The Hunch Marquee, The Critic picture image

The Hunch Marquee, The Critic

Since Today is the Feast of Fools/The Epiphany which is the day the Hunchback starts on, I thought I would take a break from Silly Sunday and review one most outstanding and most beautiful versions of Hunchback. Unfortunately this version is the shortest and it really is just a reference in a TV show but the shear masterpiece of this makes it more than a mere reference it’s a classic version on to it’s self.

Quasimodo with the Citizen of Paris in Hunch, The Critic picture image

Quasimodo with the Citizen of Paris in Hunch, The Critic

Of course I’m refereeing to musical version to from The Critic. In the episode Jay Sherman gets tickets to Andrew Lloyd Webber’s newest musical “Hunch.”

Quasimodo on the Pillory in Hunch, The Critic picture image

Quasimodo on the Pillory in Hunch, The Critic

This version centers more around Quasimodo and the citizens of Paris. It opens with Quasimodo tied to the pillory and the citizens blaming all their problems on Quasimodo.

Quasimodo and Esmeralda in Hunch, The Critic picture image

Quasimodo and Esmeralda in Hunch, The Critic

But Quasimodo takes it in stride and meets the lovely, innocent and kind Esmeralda. Quasimodo and her meet for a romantic picnic where they fall in love.

Quasimodo in Hunch, The Critic picture image

Quasimodo in Hunch, The Critic

However a misunderstanding occurs and Quasimodo is let alone in his stone deaf world. The silence is broken by the toll from the bells.

Jay Sherman is the luck audience member, The Critic picture image

Jay Sherman is the luck audience member, The Critic

A bell in then lower into the audience where one lucky person is blessed to be the bell’s clapper.

Jay Sherman, The Critic picture image

Jay Sherman, The Critic

It is in this moment that Quasimodo gets the courage to save day and wins the respect and acceptance of the people of Paris.

Quasimodo with the Citizen of Paris in Hunch, The Critic picture image

Quasimodo with the Citizen of Paris in Hunch, The Critic

This musical has lot of memorable numbers and brilliant lyrics. It also make full use of all the wonderful word-play and sight gags that can be done with the word “Hunch.” It’s quite apparent that Disney saw this fantastic and was like “let’s copy this” but Disney fails to capture the power, the magic and the overall spectacle of this timeless version. Even the beloved Notre Dame de Paris pales in comparison the the majesty of Hunch. Clearly Hunch is the most amazing and genius rendering on Victor Hugo’s novel ever made and it’s worthy everyone love and adoration.

Watch the Glory of it here

or enjoy it as it was ment to be view on a TV

 

Since it’s Friday and January 6th which is the Feast of Fool, It’s a Feast of Fools Fan-Art (or Topsy Turvy Day to you Disney Fans).

This Fan-art is by GenkiTenshi. It’s uses the Feast of Fools as a setting with the characters from Kingdom Hearts Characters; Sora, Donald Duck, and Goofy fighting the Heartless (yeah, I’ve played Kingdom Hearts before). This pairing is appropriate because Kingdom Hearts 3: Birth by Sleep, will go into the Hunchback of Notre Dame world.

Topsy Turvy Day by GenkiTenshi

Topsy Turvy Day by GenkiTenshi

Diseneycember

Diseneycember

 

So in December 2011 Doug walker  ( who plays the insanely Popular Internet Critic Character The Nostalgia Critic  on That Guy With the Glasses) reviewed all the Disney Featured Films. And Since I have a Blog about the Hunchback of Notre Dame this gives me the right to do a review of a review, clique I know. So Here we go.

Esmeralda in the dungeon of La Tournelle. Illustration by Burdet

Esmeralda in the dungeon of La Tournelle. Illustration by Burdet

Frollo singing Hellfire Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Frollo singing Hellfire Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Louis Boulanger's Illustration of Frollo, Esmeralda and Sachette  picture image

Louis Boulanger's Illustration of Frollo, Esmeralda and Sachette

 

 

 

 

 

 

The first I noticed that either Walker hasn’t read the book or it’s been a while. First thing  he claims the book is “Dark and Twisted.”  Now I could I be the twisted one but I don’t find the book that dark or twisted. I mean I guess since main all the characters die and it has a tormented Priest as a main character this qualifies it as “dark” but there are darker books in the world. And dare I say there is a lot of humor. Maybe it’s because it a French story that the darker element stick out and it if were Russian it would fit in. Maybe it’s because people are inclined to thinking the book is of the Gothic Style, which it is not it’s actually Romantic. Anyway the Book will have it’s time here but I disagree with Walker, it’s comparatively darker than some Books but Twisted: No.

