Getting CG with it Visuals of Hunchback

by

The Licentious CG Crowds

Topsy Turvy CG Crowds Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney
Topsy Turvy CG Crowds Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney

(post contains affiliate links)

For the most part Hunchback of Notre Dame has stunning animation and visuals, and isn’t that what Disney is know for… beside songs, and Princesses and Branding the Hell out their movies. Unfortunately Hunchback has one aspect of their visuals that hasn’t aged well; the CG crowds.

Topsy Turvy CG Crowds Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney
Topsy Turvy CG Crowds Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney

 Hunchback of Notre Dame has had a history of big crowds scenes, they can be seen the 1923 version, 1939 version and most of the other film versions have scene with a ton of people.

So of course Disney had to this to and the opted for computer generate crowds that the could swap out clothing hair and other traits, it was a time saver.

Climax CG Crowds Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney
Climax CG Crowds Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney

The crowds can be seen in “Topsy Turvy,” the climax and the ending. And My God they stick out against the film’s art style. There just not refined enough to blend in remote to the film. However it is possible to over look it.

Finale CG Crowds Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney
Finale CG Crowds Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney

But still when the are noticeable they’re clunky, angular and not very pretty.  They actually bring the visuals down for me, perhaps I’m too harsh  but they look like the come from a cheap and boring video game about peasants who wear a lot of brown.

Beside the Crowds there is another aspect of the that Disney didn’t quite get right

Next Time – Notre Dame de Disney’s Hunchback of Notre Dame

Notre Dame of Paris Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Hunchback of Notre Dame Graphic Novel

by

This actually old news but Hunchback of Notre Dame is getting the Graphic Novel treatment via Dark Horse Publishing. It’s By Tim A Conrad.

Hunchback of Notre Dame Graphic Novel by Tim A Conrad

Hunchback of Notre Dame Graphic Novel by Tim A Conrad

Hunchback of Notre Dame Graphic Novel by Tim A Conrad

Hunchback of Notre Dame Graphic Novel by Tim A Conrad

Hunchback of Notre Dame Graphic Novel by Tim A Conrad

Hunchback of Notre Dame Graphic Novel by Tim A Conrad

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Believe it not this not the first time Hunchback as been experience the comic treatment.

Conclusion of Hunchback’s Music – A Rant and a Plea

by

Hellfire wasn’t a Fluke

Frollo Hunchback of Notre Dame Hellfire Disney picture image

(post contains affiliate links)

As I end discussing the music I want to say ONE thing, in Hunchback of Notre Dame, when the songs differ from the standard Disney format of song-type, the songs were great and when the songs was very formulaic it was bad. I think Disney needs to  pull away from the rigidly formulaic movies and be a little more experimental.

I realize the Hunchback wasn’t a great success for them but that’s because they took a book that

a) is a piece of literature with a bittersweet ending
and
b) they blended the plot so it could both be “dark” and also for kids.

 

Tangled Promotion Poster Disney picture image
Tangled Promotion Poster Disney
Snow Queen Concept Art Disney picture image
Snow Queen Concept Art Disney

 

I know Disney recently has been trying new things, Tangled was CG and more like a Dreamwork movie but it was still a princess movie and I was going to mention Snow Queen but that’s in development limbo right now. But maybe Disney should take what was so great about the Hunchback of Notre Dame (the dark elements) and make a dark animated movie. Let’s what would be good, mmm how about Faust:, everyone loves Faust. Or the The Monk , no that’s too dark, lots of sex and satan (but then again the main character is like a Frollo prototype). I think there was talk about doing Disney doing The Ramayana which isn’t dark but Ravana is demon king and I think it would make a great Disney movie especially if they did really cool animation. I guess either Faust alter to skew younger or the Ramayana which would need very little altering would be great.

Night on Bald Mountain Disney Fantasia picture image
Frollo singing Hellfire Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

 

 

 

 

 

 

In conclusion Disney, you love Night on Bald Mountain, you love Hellfire, just make a dark movie and don’t market it for kids who know maybe that’s the shot in the arm your company needs; making a good film that people want to watch, and the people like Dark.

(2026 edit – Disney doesn’t remotely touch “dark” vibes anymore and it’s been a long while since the company has had proper villain. I’d say “that’s life” but Disney markets the “fun” villains a lot so they REALLY should craft a new villain of that type at the very least.)

