The Hunch - Part 108

17Oct 2013

Costumes for Miss Fleur de Lys

by jess

Fleur de Lys is Phoebus’ Fiancee. She is a noble lady and is often overlook by more than a few film versions but done right she can be an interesting and very complex. Fleur-de-Lys is less iconic of a costume than Esmeralda’s as a Renaisaance lady is kind a dime a dozen. But if you want to feel like Fleur-de-Lys there are a few options. Remember unless you’re going custom nothing will look 100% to 1480’s style.

You go either rich colors like reds or go for blues. A few film Fleur-de Lys wear blue. Just remember you’re a rich lady who is the only character to really get a happy ending in the novel.

Costume Culture by Franco LLC Womens Medieval Blue Princess Halloween Costume

This one is one of the few blue on I could find.

Charades Womens Camelot Renaissance Dress Halloween Costume

I like this color options for Fleur-de-Lys, a dark rich pick which seems to fit her personality very well.

Renaissance Maiden Adult Costume

The sleeves are very much like sleeves people would have worn in the late medieval period. This costume is very rich looking.

Rubie’s Costume Deluxe Milady Of The Castle Renaissance Dress

This costume has a neckline detail that is very similar to what was fashionable in the 1480’s. Also the fur trim on the cuff is a detail that was on the 1956 Fleur-de-Lys costume.

Adult Maiden Of Verona Costume

The neckline and waist are very much like the fashion of the 1480’s plus the color, the darkish almost pink color is great for Fleur-de-Lys.

InCharacter Costumes, LLC Maid Marian Dress

This costume has both red and blue. The sleeves are very pretty and feminine. Even though this is a very pretty costume there something dark about it which makes it a good choice for Fleur-de-Lys

16Oct 2013

Scary Hypothetical Casting for Esmeralda

by jess

Seeing how it is the month of Halloween when frights and terrors rule the land, let’s imagine a truly terrifying casting option for Esmeralda.

In my mind, the idea of Miley Cyrus playing Esmeralda is cringe inducing.

Miley Cyrus

Cyrus isn’t an actress. She fits more into celebrity end of fame. She says one thing on twitter and it’s everywhere. She shocks, so that people will talk about her.

But let’s discuss her as actress as that is what she started out as I guess and that is the point of this post. To put it bluntly, she can’t act. I have seen her in the Hannah movie, Bolt and 30 grueling minutes of Last Song. Cyrus can only act like herself; a self-indulgent women-children who thinks having fun is partying and being overtly vulgar.

The idea of her playing any character from literature is bone-chilling. She can not play characters that have any complexity or depth. Even Esmeralda in the novel is too complex for her acting skills.

If she were to play Esmeralda can you imagine the dance scene *shudders*. And then the rest of it would be hackneyed and hammy. Of course, Cyrus doesn’t seem to be concerned with acting these days but the threat looms, like Slenderman lurking in a deep dark forest.

If however she ever got it in her head to play Esmeralda she has means to do it. Let that thought steep into your mind and then stop your heart in the small-hours of the night when hell opens upon you.

15Oct 2013

Quasimodo of Nowhere

by jess

The Hunchback, a.k.a Quasimodo, in the Courage the Cowardly Dog episode The Hunchback of Nowhere is presented as ugly but kind. Such a twist! But there is a few differences that this version gives to Quasimodo other than a kind yet ugly misfit.

Quasimodo, Courage the Cowardly Dog, The Hunchback of Nowhere

In the Disney vein, he has red hair and wears green. He doesn’t have a wart protrusion over his eye instead his eye bulges out from the socket and curves upwards which is very cartoony. His other eye is big and purple. He has greenish skin, a huge nose and for some reason he has a scar. He is also rather lumpy which makes the hunch looks unified with the rest of his form.

Eustace rejecting Quasimodo, Courage the Cowardly Dog, The Hunchback of Nowhere

Unlike every other single version of the hunchback, this is one is not haunting Notre Dame, instead he is looking for shelter. Not even companionship he just wants a place to spend the night not outside. Got to wonder why he’s not at Notre Dame?

Quasimodo plays handbells, Courage the Cowardly Dog, The Hunchback of Nowhere

But does the absence of Notre Dame makes this depiction not Quasimodo? No, even though he is never refereed to as Quasimodo and there is no Notre Dame as a signifier there are other things that signify him as Quasimodo. First, being kind hunchback is enough but the show does other things like he plays bells. A Kind Hunchback who plays bells, that pretty much says Quasimodo. He also swings on a trapeze in barn for some reason. So we have a kind hunchback that plays bells and swings on ropes, if that doesn’t “Hello, I’m Quasimodo” I don’t really know what would.

Quasimodo, Courage the Cowardly Dog, The Hunchback of Nowhere

For a ten minute runtime he also a dynamic character. He goes from being quiet and letting people, mainly Eustace, make him feel bad to standing up to Eustace on Courages’ behalf.

Quasimodo reading an insult, Courage the Cowardly Dog, The Hunchback of Nowhere

Frankly, it’s a short and sweet version of Quasimodo. I like that this Quasimodo isn’t hung up on finding love or even lasting acceptances and friends. The popping eye, green skin and scar are weird stylistic choices to his design but they are not awful or distracting.

Next Time – Nods to the original Source

Eustace falling off the barn, Courage the Cowardly Dog, The Hunchback of Nowhere

14Oct 2013

Belle for the Concept Concert

by jess

This is from the Concept Concert the original, original cast (note Noa) performed in February 1998, 8 months before the show. This was the first time Belle was performed in Public.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4j5cPdClV6c

13Oct 2013

More Notre Dame Performances in 2014

by jess

Alessandra Ferrari as Esmeralda, World Tour Notre Dame de Paris Crocus City

In addition to the performances in Moscow and Singapore two more cities have been added. And Rejoice, they are moving off the Asian Continent.

They will be in Luxembourg at Rockhal, March 24 2014 to the 31st and in Istanbul at Zorlu, April 20th 2014 to May 5th.

I’m going to go on the offense and say that this will be the same English cast. Let’s hope there are more performance.

And if any of you go, Please get me a spare program ^^

10Oct 2013

The Hunchback and the Tone

by jess

Let’s talk about Tone!

Tone is how a movie feels. Is it serious? Funny? Scary? Or sappy as hell? Typically a film should establish its tone in the first 5 minutes or so.

Disney’s Hunchback of Notre Dame gets a lot of criticism for having a confused tone. It does have fart jokes mixed into a story that features Lust, Murder, Corruption and Genocide. But is the tone actually confused? No, the film presents the tone in the first five minutes, it’s an animated drama with bursts of levity mixed with darker elements.

Clopin with Puppet Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

In the first five minutes we’re are introduced to Clopin, who while singing “The Bells of Notre Dame” is performing a puppet show and making jokes to children. So while Bells of Notre Dame does have some dark imagery, the humor was already established in the core narrative before the darker notes were introduced.

Also, it’s is important to think about the gradation of tone throughout the film. The film doesn’t go from farts joke to Frollo’s insane lust. The movie allows the tone build up to either a dark place or silly tone and then back again.

Frollo burns the Mill, Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

For example, Frollo goes into his more severe method for hunting Esmeralda following Hellfire, this includes his burning the miller’s house and the attempt to kill Phoebus. These scenes with their darker tone shift when the film moves back to Quasimodo and the gargoyles.

Victor and Laverne worried, Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

If the tone was confused the gargoyles would have make fart-like jokes following this shift in focuses of characters but instead they worry about Esmeralda and from there the jokes get progressively lighter and sillier, up till “a guy like you” ends. This shows the film has a handle of the different tones in its narrative.

Perhaps my years of watching Bollywood and anime has allowed me to see that multiple tones can coexist in a drama-driven story as long of the tone has gradations to its tonal shifts.

09Oct 2013

Who is Esmeraldaâ€™s Non-Dinsey Counterpart?

by jess

Thumblina, Yum-Yum,Odette, Chel, & Anastasia

For every Disney Heroine, there is a host of Non-Disney animated female characters. From Thumblina, to Princess Yum-Yum to Odette to Chel to Anastasia the list goes on. But of the myriad of Non-Disney Heroines who could be considered Esmeralda’s counterpart?

