two costumse don’t scream “I’M THE 80’s” but nor do they suggest a poor Gyspy girl. The fabric appears to be some form of satin. Satin did exist in the middle ages but it was very expensive. Now it’s very possible it was gifted to her but the costumes are too pristine looking.

Lesley-Anne Down as Esmeralda, 1982 Hunchback of Notre Dame picture iamge

Lesley-Anne Down as Esmeralda, 1982 Hunchback of Notre Dame

The pink is an interesting color choice. Pink is a lighter tone for red and red is Esmeralda’s default color for films. But the choice of pink keeps her young and feminine looking and works against her becoming over-sexualized. That being said, Esmeralda’s costumes are not anything special, they’re pretty sedate and boring.

Anthony Hopkins as Quasimodo, 1982 Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Anthony Hopkins as Quasimodo, 1982 Hunchback of Notre Dame

Now the part everyone cares about; Quasimdo’s make-up! How does this version measure up to Laughton’s and Chaney’s looks? It measures up fairly well. Hopkins’s looks like Laughton’s Quasimodo. He’s got the protrusion, the one good eye, the ugly teeth and rounded nose. It’s a good interpretation of Quasimodo and Laughton’s look.

Anthony Hopkins as Quasimodo, 1982 Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Anthony Hopkins as Quasimodo, 1982 Hunchback of Notre Dame

So what part of the costumes scream the 1980’s? The Hair! Oh, the hair in this, it’s totally the 80’s. Let‘ s start with Esmeralda. Esmeralda has big curly hair but a little more than that it’s layered to have more volume near her face.

And Quasimodo has a mullet, which heyday was the 80s’. The hair is where all the 80 glory lives.

Lesley-Anne Down as Esmeralda, 1982 Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Lesley-Anne Down as Esmeralda, 1982 Hunchback of Notre Dame

On the whole the costumes are average at best. There is nothing remarkable or memorable but the hair is a shining example of 80’s-ness.

Next 1982 article sets.

Anthony Hopkins as Quasimodo, 1982 Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Anthony Hopkins as Quasimodo, 1982 Hunchback of Notre Dame

Quasimodo’s Hair Color

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Garou as Quasimodo Notre Dame de Paris image picture

Garou as Quasimodo Notre Dame de Paris

A question that comes up a lot is about Quasimodo’s hair. Why does he have red hair? I recently saw this asked on http://notredamedeparisfans.tumblr.com/. Quasimodo in both Notre Dame de Paris and Disney version is depicted as having red hair. Other version also have him with red hair.  And the answer is very simple, it’s in the original novel. Quasimodo has red hair in the book. In Book 1 chapter 5 entitled “Quasimodo” It says “…..A huge head, bristling with red hair….” as part of Quasimodo description. It’s on page 50 for those who have the Barnes Nobel version.

Quasimodo Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney picture image

Quasimodo’s Reveal Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney

So why did Hugo pick red for Quasimodo’s hair color? Well the reason could be that there was a medieval belief that red hair marked a beastly sexual desire and moral degeneration. Or it makes him more of a social outcast than if he had a blond, black or brown hair.

Anthony Hopkins as Quasimodo from the 1982 version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, picture image

Anthony Hopkins as Quasimodo from the 1982 version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Though why Esmeralda in Notre Dame de Paris sometimes has red hair is a different question. I mean I the first person cast had black hair (Noa), Helene Segera has brown but against the red light looks reddish. Then when Julie Zenatti was cast she got the red hair as well as France D’Amour. Since then of the more than a few other opted for red hair.

Frances d'Amour as Esmeralda in Notre Dame de Paris picture image

Frances d’Amour as Esmeralda in Notre Dame de Paris