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’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
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
The Art of the Hunchback of Notre Dame
One of the best companion pieces to the Disney version of the Hunchback of Notre Dame is The Art of The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Disney Miniature)
Concept art of Quasimodo saving Esmeralda from the Art of the Hunchback
It’s for all intended purpose thisis an art book. It has tons of concept art, production stills, sketches, illustrations from the novel, and art by Victor Hugo. (Hugo’s own art work is gorgeous). However the major flaw with it is its size. It’s tiny for something that is an art book. Here’s a picture of it compare to my Final Fantasy IX art book (I had this book for a while).
Size comparison of The Art of the Hunchback of Notre to The Art of Final Fantasy IX
The Hunchback art book is 5.6 inches by 4.3 inches compare to the art Final Fantasy IX which is 11.8 inches by 9.3 inches. However I think this isn’t suppose to be a true art book as much a more in depth look behind movie’s creation.
Concept Art for Esmeralda Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
The book has a ton of information about the background on the book, characters and a lot of how the movie art plays with light and shadows. It’s a very interesting read although Stephen Rebello does make one big generalization. In the Quasimodo chapter page 57, he writes ” Victor Hugo probably never imagined his malformed, melancholy creation breaking forth into song.” Hugo himself wrote a libretto for Louise Bertin’s opera La Esmeralda 
Concept Art of Quasimodo from the Art of the Hunchback of Notre Dame
Anyway despite that generalization it is well researched and an interesting read with lots of great artwork. I would highly recommend it for fans of the Disney movie.
Esmeralda exerting some power Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Disney’s Esmeralda has a great style to emulate.It’s fun, bold and easy, what it really breaks down to is a peasant blouse with an interesting neckline and sleeve, purple bottoms, and a teal or blue statement belt. Gold complete the look. you can also had a purple scarf for a bit more punch. Keep the shoes minimal as she is barefoot.
Here are few pieces you get from Amazon to add a little Esmeralda spice to your wardrobe. (post is a little long)
Peasant Blouses; all come in white
Bottoms; all come in purple
Belts;
This is perfect, great color and you get the stripe affect.
Scarfs;
comes in purple
Shoes;
Jewelry; Remember, keep it gold and make sure you get bangles or a cuff and hoop earrings.
Esmeralda (Gina Lollobrigida) and Quasimodo (Anthony Quinn), 1956 Hunchback of Notre Dame
Let’s talk about the direction of the 1956 version of Hunchback of Notre Dame
Esmeralda (Gina Lollobrigida) with Phoebus (Jean Danet), 1956 Hunchback of Notre Dame
The flat-angle also making the blocking and composition insanely dull as well. Also the editing rarely cuts away from the medium long shots. So scene play out with people talking and the camera sometimes panning to follow. Rarely does it cut to a close up or reaction shot.
Robert Hirsch as Gringoire & Gina Lollobrigida as Esmeralda, 1956 Hunchback of Notre dame
But for the sake of argument let’s look at the big scene of Hunchback, Quasimodo saving Esmeralda.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zxzj403ihYg&feature=youtu.be
This scene is usual big and epic is rather small and dull. But what really gets me is after Djali walks into the cathedral there is a dissolve which means a passage of time. This makes the big ‘sanctuary shot” feel like it was thrown in. I compare this to Disney
and its dullness is amplified. One can argue that the 1956 scene plays out like the book but there is no excuse for the all flat which steals the life away from any scene. However the film isn’t devoid of inserting camera work they just seem to be allocate to Esmeralda’s dance. The Angles again are mostly flat but the editing has a degree variety. I think the most interesting single shot in the movie is Frollo staring at Esmeralda as she being reflective in the window next to him.
Frollo (Alain Cuny) stares while Esmeralda (Gina Lollobrigida) dances, 1956 Hunchback of Notre Dame
All in all this film is made boring in it execution. The framing, the editing, the composition of the shot are all so mind-numbingly dull.
Flat Angle, 1956 Hunchback of Notre Dame
Next 1956 post- an editing mistake.
Esmeralda (Gina Lollobrigida), 1956 Hunchback of Notre Dame
Today Fan-art is by Kathryn Hudson. I saw it on http://www.babble.com. It’s Disney couples going to the prom. Here is Quasimodo & Esmeralda’s prom photo. I rather like the design of her dress it’s a nice modern interpretation of her red dress.