Esmeralda Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Disney Esmeralda Hunchback of Notre Dame dancing

It’s a tricky question. First off you need someone who has an equivalent look to Esmeralda i.e. a darker look but someone who isn’t royalty. Next, you need someone who fits her personality, brave, loyal, feisty, mature, and has a social conscious. That narrows the field a bit.

Given the necessary qualifications, I think the only choice for Esmeralda’s Non-Dinsey counterpart is …..

Tzipporah from The Prince of Egypt.

Tzipporah, The Prince of Egypt

Tzipporah start hating Moses as she was kidnapped and given Ramses. She is called a “Desert Flower” which plays in her being exotic. She is also played by Michelle Pfeiffer, who much like Demi Moore was considered a seductive actress.

A Lovely Shot from The Prince of Egypt

Also Hunchback and The Prince of Egypt are bit similar in their own right. Both movies are very stunning gorgeous, have a lot of drama and are underrated. I would highly recommend The Prince of Egypt if you haven’t seen it already.

08Oct 2013

The Hunchback of Nowhere

by jess

Seeing how this is the month of frights and ghoulish delights, I thought we would look at a true American horror depiction of Quasimodo. I course mean the season 1 episode 8 episode of Courage the Cowardly Dog entitled “The Hunchback of Nowhere.” Courage the Cowardly Dog, is an comedy horror cartoon that aired on Cartoon Network.

Courage the Cowardly Dog

It’s about a dog named Courage who lives Eustace and Muriel Bagge, an elderly couple who in Nowhere. The show revolves around them getting into bizarre paranormal and supernatural misadventures. Courage is overly frighted, Eustace is mean and selfish and usually mocks Courage while Muriel is sweet and kind.

So let’s not waste this glorious month, let’s just drive into the plot now.

Quasimodo, Courage the Cowardly Dog, The Hunchback of Nowhere

It’s starts on a dark and stormy night as an ugly Hunchback, i.e Quasimodo, looks for a place to stay but is continuously rejected because of his appearance. He reaches Courage’s house and Eustace, in his normal fashion, callously turns him away. Courage however feels for the lonely Hunchback. Eustace then orders Courage to fetch his raincoat which is in the barn. Courage ventures to the barn where he hears bells.

Courage, Quasimodo & the handbells, Courage the Cowardly Dog, The Hunchback of Nowhere

As it turns out, Quasimodo has taken refuge in the barn and has set up an array handbells. Courage and Quasimodo quickly become friends. Their merriment is interrupted when Eustace comes into the barn and demands his raincoat. Eustace then harasses and scares Courage with scary eyes. After Eustace leaves Quasimodo cheers Courage up with some impressive shadow puppets.

Quasimodo reading an insult, Courage the Cowardly Dog, The Hunchback of Nowhere

The next dog Courage invites Quasimodo into the house. Muriel is welcoming to a friend of Courage but when Eustace finds Quasimodo, he orders him to leave but is overruled by Muriel. Eustace proceeds to insult Quasimodo’s ugliness. Courage however feeds Quasimodo insults targeting Eustace’s baldness. Muriel then sends Eustace to eat in hen house since he being inhospitable to a guest.

Quasimodo wearing a Eustace mask, Courage the Cowardly Dog, The Hunchback of Nowhere

Later, Eustace is demanding dinner and finds Muriel watching a handbell concert performed by Quasimodo and Courage on the roof of the barn. Eustace becomes enrages when he sees Quasimodo wearing his precious raincoat. Quasimodo takes it off and Eustace orders Quasimodo to leave. As Quasimodo leaves, Eustace calls Courage stupid and scares him with the scary eyes again. Quasimodo then stands up to Eustace and shows him the true face of ugliness, a mask of Eustace. Eustace becomes so terrified that he falls off the roof but is fine.

Quasimodo and Courage playing bells, Courage the Cowardly Dog, The Hunchback of Nowhere

After the rain passes, Quasimodo decides to leave. Courage pulls out a handbell and Quasimodo pulls out a cathedral-size bell and then two have a laugh. Quasimodo thanks Courage and Muriel for their kindness and hope he find people like them out there.

Next time- Quasimodo’s Depiction