Not Frollo/Phoebus a.k.a Jean-Claude Enchanted Tales Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Not Frollo/Phoebus a.k.a Jean-Claude

Not going to lie, Jean-Claude might be my favorite thing about this movie, which I guess is sad. There is no hiding that he is more Gaston than Frollo but he is so over-the-top that he is just delightful.

Jean-Claude putting the moves on MelodyEnchanted Tales Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Jean-Claude putting the moves on Melody

Jean-Claude is an egotistical rich boy who hates fun and love taxes. The only part of him that is reminiscent of Frollo, besides being the antagonistic in a movie that bares the Hunchback name, is that he is obsessed with Melody a.k.a not-Esmeralda. He doesn’t really lust after her so much as he of just wants a date. I think him wanting a date comes out of his vanity  more than him wanting her. But he is hung up on capturing her but even that comes out his vanity.

 Jean-Claude Enchanted Tales Hunchback of Notre Dame

Jean-Claude

This movie would have you believe that Jean-Claude hates the Gypsies because they are different. I would say no. He seems just to hate poor people and loves money. He also gets money from taxes so people who cause distractions to work and don’t pay him his taxes are the enemy. He is motivated by money just like the creators of this movie.

 

 Jean-Claude Enchanted Tales Hunchback of Notre Dame  picture image

Jean-Claude

There is no hiding that he looks like Gaston. In fact, he looks and acts more like Gaston than The Secret of the Hunchback version who is also after money and looks like Gaston.

With him being motivated by vanity he is further removed from Frollo whose vanity lay in him maintaining his purity. So in reality he is nothing like Frollo however most adaptions simplify Frollo so I’m not to surprised. At least compared to the rest of characters he is entertaining.

 Jean-Claude Enchanted Tales Hunchback of Notre Dame  picture image

Jean-Claude

There is not a lot to this guy, he is for all intended purposes a mustache-twirling villain. He has no depth and I’m ok with that. This version is not in the business of depth and complexity so to have it would have been phony. There is something delightful about a egomaniac villain.

Also Jean-Claude gets some good lines and some silly banter with his minion, so I forgive him since he the only thing in this movie that I can stand.

Next time the Stupid Instruments

The Instruments Enchanted tales Hunchback of Notre  picture image

The Annoying Instruments

 

 

 

 

 

Quasimodo Enchanted tales The Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Quasimodo

It’s ironic that the ONLY character is this poo-fest to keep their original name is so far removed from the original intent of the character that it is downright insulting.

I mean is the story so fucking complicated that no one can really get it right or do people just not care? I mean who said Quasimodo should be handsome, did they read the story or did you think that their creativity made them above at least getting the basics right? I hate the Enchanted Tales version of Hunchback AHHHHHHHHHHH

(Inhales)

Melody & Quasimodo, Enchanted Tales, Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Melody & Quasimodo, Enchanted Tales, Hunchback of Notre Dame

Ok, let start with SOME positives. Quasimodo is not the focal character. That’s actually something. In the book, you never follow Quasimodo the same as Esmeralda, Frollo or even Gringoire but because he is the titular character he gets to be a focal point.

Quasimodo also gets a back story and while it’s stupid at least it something. In the novel it was hinted that he could be a Gypsy so here it’s a nice micro call out.

Quasimodo with the Ding-Bats   Enchanted tales The Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Quasimodo with the Ding-Bats

However, despite having a backstory. it ruins some points of Quasimodo, First off, he and the Frollo character, Jean-Claude, are half-brothers and that doesn’t bother me so much, it bothers me that Quasimodo is older. Quasimodo is older then his father-figure-like character. It just seems wrong. I’m surprised they didn’t go with step-brother angle, more cliches!

However the biggest F.U. with the backstory is that Quasimodo was not born deformed and get got his hunch from working too much. Although later it’s revealed that his hunch was the result of sadness. Enchanted Tales hates the original hunchback story right? That is the only way to process this shit. He has a curvature of the spine because he’s Emo. (Facepalm)

Quasimodo bells to Melody Enchanted tales The Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Quasimodo bells to Melody

Quasimodo in this has next to no personality, so he’s perfect for his little chicky-poo Melody. I mean he yells at one point but then retracts it with a derpy love song. Also in that scene Quasimodo wants Melody to leave but then give her bells. He made a gift for her that he never really intended to give her, Creepy!

Handsome Quasimodo  Enchanted tales The Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Handsome Quasimodo a.k.a Wholemodo?

I could take his no personality and him being older than a half-brother Frollo if they at least kept the fundamentals. His “deformities” or rather his icky looks were just him with bad posture and unkempt hair because he was sad. That was it? Not hideous.

Hmm I guess you could he is a bit of drama queen. And sure he rings bells at a place called Notre Dame but his being a handsome beefy guy that with a better animation budget would look like a Disney Prince is just unforgivable.

Melody and a handome Quasimodo Enchanted Tales Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Melody and a “handome” Quasimodo

Then to add the worst insult the fucking movie tells us the viewer that looks don’t matter. If looks don’ matter then why bother making Quasimodo handsome in the first place? It’s such a terrible way to present that moral because it’s saying look that don’t matter if you’re considered conventional attractive ARGH.

Melody and Quasimodo getting married Enchanted Tales Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Melody and Quasimodo getting married

Who wrote this? A handsome Quasimodo who then totes that looks are not important should not be getting paid to write especially for young kids/babysitter fodder.

Next time – Jean-Cluade a.k.a Not Frollo

Not Frollo/Phoebus a.k.a Jean-Claude Enchanted Tales Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Not Frollo/Phoebus a.k.a Jean-Claude

Melody, a.k.a Not Esmeralda,Enchanted Tales, Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Melody, a.k.a Not Esmeralda, Enchanted Tales, Hunchback of Notre Dame

The main focal character in the Enchanted Tales Version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame is Melody, our Esmeralda character.

Jean-Claude putting the moves on MelodyEnchanted Tales Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Jean-Claude putting the moves on Melody

But why did they call her Melody? It’s not like Esmeralda’s personality isn’t repeatedly altered movie after movie that by changing the name they made a new character, it’s Esmeralda. So they gave her instruments instead of a goat, she is still the beautiful dancing Gypsy girl who captures Quasimodo’s heart.

My guess is that the creators thought Disney made-up the name Esmeralda for their movie because clearly no one on Enchanted Tales read the book and thought they would be sued.

Also, why Melody as the name choice? Everyone else has a French name, even her mother and the freaking donkey gets a French names but Melody doesn’t.

Melody & Quasimodo, Enchanted Tales, Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Melody & Quasimodo

As for Melody’s look, not being Esmeralda, is not sexualized. She has brown hair and blue eyes. She has a tan skin tone and just to make her more pretty she has a beauty mark under her eye (eye-roll). She also doesn’t wear any red but wears yellow. Esmeralda did wear a golden corset once in the novel so one thing right about her overall look.

Oh wait fuck that, she’s not Esmeralda she’s Melody. I take back my almost positive comment.

Melody, a.k.a Not Esmeralda in Jail awaiting death, Enchanted Tales, Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Melody, a.k.a Not Esmeralda in Jail awaiting death

Melody gets the most screen time, so we must get an idea for her personality. Well, her mother did call her wild and free. I didn’t see that but I didn’t see anything against that. Melody kinda just does what she wants. Melody doesn’t let much bother either. She leaves Notre Dame and walks knowingly into a trap and is not phased. She gets thrown into jail and she doesn’t care the much, in fact she sings a stupid happy song. She is about to be executed and she yawns. She finds dying boring.

I think this mostly bad writing than character development. Otherwise she is just nice but fairly selectively, she not nice to Jean-Claude but he’s a douche. But more over she is just boring. Boring maybe a new facet for an Esmeralda-character but it’s a not a good thing.

Melody and her team of annoying instruments Enchanted tales The Hunchback of Notre Dame picture images

Melody and her team of annoying instruments

Melody, unlike Esmeralda, has some kind of magic power. This power is the ability to bring musical instruments to life. This power is not explained and results in annoying-ness. This is her biggest flaw, it wasn’t for her those hell spawn of animation garbage wouldn’t have been in this. Those instruments make the gargoyles in the Disney version look charming. And if Melody had been executed perhaps they would have died with her.

I really hated those instruments and she is responsible for their creation so she is the worst Esmeralda ever.

Next Time Quasimodo

Quasimodo, enchanted tales  picture image

Quasimodo,

Melody & Quasimodo, Enchanted Tales, Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Melody & Quasimodo, Enchanted Tales, Hunchback of Notre Dame

Where do you start critiquing The Enchanted Tales version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame? Everything is wrong with this adaptation. They got nothing right, even most of the names are wrong. I may complain about every other version but at least they got the basics right, Enchanted tales can’t even do that much.

Melody and her team of annoying instruments Enchanted tales The Hunchback of Notre Dame picture images

Melody and her team of annoying instruments

Well they got the basic basics, we have a guy who sports a hunch who rings the bells at Notre Dame and likes a Gypsy girl who dances. That’s it!

Now we have a Gypsy who is in fact some sort a sorceress as she makes instruments come to life with annoying personalities. That is the most niche super power ever, but instead of Esmeralda her name is Melody and she being pursued by a rich egomaniac named Jean-Claude.

Melody with Handsome Quasimodo Enchanted Tales Hunchback of Notre Dame  picture image

Melody with “Handsome” Quasimodo

The name changes and annoying instruments are the least the problems; Quasimodo isn’t deformed, he’s handsome. He has hunch because he was sad and had low-esteem. This is just wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong a thousand times wrong. Then to add to to this cacophony of ass-ness they tell children that looks don’t matter if people think you’re attractive. Looks don’t matter if you’re pretty. I suppose personality don’t matter either since Quasimodo does not have one. So we have terrible moral to boot.

Jean-Claude putting the moves on Melody again Enchanted Tales Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Jean-Claude putting the moves on Melody again

The main issue with the Enchanted Tales version is despite calling it The Hunchback of Notre Dame, this adaptation plays out and feels like a Beauty and the Beast knock-off. The power of love pretty much changes Quasimodo’s appearance which Melody claims to have accepted when he was ugly. That or that swing did wonders for his hair. Seriously his hair gets pushed back and instant Disney Prince. Also Jean-Claude looks exactly like Gaston and we have enchanted objects that dance around.

Melody and a handome Quasimodo Enchanted Tales Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Melody and a “handome” Quasimodo

It’s like the creators on Enchanted Tales were told that Disney is making The Hunchback of Notre Dame, they were told the bare basics of the original story and decided that it’s close enough to Beauty and the Beast and ran with that to make a half-assed stupidly annoying tale with the worst moral EVER!

Next Time – Melody a.k.a Not-Esmeralda

Melody, a.k.a Not Esmeralda,Enchanted Tales, Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Melody, a.k.a Not Esmeralda, Enchanted Tales, Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

Enchanted Tales Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Enchanted Tales Hunchback of Notre Dame

To understand why the Enchanted Tales; Hunchback of Notre Dame version is bad, you have to know that everything is bad. Nothing is good but the plot is the most unforgivable piece of shit of any of the Hunchback versions.

This is the real plot, someone got paid to write this.

Not Frollo/Phoebus a.k.a Jean-Claude  Enchanted Tales Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Not Frollo/Phoebus a.k.a Jean-Claude

The movie opens with a crappy song and dance that demonstrates that the creators of the movie have no clue on what time period this is supposed to be. Paris is run by the gluttonous Baron and his son Captain Jean-Claude. Jean-Clause is the enforcer. He has forbidden dancing and singing forbidden in Paris because of tax reasons. Magic is also forbidden. Pierre, Jean-Claude’s minion, sees a Gypsy who instruments come to life. Jean-Claude decides to stop her.

 Jean-Claude putting the moves on MelodyEnchanted Tales Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Jean-Claude putting the moves on Melody

Then we meet Not-Esmeralda a.k.a Melody and her posse of annoying instruments. In a tree, watching her dance is Quasimodo, the Hunchback. Jean-Claude, Pierre and the Baron enter scene. People run in terror as Jean-Claude is a douche. He sentences Melody to 324 years of jail time but also offers her dinner with him. Melody rejects his offer. Jean-Claude then threatens her with Guillotine. Quasimodo rushes in to help her. People fall down and in the confusion Melody, her mother, their donkey and stupid instruments rush off. Side note the instruments have names but I don’t care.

Melody flees with the dumb instruments  Enchanted Tales Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Melody flees with the dumb instruments

Melody and crew make it back to their Gyspy camp where they discuss that people don’t like them because they are different. But Jean-Claude finds them and Melody and crew hightail it to Notre Dame.

 Jean-Claude, with Melody's mother and donkey Enchanted Tales Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Jean-Claude, with Melody’s mother and donkey

Apparently the bats, a.k.a the DingBats (who are also annoying) control the doors to Notre Dame and allow Melody and the instruments in but not Pierre and Jean-Claude. Jean-Claude then spots Melody’s mom and donkey and kidnaps them.

Pierre tells Melody’s mom about Quasimodo. About how he is Jean-Claude’s half brother by their mother. Their Mother was married to a Gypsy man and had Quasimodo but then she marries the fat-ass Baron and had Jean-Claude. The Baron worked Quasimodo hard and then banished him to the Bell Tower of Notre Dame. Pierre also says that Quasimodo got his hump by working too hard.