Kathryn Hudson illustartion of Quasimodo and Esmeralda going to the prom
You can see the rest of Hudson’s Disney prom illustrations here and he sure to check Hudson’s website.
These songs were judged based on how lame the song was musically and contextually. Originally I want to keep it to movie but I didn’t. Hunchback versions like Secret of the Hunchback, Jetlag, or Enchanted could have dominated this List but that a little unfair as they are very much the worst of the worst that everything about them is crap. So I’m limiting their amount. I pretty must keeping this movie version with one exception because it’s my list.
10. A Guy like You, Disney
Gargoyles A Guy like you Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Compare to the other songs on this list, this is a masterpiece. However when you compare it to the other songs in the Disney movie, it’s really BAD. The song builds up Quasimodo’s confidence only to have it crash down right after this song. However the way this done is by focusing on Quasimodo’s look and not his personality which is contrary to whole point of everything in this movie. However the music, singing and lyrics are all decent.
9. The Bells all Ring, Enchanted Tales
Melody & Quasimodo, Enchanted Tales, Hunchback of Notre Dame
I once read a comment on this song that it lowers intelligence and yeah it’s pretty damn stupid. It comes out of nowhere and somehow this is the love song for Esmeralda and Quasimodo who just met. But the bell imagery fits. So while it is indeed very very stupid it’s harmless it won’t impact your intelligence too much.
8. Fa Fa Fa Fallen in Love, Hunchback II
Madeline and Quasimodo Fa la la la Fallen In Love Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney
This song is just a big ball of weird confusion. It is both pedantic and stupid and it proves it doesn’t understand the characters. First, it uses words like roundelay and madrigal but then it has lyrics that go “Oh, Wow” and has “Fa La La La” in the title whatever intelligence and cleverness it was trying to get out the big words is wasted. But my annoyance with this song is because it’s Quasimodo who have fallen in love and how big a deal it is that “Love has nailed him” and “Love’s derailed him.” It really should be Madeline (the girl) who has been derailed. Quasimodo’s life goal has been to be love so love can’t nail him or derail him when he has been working and hoping that this will happen to him.
7. Take your Cares and Toss Them, The Secret of the Hunchback
Gargoyles sing to Quasimodo,The Secret of the Hunchback
One of the most infamous songs in The Secret of the Hunchback is the Gargoyles’ song. The Gargoyles’ song is infamous because the gargoyles sing “doo-wa” in a jazzy manner while wearing sunglasses and playing instruments. Oh it’s idiotic. The context is Quasimodo is imagining the gargoyles are cheering him up. So while it’s kinda of works in way it just an excuse to get a singing gargoyle in the movie. The whole thing is a failure of execution but so is the rest of the movie. I will say that this song does a better job of telling Quasimodo that he is awesome. In fact “you’re awesome” is an actual lyric. It’s lame but given the movie it’s not surprising.
6. Frollo’s song, The Secret of the Hunchback
Frollo singing, The Secret of the Hunchback
If Jafar and Gaston had a love child it would be this version’s Frollo. In The Secret of the Hunchback, Frollo is the sheriff of Paris or something. His motivation is he wants the gold of Notre Dame and as this “villain song” implies he is going to use it to take over the world. So yeah his motivations are generic and confused much like this song. Musically this song feels all over the place and ends with Frollo going very low which feels weird and out of place. But I give the singer some credit as he says “Forte” correctly, so that is something.
5. Si Tu Pouvais Voir en moi (If you could see inside me), Notre Dame de Paris (2001)
Gio di Tonno as Quasimodo, Notre Dame de Paris Italian version
While I do think another song Notre Dame de Paris is worst, I excuse it since it is a bridge song. This song was a bridge song before they turned it into Quasimodo’s judgmental song. This song was not original to the show. Originally it was a bridge song for a Frollo song but instead it’s Quasimodo singing about Esmeralda being shallow for not noticing his pure love and the other guys lustful intensions. The thing we got all that from “Belle” (one of the greatest hunchback songs ever) and it’s just plain out of character for Quasimodo to sing those things. And considering it’s short and musically it’s only a few chords getting the character wrong is a major issue. And to make matters worse this song doesn’t even have to exist as it’s a replacement song. I realllllllllly HATE this song.
