I can’t believe it’s not Notre Dame; The Sets of the 1997 version of Hunchback

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The very first time I watched 1997 version of The Hunchback I was struck by the sets mainly the Notre Dame sanctuary sets and not in a good way.

Sets 1997 Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Quasimodo in “Notre Dame” Interior Set

The set used for the sanctuary of Notre Dame is pretty but Notre Dame it is not. Oh, it has similar aspects of Notre Dame as it’s a gothic church but it’s not Notre Dame.

Frollo inside "Notre Dame" with King and Minister, 1997 Hunchback picture image

Frollo inside “Notre Dame” with King and Minister

This church has a soft earthly glow to it that Notre Dame not have. Notre Dame is dark inside so that the light from the rose windows pours inside. This light in the movie could have been the result of lighting a set for filming but post production could have corrected that. But I don’t think so. The layout and the look of it are just different. The stones seems more brown in tone and not grey like in Notre Dame. The columns totally different. Notre Dame’s columns are bigger with more complex capitals, the tops of columns. The ones in The Hunchback have like a stacking clustering details. It’s very telling that you don’t get an establishing shot of the sanctuary of the cathedral like in the 1939 version and the Disney version.

The Church of Saint Ouen in Rouen picture image

The Church of Saint Ouen in Rouen

Clearly they are passing another Church off as Notre Dame instead of a building set or shoting at Notre Dame. The Church they are passing off as Notre Dame is The Church of Saint Ouen in Rouen. Shame of you movie, Saint Ouen is gorgeous is its own right. In truth it does not matter which Church it is, it’s not Notre Dame. It’s disrespectful to the buildings and the audience when movies pass off one landmark for another. I get that movies typically pass off Toronto for New York because it’s cheaper but somehow this switch reminds of this Bollywood movie called Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, in which they try and fail to pass off Budapest for Rome. They did it because the filmmakers felt Budapest wouldn’t connect to an Indian audience. And clearly the film makers for the 1997 Hunchback think one Gothic Church is as good as another because people won’t notice.

The rest of the sets are ok, nothing really to say, they are like the rest of this movie meh…..

Next Time -Final Thoughts of the 1997 Version of The Hunchback.

Salma Hayek as Esmeralda, 1997 The Hunchback picture image

Salma Hayek as Esmeralda,

What’s in a name? Notre Dame

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Let’s concluded with series of posts with titular character herself, Notre Dame.

Notre Dame, Paris, France - Matted Photo

Notre Dame, Paris, France – Matted Photo

Notre Dame means in French Our Lady. Notre Dame de Paris mean Our lady of Paris. All churches that have Notre Dame in them refer to the Virgin Mary.

 

The original title novel, Notre Dame de Paris, has double meaning, it refers to the Cathedral and Esmeralda. Esmeralda has a lot of association to the Virgin Mary in the book, but that is a post series for another time.

 

Hypothetical Casting; Benedict Cumberpatch as Frollo

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Benedict Cumberbatch picture image

Benedict Cumberbatch

The time has come to talk about Benedict Cumberbatch and Frollo.

Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes in Sherlock picture image

Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes in Sherlock

Cumberbatch has been in many poplar things of late, he was the voice of Smaug and the necromancer in TheThe Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug , Khan in Star Trek Into Darkness, and he plays Sherlock in the BBC version o fSherlock. He was also in 12 years a slave and is rumor to be up for a role in Star Wars VII.

Benedict Cumberbatch picture image

Benedict Cumberbatch

Cumberbatch would make a wonderful Frollo. In addition to being a popular actor is also a good actor. He display a great deal of intensity which is necessary for a Frollo. Cumberbatch is also very aware of the camera, meaning that he understands that connecting to the camera will connect to audience. This skill would enhance the depiction of Frollo.

Benedict Cumberbatch picture image

Benedict Cumberbatch

As far as looks go, Cumberbatch has an angular face which could be made to look austere and make-up and styling can give him more of a Frollo look.he is also 6 feet so that would work very well to be an imposing goblin monk. Cumberbatch voice is very similar to Alan Rickman, which is a plus.

Benedict Cumberbatch picture image

Benedict Cumberbatch

What do you think would Benedict Cumberbatch make a Frollo in a film adaption of The Hunchback of Notre Dame?

THe 1997 version of Hunchback; Good Casting but bad version

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The 1997 version of the Hunchback confounds me a lot. You pretty have the right actors for the characters and they do a fairly competent job with material they are given but the material given to them is so wrong for a Hunchback adaptation. It’s clear that this movie was emulating the 1939 Laughton version with the printing press and a very sympathetic Quasimodo but it fails to measure up became the execution is miserable.

It’s like if you have all the ingredients to make a simple chocolate cake but half through you decide that you want to make it your own except you have no concept of cooking so you just start throwing whatever you want in there like Bacon, Walnuts, Cherries, whatever. Then you’re surprise when it doesn’t cook right and no one likes it.

Mandy Patinkin as Quasimodo, 1997 The Hunchback picture image

Mandy Patinkin as Quasimodo

Quasimodo and Esmeralda are the least offensively bad but to be fair these types of versions of the characters that they are portraying are common. Humanize and sympathetic Quasimodos are the norm with film adaptions because the audience has to like Quasimodo despite his looks.

Salma Hayek as Esmeralda, 1997 The Hunchback picture image

Salma Hayek as Esmeralda

Same goes for Esmeralda. Having a shallow immature girl is not the way to win over an audience. Having a strong confidence yet kind beautiful women works perfectly. Both of these character choices reflects an easy out. A Quasimodo and Esmeralda with a character arc would be hard to write. On could argue that Quasimodo’s arc would be realizing Frollo is a mean jerk face but since he is a villain that’s easy. THe real issue is with Esmeralda is that she doesn’t do anything in this movie outside of looking attractive . She gives Quasimodo water for feelings of guilt but that it. Her importance is just being there for Quasimodo and Frollo to react to and not doing anything.

Richard Harris as Frollo, 1997 The Hunchback picture image

Richard Harris as Frollo

Then there is colossal fail that is Frollo in this movie. The biggest issue with Frollo in this movie is that is obsession for Esmeralda is the result of feeling weak with regard to the king’s attitude on the printing press. His lust for Esmeralda feels like an afterthought and that shouldn’t be. The plot revolves around that. Once that decision was made other integral parts of the plot suffered like why would Esmeralda get the blame for the minster’s murder? Who saw the knife and knew it was her’s when it’s only in one scene? No Phoebus and Gringoire does nothing.

The 1997 Hunchback fails as Hunchback adaptation because Frollo’s lust set the story in motion. A failure to understand what drives the story is the reason why this version even with good castings fails.

Next time the Direction

Richard Harris as Frollo, 1997 The Hunchback picture harris

Richard Harris as Frollo, yells No!

You are Tearing me apart, Quasimodo!

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The Disaster Artist picture image

The Disaster Artist

Recently, I read The Disaster Artist which is an inside look at the making of The Room, which is called the Citizen Kane of bad films. If you haven’t seen it, see it! The Disaster Artist is also a very compelling read.

Tommy Wiseau the Room picture image

Tommy Wiseau

Fairly early in the book authors Greg Sestero and Tom Bissell liken The Room’s mastermind Tommy Wiseau to Quaismodo saying that Wiseau looks like “the Hunchback of Notre Dame following corrective surgery.” This is allegory is almost too true. Could you imagine Tommy Wiseau playing Quasimodo? That would amazing!

The 1997 Verion of Esmeralda; Sexy and Dull

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Salma Hayek as Esmeralda, 1997 The Hunchback picture image

Salma Hayek as Esmeralda,

I do not hate Salma Hayek, I loved her in Frida, and I think she is a decent to good actress. The problem with Hayek is she is often typecast as the feisty independent women and because of that it’s very hard to separate Hayek from her depiction of Esmeralda.

Salma Hayek as Esmeralda and Edward Atterton as Gringoire, 1997 The Hunchback picture image

Salma Hayek as Esmeralda and Edward Atterton as Gringoire

Esmeralda in the 1997 version is dull. She is nice, sexy, caring and likes her independence but there is not a lot to her. Generally, most Esmeraldas have little to work with other than being kind and beautiful.

Salma Hayek as Esmeralda, 1997 The Hunchback picture image

Salma Hayek as Esmeralda

Hayek’s Esmeralda does get a bit of social justice but it comes from guilt over Quasimodo getting punished because of her, which is a bit of an issue. In this version, Esmeralda is only briefly put off by Quasimodo’s looks and Quasimodo does not try to kidnap her, in fact he tries to help and Esmeralda know this. When Esmeralda tries to help Quasimodo by appealing to the king for his release, her giving him water is like a consolation to make it up to him. It’s not that she was moved by a whim. It lacks the sweetness that has in other versions where Esmeralda is clearly the one who the wrong was done to.

Salma Hayek as Esmeralda, 1997 The Hunchback picture image

Salma Hayek as Esmeralda

By all counts Hayek is a really good casting choice. Hayek has really good exotic look which for an Esmeralda who is a full-Romani is really good. She was on the upper edge of being a little too old to play Esmeralda but the film doesn’t really talk about her youth or naivety too much so it’s not a big issue.

Salma Hayek as Esmeralda, 1997 The Hunchback picture image

Salma Hayek as Esmeralda,

Really, she should have been the perfect Esmeralda. her performance is not her fault as she had little to work with. She has no arc and has nothing to do outside of being nice and dancing suggestively.

Next Time Quasimodo

Mandy Patinkin as Quasimodo, The Hunchback 1997 picture image

Mandy Patinkin as Quasimodo

The plot of the 1997 Hunchback

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Salma Hayek as Esmeralda, 1997 The Hunchback picture image

Salma Hayek as Esmeralda,

The 1997 version of The Hunchback is in someways is very faithful to the book but in more ways it diverges so much. Overall, it has a great mood that feels like the original book. It knows when to be bright and knows when to be somber. But in what ways does the plot massively diverge, oh let me count the ways.

 

Richard Harris as Frollo and the Printing Press, 1997 The Hunchback picture image

Richard Harris as Frollo and the Printing Press

First, the big one, The Printing Press. The Printing  Press was briefly discussed in the novel and was a major subplot in the 1939 version but the in 1997 version, it’s a big part of the plot, in fact it’s the first thing Frollo does. In the opening scene, Frollo commandeers a Printing Press and then find baby Quasimodo.

 

Salma Hayek as Esmeralda, 1997 The Hunchback picture image

Salma Hayek as Esmeralda,

The Printing Press is also a big part in Esmeralda’s trial. Since Phoebus is not in this, he can’t get stab instead Frollo is at odds with a minster who wants to legalizes the printing press. Frollo isn’t against knowledge, he is against keeping it from being easy because if it easy to attain it’s worthless. So Frollo is at odds with this minster and his obsession for Esmeralda. After his run in with minster and getting turned down by the King, Frollo seeks out Esmeralda and confesses his obsession to her. She runs off but drops her knife which Frollo then uses to kill the minister and Esmeralda is blamed.

Mandy Patinkin as Quasimodo and Salma Hayek as Esmeralda, 1997 The Hunchback

Mandy Patinkin as Quasimodo and Salma Hayek as Esmeralda, 1997 The Hunchback

Quasimodo also uses the old commandeer Printing Press to make a pamphlet to help free Esmeralda which he gives to Gringoire to distribute. On the some note Quasimodo in this version love learning and books.

 

Salma Hayek as Esmeralda and Edward as Gringoire, 1997 The Hunchback picture image

Salma Hayek as Esmeralda and Edward Atterton as Gringoire

Speaking of Gringoire and Esmeralda, unlike other versions where if the fall in love it’s over time usually at the point where Esmeralda gets in trouble. In this version it’s pretty quick.  She kisses him the scene after they get married. Not a big change just worth a mention.

 

Mandy Patinkin as Quasimodo and Richard harris as Frollo, 1997 The Hunchback picture image

Mandy Patinkin as Quasimodo and Richard Harris as Frollo

A big change  that is worth mentioning is the attack on Notre Dame and and the climax. Much like the Disney movie the attack on Notre Dame occurs right after Quasimodo saves Esmeralda. Unlike the Disney movie it’s not at the end but like novel in the middle. So the climax is Quasimodo goes to the court of Miracles to give Gringoire the pamphlets and to get Djali for Esmeralda. He returns and finds Esmeralda gone. It turns out Frollo handed her back to executioner and she is going to be hanged. Frollo tells Quasimodo everything and as Esmeralda is about to be hanged the Court of Miracle show up and saves her. Quasimodo threaten to throw Frollo off Notre Dame until he confess before all of Paris that he is murder. As Frollo and Quasimodo walk off, Esmeralda runs into the Cathedral, Frollo in a rage tries to stab her but stabs Quasimodo by accident. In their fight they go over the edge of Notre Dame and Frollo dies. Quasimodo hangs on and Esmeralda and Gringoire save him from the ledge but dies of his wounds under his bells.

 

Richard Harris as Frollo hiring thugs, 1997 The Hunchback picture images

Richard Harris as Frollo hiring thugs

Another big change is Frollo doesn’t send Quasimodo to capture Esmeralda. Frollo hires some thugs and Quasimodo follows and tries to help but gets arrested.

A Gargoyle with molten Lead,1997 The Hunchback picture image

A Gargoyle with molten Lead

 

I won’t pretend that these big changes are not weird. It was practically jarring to see the attack on Notre Dame scene in the middle of the story. It really loses the drama. And Quasimodo not trying to capture Frollo lacks a punch too. The version makes up for these it other areas but still it’s a weird.

 

Next time Esmeralda

Salma Hayek as Esmeralda, 1997 The Hunchback picture image

Salma Hayek as Esmeralda

U.S Debut for Hunchback Stage Show

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Quaismodo Bells of Notre dame reprise Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Quaismodo Bells of Notre dame reprise Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Most of you already know this, but the debut of  the stage version of the Disney version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame has a location. It will debut at La Jolla Playhouse. It will be part of the 2014-2015 season in October. La Jolla Playhouse is a not-for-profit  professional theatre-in-residence located on the campus of the University of California, San Diego. It is unclear if Disney has plans to bring the show to Broadway after its run at La Jolla Playhouse but the Aladdin ran in Toronto before it went to Broadway,  so it hopefully will happen for Hunchback too.  It’s very exciting news!

Source – http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/BREAKING-DISNEYS-HUNCHBACK-OF-NOTRE-DAME-to-Have-US-Premiere-at-La-Jolla-Playhouse-20140124

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/culture/la-et-cm-hunchback-of-notre-dame-musical-20140123,0,181081.story#axzz2roLqX2rp

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Jolla_Playhouse

What’s in Name? Quasimodo

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Every monday for a while, I will go behind the Hunchback character’s name to see hidden facets to their characters as indicated by their names or in some cases very apparent facets. Anyway, let’s start with Mr. Quasimodo.

Quasimodo Illustrtion Francois flameng

Illustration of Quasimodo

 

Quasimodo’s name is a sad pun within the book. Frollo found Quasimodo abandoned at Notre Dame on Low Sunday, the Sunday after Easter, also called Quasimodo Sunday.  The name Quasimodo for this Sunday comes from the Latin text of the traditional Intriot from this day. An Introit is part of the opening of the liturgical celebration of the Eucharist. The Intriot for Low Sunday begins with “Quasi modo geniti infantes…”  from 1 Peter 2:2.  It roughly translates to  “As newborn babes, desire the rational milk without guile…”  The “Quasi modo” part means “As if” in this instance.

