Besides Quaismodo’s make-up and Lon Chaney is there anything else that this movie has going for it? Yes, yes there is, the Sets. The sets are well done.

Notre Dame de Paris set from the 1923 version of Hunchback picture image

Notre Dame de Paris Set from the 1923 version of Hunchback

The sets for the 1923 version of the Hunchback were built on the back-lot of universal. To create the cathedral they built the set up to the row of statues. The upper portions of Notre Dame in the long shots were the results of a floating miniature. A floating miniature means that they would hang the model in front on the camera to force the miniature to match up with the set to look like a whole. It’s a trick of the camera that isn’t used to much these days.  But the result look seamless.

 

A Matte Painting used 1923 Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

A Matte Painting used 1923 Hunchback of Notre Dame

The production also used age old film tricks like matte painting to give the sets more depth. In the picture above, everything beyond the chest is a painting

Group cluster together 1923 Hunchback of Notre Dame picture imageg

Group cluster together

Also strategic positioning of extras helped to give the sets more scale.

 

The Notre Dame Set in the Chaney version of the Phantom of the Opera picture image

The Notre Dame Set in the Chaney version of the Phantom of the Opera

 

According to the DVD commentary, the Notre Dame set was used at the end of Chaney’s Phantom of the Opera. Notice how you don’t seen the upper portion of the church that was filled in bu the floating miniature

 

Quasimodo (Lon Chaney), Esmeralda (Patsy Ruth Miller) and Gudule (Gladya Brockwell) Hunchback of Notre Dame 1923 picture image

Quasimodo (Lon Chaney), Esmeralda (Patsy Ruth Miller) and Gudule (Gladya Brockwell) Hunchback of Notre Dame 1923

 

So the set are great but  does that couple by Chaney, his make-up and one of my favorite Esmerladas make this a Good movie?

Find out Next time

Patsy Ruth Miller as Esmeralda 1923 Hunchback of Notre Dame

Patsy Ruth Miller as Esmeralda 1923 Hunchback of Notre Dame