4. Love is Everything, Jetlag
Quasimodo and Esmeralda embrace
Love is Everything is ending song for the Jetlag version and boy oh boy is it a lazy piece of exploitative deleted. Quasimodo sings about how love is awesome and he’s happy to be in love and to be loved Blah blah blah how many songs are like this? But they use the tune to “We Three Kings” which makes zero sense. At least it’s not a national anthem which some of the lazier Hunchback song use. Overall this song is lazy, stupid and boring.
3. Dance to the Music of Paris, Enchanted Tales
Melody, a.k.a Not Esmeralda, Enchanted Tales, Hunchback of Notre Dame
This song is the opening song for Enchanted Tales. Unlike The Bells all Rings this song attacks your intelligence. First the song has no clue what time period the story takes place it. It uses the Can-Can as the melody. But this song is a cesspool of horrific lyrics. Lyrics like “Oui Oui,” “ooo la la,” and “the food is delicious, it’s pure gastronomy but don’t ask what’s in it because it’s Paris mon ami.” They also rhyme Rhythm with Rhythm. They also repeat a TON of clips not in this part but throughout this version. This song is so complex in its awfulness that I can not even express it properly.
2. I’d Stick with you, Hunchback II
Quasimodo and Zephyr I’d Stick With You Hunchback of Notre Dame II Disney
I’d Stick with you is a buddy song between Quasimodo and Zephyr (Esmeralda & Phoebus’ son). It’s Zephyr posing a stupid scenario that if he was covered in glue would Quasimodo still be his friend. Oh My Goodness, is that Stupid. The song is just to show Madeline that Quasimodo is nice. The song has this sing-song way about it makes you want to hit mute. The lyrics are awful, half of them are set-ups so they can rhyme with “stick”. It bad, really bad but there is one song that out stupids it.
1. Magic in your heart, Enchanted Tales
Melody, a.k.a Not Esmeralda in Jail awaiting death, Enchanted Tales, Hunchback of Notre Dame
This song….this song…….(cries) what fuck is is this? So ummmm, Melody a.k.a Not Esmeralda, has been arrested and sentenced to die and to make herself feel better she sings this uptempo abomination. She starts imagining that items in her cell came to life and start dancing around. Items like hay, iron bars, and stone blocks. She also gives instruments to mice. Considering that she can make instruments come to life with annoying personalities, I find it hard to believe that this only her imagination. But the song has no purpose in a Hunchback version. I mean I guess it shows her character but Not Esmeralda never showed a personality other than blandly nice so there is no point to this. I mean she doesn’t seem at all concern that she is going to die. The lyrics are crap, the visuals are stupid, context is shit, and the singing is grating.
Get all these movies and witness the awfulness yourself;
The Secret of the Hunchback
Notre Dame de Paris (Please Note- The song on the list isn’t in this version)
Roger Ebert
On April 4th 2013, Roger Ebert passed away. He was the one of the most famous movie critics in world. And whether you agreed or disagree with him, people always wanted to know his opinions on a movie. So What did Roger Ebert think of Disney’s Hunchback? He really liked it. He gave it four stars. He liked it better than Aladdin and Pocahontas. He thought it was Disney’s best since Beauty and the Beast. He said “It blends Menken’s songs, glorious animation, boundless energy and the real substance of the story into a movie of heart and joy.”
I, for my part am jaded. When I look at a hunchback movie I judge it on how it compares to the novel and the Disney version falls short as it’s not like the novel at all but from someone who is looking at the movie as stand alone story, I agree with him. It’s an enjoyable movie that does have heart and substance and most of animation still looks really good after 17 years.
You can read this review here; http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19960621/REVIEWS/606210302/1023
Or you can watch his review with Gene Siskel;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uv31cvSsJ_E
Esmeralda from Disney’s Hunchback of Notre Dame
Last Month Disney had a vote for people to vote for which characters the would like to see at the Disney land park. One of the options was Esmeralda, Clopin and Frollo and I’m happy to say that they won.
The other winners were;
-From “Pocahontas” – Pocahontas, John Smith, Meeko and Governor Ratcliffe
-From “Robin Hood” – Robin Hood, Friar Tuck, Prince John and Sheriff of Nottingham
– And Scrooge McDuck and Ludwig Von Drake
They will only be there til April 14th so if you go see them,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YFPRf2kXTg