The Hunchback of Notre Dame has a long film history of being a big grand production and Der Glöckner von Notre Dame of does a good job of capturing a grand scope on stage.
Esmeralda singing Helf den Verstoß'nen Der Glöckner von Notre Dame
The Stage Design uses a lot of tricks to simulate heights and locations. They way the show does this is by using hydraulic to raise portions of the stages and they also use projections to show various locations. The Lighting also work well to capture the mood of the scene by also lets the projections shine. For example, a Rose Window Projection with columns on stage and soft dark lighting to indicate the nave of Notre Dame or Clouds and Stone Carving with bright lights to show the top of the tower of Notre Dame. There are also a lot of moving pieces which add to the spectacle.
Esmeralda saving Phoebus Der Glöckner von Notre Dame
The overall effect looks well integrated and rich and less cheesy than standard sets. You can tell that this where the budget was mostly spent but I think it was worth it The Stage design combine the sets, lighting and projection to give Der Glöckner von Notre Dame a grand majestic style.
Molten Lead Der Glöckner von Notre Dame
Set Design by Heidi Ettinger, Projections by Jerome Sirlin, and Lighting by Rick Fisher
In the Spirit of Valentine’s Day I want to pick Fan-Art that was romantic in nature but then I saw this;
Notre Dame Pick Up Lines by Samahatter
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.
Notre Dame of Paris Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
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In Victor Hugo’s original book, Notre Dame is more than just a setting. Notre Dame was character and the whole of Quasimodo’s universe. Quasimodo’s existent was so much engrained in Notre Dame that Quasimodo was essentially its soul.
Disney’s representation of Notre Dame of Paris in very much in opposition to the book. In the Disney’s Hunchback of Notre Dame, it’s just a building and its’ role is more like a prison than a sanctuary. Frollo arranged baby Quasi to live in the bell tower where he can be “locked away where no one else can see.” Quasimodo then dreams of getting out of Notre dame.
Now in the book Quasimodo loved Notre Dame he didn’t want to leave it, he loved it. Esmeralda also tells the Court of Miracles that Quasimodo ” helped her escape from the Cathedral”. Notre dame is pegged as something that has to be escaped because it’s a prison. Which is why it’s odd when Phoebus makes his speech about Frollo declaring war on Notre Dame. Frollo seems to be an agent working with Notre Dame to keep people in, so why do people want to defend it? I think it just Frollo-hate on the part of the Parisians, I mean he did burn the city. And when Quasimodo declares sanuaury for Esmeralda.
The movie presents it as prison not sanctuary so why is it so great for Esmeralda to have sanctuary? Really, that climix is contrived when it you think about.
Molten Lead over Notre Dame Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
My guess is original text had an attack of Notre Dame where Quasimodo defends it and Esmeralda from misidentified attackers and pours molten lead out the gutters and Disney really wanted to do that shot and that’s why they had to do it. But Notre Dame’s status in the story got lost among the 18 story writers. That’s right, 18 people worked on the story, there are not even 18 characters. It’s a classic case of too many cooks in the kitchen. I think ultimately that the 18 writers are to blame for all the differences to characters and to plot and for making an important point of the book the role of Notre Dame from sanctuary to prison.
Notre Dame of Paris Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
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I had said in my 1939Hunchback of Notre Dame review on setting, that movies shouldn’t take too much from Notre Dame’s structure as it’s changed a lot from its state from the time the story takes place to when Victor Hugo wrote the book to when Disney created the film.
Frollo stares at Notre Dame during the Bells of Notre Dame FDisney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Satellite Dish during Out There Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
First Disney makes Notre Dame much taller than it actually is. It’s a flaw but it not something to rage over. It’s just kind of laughable large. It’s done from drama and grandeur.
Another flaw that can be over looked is the all the exterior sculptures on the Cathedral are shown as plain, natural-colored stone. At the time the story is set, they were polychromatic – painted in colors. Again it can be overlooked because Notre Dame’s current look is so iconic that it would have looked strange to audience to have colors associated with the exterior. I can also overlook the square in front of Notre Dame also that wouldn’t have been there in 1400 but you can forgive it since it’s what the audience knows.
The aspects of the depiction that I have a hard time overlooking is the how the sanctuary is depicted. In the scheme of Hunchback cartoons and movies it’s very accurate, there are some terrible representations of Notre Dame but the way it’s set up in the film is problematic. The Sanctuary is show once in the film during “God Help the Outcast”
Quasimodo watching to Esmeralda during God Help the Outcast Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Esmeralda singing God Help the Outcast Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Looking at Notre Dame’s set up and structure Notre Dame seems both bigger and smaller. Esmeralda strolls though the layout a a very leisurely pace yet the Cathedral seems more expansive than it is. She also isn’t impeded by the structure. At about at the 2:00 minute mark of the song, Esmeralda is seen walking in the side aisles and to her left there are columns. Then in the very next shot, Esmeralda is against a Fresco, with no columns in the shot. Which means Esmeralda needed to veer to another side of the column but she did not.
So I guess the columns magically go away for a better shot. Also if her head in level with the fresco how tall is she? Because her height is really inconsistent and she’s bare foot and those Frescos are pretty high off the ground. Then this could be inconsistency. But do make the inside of the Church not in proper proportion.
Quasimodo during Out There with anachronism Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
So getting back to what I said at the beginning of this about being careful not to copy Notre Dame in it current state to much is that after Victor Hugo wrote Notre Dame de Paris, the cathedral when though a massive changes. The statues that can be seen in Out There towards the end when Quasimodo talks “Ordinary Men” where add after the novel was written in 1831.
The statues are 12 apostles that adorned the spire. I don’t think I would mind this but Quasimodo motions to the statues as an examples of “ordinary men” The 12 Apostles are ordinary men Disney? Really? The fact the Disney used the statues as more than just Background but a visual aid is where I find fault.
Topsy Turvy CG Crowds Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney
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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
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
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
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
Judge Claude Frollo Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Frollo is Quasimodo’s counterpoint and the Villain of the movie. Frollo is a bit different from other Disney villains. Many of the villains are trying to get more power such as Ursula, Jafar, Scar etc, but Frollo already has power as he is the High Justice of Paris. His motivation keeping control and he is fueled by hate. He thinks he’s better than everyone else from a moral stand point and if he judges it as amoral than he thinks he is in the right, from killing an innocent women, to trying to kill a baby, burning Paris or attempted genocide.
Judge Claude Frollo
Disney villains generally have two looks to them, elegant and slim or fat yet still elegant. Frollo is of the elegant, slim and tall variety. Looking at the concept art you can see parallels between Disney’s Frollo and Sir Cedric Hardwicke. He dresses like noble but
Concept Art for Frollo
we’re given no back story other than his relationship with Quasimodo so we have no where he comes from. In the musical Der Glöckner von Notre Dame ( German musical by Alan Menkan based on the Disney movie) Frollo was a priest prior to becoming the high Justice, which makes his pious-bent makes a little more sense, but you don’t go from a priest to High Justice. At least in 1939 version his piousness was the result of having a Brother who was the Archdeacon.
With Disney Frollo there is no hint or reason given for a morally-corrupt pious Judge. You can make guesses as to what the reason is for Frollo’s behavior but Disney films have never been a venue for giving out much character development of their villains. Character Development might prompt sympathy. My guess would be being pious and acting moral helps Frollo maintain his hold over the Parisians.
Frollo and Qausimodo Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney
Frollo is very conniving and manipulative. He raises Quasimodo out of guilt for killing Quasimodo’s mother in front of Notre Dame but he keeps him locked away in Notre Dame. I can’t quite figure out his logic for keeping Quasimodo in Notre Dame (other than the almighty plot and source material told him to), I mean Frollo lives in a jail. Anyway Frollo also raises Quasimodo with the hope that Quasimodo will be useful to him in some capacity. It’s hard to know if Frollo actually likes Quasimodo or he simply likes the dynamics of their Master/slave:Father/son relationship. My guess is Frollo all about Power and keeping power and Quasimodo serves as a consistent reminder of his hold over Paris and when Quasimodo proved too willful for him he tried to kill him.
Frollo trying to control Quasimodo
Frollo trying to kill Quasimodo
Esmeralda giving Frollo a Kiss
In direct opposition to Frollo’s control is Esmeralda. Esmeralda is everything that Frollo hates, she’s a free-spirited Gypsy who dances and lives outside the social order that he controls. Frollo first notices her when she danced a very sensual dance and kissed him on the nose. The dance, while getting his attention wasn’t the factor to make him obsessives towards her, it was her defying him in support of Quasimodo who was being tortured by the crowd. Esmeralda uses some parlor tricks that Frollo misconstrues as witchcraft (another of Frollo’s turn off) and after a merry chase she gives him the slip and goes into Notre Dame.
Frollo groping Esmeralda
Frollo’s obsession for her intensify to the point where he has to over come her, at this point by arresting her. Frollo tries to arrest her in Notre Dame but due sanctuary, she is protected. It’s at this point Frollo loses control and gropes her, and sniffs her hair, and thus the lust begins.
Frollo and an illusion of Esmeralda during Hellfire
As he can’t arrest her, he blocks her in Notre Dame stationing guards at every door of the cathedral. Frollo then sings about how his losing control is the fault of Esmeralda and not his, “Hellfire.” At this point arresting Esmeralda is not enough, he needs to be in possession of her or she mustn’t exists. It’s during this song where he learns that once again that Esmeralda has given him the slip. Frollo then goes on a spree of burning Paris, trying to bribe other Romani for Esmeralda’s whereabouts and then arresting them for not being helpful. Frollo manipulates Quasimodo to learn the location of the Court of Miracles. This is where Esmeralda is when Frollo attacks and arrests everyone there.
Frollo’s ultimatum to Esmeralda
As Esmeralda is tied to the stake and about to be burn, Frollo gives Esmeralda his final ultimatum, Him or Flame. Ultimately, like all Disney movies there is a climax that ends with the villain’s death, like many Disney movies, Frollo is not killed or subdue by the hero, he’s actually about to kill Esmeralda and Quasimodo but the gargoyle he is standing on breaks and Frollo falls to his death. So the real hero of the story is Notre Dame.
Frollo’s Death
Frollo singing Hellfire
So in the history Disney of Villains, Frollo is one of the most vile among the line-up as he is most real and less “fun.” He is less featured in merch for these reasons.
Frollo attempting to drown baby Quasimodo
As far as Disney Villains go, he’s guilty of some of the most heinous acts. Within the first two minutes of his introduction, he kills a women and tries to kill a baby, he shows no remorse for these acts, in fact he justifies them; the women ran, he just followed (he must have thought the kick was an act of God) and he justifies almost killing a baby because it’s ugly and he consider the baby a monster. What makes Frollo more compelling as a Villain is his control and power and the fact that he thinks he both righteous and pure.
So last time we looked at the Disney characters on a board level, now lets look at them on a deeper level.
Let’s start with the titular character: Quasimodo!
Quasimodo’s Reveal
Quasimodo may be told he is ugly and monstrous but if we compare him to his book counterpart, he is on the cute side of “the monster spectrum.” He’s a hunchback (Kyphosis) and he is shorter than most of the other characters, but that’s not enough to make him an isolated monster. He has the over-the-eye protrusion that Hugo described but it does not impair his’ vision to the point of being a cyclopes. Instead Quasimodo has big, friendly doe eyes. He has a red full head of head hair and wears a green tunic. Two of the more uglier factors are his big stub nose and his teeth (large teeth in the front of his mouth).
Quasimodo singing “Out There” Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Unlike Hugo’s version, Quasimodo is not deaf, he sings and talks a lot but it being a musical it would have been a challenge for the directors to have a deaf hero who has to sing (Disney movie from the 90s, heros must sing), so it understandable why Quasimodo is not deaf in this adapation. (2026 edit in the Disney Theatrical Musical version he is deaf.)
Quasimodo’s personality in the Disney movie is completely different from the book. In the book Quasimodo is morose and angry. At the beginning of the book he only loves Notre Dame, the bells, and Frollo. He’s not interested in being among the normal people of Paris nor is he forbidden from going out among them. Disney’s Quasimodo is forbidden from going outside and all he wants is to spend one day of his life among the normal people.
Quasimodo gazing at Esmeralda
As the story progresses he falls in love with Esmeralda. In the Book, he falls in love with her after she shows a little kinds and pity by giving him water when he is on the pillory for trying to kidnap her because Frollo ordered him. That simple act was what did it for him, not her dancing or her looks. In Disney again Esmeralda shows him kindness but when he first meets her, she was kind to him and complimented his ugly mask (really his face) and Quasimodo likes the positive attention. He see her dance and he likes it.
Quasimodo and Esmeralda on the pillory
When Quasimodo is being tortured by the crowd at the Festival of Fools, she does save him but he was already interested in her, but I guess maybe that sealed his “love for her”. The Disney Quasimodo’s love is more manifested as a school boy crush than a deep connection and I don’t believe he would crawl into vault and to die next to her rather than live without her.
Quasimodo’s figurines from “Heaven’s Light”
It’s sweet that he believes that she could love him whereas in the book Quasimodo doesn’t believe it, even if he wishes he could. Quasimodo is mostly depicted as kind and gentle. He gets depressed but it never lasts too long. He’s also loyal which I think is the biggest similarity to Hugo’s original character.
Quasimodo declares Sanctuary for Esmeralda
Frollo and Quasimodo
Quasimodo is a dynamic character. He changes though the course of the movie, mainly in his attitude towards Frollo. At beginning he is nervous around Frollo even though he believes Frollo to be his defender. His nervousness around Frollo stems from Frollo’s abuse towards him. Frollo calls him ugly repeatedly and a monster. When Frollo comes to visits him, Frollo gets a silver goblet and plate while Quasimodo get a wooden goblet and plate.
Frollo and Quaismodo
Frollo keeps him locked up in bell tower of Notre Dame while Frollo dwells elsewhere, you’d think the Palace of Justice would be a better place to lock one up forever, it being a jail instead a public building. I would like to point out in the book Frollo keeping Quasimodo at Notre Dame made sense as Frollo himself lived in the cloister as he was a priest, Quasimodo didn’t move to the Bell Tower till he was 14 years old. He moved there to be the bell-ringer because he loved the bells, not as punishment for his deformity or as method for absolution for Frollo.
Quasimodo calls Frollo master but Frollo insists that he raised Quasimodo as his son. Quasimodo would probably be fairly well adjusted if it wasn’t for Frollo. Quasimodo then disobeys Frollo and goes to the Festival of Fools to fulfill his dream. He continues to disobey Frollo as he gains real human interacts with Esmeralda and Phoebus. At the end he stands up against Frollo and learns that people like Frollo are the cause for all the hate in world and once Frollo is dead he is finally accepted by the people.
Quasimodo accepted by the people
Despite being in the Disney mold of hero/dreamer, Quasimodo is good character, he appeals the outsider in all of us. The film is good achiving it’s overall theme though Quasimodo despite being thrust upon the audience, but at least he is likable and grows as character.
The plot of theDisney’s Hunchback of Notre Dame is a water-down and condense version of Hugo’s novel and the 1939 version. Because the film is for children the film couldn’t follow it 100% or even 75% so watering it down is understandable. To the film’s credit it did opt for a darker tone than most Disney movies especially where Frollo is concerned. And for the record there are worse children adaptions and as it stands, it is the best among the Hunchback for kids movies.
, Notre Dame is more than just a setting. Notre Dame was character and the whole of Quasimodo’s universe. Quasimodo’s existent was so much engrained in Notre Dame that Quasimodo was essentially its soul.
much taller than it actually is. It’s a flaw but it not something to rage over. It’s just kind of laughable large. It’s done from drama and grandeur.
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and most of the other film versions have scene with a ton of people. 