Quasimodo in isolation roughly means “Almost merely” or “Merely Almost.” The name indicates Quasimodo’s deformity and that he almost looks like a human or is an approximation of human. The meaning “half-formed” isn’t correct but it’s  the right idea.

In the Disney version, in an effort to villainize Frollo, which considering he just kill a mother and almost committed infanticide wasn’t necessary, they claimed the name was cruel. It’s not a name that one should give to a child as the meaning isn’t all that nice but  it’s not cruelly given. Naming children for days was a common practice. Frollo didn’t mean it cruelly, it was the day and apt description of the child. It is a very brilliant pun.

Side Note – Low Sunday was also known as St Thomas Sunday, so I guess Quasimodo COULD have been called Thomas but that doesn’t have the pathos as Quasimodo.

12 days of Christmas; Hunchback Version

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The Twelve Days of Christmas is  boring Christmas song. Let’s Jazz it up; Hunchback style!

On the first day of Christmas
my true love sent to me:
A Hunchback of Notre Dame

On the second day of Christmas
my true love sent to me:
Two Gargoyles
A Hunchback of Notre Dame

On the third day of Christmas
my true love sent to me:
Three White Goats
Two Gargoyles
A Hunchback of Notre Dame

On the  fourth day of Christmas
my true love sent to me:
Four Boring Poets
Three White Goats
Two Gargoyles
A Hunchback of Notre Dame

On the  fifth day of Christmas
my true love sent to me:
Five Gold Bells
Four Boring Poets
Three White Goats
Two Gargoyles
A Hunchback of Notre Dame

On the  sixth day of Christmas
my true love sent to me:
Six Nuns a Yelling
Five Gold Bells
Four Boring Poets
Three White Goats
Two Gargoyles
A Hunchback of Notre Dame

On the seventh day of Christmas
my true love sent to me:
Seven Priests Obsessing
Six Nuns a Yelling
Five Gold Bells
Four Boring Poets
Three White Goats
Two Gargoyles
A Hunchback of Notre Dame

On the eighth day of Christmas
my true love sent to me:
Eight Ladies a Prattling
Seven Priests Obsessing
Six Nuns a Yelling
Five Gold Bells
Four Boring Poets
Three White Goats
Two Gargoyles
A Hunchback of Notre Dame

On the ninth day of Christmas
my true love sent to me:
Nine Gypsy a dancing
Eight Ladies a Prattling
Seven Priests Obsessing
Six Nuns a Yelling
Five Gold Bells
Four Boring Poets
Three White Goats
Two Gargoyles
A Hunchback of Notre Dame

On the tenth day of Christmas
my true love sent to me:
Ten Thieves a leaping
Nine Gypsies  Dancing
Eight Ladies a Prattling
Seven Priests Obsessing
Six Nuns a Yelling
Five Gold Bells
Four Boring Poets
Three White Goats
Two Gargoyles
A Hunchback of Notre Dame

On the eleventh day of Christmas
my true love sent to me:
Eleven Kings Condemning
Ten Thieves a leaping
Nine Gypsies  Dancing
Eight Ladies a Prattling
Seven Priests Obsessing
Six Nuns a Yelling
Five Gold Bells
Four Boring Poets
Three White Goats
Two Gargoyles
A Hunchback of Notre Dame

On the twelfth day of Christmas
my true love sent to me:
Twelve Soldiers Drinking
Eleven Kings Condemning
Ten Thieves a leaping
Nine Gypsies  Dancing
Eight Ladies a Prattling
Seven Priests Obsessing
Six Nuns a Yelling
Five Gold Bells
Four Boring Poets
Three White Goats
Two Gargoyles
A Hunchback of Notre Dame