Hunchback of Notre Dame Score

by

Hunchback Score Might be the Best One for Disney

Frollo singing Hellfire Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image
Frollo singing Hellfire Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

(post contains affiliate links)

Let’s us now concluded the musical portion of Hunchback with probably the strongest aspect of it: Alan Menken’s Score. The Hunchback of Notre Dame has one of the best score that Disney has ever produced. Menken was inspired by Mozart’s Requiem Mass and there a lot of dark tonalities to the Music  which in conclude Latin chanting which add   to the gothic nature of tone to the movie. When I say Gothic I referring to the building of Notre Dame and not the genre of the Victor Hugo’s book. The score also has a lot of Leitmotifs (referring to a recurring theme associated with a particular person, place, or idea.)

Quasimodo during Out There Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image
Quasimodo during Out There Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Frollo singing Hellfire Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame pitcure image
Frollo singing Hellfire Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Esmeralda singing God Help the Outcast Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image
Esmeralda singing God Help the Outcast Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

Quasimodo = “Out There,” Frollo =”Hellfire,” Phoebus has this march that is heard a lot when ever he appears on the screen. This Phoebus leitmotif got reused as part of the musical for Phoebus’ introductory song “Rest and Recreation.”

Esmeralda =”God Help the Outcasts.”. Clopin doesn’t seem to get one because he is always singing. You can hear the some melody throughout the movie. Track 4 Humiliation has the melody of “Out There” and  “God help the Outcast.”

 

Quasimodo declares Sanctuary for Esmeralda Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney picture image
Quasimodo declares Sanctuary for Esmeralda

So while the songs are pretty hit and miss, the score is strong. My Favorite track is defiantly Sanctuary! It’s over the top and dramatic. Plus I’m a fan of Latin choir, it maybe a cliche but they really do make everything sound much more epic

 

Next time a slight Rant and Plea to Disney

A Horrible Hunchback of Notre Dame Joke

by

Not My Joke and it has variations; try to Enjoy

The hunchback of Notre Dame needed a job. He knocked on the door of the belltower. The gentleman at the door asked,

“What do you want?” The hunchback replied,

“I need a job. I want to ring the bell.”

“You’re too short to ring the bell,” said the gentleman. The hunchback said,

“Just give me one chance to prove to you that I can.”

The gentleman agrees and the two go up to the bell at the top of the tower. Clearly the small man could not reach the bell. He takes a few steps back and takes a running jump, banging the bell with his face.
“Okay,” said the gentleman, “but you can’t do it more than once, you’ll hurt yourself.”

But the hunchback did it again and again and again and was fine. He gets the job.

The next day the same gentleman is walking down the street with the priest. The hunchback of Notre Dame takes his running start, misses the bell and falls of the building, crashing to the ground, dead. The priest goes,

“Oh my god! Did you know this man?” The gentleman replies,

“No, but his face rings a bell.”

Hunchback’s Deleted Songs

by

The Two Unused Love Songs

As Long as there’s a moon Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
As Long as there’s a moon Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
In a Place of Miracles Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
In a Place of Miracles Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

So there were two Deleted Songs in Hunchback of Notre Dame:  “As Long as there’s a Moon” and “In a Place of Miracles.” Both songs were love songs for Phoebus and Esmeralda, and occurs right before Frollo arrested anyone. It was an awkward place for the songs as it’s like “Hey Frollo is coming” “Oh no but first a love song”, it just didn’t work. The other problem is that the directors felt that a love song for Phoebus and Esmeralda took any the Quasimodo-ness from the movie, yada yada yada the directors loved Quasimodo as the focus and no else. As result no love songs.

 

In a Place of Miracles Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
In a Place of Miracles Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
As Long as there’s a moon Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
As Long as there’s a moon Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

 

Both deleted songs were meh, “In a Place of Miracle” was a duet between Phoebus and Esmeralda and “As Long as there’s a moon” featured Clopin singing and followed a scene from the book. They’re average songs that were awkwardly placed.

 

As Long as there’s a moon Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
As Long as there’s a moon Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
In a Place of Miracles Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
In a Place of Miracles Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

I prefer “As Long as there a moon” more than “In Place of Miracles” but then again Clopin the best human character. I also  kind of like that they didn’t have a love song however maybe the addition of love song for Phoebus and Esmeralda would have made fans believe their romance instead of just thinking Esmeralda was shallow in not choosing Esmeralda.

In a Place of Miracles Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
In a Place of Miracles Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
As Long as there’s a moon Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
As Long as there’s a moon Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

 

Demo Reel Someday – The Music of the Disney’s Hunchback of Notre Dame

by

The Storybroad

Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

So now we come to the Demo reel of “Someday.” If “Someday” had been chosen over “God help the Outcast” the animation would have looked have followed this. It’s pretty the some as “God Help the Outcast” and it’s sung by Heidi Mollenhaur.

Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

So the story goes that Alan Menken wrote “God Help the Outcast” for the “Esmeralda Prayer” sequence. The director felt that they wanted a song with more energy for this part because they felt Outcast was to quiet.

Menken then wrote “Someday” which is a bigger number. However untimely the Directors felt it was too big a number to be sung in Notre Dame of Paris and they went with “God help the Outcast.”

Now if you read my review of “God help the Outcast” you’d know I have some problems with song as I find to be on the condescending side. It bothers me that Directors opted for “Outcast” over “Someday” by claiming it was more humble. Example what more humble saying your at loss words or trying to relate to Mary? I find “Someday” far humbler.

Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

It also bothers me that they claimed “Someday” was too big for Notre Dame. In “God Help the Outcast” Parishioner sing loudly and Esmeralda does belt a little bit towards the end of “God Help the Outcast.”

So why was “God Help the Outcast” chosen over “Someday”? The reason I think is untimely “God Help the Outcast” reflects Quasimodo more. Esmeralda maybe singing about Romani but the song heavy eludes back to Quasimodo. And this film never wants you to forget Quasimodo, ever. In “Someday” she says the phase “Out There” but other than that Quasimodo is really reflected back. So since the film can’t seem to go 5 minutes without Quasimodo the songs is about Outcasts and not the world as a whole.

Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
A Picture from the demo reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame image
A Picture from the demo reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

Final Thoughts

Should they have gone with “Someday” over “God help the Outcast” for Esmeralda’s Prayer? Hard to say, while I like Someday better “God help the Outcast” has more Drama and tension to it plus it refers back to the source material; The 1939 version of Hunchback of Notre Dame, so if nothing else Film Buffs can better catch Disney ripping off another movie which what Disney loves to do.

Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

 

 

 

Next Time – Let’s look at the songs that time forgot; The Deleted Songs of Hunchback of Notre Dame    

Esmeralda As Long as there's Moon Demo Reel Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Einmal Someday – The Music of the Disney’s Hunchback of Notre Dame

by

The German Musical’s Rendition

Ann Christin Elverum as Esmeralda singing Einmal Der Glöckner von Notre Dame picture image
Ann Christin Elverum as Esmeralda singing Einmal Der Glöckner von Notre Dame

 

“Einmal” (Once) was performed in the German musical of Disney’s Hunchback of Notre Dame: Der Glöckner von Notre Dame. The German musical took the Disney film and made it darker and more like the book. A lot of Songs were added including “Einmal” or “Someday.”

It’s New Place in the Narrative

Ruby Rosales as Esmeralda Der Glöckner von Notre Dame picture image
Ruby Rosales as Esmeralda Der Glöckner von Notre Dame
Judy Weiss as Esmeralda with Frollo (Norbert Lamla) Der Glöckner von Notre Dame picture images
Judy Weiss as Esmeralda with Frollo (Norbert Lamla) Der Glöckner von Notre Dame

 

“Einmal” is performed after Frollo gives Esmeralda his ultimatum in jail. Esmeralda considers taking it if only to save Phoebus. Phoebus tells her she should do it for herself, so she can live. Esmeralda say she doesn’t consider a life with Frollo living. She then sings about how she hopes the world will learn after countless war and  bloodshed to live and not to hate.

 

Ann Christin Elverum as Esmeralda Der Glöckner von Notre Dame picture image
Ann Christin Elverum as Esmeralda Der Glöckner von Notre Dame

 

“Einmal” hits a bit more to core without gentle lyrics in the hope for peace. It less sweet and vague than “Someday.” I don’t want to get too much into “Einmal” since Der Glöckner von Notre Dame’s review day is coming.

However I do like that this song is performed as Esmeralda’s dying wish, it gives the song even more power. It also gives it a very different feeling than “God help the Outcast” and lets “Someday” stand on its own instead of just being a replacement  song.

Judy Weiss as Esmeralda singing Einmal Der Glöckner von Notre Dame picture image
Judy Weiss as Esmeralda singing Einmal Der Glöckner von Notre Dame

 

I understand why it’s not in the movie even with the placement of where “Einmal” is in Der Glöckner von Notre Dame. If it had been place in a Jail scene it would have taken away the drama of the execution scene plus the music used in that scene in the movie is awesome.

Plus another Esmeralda scene without Quasimodo would have made the audience forget all about Quasimodo (or so the directors thought.)

 

Next Time – The Demo  version of Someday from the Movie

Someday Demo Reel Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame image picture
Someday Demo Reel Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame