Hypothetical Casting for Frollo; Richard Armitage

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Richard Armitage picture image

Richard Armitage

As a possible movie (or mini-series) Frollo I would suggest Richard Armitage for the role. While Armiatge is younger and more attractive than Frollo is meant to be, he has a talent for playing brooding and complex characters.

Richard Armitage as John Thornton from the BBC of North & South picture image

Richard Armitage as John Thornton from the BBC of North & South

Armitage’s biggest roles have been playing John Thornton in the 2004 BBC version of North & South (which is one the best period pieces I ever seen), Guy of Gisborne in the BBC version of Robin Hood (which was a fun series), and he playing Thorin Oakenshield in the upcoming The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and The Hobbit: There and Back Again.

Richard Armitage as Guy of Gisborne from the BBC version of Robin Hood picture image

Richard Armitage as Guy of Gisborne from the BBC version of Robin Hood

Armitage is a very versatile actor. I think he pull off the descent into insanity very effectively. I know Armitage could give Frollo the complexity he has in the book but is lacking from other film versions.

Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield from The Hobbit picture image

Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield from The Hobbit

As for his looks, yeah Armitage would be a handsomer and younger Frollo but his looks work with the character. He is tall and lean which would enhance Frollo’s austere look. With the right costume and make-up he could be made up to look like the ideal Frollo.

Richard Armitage picture image

Richard Armitage

Tell me what do you think. Do you like Richard Armitage would make a good Frollo or do someone else is the perfect Frollo?

Bonus – Armitage was also in Captain America as Heinz Kruger and in Star Wars Episode I The Phantom Menace as Naboo Fighter Pilot (he was uncredited)

Richard Armitage as Heinz Kruger in Captain America picture image

Richard Armitage as Heinz Kruger in Captain America

Richard Armitage as a Naboo Fighter Pilot with Natalie Portman as Padme Amidala Star Wars; The Phantom Menace Episode I Picture image

Richard Armitage as a Naboo Fighter Pilot Star Wars; The Phantom Menace

Saintly Plot Expositor; A Character Review of the 1923 Version of Dom Claude

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Dom Claude (Nigel de Brulier) 1923 Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Dom Claude (Nigel de Brulier) 1923 Hunchback of Notre Dame

Dom Claude in the 1923 version of Hunchback represents the religious aspect of Frollo’s character. He is also the brother of the evil Jehan though they don’t interact much. In fact if it wasn’t for a few text cards you wouldn’t really even know. In the 1939 version the brothers actually had scenes together.

 

Dom Claude (Nigel de Brulier) with Esmeralda (Patsy Ruth Miller) & Quaismodo (Lon Chaney) 1923 Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Dom Claude (Nigel de Brulier) with Esmeralda (Patsy Ruth Miller) & Quaismodo (Lon Chaney)

 

Basically  this guy is a saint. He’s kind and sticks up for the little guys i.e. Quasimodo and Esmeralda. In fact despite Quasimodo being Jehan’s “Slave” Quasimodo spends more screen time with Dom Claude and generally seems to like Claude better.

 

Dom Claude (Nigel de Brulier) with Clopin (Ernest Torrence ) 1923 Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Dom Claude (Nigel de Brulier) with Clopin (Ernest Torrence )

 

He is also well respected. This is proven by Clopin’s interaction with him where Clopin seem to back down to him.

 

Dom Claude (Nigel de Brulier) 1923 Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Dom Claude (Nigel de Brulier) 1923 Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

Basically his ONLY function in this film is to give plot exposition because after it has to go somewhere.

 

Dom Claude (Nigel de Brulier) 1923 Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Dom Claude (Nigel de Brulier) 1923 Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

Next Time; Sister Gudule or “Godule” as she is credited

Gudule (Gladys Brockwell) Hunchback of Notre Dame 1923 picture image

Gudule (Gladys Brockwell) Hunchback of Notre Dame 1923

Hellfire en Français

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I don’t really enjoy the singing or the performance that much, Tony Jay is just infinitely cooler as Frollo (see I did a thing there). However I enjoy the lyric (here is another video with the French lyrics and translation) Then I had a thought, how cool would it be if Daniel Lavoie (Frollo in Notre Dame de Paris) sang a cover of Hellfire in either English or French? That would be sooo awesome ^^ Anyway enjoy “Infernal”

300th Post Comic: Frollo and the Forbidden Fruit

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This is my 300th post. Enjoy this humble comic in honor of it entitled Frollo and the Forbidden Fruit.

Hunchback of Notre Dame Comic; Frollo and the Forbidden Fruit picture image

Frollo and the Forbidden Fruit

Comic made me.

 

Hugo inspiration in Princess Tutu

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Don’t let the title fool you, Princess Tutu is great show even if you’re not a fan of anime. It uses a lot of elements and story imaginary from famous ballets and classical music. There are two slight references to Hunchback well one motif and one to Hugo.

The Spider and the Butterfly caught in the web Princess Tutu Trailer picture image

The Spider and the Butterfly caught in the web

The first is to Frollo’s imagery of the fly and the spider both caught in the web (though it;s a butterfly here). While I don’t believe this imaginary  to be native to Hugo but he made it well known. Though to be fair this reference comes a promo trailer for Princess Tutu which you can watch here. But moreover Princess Tutu also deals with the characters fighting cruel fates and although this contrasts with Hunchback where the characters give in to fate I thought it was worth a mention.

Mute and the Willis Princess Tutu Episode 4 Giselle picture image

Mute and the Willis Princess Tutu

The second reference is to the Ballet Giselle. Like I said Princess Tutu uses ballets for the basis of episode’s story lines and the show does this really well. Episode 4 uses the Giselle as story reference. The story of Giselle uses Hugo’s poem Fantômes as one of its’ inspiration for the. The ghostly dancer or Willis are from Fantômes. In Fantômes a girl dances to death but if you read the poem which was published before Hunchback you would see a proto Esmeralda. For instance in the poem there is a young Spanish girl who is 15 years old and enjoys dancing. Hugo likens her to a bumblebee and she too wear s blue with spangles.

You can read Fantômes in french here (I used Google Translate)

I realize these references are a bit of stretch so thank you for indulging me.

Artist, Poet, Sidekick?; A Review of the 1923 version of Gringoire

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Gringoire (Raymond Hatton) 1923 Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Gringoire (Raymond Hatton) 1923 Hunchback of Notre Dame

Gringoire wears many hats in the realm of Hunchback adaptations. Sometimes he the hero, sometimes the narrator, sometimes he is the comic relief and sometimes he is not even there. In the 1923 version in addition to being comic relief, Gringoire is Phoebus’s side kick. That’s right in order to justify Gringoire  being in the movie they made him more or less Phoebus’ sidekick. As Gringoire spends more screen time with Phoebus and doesn’t even speak to Esmeralda.

 

Gringoire (Raymond Hatton) & Phoebus (Norman Kerry) 1923 Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Gringoire (Raymond Hatton) & Phoebus (Norman Kerry) 1923 Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

Gringoire’s only function in the movie is acting as a liaison between Phoebus and Esmeralda. Gringoire’s  introduction is thrown in during the feast of Fools and all he really does is make does reaction shots to Quasimodo. The next time we see him is when he gets in trouble with the Court of Miracles. In this version no marriage takes place instead Esmeralda orders the Court to let him go. After that Gringoire starts acting as the middle man for Esmeralda and Phoebus.  In one scene he delivers a message to Phoebus from Esmeralda. Phoebus then awards him with food but Phoebus’ constant joy keeps preventing Gringoire from eating. The scene is enjoyable and funny and it is unfortunately Grigoire most memorable scene. After that he tells Phoebus Esmeralda is in Notre Dame and didn’t hang and we see him at the end where is happy that everything worked out for the lovers.

 

Gringoire (Raymond Hatton) & Phoebus (Norman Kerry) 1923 Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Gringoire (Raymond Hatton) & Phoebus (Norman Kerry) 1923 Hunchback of Notre Dame

Beyond his comic/sidekick role, Gringoire doesn’t have much of personality. He is a poet, he likes food  and hates to die. So I guess in this  capacity he like the book version. Unfortunately I think this role could have been easy removed from the movie. If there is no marriage their is little point to the Court of Miracle scene. That scene and Gringoire were only in the movie because they tried very hard to maintain the book and even when the movie went in a different direction they still tried and still and more less failed.

 

Gringoire (Raymond Hatton) & Dom Claude (Nigel de Brulier) 1923 Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Gringoire (Raymond Hatton) & Dom Claude (Nigel de Brulier) 1923 Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

If Gringoire wasn’t Phoebus‘ sidekick there would be nothing for him to do and the movie tries to keep almost detrimentally close to the book. The film good have eliminated him and it really wouldn’t have made much of a difference.

 

Gringoire (Raymond Hatton) 1923 Hunchback of Notre Dame image picture

Gringoire (Raymond Hatton) 1923 Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

Next Time – Dom Claude

Dom Claude (Nigel de Brulier) 1923 Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Dom Claude (Nigel de Brulier) 1923 Hunchback of Notre Dame

Josh Brolin Interview

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Josh Brolin Interview for Men in Black picture image

Josh Brolin Interview for Men in Black

While promoting Men in Black III, Josh Brolin gave a short interview for Collider.com. The last question was about the upcoming Hunchback movie. He seems very excited about the project and thinks that filming will take place in either France or England. While I’m all about filming on location, Hunchback films are better when filmed on a set. Sets enable the production to create a more accurate Notre Dame as it looked in the 15th century. Both the 1923 and the 1939 were films on sets and they had amazing set design.  Also regardless of enthusiasm, I don’t see Brolin as Quasimodo. He just seems wrong in type.  While I want to say I’ll hold off judgement till I at least see a trailer, I probably won’t. I will say this though, if Megan Fox comes anywhere near this project I will boycott it.

What do you think; Josh Brolin as Quasimodo, Yay or Nay?

Watch Interview Here

Hunchback in Black

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He Rings the Bells by Day and deals with Aliens by Night

Quasimodo Hunchback Notre Dame Men in Black Parody picture image 2012

Quasimodo, Hunchback in Black

He is Quasimodo, The Hunchback of The Men in Black

The Enemy of Kings; A Character Review of the 1923 Version of Clopin

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Clopin (Ernest Torrence) 1923 The Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Clopin (Ernest Torrence) 1923 The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Clopin is the most complex character in the 1923 version of Hunchback of Notre Dame.  He’s conniving yet caring.  In this version like in most every other version, Clopin is merged with the Duke of Egypt, one of the leaders of the Court of Miracles, leader of the Esmeralda’s group, and Esmeralda’s protector. In in role as the Duke, Clopin is Esmeralda’s  adopted father. She is the only person that can soften his heart.

 

Clopin (Ernest Torrence) & Jehan (Brandon Hurst) 1923 The Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Clopin (Ernest Torrence) & Jehan (Brandon Hurst) 1923 The Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

Clopin in the version also has a partnership with Jehan. The nature  of their friendship is never explain. Jehan tries to get Clopin mobilizes the Court of Miracle against the nobles and Jehan try to tempt Clopin with gold of Notre Dame in exchange for Esmeralda. The basis for their interaction could be taken from the La Esmeralda Opera Libretto that Hugo wrote in which Clopin works with Frollo and was the one to hide in the room when Esmeralda and Phoebus has their encounter. It could also be that Jehan does join the Court of Miracles in the book though he never interaction in Clopin. Or it could that it is mention in the book by Gringnoire that the Duke intends to sell Esmeralda to “gentlemen priest.”

Clopin (Ernest Torrence), Esmeralda (Patsy Ruth Miller) & Phoebus (Norman Kerry) 1923 The Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Clopin (Ernest Torrence), Esmeralda (Patsy Ruth Miller) & Phoebus (Norman Kerry) 1923 The Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

Clopin is also the one driving the social class sub-plot a.k.a the beggars vs the Nobles. It very similar to the 1939 version but in the 1939 version there were stakes, the nobel wanted Esmeralda out of Notre Dame here one noble just wants to marry. So basically it’s Clopin complaining and then getting mad when Esmeralda and Phoebus form a romantic attachment which for him is the ultimate insult.

 

Clopin (Ernest Torrence) 1923 The Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Clopin (Ernest Torrence) 1923 The Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

It’s not wholly the films fault that this sub-plot  doesn’t go very far. It’s actually because the copy that survives today is sixteen minutes shorter that the original. Most of these sixteen minutes were comprised of Clopin and one scene with Quasimodo gets clothes for Esmeralda, which is the scene where a prominent picture of Quasimodo was taken, so prominent in fact that it’s on the spine of the DVD.  As result of Clopin’s role is much smaller than the film intended.  However you can see some pictures and read the script in the Riley’s Book which is published with Pasty Ruth Miller’s Autobiography, both of which are good reads if you a fan of the 1923 version or Miller’s or of old movies/Hollywood.

Clopin (Ernest Torrence) 1923 The Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Clopin (Ernest Torrence) 1923 The Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

Clopin’s character suffers a lot from the cuts made to the film but even with the cuts is he the most complex  characters in the film and he at least interesting and memorable.

Clopin (Ernest Torrence) Dying 1923 The Hunchback of Notre Dame image picture

Clopin (Ernest Torrence) Dying 1923 The Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

Next Time – Gringoire

Raymond Hatton as Gringoire 1923 The Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Gringoire (Raymond Hatton) 1923 The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Phantom as Frollo

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJCkYF7qQKY

As fan of Hellfire and the Phantom of the Opera this video fills me with joy. I also think that the Phantom is more like Frollo than Quasimodo but that is an article for another day.