This is Hunchback of Notre Dame by The Frantic Elevators. It’s not my type song at all. But it’s interesting and there is no denying that it’s about the Hunchback.
Follow thehunchblogThe time has come to ask a very, very serious question, If the Hunchback Characters were whales what species would they be?
Quasimodo – Humpback Whale (naturally)
Esmeralda – Beluga Whale (They are just so pretty)
Frollo – Right Whale (Sometimes called a Black Whale)
Gringoire – Gray Whale
Phoebus – Narwhal
Clopin – Blue Whale
Fleur-de-Lys – True Beaked Whale
Jehan – Sei Whale
Sister Gudule – Bowhead Whale (This spices can live so long that some remember Whaling, so the have a good memory)
Djali – Dwarf Sperm Whale
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I was reading an article on Moviefone about Movie monsters and love. The article looks at The Beast, King Kong, The Phantom, The Wolf Man, Teen Wolf, Gill-Man, Swamp Thing, Shrek, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, the Twilight boys and of course Disney’s Quasimodo.
The write-up on Quasimodo and Esmeralda is basically the same old complaints with zero on incite to what the movie was trying to do.
The articles implies that Esmeralda is not in love with Quasimodo because he is ugly. I think that if Quasimodo was in fact good-looking or normal looking but had the same personally she still would not be in love him. She treats him like a child. She supports, him and wants him to succeed but while she like his kindness she doesn’t find it a turn on. Esmeralda seems to like confidence, dry wit and kindness. Quasi doesn’t have have the first two traits at all.
The Article also calls Phoebus vain? What? How do you figure? Is it because he say’s his name mean “Sun God?” Because he sounded more self-mocking than egoistical.
But I find it amazing that the general public are so quick to bring up the fact that Esmeralda does not fall in love with Quasimodo. The movie does several things which I have mentioned over and over (read here) to get the audience on the couple’s side. They share their first scene together, the have the snarky Disney couple trope, they have the same personality, they treat each like people not angels or devils, their animals have the same coloration. What else can this movie do? Did Quasimodo have to marry them? Because he did that but it was cut from the movie. He did join their hands and looks happy for them.
I don’t want to say this movie is subtle but when it comes to getting that Esmeralda and Phoebus are perfect for each other, people either are in denial or really do just perceive Esmeralda as shallow when she doesn’t actually do anything really shallow except fall in love with a guy that is like herself. But perhaps the main reason for people’s general denial of acceptance of this couple is because many people can relate to the protagonist and in him getting the girl it gives us the viewers hope that we too can reach our goals.
However I will point that Quasimodo’s main goal was to be accepted by society which he was in the end. His mission from the start was to spend a day outside without fear not to fall in love. One could make the point that his goal changed when he met Esmeralda but it really just seemed that his attachment got twisted into love by the gargoyles and an overall love of love. He was never really in love with Esmeralda he was in love with a perception of her based on that it was his time talking to a female and she was nice to him. His affection for her was not a deep love it was a strong friendship.
I’m sorry to rant like this but it just so annoying that people complain about this so much.
Follow thehunchblogA fun little comic for all of you, made by theWAREHOUSE Enjoy the silliness
Follow thehunchblogOn 2/12/12 Lindsay Ellis (Nostalgia Chick) released a list of the Top Ten Hottest Animated guy. The list was compiled with a survey she conducted on her Facebook page and Twitter with women writing in their top pick of the Hottest animated guy from 1995-2002. And the character that came at number 10 was Disney’s Frollo.
Now Ellis suggested that women prefer character to physical appearance. And these characters are usually “projects”, men women can change. And with the case of Frollo he is the most sexual overt Disney character and yet very put off by it, making him relatable and yet torture. But given the fact that he kills people he is also a bad boy. And the mere fact that people generally think that if Frollo could fulfill his sexual desire this would cure him of his obsession and genocidal tendencies, which wouldn’t happen but this adds to the sexual fantasy.
Now given that Frollo was the villain and villains are never meant to be attractive it’s interesting to mention that Frollo was the only villain to make this list. Maybe this is because of the Disney villains, he’s the most interesting and has the most characterization.
I do have to wonder if Disney had handle Phoebus’ character differently would be have made the list? Phoebus could have easily been a bad boy who gets reformed, I mean he did in the book. And given that women aren’t has put off by looks, if Quasimodo was more tormented could he have made the list? My guess, Phoebus yes but Quaismodo no. Disney would have never, never made him tortured, Quasimodo was suppose to be gentle, kind and innocence which are majors turns off. But it’s also might help that Frollo that he was in a power position, he can burned all of Paris and meets no opposition from anyone, except justice freaks Phoebus and Esmeralda.
Would I have sited Disney Frollo as one the “Hottest Animated Guys”? Gotta say no, I wouldn’t, I like him as a character but I don’t find him “Hot” at all.
Not that anyone at Thatguy needs me to drive traffic to them but here is the link to the video, you can find out who else is one the list and who is #1
Follow thehunchblogIn the Spirit of Valentine’s Day I want to pick Fan-Art that was romantic in nature but then I saw this;
It was so silly and on point that I had to post it this week. Art by SamaHatter. I also like the mixing of the Hunchback sources as inspiration for how the guys look also I love the cute style.
Follow thehunchblogIn 2010, I saw the first few episodes of an anime called Blessings of the Campanella (Shukufuku no Campanella). I confess, I watch it mainly because of the word “Campanella” which can mean either a Free Standing Bell Tower like the Tower of Piza or Little Bell. So I was surpise by the Hunchback of Notre Dame reference which many people have overlooked. (Looked though the comments no one mentioned it)
Meet Agnes Boulange.
Agnes is a street performer who performs more or less in front of a Cathedral that looks identical to Notre Dame de Paris.
As a street performer Agnes makes automatic puppets (automata) dance. She even has a special puppet that can speak and takes money (Djali’s counterpart). This puppet is called Tango and it’s one of the few automata puppets that can speak (spoiler; there are like two).
Now for the sake clarification. Hunchback’s leading lady, Esmerlada, is a street performer who dances for the people outside of Notre Dame de Paris but for those who don’t know her birth name is Agnes. So to have a woman named Agnes performing infront of a building that is clearly Notre Dame de Paris is a clear reference to Victor Hugo’s book. The special peforming “animal” is just a special bonus. Plus like goats, cats are associated with witches, but I think it’s just meant to be a cute animal in the anime.
I also want to mention that within the context of the anime, the world is a Fantasy which takes place in a city called Ert’Aria and the characters’ name do not follow a cultural scheme. One’s name is English in origins, another Italian. Agnes is the french one.
The anime itself is not very good. It’s a Fantasy-Harem (one male and several females) but if you’re curious or just want to see the reference for yourself you can watch the first episode on youtube with Japanese subtitles. Watch Here
Oddly, it is not available on DVD (at least in the States) however if you’re interested in either the audio CDs or the video game.
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I was doing some research at work a few days ago on Russian Animation and I found these pictures (which have nothing to do with Russian Animation.) In fact these pictures are concept art by Rowland B. Wilson. Wilson created production art for Disney’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame as well as The Little Mermaid, Tarzan and Hercules.
Enjoy!
Follow thehunchblogThis is the fifth part of my review on the music of Der Glöckner von Notre Dame
Esmeralda
Esmeralda is the closing number of Act 1 so it’s high on drama and plot. This song takes place when Frollo is searching for Esmeralda and Phoebus realizes that he would rather be “good than smart”, (morality over career ambition) and he disobeys Frollo. After he stands up to Frollo, Frollo condemn his to death and Phoebus flees with Esmeralda’s help. Frollo then begins to burn down Paris for Esmeralda while Quasimodo worries.
Musically this song is the melody that Clopin and Esmeralda sing in Tanz auf dem Seil and Draußen. However there are other melodies floating around in this piece and therefore it have more of mash-up feel.
What I like about this song is that it speaks to the basic plot of Hunchback, three men one women. There is another famous Notre Dame song like this, mmm but it’s name escapes me, what could it be? The inclusion of song is needed to get the point of what Esmeralda does to this cross-section of men, granted it’s different than in the book or the Disney movie especially with regards to Phoebus. Phoebus in the Disney movie didn’t have any character development, he started morally good and ended morally good. In the Book he is a philander but after his meeting with Esmeralda and getting stabbed by Frollo be commits himself to his fiancee Fleur de Lys. In this musical he starts off with career ambition and he wants to have a good time but after he meets with Esmeralda and is pushed by Frollo he decides to act in accordance with doing the right things, morally (ie. not burning innocents because the boss is crazy). Quasimodo here is worried about Esmeralda’s safety and Frollo wants her dead or to be his woman, either is fine. The point is this song shows that Esmeralda creates powerful emotions and with exception of Frollo the Disney version didn’t explored that part of the story.
All in all Esmeralda is a very dramatic song that ends the first act perfectly with Phoebus falling into a river. Mmm that reminds me of another Hunchback musical where the first act ends with Phoebus getting injured, mmm which one was that?
Click here to watch a video of Esmeralda being performed on Stage
Note – this song made my list of the top Ten Best Hunchback song which was my fist squidoo lens. Click Here to go there now
Next time – Trommeln in der Stadt & Ein Mann wie du
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