 

Aimé de Lemud Illustration of Phoebus Saving Esmeralda from Quasimodo picture image

Aimé de Lemud Illustration of Phoebus saving Esmeralda from Quasimodo

Esmeralda and Quasimodo Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Esmeralda defying Frollo by helping Quasimodo Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Esmeralda being Tortured  picture image

Esmeralda being Tortured

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another thing that made it clear he doesn’t recall the book is the mentioning of the crimes by Esmeralda and Quasimodo. He says that Quasimodo “accidently commits some sort of crime” and he claims that Esmeralda is not arrested for witchcraft. Quasimodo doesn’t accidently kidnapped Esmeralda, Frollo orders him to do it and he does no question. And Esmeralda 100% accused of witchcraft, there was a whole thing in the book where she accused of turning a coin in a dry leave and the tricks she taught Djali which are far more innocent than her trick in the Disney movie. Considering the Kidnapped attempt and Esmeralda’s trail are big portions of the plot I’m not going to let this generalization of Walker’s part go. But then again these scenes are not really in the Disney movie it’s a little forgivable.

 

Quasimodo as the King of Fools Topsy Turvy Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Quasimodo as the King of Fools Topsy Turvy Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Illustration of Quasimodo as the Pope of Fools by Edouard de Beaumont 1844 picture image

Illustration of Quasimodo as the Pope of Fools by Edouard de Beaumont 1844

Shock the Priest Topsy Turvy Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Shock the Priest Topsy Turvy Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another slight problem with his fact checking is the Feast of Fools, Walker calls it a celebrations of Gypsy but the Feast of Fools was a Festival which akin to April’s Fool. Also he brings up some confusion on the way the Gypsy are portrayed. I think that in his thinking the Feast of Fool tripped him up in this explanation but when he says that Esmeralda say that they’re not all thieves but then there is the Court of Miracle where they keep there stolen stuff. However this a problem of making the Court of Miracles in a Gypsy haven which is not in either the book or actuality. In the book the Court of Miracles is where beggars and thieves lives and some Gypsy live there as well including Esmeralda. In actuality the Court of Miracles is the slums.

 

Gargoyles A Guy like you Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Gargoyles A Guy like you Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Walker is a fan of this movie however like me he did hate the Gargoyles. He bring up an interesting point about the Gargoyles being Judgmental and berating each others one looks, which goes against the point of the movie. Walker admits that he could have given the film credit if they were imaginary. The thing is they were supposed to be, if you listen to the commentary that’s what they strived for but they just forgot and there are too many inconsistencies. The film tried they just failed to make that aspect come out.

 

Molten Lead over Notre Dame Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Molten Lead over Notre Dame Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Frollo Hunchback of Notre Dame groping Esmeralda Disney picture image

Frollo groping Esmeralda

Notre Dame of Paris Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Notre Dame of Paris Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

 

 

 

 

 

Walker likes the look of the movie, how grand everything looks and the shear scope. He likes both Frollo and Quasimodo but really didn’t mention the other character except the Gargoyles. He did mention Esmeralda and Phoebus’ romance being boring. He like Hellfire and The Bells of Notre Dame. He like that the film tackles the issues of faith, Good, Evil, Heaven, Hell and Lust. Which if you’re going to do Hunchback of Notre Dame you need to handle the lust, I mean that drives the plot.

 

Frollo and Baby Quasimodo bells Disney Hunch back of Notre Dame picture image

Frollo and Baby Quasimodo during the Bells of Notre Dame Disney Hunch back of Notre Dame

Esmeralda as a fire demon dancing Hellfire Disney Hunchback of Notre Damepicture image

Esmeralda as a fire demon dancing Hellfire Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Frollo singing Hellfire Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Frollo singing Hellfire Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Walker admits the film is clunky but on the whole he loves it.  He can understand why it wasn’t a be hit and he admires it for the risks it took.