Melody & Quasimodo, Enchanted Tales, Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Melody & Quasimodo

Inside Notre Dame, Melody and stupid instruments are welcomed by the Dingbats who can talk to her in the sanctuary while they are in the Bell Tower. She hears the bells and wants to meet the one who rings them. She and the lame instruments go up to tower and meet Quasimodo.

Quasimodo is shy is and standoff. He says he is ugly but Melody says that we all look different and looks don’t matter she adds that she is fond of his music and fond of his looks. Quasimodo presents her with some stupid bells because she pretty (so much for looks not mattering). In her hands the bells start laughing insipidly and Quasimodo remarks on her magic. And Bam they are in love with a dumb song.

Jean-Claude capturing Melody Enchanted Tales Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Jean-Claude capturing Melody

When the song is done Melody sees her Mother’s donkey. The donkey tells her Jean-Claude took her mother and she and instruments leave the safety of Notre Dame to save her. They find her in barn laughing and dancing. But they get caught and Melody is taken by Jean-Claude.

Melody, a.k.a Not Esmeralda in Jail awaiting death, Enchanted Tales, Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Melody,  in Jail awaiting death

Jean-Claude throws Melody into a jail cell and tells her that she is be executed tomorrow when the bell rings at dawn. The bells that Quasimodo gave her escape and tells the other instruments and Melody’s mom about the execution. They decide that they must stop Quasimodo from ringing the bells.

Jean-Claude putting the moves on Melody again Enchanted Tales Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Jean-Claude putting the moves on Melody again

The instruments rush up Notre Dame as people gather to Melody’s execution. Jean-Claude offers Melody to save herself if she renounces her Gypsy ways and has dinner with him. Melody tells him she can’t change who she is. The instruments stop Quasimodo from ringing the bells.

Melody and a handome Quasimodo Enchanted Tales Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Quasimodo swings down and saves Melody. Melody then sees that Quasimodo is actually hot. Quasimodo says if that is how Melody sees him then he must be handsome and that looks don’t matter. The moral of this shit feast is that looks don’t matter if you’re hot…and low self-esteem makes you unattractive…….. gah. The movie then interrupts itself for a song.

Melody and Quasimodo getting married Enchanted Tales Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Melody and Quasimodo getting married

Now that Quasimodo has some self esteem he tells off Jean-Claude which causes the people to revolt against Jean-Claude. Quasimodo and Melody then get marry at Notre Dame. The End

Next Time, More on the Plot

Melody, a.k.a Not Esmeralda,Enchanted Tales, Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Melody, a.k.a Not Esmeralda, Enchanted Tales, Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

 

Melody & Quasimodo, Enchanted Tales, Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Melody & Quasimodo, Enchanted Tales, Hunchback of Notre Dame

I ran a poll for what terrible version I should review next. The two options were Secret of the Hunchback and the Enchanted tales version. Enchanted Tales: The Hunchback of Notre Dame won in the end. Say what you want about the Secret of the Hunchback at least it is a hunchback story, Enchanted Tales claims to be one but it’s not.

It has very very very little to do with hunchback story. I mean there is a hunchback named Quasimodo in it and he rings bells at Notre Dame and there is a Gypsy girl that he saves. But it’s vastly different in so many bad grave spinning ways. This movie is 40 minutes of torture and hell. So let’s start this descent into madness

The plot or something like it

Melody & Quasimodo, Enchanted Tales, Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Melody & Quasimodo, Enchanted Tales, Hunchback of Notre Dame

I asked in a poll what that next version of Hunchback to be review should be between two very bad cartoon version, Secret of the Hunchback or The Enchanted Tales Version. Both versions are terrible in different ways and very stupid. The Winner however was The Enchanted Tale Version.

Melody, a.k.a Not Esmeralda,Enchanted Tales, Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Melody, a.k.a Not Esmeralda, Enchanted Tales, Hunchback of Notre Dame

Review Series of this starting soon.

Help Me!

The Little Mermaid II; Return to the Sea picture image

The Little Mermaid II; Return to the Sea

The Little Mermaid is a sequel to the 1989 movie The Little Mermaid, wait that’s not right, The Little Mermaid II; Return to the Sea is a copy of the 1989 movie The Little Mermaid, wait, I mean it’s a sequel. That’s it, it’s a sequel. It’s not a copy because it has a penguin and walrus in it and not because it’s the same plot as the first one.

Melody with her locket, The Little Mermaid II; Return to the Sea picture image

Melody with her locket

The plot is pretty much the first movie just with Ariel’s daughter, Melody, but instead of being a shore-o-phile, little Melody is sea-o-phile. Pretty much this love stems from their parents forbidding them from having any contact with said place.

In the Little Mermaid, it made sense, in Return to Sea, Ursula’s crazy Sister (I hate you so much movie), threatens the baby Melody and vanishes, so Ariel builds a wall to keep Melody out of the sea and then lies to her kid about her origins. This is stupid. Melody, who is a little awkward around her peers and feeling betrayed by her parents runs off after finding a keepsake with her name on her it, a gift from Triton.

This where Ursula’s crazy sister, Morgana, comes in and lies to her, turns her into a mermaid and tricks her into get Triton’s Trident. Fight then ensues, Morgana gets turned into a popsicle and yay big dumb wall goes bye bye and everyone is happy.

Ariel and Melody, The Little Mermaid II; Return to the Sea picture image

Ariel and Melody

Let’s talk about the characters, Ariel is now Triton. Melody is Ariel and Morgana is Ursula. The other characters are sort of there too. Eric is there too, I mean he never had a personality other than being nice so he is the same. It’s very annoying that any time a Disney character has a child they are either the copy of their parents except that they gravitates towards the opposite or they are a lame plot device.

Morgana and Melody, The Little Mermaid II; Return to the Sea picture image

Morgana and Melody

A little bit more on Morgana. Cut the crap movie, this is Ursula 2.0 and by the film’s own admission, it’s a downgrade. For fuck sake she has the same voice actress. Anyway, Not-Ursula, I mean, Morgana’s mom liked Ursula better because Ursula was better at magic. Her inferiority complex is so bad that when she has all the powers of the sea, she makes people bow to her, not turn them in kelp. Yeah, this villain is dumb. Though to be fair Triton had all the power of sea and he couldn’t find her or kill her when he has clear shot at her at the beginning. I bet if they could have figure out how bring Ursula back from the dead this movie would have it but that would have required at creative thought so crazy sister, who isn’t that crazy.

Ariel and Melody, The Little Mermaid II; Return to the Sea picture image

Ariel and Melody

Then there is Melody who differs a little bit from Ariel, in that she feels like she doesn’t fit in as an ordinary girl, so she too has a bit of inferiority complex compare to Ariel whom Melody deems as perfect.

First off, Melody is princess she is not ordinary. She should be more concerned that people are pretending to like her. I guess people from where these people live, the 12 year olds are more honest. I don’t even know.

Melody with Tip and Dash, The Little Mermaid II; Return to the Sea picture image

Melody with Tip and Dash

Speaking of which, where the fuck is this located? I mean these characters go back and forth to Arctic conditions but where the bulk of the characters live seems temperate.

But what REALLY hurts my head are the animals seen in the Arctic, we have Narwhals, Penguins, a Sea Turtle, a Walrus, a Baleen Whale and a Hammerhead shark. Narwhals live in the Arctic, Penguins live Antarctica, Sea Turtles inhabit everywhere but the Arctic, Walruses dwell in the Northern Hemisphere, Baleen Whales migrate so pass and Hammerhead sharks like off every coasts every but not in the cold water of the poles.

FUCK YOU MOVIE. Especially since you have the gall to team up a Walrus and Penguin as Melody side-kicks, Tip and Dash, not sure which one is which and I don’t care. They are annoying to boot. The lack of attention to animals habitat reeks of laziness.

Melody doing the Part of your World flip, The Little Mermaid II; Return to the Sea picture image

Melody doing the Part of your World flip

Then to make this movie sooooooooo much worse, this movies uses lots of visual and lines from the original movie. Here are three;

– The shot of Melody shooting to the surface after searching for shells is exactly the same as the shot of Ariel’s resurfacing after she was transformed into a human by Ursula.
– When Ariel discovers Melody’s visit to the sea, she says “You deliberately disobeyed me,” the same line King Triton delivers to Ariel when he discovers her visited to the surface.
– Melody does a back flip through the water while singing “For a Moment”, which is the exact same movement Ariel did while singing “Part of that World”.

 

Melody, The Little Mermaid II; Return to the Sea picture image

Melody

These references make Little Mermaid II: Return to The Sea feel so lazy and with plot being so rehashed that characters even know it, it just makes a million times worse. Was there any effort put in to this? I mean I think one has to work hard to be this lazy. So maybe?