More Pictures from the Asian Tour Cast;

 

I mentioned last week that I went to Anime Boston(4/6-4/9) and I had a great time, I got sick but I had a great time. But one of the best parts was that me and my sister’s AMV (Anime Music Video) won Best Comedy. Now since I shamelessly self-promote I wanted to post it here but since it has nothing to with Hunchback I decided to show it to the  characters of the Hunchback and asked them what they thought.

The Video

 

Their Reactions

Quaismodo –  It lacked soul and depth but I liked, will you be my friend now?
Esmeralda –  They look like princes who ride white horses, I loved it
Frollo– Such an empty hollow video that turns my eyes from god (Maybe if I join a Boy band she’ll love me)
Phoebus – I found my purpose, I going to join a  Boy Band
Gringoire – I suppose it was amusing but I could write a much more amusing song and edit a better AMV.
Clopin –  That would provide the perfect distraction for pick-pocketing
Fleur de Lys –  I really didn’t care for it.
Jehan–  I love it, can you loan me 5 bucks?

Man, there is no pleasing some people.

Anime- Ouran High School Host Club
Song – Pop song by Jon Lajoie [Explicit]
Edited by the Warlike Swans (Me and my Sister)

 

Frollo Flies Kite
Fan-fiction by Me (Jess of the Hunchblog of Notre Dame)

Chapter 3

 Frollo took the kite to his cell and gently set it down in the corner The corner once the darkest part of his cell but with kite there the once dark corner was a illuminated. He took in the beauty of the kite, its elegant slender frame, its golden cloth, its delicate string that enable it to touch heaven, to dance in the sky with so much grace that to stare was a sin. As Frollo caressed the kite he can the unpleasant realization that the beautiful kite that had tormented him in his dream and during his waking hours would never accept his love  for as lovely as it was it couldn’t speak. All at once he felt the weight of heaven crush him against the gates of hell. He collapsed to the floor in the shadow of the kite and he wept like a child. He remained in that position, lying on the cold stone floor, in the water, in the dankness for several days.

He eventually lifted his head weakly and looked at the kite though eyes blurred his tear and misery. All he could perceive of the kite was its pure golden tone. It was then that an idea bear fruit his tormented mind, he would use the power of alchemy to give his beloved kite a soul so that he could realize his passion and the kite would be his, body and soul.

The priest spent the next several days reading every available source at his disposal, trying any experiment that may work but all were follies, the kite remained  lifeless. Frollo felt even more hopeless, more lost, more defeated, His former lover, science, had refuse to save from his mad obsession to realize his love foe the kite and once again he sank to the floor and drowned himself once again in his own tears. As he wept he heard the vesper bells ring and this called into his mind he other former love, religion. The mere thought of his former purity and devotion caused him to bang his head against the floor. He felt that the gentle hand of the virgin had leaf him and the peaceful gaze of god had turned away, that religion had forsaken him and science had failed him. All that was left for him was the beautiful and lifeless kite.

He felt his love for the kite was more terrible, more empty, more painful than the love he had harbored for the gypsy girl but the sight of that golden kite drifting so close to heaven was too beautiful for his soul to bear. The flames of passion consumed his once pure soul and left only profanity. He must have that kite! To hold it, to speak to it, to know it, to feel in the night against his form and to know that the radiant kite in turn felt his form against it’s frame.

With all the rage and frustration in his soul he prayed, not to the pure limpid one but to the dark fiery one. The soul no longer held any concern, he needed the kite more than paradise. It was at the end of the dark prayer that he priest fell over again to the floor and feel into a comatose state. He remained in that state for many days and nights.

In his comatose state dreamt chaotic nightmares of hell itself. He felt the pain and agony of his decision to forego the hope of heaven. As his dreams continued they revealed a dark and terrible spell that could breed life into objects. When he awoken, his head was on fire and without a moment’s hesitation he prepared the spell. He recalled ingredient, every step and within a few hours he was ready. They items while not uncommon were the stuff of horror; a raven’s feather, a jar of the laughter of a nun, an apple core, a piece of stale bread, a bit of lint, and the a stolen lollipop from a newborn babe.

He madly set the kite among the horrors, like lamb for the slaughter. He performed the spell, chanting every evil note with perfect precision and even more passion. When the priest had finished he gazed at the fair kite to see if the spell had been successful, if it now had life dwelling within its golden cloth and its slender frame. But much to the mad monk’s dismay no life stir within it.

In his despair he turned away from the lovely one so that the might curse hell itself. As he turned he heard the tiniest noise from the table of evil. He spun back around only to see that the once still kite was moving freely and was made complete with beautiful, smoldering amber eyes and a beautiful perfectly formed mouth. Frollo sank to his knees in the shadow of the hovering beauty. After a few moment of being captivated by the enchanted Kite Frollo proclaimed ” I love Thee.”

He waited with baited breath for the Kite to utter its first words. Frollo hoped with every fiber of his being that these words would the words of love.

After several moments the Kite parted its perfect lips and said ” I’m Sorry, I just like you as a friend” and with that the Kite flew out the window of the cell.

Frollo rage grew to point of insanity, he had to have the Kite, it was his, he created it, and no earthy power would stop his love not even the will of the Kite itself. Frollo made a mad lung to grab the Kite’s now useless string but in his madness he miscalculated the distance between the edge of the cathedral and the Kite. He fell out the window and met his end upon the ground.

Epilogue

 As Frollo used the dark arts to give the Kite life he went to hell. As he entered the gates of hell he saw a sea of bright colored lights and people dancing sensually against each other while drinking color drinks of numerous shade, some  even had a curious tiny umbrella in them. It was upon looking into the very face of hell Frollo realized that his wasn’t  so bad and he spent eternity dancing and drinking Mai Tais.

As for the Kite, it become a model and was painted but Europe’s finest artists and became the standard for Kite beauty throughout the world.

 The End

Frollo Flies Kite
Fan-fiction by Me (Jess of the Hunchblog of Notre Dame)

 Chapter 2

 One day in early summer, Frollo came to the clearing to watch the subject of his desire fly. On this day he saw that the young  couple was now a trio, that worthless Captain of the King’s Archers, Phoebus de Chateaupers was flying his beloved kite. The captain was reckless as he flew the kite. He showed no regard for that delicate string which supported the beauty of the sweet kite which supported its grace and add to its beauty. Overcome with rage, jealousy and lust, Frollo withdrew to Notre Dame. Once there he shut himself away deep within his cell, consume by his torment. Seeing his beloved kite in the hands of that odious man played in his brain. He beat his head against the floor but the image lingered. He felt that his fate was tied in the delicate strings of the kite. Frollo knew that while his love was in the clutches of the poet and the dancer that this horror of that captain flying his kite would repeat and as dawn broke through the heavens

Frollo knew what he must do to ensure that no one else would ever touch the kite again except him. He collected himself off the floor and rushed up to bell tower. He found his ever loyal bell-ringer Quasimodo lovely caressing the bells. Frollo signed to the deaf deformed bell-ringer to follow him and without a moment’s hesitation Quasimodo followed his master.

Frollo lead Quasimodo to a place where he knew the gypsy and the poet would pass with kite on their way to the clearing. After a few hours of waiting in readiness La Esmeralda and Gringoire came into to view carrying the charming kite. Frollo made a sign to Quasimodo and in accordance with his master’s wishes he made a swipe at the poet and picked up the dancer. The kite fell to the ground in the struggle. Frollo seeing the kite hit the ground mustered all his swiftness and made a grab at it and ordered Quasimodo to release the dancer and follow him. Quasimodo complied but was confused by what had transpired as were Esmeralda and Gringoire. Frollo and Quasimodo fled the scene with kite in toe while dancer and the poet went off to buy a new kite.

preface – The fan-fiction was created at the request/bribe of friend. I’m posting this in 3 parts to avoid a wall of text and I’ll linked them together after they’ve all been released. Story was more or less written in the style of Victor Hugo (or so I tried), and it’s meant to satirical and silly-ish.

Frollo Flies  Kite
Fan-fiction by Me (Jess of the Hunchblog of Notre Dame)

Chapter 1

 Frollo leaned over the edge of the window of his cell high in the tower of Notre Dame. He waited for a few minutes, ever impatient, ever filled with desire to see the young gypsy dancer, La Esmeralda enter the square below. Finally she entered and performed her dance which exposed her super-natural beauty. The Priest watched and his lust intensified. He places his hand upon his cheek and drank her in with his eyes and become bewitched and entranced by the fluid and sensual movements of this girl of singular beauty and sweetness.

His trance was shattered when she abruptly stopped her reverie as her nominal husband Pierre Gringoire the poet, whispered into her ear and like a flash of lighting piercing the heavens, the two were gone. Filled with confusion and jealousy the priest pursued them. He followed them through the small winding streets of Paris till he come to a wide clearing with the most greenest grass framed by the azure sky. At the center most point of the clearing stood La Esmeralda with Gringoire. In her soft brown hands she held a string that connected to the most beautiful kite  that was the color of the purest gold.

At once Frollo felt  the ground turn to ice and froze up to his knee  and held in place as his body froze his head burned. He was entranced by the kite’s graceful dance as it wafted in the breeze against the sky as if it was an angel hovering over the earth to offering blessings. The priest was consumed by the singular beauty of this immortal kite.

The spell was broken when La Esmeralda reeled the kite in back to the earth. Frollo looked at the young girl against the kite and realized that while she was young and beautiful her beauty paled in comparison the lovely kite. As Frollo come to this realization the two were gone and with them the fair kite.  The priest resolved that the kite must be his and from then on he followed the kite, around corners, in alleys and under stairs. Everyday he watched the young couple flying the resplendent kite. It came to be that watching them fly the kite was what he lived for. But after weeks of watching Frollo yearned to hold the strings, to be in control of that beauty, to wield power over the fair golden kite but he didn’t dare, the kite was far too lovely to approach to even gaze was to burn to the core of his soul.

Frollo Puppet Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame Stage Show picture image

Frollo Puppet

The stage show of  Hunchback of Notre Dame at the Disney Parks is like a high school production where the show has a high budget but the cast isn’t really that talented. Wait a second that’s pretty much what this is. Expect  they’re actually college students interning (slave labor) there for the summer. So what is the stage show about?  All  it is a rehashing of the movie. That’s it. I’m basing this review off these videos which you can watch it HERE.  (I’m sorry for the pictures)

 

Frollo interrupting the couple in Notre Dame a.k.a Not Grope Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame Stage Show picture image

Frollo interrupting the couple a.k.a Not Grope

A Guy Like you Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame Stage Show picture image

A Guy Like you

Frollo finding out Esmeralda escape a.k.a Not Hellfire Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame Stage Show picture image

Frollo finding out Esmeralda escape a.k.a Not Hellfire

 

 

 

 

 

 

But is the show bad? Yes, yes it. Everything that you love is gone, i.e Frollo. Well that’s not true Frollo is there and he gets line or two but there is not grope and no Hellfire basically what makes Frollo a character is gone. Frollo is just a plot point. Also they kept a guy like you over hellfire which seems like a big “Fuck-you” to audience.

 

Clopin's singnature pose Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame Stage Show picture

Clopin's singnature pose

But how are the other actors? Umm, not so good. We’ll start with the best, Clopin at least he can sing well. Though he strikes the same pose and hand movements over and over.

Phoebus... that is all Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame Stage Show picture image

Phoebus... that is all

Quasimodo with a plastic model Esmeralda Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame Stage Show picture image

Quasimodo with a plastic model Esmeralda

The Gargoyles... they get more lines than Frollo Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame Stage Show picture image

The Gargoyles... they get more lines than Frollo

 

 

 

 

 

 

Phoebus is meh. Quasimodo is forgettable. The gargoyles are annoying.

 

Esmeralda from the Stage Show of Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame at MGM Studios picture image

Esmeralda

And then there is Esmeralda. First off I  say this with out trying to be offensive but she sounds like she from a 30’s movies. Other than that her acting is weak and over-the-top and she’s not a great singer. I think she was cast for the splits she does during the dance.

Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame Stage Show Esmeralda's Kneepad image picture

Esmeralda's Kneepad

And she wears knee pads during the dance which I found hilarious.

 

Frollo Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame Stage Show picture image

Frollo he's too cool for this play

 

Frollo’s not even a character so he doesn’t count. But even still he’s WAY cooler even with no personality.

Djali as a Marionette Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame Stage Show

Djali as a Marionette.... where can I get one?

So the setting and the plot were okay. The whole puppet thing for the backstory was weird and a little silly. I mean I get why the did, because it’s Clopin’s puppet show, but to see a big Frollo puppet was too funny for me. I have a bad habit of laughing at puppet play even when that are suppose to be serious. Also Djali as a marionette was unnecessary. Actually Djali was unnecessary and that pains me to say.

 

Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame Stage Show Spire Turn during Out there picture

Spire Turn during Out there

Also I just want to mention that you know in “Out There” where the camera spins around Quasimodo while he’s on the spire yeah, they do that here except while the performer sings on a platform, two guys spin said platform around, it very silly and awkward.

 

More Puppets dolls Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame Stage Show picture image

More Puppets erm I mean Dolls

Basically  the whole thing a very rushed feeling and it over superficial, I mean it’s a appropriate, given that it’s in a Disney park. It’s flash and no substance. It subtracts too much from the movie and if their intent was to take that film and make it even more “Kid Friendly” why not do an after-story or sequel. Frollo doesn’t do anything cool here so who cares if he’s in the show. It at least could have been more interesting than seeing a water-down version of a classic story that Disney already watered down.

 

Getting the Lead out Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame Stage Show picture image

Getting the Lead out

On the plus side, I liked the extras and the lead pouring was cool.

 

More Pictures from the Asian Tour.

Trying a new Format. Like? Or did you prefer the old way I handled these posts, let me know… or I’ll just continue till these Asian Tour Pictures run out

March 29 is apparently Ananke Day according to the good people at The Frollo Forum. Ananke was the original inspiration for the character of Frollo. Victor Hugo say the word carved into a wall in Notre Dame and wonder about the person who carved it.  It’s a greek concept that means roughly (very, very very roughly) “Death Destiny”.

So in honor Ananke Day here’s a video of “Anarkia” from Notre Dame de Paris peformed by Daniel Lavoie (Frollo) and Bruno Pelletier (Grongoire) Enjoy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0sGpSBzuLg

Also I know I put this song as number 7 in the worst song list of Notre Dame de Paris but I really do enjoy it. So many subject changes for such a short song, I think Gringoire has ADD.

Today I’m going to review Youtube Reviewer LazerDude99 as he reviews  Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame mainly because they are at lot of problems with it. I’ll start with negatives and end with positives. (and just for the record, I know I’m not a perfect reviewer so take what I say with a grain of salt when I review reviews.)

 

LazerDude99 Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney

LazerDude99 Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney

My first problem is on the technical end. The Sound mixing is  not very good. His voice is too quiet while the film’s audio is too loud, the point of the review is to hear the review.   This could be a problem with compression or microphone. The visuals of the DVD is also not that crisp and washed out again this could be a problem with video compression.

 Painting of Esmeralda as she is being taking to the scaffolds with Sachette by Nicolas-Eustache Maurin

Painting of Esmeralda as she is being taking to the scaffolds with Sachette by Nicolas-Eustache Maurin

However my biggest problem with is review is the fact checking. He does admits that he didn’t know that story and got it wrong in the comments but if your going through the trouble of writing a review, recording it, ripping the DVD, editing the video taking 5 minutes to read wikipedia or just a summary  doesn’t seem like that big of a task. In the video he says that he thinks that Quasimodo kills Esmeralda in  jealous rage.  However he also didn’t know that Djali was original to Hugo or Clopin’s voice actor. Not knowing that Paul Kandel did Clopin’s voice won’t have been a problem if he hadn’t mention Kevin Kline voicing Phoebus. While mistakes are likely to happen just make sure that if you can Fact check, do it.

Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise

Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise

I also have problems with  the ascertain that he made about “Director losing his vision” . First there were two directors (Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise { Fact Checking). Now I can’t know what happened behind the scenes but I think they bought into that mindset that films are a collaborative process. Maybe it was too collaborative as there were 18 writers on Hunchback but it seem from the commentary that studio was behind the dark tones of the film and didn’t try to rain it in. (Now I’m making ascertain based on the commentary). I do know that they wanted to make Hunchback as mean to push CG animation and because they felt at it’s core that Hunchback had fairy tale archetypes.

 

Frollo singing Hellfire Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Frollo singing Hellfire Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

The Old Heretic Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

The Old Heretic Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

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

Hugo A Guy like you Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another problem was the discussion of  the Tone. Hunchback does have a lot of tones. It’s humorous and dark But is that actually bad in a film to be multi-toned? NoIdo not think so. I’ve watch a tons film/tv series that are multi-tone. Take a Bollywood movie, one minute you can have crying the next dancing. The trick to a multi-toned  film is good transitions from one tone to next i.e flow which Hunchback does have. It’s not like Hellfire goes to the gargoyles’ annoying antics to someone being fatally wounded to a silly song. It has good flow thou I do wish the “child-friendly” stuff was toned (no pun intended), the kids would have been fine. I also think Phoebus’ humor and the Old Heretic help to bridge the gap between the dark elements and kid-friendly stuff. As Phoebus is sarcastic and the old heretic is a running gag that reflect Frollo’s insane control.  Also I would point as dark as people say the book is it does have a lot of funny moments.

 

LazerDude99's Barney/Die Hard joke

LazerDude99's Barney/Die Hard joke

 

Also the jokes he makes are not that funny (at least to me). They feel really forced. The clip of the  pumpkin dropping on the car was too long it should have ended on impact or after the screams but it  felt forced joke. The Hellfire as camp song joke was forced too. Maybe if he had gone over the top with it (Green Screen) or sang to it to “Kumbaya” (cliche camp song) it might have been better. The Barney/Die Hard joke might have been funny but I couldn’t tell because I couldn’t make out the picture (making it bigger didn’t help). Admittedly he did this review a year ago and this is the only one I’ve watched so he might have learned from mistakes and these negative at mute points and not really need the repeating.

Ok, positives and these are things I agree with.

Xed Gargoyles Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame image picture

Xed out Gargoyles Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

The Gargoyles, yeah he hates them too. Does any out there like them? I mean I’m sure they are some people but rarely do I ever see a defense for them. I’d be curious to hear from gargoyle supporters

 

The Old Heretic Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

The Old Heretic Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

He likes the Old Heretic, he was may favorite gag in the film.

Frollo Hunchback of Notre Dame with Clopin Disney picture image

Frollo with Clopin Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney

 He praises Frollo and hellfire. Everyone seems to but in this case everyones right. Frollo and Hellfire are the highlight the movie. He also enjoyed Phoebus and Clopin, and I can’t argue with that. Phoebus maybe a little too pefect but at least he’s amusing and I liked Clopin a lot.

 

Quasimodo Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney picture image

Quasimodo's Reveal Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney

I do have to agree with him about Quasimodo is boring. Like Esmeralda, he is a little too perfect of a character. He’s not really flawed like he is in the book or in other adaptations.

LazerDude99's rating of Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

LazerDude99's rating of Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Now I don’t watch many reviews on youtube but LazerDude 99 does seem to try to make a decent review of the movie that for the most part is well made. I mean video compression is a hard thing to master, camera/microphone can be expense. I just wished he had fact checked better, Quasimodo Killing Esmeralda is wrong on some many levels. And the jokes need to tighter and clearer because I feel that they fall flat. I suppose in the realm of the youtube reviewer his probably is good, I mean he did book effort into it and did back up his thoughts in an intelligent way.

Watch the Review for yourself by clicking  HERE

 

Frollo drinks a green martini cocktail Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Frollo doesn't care for Green Cocktails

 

So I’m not a big drinker but I recently found a cocktail called an Esmeralda (though there are a lot of cocktails using that name). Anyway the cocktail that I found has Tequila (1.5), Angostura (Dash), Lime Juice (1 oz) and Honey (1 tbsp). I know it’s not related to Hugo’s Esmeralda but it sounds interesting. Though I have to wonder what would a cocktail inspired by the Hunchback Notre Dame Characters be like? Makes me wish I knew more abou t mixology.

I guess a “Frollo” would be dark, bitter & maybe with a hint chocolate (though we could just make a Mad Monk*), an “Esmeralda”  would be Fruity (or maybe we should call it a “Gypsy Girl”), and a “Phoebus” would be some kind of beer-like drink (he doesn’t strike me as the cocktail-type). I have no idea what a Quasimodo, Clopin, Gringore, Djali or a Fleur de Lys** would be like.

What do you think? What would a Hunchback inspired Cocktail be like? Someone out there must know more about mixology than me. ^^

*A Mad Monk is Frangelico (Hazel) (1 oz), Peppermint Schnapps (1 oz) hot chocolate, hot coffee and whipped cream.
**Actually there is a Fleur de Lys cocktail, it’s Stoli Raspberry Vodka(3.oz) and Cointreau (2oz)(Orange Liqueur) (which sounds nice to me ^^)