Djali licking Phoebus with Esmeralda Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney picture image

Djali licking Phoebus with Esmeralda Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney

The Old Heretic Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

The Old Heretic Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Clopin, Phoebus and Quasimodo Court of Miracles Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Clopin, Phoebus and Quasimodo Court of Miracles Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The thing about it is if you’re a fan of Hugo’s book, you can still like it, I think you just have to accept it as a different story, which it is. I’ve commented enough on this version   (6 months) but it’s not a bad movie for what it is: a children’s version of Hunchback of Notre Dame, it works, so I agree with Walker, just wished his fact checking had been better. (Though I’m not a big fan of Quasimodo)

Quasimodo reacting to the craziness Topsy Turvy Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Quasimodo reacting to the craziness Topsy Turvy Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Topsy Turvy follows in the path of the big show stopping music numbers of Disney. Other songs like this included (but not limited to) Under the Sea (The Little Mermaid), Be Our Guest (Beauty and the Beast) and A Friend Like Me ( Aladdin). Unlike these, Topsy Turvy is not a show stopper, it doesn’t stop the movie for the sake of a spectacle, but instead  Topsy Turvy propels the plot forward.

 

Clopin during the Feast of Fools Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Clopin during the Feast of Fools Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

There is a lot that happens within the course of the song with regards to story telling. The festive starts and Quasimodo gets caught in the swing of it, Quasimodo meets Esmeralda, Esmeralda dances getting the attention of Quasimodo, Phoebus and Frollo, the King of Fools contest starts, and Quasimodo is crown the king.  There so much that happens that the song is broken up into four part essentually. These parts are well connected and the last portation with Quasimodo as the King of Fools features a keynote change to denote the ending of the song.

Clopin Topsy Turvy Disney Hunchback Notre Dame picture image

Clopin Topsy Turvy Disney Hunchback Notre Dame

Quasimodo Topsy Turvy Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Quasimodo Topsy Turvy Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Disney Esmeralda Hunchback of Notre Dame Dance picture image

Esmeralda's Dance Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

 

 

 

 

 

As far as the song is concerned it’s fun. It’s very celbratory, the lyrics are clever and Paul Kandel does well singing it. It’s the only Disney song to use a word meaning prostitutes. The line “Join the bums and theives and strumpets,” a strumpets is an old fashion word for a prostitute or a harlot. Kind of intresting that the only Dinsey song to use a word for prostitute would also feature a pole dance.

 

Reversal Topsy Turvy Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Reversal Topsy Turvy Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Quasimodo reacting to the craziness Topsy Turvy Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Quasimodo reacting to the craziness Topsy Turvy Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Topsy Turvy CG Crowd Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Topsy Turvy CG Crowd Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The visuals help make this song memorable. There lots of  reversals to help keep the momentum going and the fun up. This visually also give Quasimodo something to react to and since he is seeing all this craziness for the first time, Quasimodo acts as the audience in this song.  There is a cast of thousand. The crowds were made using CG and at the time were a feat but the crowd in movie hasn’t aged well.

 

Clopin Topsy Turvy Disney Hunchback Notre Dame image picture

Clopin Topsy Turvy Disney Hunchback Notre Dame

The song has several reference that harken back to Victor Hugo’s Novel. First the lyrics mention the date a being January 6, which is the day the Feast of Fools took place on. Of course the movie doesn’t seem to take place in winter, then again it could just be unseasonably warm.

 

 

 

Disney Esmeralda Hunchback of Notre Dame Dance picture Image

Esmeralda's Dance Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

Another Reference is Clopin referring to Esmeralda as “La Esmeralda”. Esmeralda in the book is very often referenced to with the article “La.”

 

 

 

 

Shock the Priest Topsy Turvy Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Shock the Priest Topsy Turvy Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

 

The last reference and probably the most interesting. Is on the line “shock the priest” Clopin is holding a Frollo puppet. This is a clear reference to Frollo being a priest in the book.

 

 

 

Quasimodo as the King of Fools Topsy Turvy Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Quasimodo as the King of Fools Topsy Turvy Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

The song itself is fine, it big and fun but it’s not my favorite. I would position this song in the middle of the ranking  however I can understand why many would like it, it’s a fun song that adds to the movie and alludes to the book very appropriately.

 

Next Song – God Help the Outcast

Esmeralda Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame singing "God Help the Outcast" picture image

Esmeralda singing "God Help the Outcast" Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame