Frollo – The Hunchblog of Notre Dame

02Aug 2023

The Magical Adventures of Quasimodo Episodes 17 & 18

Back to 2 episodes per post.

Episode 17: The Abomination’s Revenge

This episode starts off with a bang, a literal bang as explosions are going off. François proves he immortal as he walks into an explosion and is fine, not a scratch or even a burn.

Turns out the reason behind the explosions is Frollo but not in way one might think. Turns out it’s because in his youth Frollo’s greed made him hire an assistant in his work under Quasimodo’s awesome parents. The assistant was a young man named Robert who because of Frollo gets turned into a Lizard-person and vowed revenge under the alias “The Abomination.” And now he stalks Frollo, let that one sink in.

Frollo begs the Gang of Pals for help by locking him in the Bastille. The Abomination finds them and Quasimodo tries to talk him down but the opposite happens and Quasimodo wants to go after Frollo. However François the seemingly immortal got pushed into a wall and needs help so Quasimodo lets Frollo get away and Robert is now their friend and is going to help in the search for Quasimodo’s awesome noble parents.

This episode has a lot of good ideas but it’s an execution problem. One issue and this MIGHT not be the show’s fault was the audio was lagging. But the animation was notably lower quality in this episode and the dialogue was awkward.

So while it was a little silly watching Frollo begging to be locked up it wasn’t as enjoyable as it could have been. And I was genuinely into the plot summary but alas couldn’t enjoy it can much as I wanted. Plus François, he is very grating and not in a fun way this time. At least Djali was in this episode that is always a net positive.

There is no cave or spooky tunnels in this episode….weird.

Episode 18: The Barbarians

Quasimodo & François The Magical Adventures of Quasimodo Episode 18 The Mercenary/Barbarians — Quasimodo & François in their uniforms, Episode 18: The Mercenary/Barbarians

Or rather The Mercenary which is what the title card says and makes more sense. And before we start Frollo’s subterranean lair is featured so we have our “cave quota” I was worried we weren’t going have one.

So the plot roughly goes that a warlord named Tisphaine is attacking villages. The King sends Dennis as his messenger. Why? Good Question but Dennis get captured. Meanwhile Quasimodo volunteers for the army and does his pal François. Quasimodo also introduces him by his birth name. He does seem cool with everyone calling him Quasimodo though so it’s all good which is good for the show since Quasimodo is on the title. Also the army uniforms look more like scout uniforms. Quasimodo gets his gymnastic badge and François is forever working on that poetry one.

Meanwhile in Frollo’s spacious subterranean lair he has a fun new war weapon but he needs Dragon (the stone gargoyle of Notre Dame) to fly it. His plan to join up with his old friend Tisphaine in hopes of “owning the world.”

Meanwhile Esmeralda sees Dragon flies off and hears about Dennis’ capture and is sent off to the rescue.

In the end Quasi gets Tisphaine to smash the Frollo’s weapon and get catapulted away with the old rope tied to the top of a bent tree trick…..sure… in this magical world of magical adventures that is a thing they can do. Frollo is left in charged and the mercenaries want to be paid and thus Frollo like any good CEO runs off refusing to pay the workers. And finally Gang of Pals all get their merit badges for saving France…again.

This one was weird one. Like France is in danger and yet it feels very low stakes. The characters get capture and breakout only to get capture and break out again. The warlord is cast off via a tree-catapult and that is ends of the conflict. Is he dead? Or is the embarrassment of his dealing Quasimodo make him not a warlord any more? There is also same very weird dialogue that Frollo has with Azarof that makes it seem like Azarof betrayed Frollo or something. Maybe a scene was cut from the episode but Frollo is fine with whatever Azarof did was but I’m confused.

On some positive notes; Tisphaine’s voice actor is selling it; Frollo seems to have a lot of friends, good for him; and Esmeralda’s disguise was a pretty good outfit. Otherwise this episode was underwhelming.

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17Jul 2023

The Magical Adventures of Quasimodo: Episode 16

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Episode 16: The Duel of Magicians

It rather just occurred to me that there is a percentage of children whose first experience of the characters is this show since it pre-dates the Disney movie by mere weeks. The approach to the characters is far different as is the scope of the story. Just a little interesting aspect to consider.

Also a question, what age range is this show for? I’d say 6 to maybe 8? But maybe 5 to 7? I can’t see a ( or 10 year old gravitating for this show but I could be wrong. Also it depends on the child.

In this episode we get a backstory about Esmeralda’s locket, which was passed down from her grandmother’s great-grandmother after she healed the High Priestess of Council of Magicians in the woods. Since the locket has lost its energy the gang of pals ventures to find the magicians. Naturally Frollo gets winds of this plans and also goes so that he get more power. Why he doesn’t wait? Who can say?

After the gang of pals gets lost Frollo infiltrates the Magicians and spreads lies about the gang. Isabel, the High Priestess, isn’t paying it and has Esmeralda and Frollo Magician duel which reveals what in their hearts. Esmeralda conjures spring and Frollo conjures gold and thus loses and gets his mind wiped about the magicians. Prior to the duel Isabel recharges the locket and after the duel she gives Esmeralda a magic rings the reveal friend and foe which Esmeralda plans to give to her grandmother.

This episode is alright. There is nothing to really push it into the delightful range but nothing that makes it overly annoying. Frollo did have to take some stupid pills for this one to work but there needs to some conflict. I did enjoy Esmeralda dancing and François was used sparingly.

And if you’re wondering if there is a cave in this episode, the answer yes of course, gotta have a cave for that cave quota….

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23Oct 2018

Frollo of Roland Petitâ€™s Notre Dame de Paris

by jess ⋅ 1 Comment

Mick Zeni as Frollo, Roland Petit Notre Dame de Paris

Given this version characterization of Esmeralda and Quasimodo it’s not surprising that there is very little to this Frollo outside of what the plot demands.

He is a priest who lusts after Esmeralda. He doesn’t feel any guilt over feeling lust towards Esmeralda versus his lofty opinion of himself because of his position as a priest. He could have been spurned jealous lover of hers who happened to be a priest and it wouldn’t have changed anything as the ballet presents his character.

Basically there is not much here outside of Frollo slapping Esmeralda during his assault on her that is different. Not sure how I feel about that but he did attack her in the book so the slap was a clear visual for the ballet, so it’s at least understandable and the action does make Frollo more contemptible as a villain.

And a villain is what he is. It’s very black and white with no shades of gray. It’s a boring rendering of the character.

Unless this ballet is super-coded and there is more expressed in the characterization and I don’t understand it because I don’t understand the language and gestures of ballet. But, if that was true then the bitch slap would not have been necessary, so this is just boring yet oddly violent version of Frollo.

Again I should just say that for the medium of ballet this type of characterization is fine. It does what it needs to.Follow thehunchblog

19Oct 2018

Anti-Hypothetical Casting Post for Frollo; John Cena

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John Cena

Sometimes bad casting isn’t about a terrible actor or a celebrity pretending to be an actor, sometimes it just bad casting. Like the absolute wrong person for the role and John Cena would make a terrible Frollo.

John Cena

John Cena is a WWF personality. He’s been in a few movies but they seem more like comedies and action thrillers than dramas based on literary classics (or based on classic Hollywood movies.) Being in the WWF means he is an actor but he is not a heel (bad guy,) he is a face (good guy). I learned those terms from GLOW, I’m not much one for wrestling. So I least hope that I got that he is a face and not a heel correct. The point is he is already not believable as a brooding, lustful control freak.

So why would I bring up Cena for Frollo and not Phoebus as he looks like a Phoebus. Well that’s the point. Can you imagine a buff conventional attractive Frollo? Can you imagine a Frollo looking like a the cover-art of a smutty romance book? The answer is yes and no since we sort of already got that in the 1956 version. Alain Cuny was the wrong type but not as extreme as Cena. The point is Cena as Frollo would not be believable as Frollo and it wouldn’t matter even if he gave an amazing performance.

John Cena

But could Cena even give an amazing performance as Frollo? From what I have seen maybe BUT most likely no. The WWF is all about being big and over-the-top and actors playing Frollo rarely are allowed to go that big in their performance. Maybe a big over-the-top Frollo who doesn’t hide his emotions but yells a lot would be good? Doesn’t seem like Frollo though.

John Cena

So an attractive overly emotional Frollo? That sounds more like Gaston than Frollo but then again we got two versions of Frollo that were Gaston knock-offs. So John Cena could play Frollo in the Live action version of the Enchanted Tales Version of Hunchback.

Oh dear God! That would be awful. The idea of that makes me psychically ill. There is the horror of this casting. It’s not just Cena would be woefully unfit to play Frollo but that there is actually an iteration of Frollo that he could play convincingly.

John Cena

At least there is no chance of the Enchanted Tales version getting any sort of attention. At least Hollywood can’t be that cruel. Can it? Unless it would be to make money at a loss, which I mean would be a great idea if the idea to make money on a flop. But as a standard film version John Cena, darling of The WWF, would make a terrible Frollo in all aspects of the character. Follow thehunchblog

19Sep 2018

Hypothetical Casting for Frollo; Ralph Fiennes

by jess ⋅ 2 Comments

Ralph Fiennes

This was a suggestion of one of those lists I found a while ago and truthfully this is a great casting idea. Ralph Fiennes would be a perfect Frollo.

Ralph Fiennes as Heathcliff from Wuthering Heights

As far as Fiennes acting prowess goes, he can played Frollo regardless of the type of Frollo the version is depicting. Whether it be sympathetic or cruel or some mixture of both. Fiennes has a very unique ability to make his villains likable yet still very threatening. Even his hero gambit run the gambit from nice to intense.

Ralph Fiennes

Fiennes has a good look to play Frollo. Not only is he age appropriate to the role but he has a great bone structure for Frollo’s angular, austere yet intense face.

Ralph Fiennes

He’s got it all. He has good look for the role, he’s age appropriate (if you care), and he’s capable of playing a likable bad guy. Fiennes would be an ideal casting pick for Frollo in any induration of the character. But what do you think? Would you like to see the actor who played He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named play Frollo?

Ralph Fiennes as Voldemort from the Harry Potter franchise

Also the idea of the actors who played Voldemort and and Dumbledore playing the same character makes me smile. Follow thehunchblog

14Dec 2017

Hypothetical Casting for Frollo; Adam Driver

by jess ⋅ 4 Comments

Adam Driver

Frollo is an interesting character to cast because on the one hand we have the book which tells us that Frollo is 36. But the age of 36 is different in a modern setting than it was in 1482 when the story is set or even in 1831 even the book was written. The book even tells us Frollo is in middle age or the winter of this life. So most of the movie go for an older Frollo. Sometimes it a tad younger or sometime he looks like death, looking at you 1997 Richard Harris Frollo. But can we have both? Can we have a younger-ish Frollo who is believable at acting older or in someway austere and cold but passionate at the same time? Can we have a walking contradiction?

Yes! We can! And it’s Adam Driver!

Adam Driver as Kylo Ren, Star Wars The Force Awakens

Driver is best known for playing Kylo Ren in the Sequel trilogy of Star Wars. He is a compelling character even if you don’t like that thing he did in The Force Awakens. Driver is just a very phenomenal actor who bring his A-game to every role and he has already played a priest in Silence, a very different story and character than Frollo. There is no doubt that Driver could excel at playing Frollo.

Adam Driver

Driver would be a young Frollo but he does have a good look for the character already. He’s not a typically attractive, some people find him very attractive and some don’t see it at all. He’s tall which helps, he has a narrow face with good angles, the perfect recipe for a Frollo.

Adam Driver

If this casting happen, I for one would be ecstatic, it just seems like a GREAT fit. What do you think? Would Adam Driver make a good Frollo? Or no?

OT – I admit, I ship Reylo Follow thehunchblog

29Nov 2017

Hypothetical Casting for Frollo: Mads Mikkelsen

by jess ⋅ 4 Comments

Mads Mikkelsen

This suggestion is off a list from http://fuckyeahnotredamedeparis.tumblr.com as part of an ideal casting. Also since it’s Star Wars season I though picking Star War alunms would fun so Mads Mikkelsen it is.

Mads Mikkelsen as Galen Erso in Rogue one

Mikkelsen play Galen Erso in the 2016 Rogue one or Rouge one if you’re dyslexic like me. He also had very long career playing different types of Character from Hannibal Lector to Kaecilius in Doctor Strange to playing opposite Alicia Vikander in A Royal Affair. Vikander was also the topic of a Hypothetical casting post for Esmeralda.

Mads Mikkelsen as Lucas in The Hunt

I will confess, Mikkelsen would not a my first pick to play Frollo but upon looking more in his acting and considering his look, I can see this a good option. First he a good actor with a good range. It’s hard to really pinpoint how he would approach the character but pending on the film direction for Frollo, I would say he could pull it off effectively.

Mads Mikkelsen

Mikkelsen also has very interesting facial features that could lead themselves to a really good and memorable look for Frollo with the right make-up direction. He just the kind of actor who can skew more attractive to more weird looking, I don’t mean that in a bad way.

Mads Mikkelsen

Mads Mikkelsen would not be my first choice to play Frollo but if he was cast I would not complain. It would be interesting to see what how he would portale the character. What do you think Mads Mikkelsen for Frollo? Yay? Or Nay?

Also leading up to The Last Jedi and maybe after I’m going to more hypothetical casting using Star Wars actors so if you got a suggestion leave a comment. Also any anti-suggestions are welcome, like Jar Jar Binks as Frollo or Gringoire or Phoebus, maybe Esmeralda.

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28Nov 2017

Frollo from the 1977 version

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Kenneth Haigh as Frollo

It’s a little tricky to really formulate an opinion of the 1977 version of Frollo. On the one hand, this is one of the most accurate versions of the characters. He’s a priest, he does practice alchemy, he expressives desire for Esmeralda. However one major fault with the character is just in the way the movie is shot and how it counters Frollo’s character.

Kenneth Haigh as Frollo

Let’s be clear, Kenneth Haigh does fine with the material and direction he was given. Frollo is not easy role to play since it’s all very internal. You either need to allow for the director to get facial shots or you could run the risk of over acting.

Kenneth Haigh as Frollo 1977 Hunchback of Notre Dame

Trouble with the 1977 version and with MANY versions is that it’s shot as purely representational, it’s a period piece and the filmmakers don’t add any artistic shots, angles or lighting to hint at the characters’ internal struggles thus relying solely of dialogue and expressions. And at most with Frollo the character’s austerity doesn’t allow for many chances for the desirous or conflicted expressions to be showcase. Not saying they are not there even in this version, they are but they are downplayed. The most Frollo gets is yelling about his desire, closing his eyes and the red door scene. He does do his crazy laugh but even that seemed to be tame and awkward. He does not seem like a man insane with lust.

Frollo singing Hellfire Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Frollo’s character almost exists more in musicals. The best showcases of Frollo’s character are Disney’s Hellfire and Notre Dame de Paris’ Tu vas me Detruire. As both pieces use song, a nice substitute for dialogue, expressions/body language and visuals to give insight to the character. Hellfire uses fire and hellish imagery to get the point across whereas Tu vas me Detruire has stone pillars or the church literally trying to crush Frollo.

Daniel Lavoie as Frollo performing Tu vas me Detruire

You can interpret this as his desires will crush him or that the church is trying to stop his desires and he the one pushing them away choosing to give in to his lust for Esmeralda thus choosing to be destroyed.

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

Sir Cedric Hardwicke as Frollo, 1939

The only non-musical movie version to actually give some thought to visual representation of Frollo’s desire is the 1939 movie. In that version when Frollo backs Esmeralda against a tree to confess, there are some great shadows, with only his eyes illuminated which makes him look insane as the actor, Cedric Hardwicke, keeps them opened very wide.

Michelle Newell as Esmeralda & Kenneth Haigh as Frollo

With respect to the 1977 version it is one of the few versions to get Frollo’s scenes down. One example is when Frollo and Gringoire spirit Esmeralda out and Gringoire leaves her with Frollo. Though the scene is vastly shorter than in the book I appreciate that they at least made a go at having that scene in the movie. But that being said is having all the scenes in movie presents in the movie but shot is a plain efficient manner somehow better than approaching the material in way that makes it visually interesting? I would say no. This is a good effort at the character and his scene but it’s just a dull rendition. Follow thehunchblog

14Mar 2017

The Plot of La Esmeralda

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Or at least as the Kremlin performance depicts it.

Frollo and Esmeralda, La Esmeralda, Kremlin Ballet Company, Moscow picture image

Frollo & Esmeralda, La Esmeralda, Kremlin Ballet Company, Moscow

Pretty much all the major, overall story beats are hit in this version and this an approximation of the plot, it’s possible things are misconstrued . First we have Phoebus and Fleur-de Lys getting engaged. Fleur de Lys gives him a scarf. The the court of miracle dance along with Gringoire and Esmeralda. Frollo scares her. Quasimodo stops Frollo from scaring her too. Frollo is torment by his lust for the young dancer. Gringoire follows Esmeralda to the Court of Miracle where he is nearly killed but Esmeralda marries him to save his life. She also rejects his romantic advances.

Esmeralda begging Phoebus o spare Quasimodo, La Esmeralda, Kremlin Ballet Company, Moscow

Frollo and Quasimodo are out roaming the streets when Esmeralda just so happens to be wandering by. Frollo has Quasimodo try to kidnap her but Phoebus and the guard show up. Esmeralda and Phoebus fall in love and he gives her the scarf that Fleur de Lys gave him. As the guards are about to take Quasimodo away, Esmeralda beg mercy for him and Phoebus lets Quasimodo go. Quasimodo then falls in love with Esmeralda.

Esmeralda & Gringoire, La Esmeralda, Kremlin Ballet Company, Moscow

Esmeralda return to her dwelling happy about meeting Phoebus. As she trying to fall asleep Gringoire tries again with the romance, I really hope he wasn’t trying to force himself on her. Esmeralda rebuffs and pulls out her dagger. She basically tells him no and if he acts up he’ll be hanged. So friends they shall be, or maybe co-workers.

Frollo & Esmeralda, La Esmeralda, Kremlin Ballet Company, Moscow

Esmeralda tries to go to sleep but Frollo enters her dwelling. Frollo tries to win her over with forces, not really sure what he was doing but Quasimodo helps Esmeralda escape and Frollo takes her dagger.

Esmeralda & Fleur de Lys, La Esmeralda, Kremlin Ballet Company, Moscow

The there is a party at Fleur de Lys’. Esmeralda and Gringoire perform but when Esmeralda sees Phoebus with another woman she became distraught. Fleur de Lys becomes enraged when she sees Esmeralda wearing Phoebus’ scarf.

Esmeralda & Quasimodo, La Esmeralda, Kremlin Ballet Company, Moscow

Then the Feast of Fool happens and Quasimodo is crowned Pope of Fools. Frollo is displeased and Quasimodo is sad. Phoebus and Esmeralda meet in a bar for some romance. Frollo follows them and plays the owner to let him hide in the room where they will be. Before Phoebus and Esmeralda can consummates their love Frollo bursts in stabs Phoebus. Quasimodo shows up and tries to help but Esmeralda is arrested.

Frollo & Esmeralda, La Esmeralda, Kremlin Ballet Company, Moscow

Esmeralda is arrested and Frollo tries to get her out but she rejected him. Fleur de Lys i having a party again. Things are going when Phoebus enters and beg Fleur de Lys to forgive him.

Esmeralda & Quasimodo, La Esmeralda, Kremlin Ballet Company, Moscow

Esmeralda is about to executed when Quasimodo saves her. They bond but Frollo bursts in and arrests Esmeralda. Before Esmeralda is executed Fleur de Lys and Phoebus get married.

Esmeralda & Quasimodo, La Esmeralda, Kremlin Ballet Company, Moscow

Frollo and Quasimodo have a fight and Quasimodo throws Frollo off the cathedral and the scarf falls too. Quasimodo lays down beside Esmeralda to die as the scarf falls on them. Follow thehunchblog

20Dec 2016

Other Burbank Version Animation & Character Design

by jess ⋅ Leave a Comment

Esmeralda

I feel like I’m in some weird ring of hell. A Ring of Hell where my sole torture is rewatching this version of Hunchback. I can’t tell you in how many ways I just loathe this version and it’s not even in a logical, it’s visceral, it strikes me down to my core. I hate everything about this version and it hurts my soul in so many ways that I’m not sure I can quantify anymore why it’s a puke stain on the already dirty carpet of Hunchback version aimed at children. I think the main reason I can’t articulate why it’s terrible is because it has the same problems as every other Disney knock-off versions, at this point it’s a case of “second verse same of the first.” Everything is just the worst but you came here to read something that in some way resembles a review or you just click on a picture or you’re lost and have already clicked away but whatever the case the subject line has spoken and it’s not even trying to be clickbait so let’s get this over with.

Esmeralda and Quasimodo,

As is standard with these knock-off Disney direct to video movies the animation super low budget. The use of repeat animation for extras to pad out the run time is beyond annoying and I might not have minded it so much if the movie didn’t start that way. It takes nearly three minutes to get to Esmeralda awkwardly dancing about, three minutes of just nothing but random town’s people laughing and clapping on repeat. In addition to animation being stilled, awkward and mostly on repeat most of the shots are at flat angles. There is nothing interesting or memorable about the way the shots are composed to even hold a remote sense of attention.

Frollo

But again I’m not done, though I wish I was, this will never end. There is the color design of this thing. If you think I was joking about calling this movie being like puke you were wrong. The color this movie most likes to use is a weird dark yellow color that resembles vomit. They also use a green that looks like another shade of puke. I’m not kidding this movie has an ugly and all-round unpleasant color palette. If they were trying I guess they were trying to make it warm but they failed, they failed hard.

Esmeralda meets Phoebus

Then there is the character design. Can you believe I didn’t really touch in the character designs yet? Both Phoebus and Esmeralda are drawn to be the prettiest that the shitty animation will allow. This of course gives them no visual interest so being “beautiful” by this movie’s standard is a mute point. Though the best line in this movie is Frollo describing Esmeralda’s eyes as “shining brighter than the most beautiful stars in the night sky.” Too bad they don’t.

Quasimodo Other Burbank Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Quasimodo with his doves

Quasimodo is your typical cute, nice, deformed design that you see over and over again. He is very bulbous and round making him “cute.” Which is like standard in character design round is good and angles are bad.

Frollo

Speaking of angles there is Frollo. And he is yet another case of “second verse same as the first. Agian he looks like a mix of Disney Gaston and Jafar. Why? Who are they even coping at this point? This is like the third Frollo to look like this? He doesn’t look like either Disney Frollo or the 1939 version. Is this a case of parallel thought between three stupid Disney Knock-off versions, where they combined two popular Disney villains or did this version copy Secret of the Hunchback of Enchanted Tales? Both options scream laziness. Though to be fair this version did take Frollo’s design beyond merely combining Gaston and Jafar and instead cross that combination with a fish.

Esmeralda

This version is just entirely forgettable with its abysmal animation, boring flat angles, cringe-inducing color palette and lazy character design. The only thing I can recall about this movie is how forgettable this version is and that is why I have to rewatch it thus prolonging the torture of the ring of hell I now occupy. Follow thehunchblog

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Tag Archives: Frollo

The Magical Adventures of Quasimodo Episodes 17 & 18

The Magical Adventures of Quasimodo: Episode 16

Frollo of Roland Petitâ€™s Notre Dame de Paris

Anti-Hypothetical Casting Post for Frollo; John Cena

Hypothetical Casting for Frollo; Ralph Fiennes

Hypothetical Casting for Frollo; Adam Driver

Hypothetical Casting for Frollo: Mads Mikkelsen

Frollo from the 1977 version

The Plot of La Esmeralda

Other Burbank Version Animation & Character Design

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