This Video is Garou (oringal Notre Dame de Paris Quasimodo) and Damien Sargue (the original alternate for Phoebus and Gringoire but is most known for playing Romeo in Romeo and  Juliette) singing Le  Temps des Cathédrales. The song starts at 58 seconds. Garou makes Quasimodo faces and Damien is wearing a Romeo costume.

Enjoy

I found this Fan-Art here and thought it was GENIUS and I had to post it;

Simpsons Notre Dame de Paris Fanart Homer Quasimodo Frollo Flanders Moe Phoebus Marge Esmeralda picture image

Notre Dame de Paris Fan-art featuring the Simpsons

It’s the Simpsons as  Notre Dame de Paris character pose from the end shot of Belle. Which Looks like this

Notre Dame de Paris Belle Esmeralda Helen Segara, Garou Quaismodo, Frollo Daniel Lavoie Phoebus Patrick fiori picture image

Notre Dame de Paris end shot from Belle with Garou, Daniel Lavoie, Patrick Fiori and Helene Segara

Ah, the voice acting in Disney’s Hunchback of Notre Dame. Some of it’s great, some it is just ok and some of the casting is off, which seems to weaken the believability of the characters. This is more or less in the order of rank, as I see it or hear it.. yeah.. I know lame joke.

 

Tony Jay picture image

Tony Jay

The highlight of the voices in the movie is Tony Jay’s rendition of Judge Claude Frollo. Jay’s cold sounding baritone mixed with his british accent makes for the perfect bad guy voice. He gives Frollo’s voice an air calm control that at any second could explode into fevered anger. Also his voice is seductive, you can believe this guy is a charmer and yet he speaks with command and authority. Jay’s voice helps make Frollo a more interesting character.

Jay had been a veteran Disney voice actor and voice actor in general. He’s been in a number of Disney related films and television shows as well many other non disney films, television and recordings of broadway shows.  On his IMDB page he has 150 credits but I think he most known for Frollo mainly because Frollo is a horrible person and his voice accentuates brilliantly.

Tony Jay  was  nominated for an Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement in Voice Acting.

 

Paul Kandel picture image

Paul Kandel

Paul Kandel voiced Clopin and is a Broadway performer. He’s probably the best singer in the film (the crescendo at the end of Bells of Notre Dame gets me every single time) and that’s probably why he ended up with the most songs in the movie. In fact Clopin sings more than he actually speaks. Kandel gives Clopin a sense of fun and whimsy but he also gives him a flair for the dramatics which is a boon for the introductory scene since it’s not funny.

 

 

David Ogden Stiers picture image

David Ogden Stiers

David Ogden Stiers voiced the Archdeacon. Stiers like Jay is a veteran voice actor and has been in many major Disney movies. He’s also primarily a  television actor. Stiers runs the gambit of tones  with the Archdeacon’s voice; tenderness, command, authority, concern and a little amusement (the Archdeacon sounded a little amused when he thinking about Esmeralda’s merry chase). Just because the Archdeacon is by all account a glorified extra Stiers’ voice helps makes the character more interesting.

 

 

Kevin Kline picture image

Kevin Kline

Kevin Kline voiced Phoebus. Kline does well as Phoebus but I think he falls short of Jay and Kandel because I mean really, Phoebus isn’t a hard role to play. Phoebus has a dry wit but so Kline, I mean Kline is practically playing himself.  I give Kline credit, he made Phoebus funnier than probably was originally intended which makes him more interesting as character. Because without the humor would Phoebus have been memorable? My guess is no.  Kline is also partly responsible for Achilles’ name. He insistent that horse have a name, so they gave the Phoebus’ horse a name at Kline’s insistent.

 

Fun Fact about Kline’s process – to get into the character of playing a knight, Kline held a sword in hand during recording sessions. He even ruined some recordings because he would hit the microphone (accidently, I’m sure.)

 

 

Jason Alexander picture image

Jason Alexander

Jason Alexander voiced Hugo. As much as I dislike the gargoyles, I think the voice acting is fine. Jason Alexander is best known as George Costanza on Seinfeld. George is uptight and neurotic, the total opposite of Hugo. Hugo is fun-loving and laid back. I think Alexander does very well in the role. But again, is a fun-loving partier a demanding role?  No, not really.

 

 

Charles Kimbrough picture image

Charles Kimbrough

Charles Kimbrough voiced Victor.  Kimbrough  has been in many types of media; film, TV and voice acting. Kimbrough does well enough as the prim, more serious-minded Victor, but it’s hard to lay out Victor’s personality compare to Hugo and Laverne. So it’s hard to identify how well Kimbrough did as Victor.

 

 

 

Mary Wickes picture image

Mary Wickes

Mary Wickes voiced Laverne. Later in Wickes’ career she played cranky old ladies. Two of the movies I remember her in were Little Women (Aunt March) and Sister Act (Sister Mary Lazarus), both characters are tell-it-like-it-is, cranky old ladies much like Laverne. So while she does well in the role she definitely playing her type of role.

 

 

 

Jane Withers picture image

Jane Withers

I want to mention Jane Withers briefly. Mary Wickes died as the film was being recorded and so Jane Withers stepped in to finish the recording and took over the role of Laverne. There are some lines where Wickes started and Withers finished, which is testament to Withers; acting to able to sound almost identical to Wickes.

 

 

 

Tom Hulce picture image

Tom Hulce

Tom Hulce voiced of Quasimodo. Tom Hulce is most known for his role in Amadeus Mozart. I do not find any fault with Hulce’s acting, I think he does a good job giving Quasimodo tenderness, gentleness and a bit of pitiable emo-ness. I also think Hulce does well exhibiting both Quasimodo’s natural disposition and in contrast to his attitude when he’s with Frollo.  So Why is Hulce’s performance second to the last on this Blog post? Well that is because I wonder what the directors were smoking in making  Quasimodo a school boy that’s gentle and sweet. Quasimodo is suppose to be gentle but only to Esmeralda. He’s not suppose have a school boy. I can understand why Disney did this and I understand why Hulce’s voice is good for this type of role but just because I can understand it doesn’t mean I have to condone it. Honestly they made Quasimodo into a Disney Princess. Hulce has a clear voice which is a commonality to the Disney Princess trope. Think about, Quasimodo is a Disney princess, he just a male and not very pretty.

 

Demi Moore image picture

Demi Moore

Demi Moore voiced of Esmeralda.  Like Quasimodo, I think casting was way off. I get that they wanted something different. The directors liked Moore’s husky and rough tone of voice and they liked that she also had a tenderness to it, but Moore ages the character. It’s weird looking at the concept art, how youthful Esmeralda started and how mature she looks/acts in the movie. I understand that the decision to cast Moore was intentional and as part the process of animation is that Esmeralda took on Moore’s looks and mannerism but I don’t think the pay off was good in the long run. I think Esmeralda is too much like Moore and effectively Moore was playing herself  (or at the most her type-cast role) so she didn’t exactly have to exert her acting prowess. Also I think Moore got the role due to sex appeal and popularity. And point Deductions for being the only one of the cast not able to sing her character’s song, though if can’t sing than she can’t sing, but they could have just had Heidi Mollenhauer do the role in it enitety, she is an singer/actress after all. They fact they they didn’t just mean that Moore was cast for her popularity and appeal.

 

Shout Outs/Kudos to:

Gary Trousdale picture image

Gary Trousdale

 

 

-Shout out/Kudos to Gary Trousdale voice of Djali (that not a bleat) and the Old Heretic.

 

 

Corey Burton picture

Corey Burton

Bill Fagerbakke picture image

Bill Fagerbakke

 

 

 

 

 

-Shout out/Kudos to Corey Burton and Bill Fagerbakke, Brutish and Oafish Guards these two made those characters hilarious.

 

 

Agree or Disagree, I’d love to know your opinions

 

Next Time- Going to Start Looking  Music/Songs,  starting off with beginning “The Bells of Notre Dame”

This is a little photoshop image I did. It’s essentially Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame Esmeralda, Quasimodo, and Phoebus in the costumes of their counterparts from Notre Dame de Paris. The costumes are like Digital Textures.

Disney Hunchback characters cosplaying as Notre Dame de Paris Esmeralda, Quasimodo, Phoebus picture image

Disney Hunchback characters cosplaying as Notre Dame de Paris Esmeralda, Quasimodo, Phoebus

Here are the pictures I used from Notre Dame de Paris for the fan-art;

Helene Segara as Esmeralda Notre Dame de Paris

Helene Segara as Esmeralda from Notre Dame de Paris

Garou as Quasimodo Notre Dame de Paris  picture image

Garou as Quasimodo from Notre Dame de Paris

Patrick Fiori as Phoebus Notre Dame de Paris picture image

Patrick Fiori as Phoebus from Notre Dame de Paris

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Phoebus Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image
Phoebus asking for Esmeralda’s name Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Phoebus is the dashing and handsome captain of the guard. Due to this namesake, Phoebus (Apollo) he has a very yellow look, gold armor, blond hair and a beard. He has a bit of a Roman look. His beard, with cape his hair style, aquiline nose are all more Roman than late medieval. Oddly enough, Phoebus’ only describe featured in the book is his mustache which is in the “Burgundian Style.”  Phoebus is first Disney guy to get facial hair, so kudos to Disney for at least taking something from the book as a basis. Well one could argue that in the 23 version and the 39 version Phoebus had a mustache, so who knows what Disney was going off of, besides the production crew. At least they went there and gave him some form of facial hair The important this is that Phoebus  should be handsome, he can be a jerk, a hero or a gloried extra but he must be a pretty boy, and Disney at least did that.

Phoebus Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image
Phoebus Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Disney Phoebus Hunchback of Notre Dame
Disney Phoebus Hunchback of Notre Dame
Phoebus Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image
Phoebus Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Phoebus  concept art isn’t much different than how he appears in the movie. However he looks like John Smith from Pocahontas. For More Concept Art of Hunchback

Concept Art of Phoebus Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image
Concept Art of Phoebus Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Concept Art of Phoebus Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image
Concept Art of Phoebus Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Concept Art of Phoebus Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image
Concept Art of Phoebus Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
John Smith Disney Pocahontas picture image
John Smith Disney Pocahontas

I mean, It’s John Smith with a beard.

Disney Phoebus Hunchback of Notre Dame armor picture image
Phoebus’ armor Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Phoebus wears the most useless armor ever, honestly I don’t know why he bothers with it, maybe the gold makes him feels special or pretty but clearly it’s just for show. Djali hits him in the gut and inflicts some pain but  when a candelabra hits him the face he shakes it off. He gets shot with an arrow through back (and yet it almost got his heart) and he nearly drowns in it.  Frankly he’s better off without it.

Djali in gut Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image
Djali in gut Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Phoebus Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image after getting hit by Djali
Phoebus after getting hit by Djali Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Phoebus Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image hit in the face by Esmeralda
Phoebus being hit by Esmeralda Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Disney Phoebus Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image hit by arrow
Phoebus being hit by an arrow Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Phoebus’ look is pretty generic  looking considering the rest of the characters. He’s conventially  handsome with a slight roman look mix with a little John Smith through for good measure.  The result is a tad on the boring which is why his look didn’t change much from the concept art.

Phoebus noticing Esmeralda "Disgusting Display" Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image
Phoebus noticing Esmeralda’s “Disgusting Display”
Phoebus and the Map Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Phoebus and the Map Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Phoebus Disney Hunchback of Notre dame picture image
Phoebus Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Next Time – Clopin

Clopin Disney Hunchback Notre Dame picture image
Clopin Disney Hunchback Notre Dame

I was hoping to post the Phoebus installment of “Let’s get Superficial” today since I won’t be able do it this weekend, however it’s been delayed and it’s not ready yet. But since I’m trying to update more often (two-three times a week), I’ve made this for fun;

Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame Esmeralda and Phoebus differences picture image

 

 

 

 

 

Esmeralda and Phoebus Disney Hunchback of notre dame image pictureFind the differences and leave a comment with the answers. There are 6 differences in total. There are not meant to be too hard or too challenging, just fun. I’ll post the original picture  next time. So have fun.  ^_^

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Esmeralda Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image
Esmeralda Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Esmeralda is the most divergent character in the Disney version from the book in both looks and personality. I already talked about her personality, now let’s look at her looks.

Esmeralda Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image
Disney Esmeralda Hunchback of Notre Dame dancing

The Disney Esmeralda looks 100%  a traveler*.  She has a darker complexion, dark hair, and light green eyes (with no glint). Her eyes also do not change color pending on how much light is in the space, which kind of makes them look witchy.  She keeps her hair pulled back which it creates volume. This bigger hair makes her look older. When her hair is down she looks younger. Her hair also has a slight curl. Though in the middle of the epic running away from Frollo, her hair looks straight but that could just  be inconsistencies in animation or the wind, take your pick. But it does look straight. However it also fair to point out that this voluminous hairstyle was on trend in the late 90s. 

Esmeralda Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image
Esmeralda complimenting Quasimodo Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Her age is very vague. Most of the Disney characters have a rough age range or they just say how old they are like Ariel and Jasmine. With this shift in Disney heroines being somewhat more independent and less dreamy, they appear to be older than the typical “Disney princess” (except Tiana, I would say she is like a compromise between the archetypal Princess and the confident independent heroine of the late 90s).

The question is how old is Disney’s Esmeralda? With the age inflation that Disney implements, I’d say she most likely 22 at the youngest, which is “old” for a Disney heroine. The long and short of it is, Esmeralda is meant to be older like “she’s been around.” This is not my phasing, watch the commentary, it’s the scene where Esmeralda is helping Quasimodo from the pillory. To listen to the commentary, The DVD.

One reason why this version made her older could have been to help establish her relationship with Quasimodo as more maternal, more like a big sister than romantic. This could have made her pairing with Phoebus appear more palatable for the audience, though given a lot of bad-faith internet discourse it didn’t really work that way.  

19th Century Illustration of Esmeralda with Djali
19th Century Illustration of Esmeralda with Djali
Disney Esmeralda Hunchback of Notre Dame Dance picture Image
Esmeralda’s Dance Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Against the original novel by Victor Hugo, Esmeralda’s looks are very different. Esmeralda is never described in graphic detail but she’s described as very beautiful frequently by many characters. Disney Esmeralda is meant to be beautiful certainly but she is never called beautiful in the movie. The closest mention to her looks is Clopin saying she’s “The Finest Girl is France.”

Esmeralda Illustration Image picture
19th century Illustration of Esmeralda
Disney Esmeralda Hunchback of Notre Dame Dance picture image
Esmeralda’s Dance Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Esmeralda in the book is not genetically a full traveler*. Her mother is a French women and while her Father could have been a traveler, it is never actually mentioned who was her father.

Esmeralda has a golden skin tone, black hair and black eyes. Part of Esmeralda’s charm in the book is her innocence and her total unawareness of her own beauty. Disney’s Esmeralda is the complete and utter opposite; she knows her appeal, exploits it and given that quote by the director Kirk Wise that I mention earlier, I’m not sure how innocent is in the movie.  So it safe to say that Disney did not use Hugo for even  a basis of Esmeralda’s design.

Concept Art for Esmeralda Disney Hunchback of Notre dame picture image
Concept Art for Esmeralda Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Concept Art for Esmeralda Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image
Concept Art for Esmeralda Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Concept Art for Esmeralda Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image
Concept Art for Esmeralda Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Looking at the concept art, Esmeralda started off looking more youthful and somehow along the way she lost the youthful look. My guess the vocal inspiration turned the tables on the character design. Alas Demi’s Moore doesn’t sound youthful, at least not when the film was recording the voices. For More Concept Art of Hunchback

Esmeralda and Frollo Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image
Esmeralda giving Frollo a peck on the nose Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

It’s actually not Disney’s fault that Esmeralda’s looks/acts sexy whereas Hugo’s Esmeralda did not. The fault lies in the film history of Hunchback movies.

Esmeralda has long been depicted as sexy or at least no stranger to feminine charms. Esmeralda has also been depicted by actresses who are more known for their sex appeal. Such actresses have been Stacia Napierkowska, Theda Bara, Gina Lollobrigida and Salma Hayak. Also Disney models their characters after the voice actor playing them, so with the choice of Demi Moore it was inevitable that Disney Esmeralda was going to be sexy and follow the line of sexy Esmeraldas.

In a featurette of the movie, Moore said she could see herself in Esmeralda’s animation. While Disney took their cues from the 1939 version, I think Esmeralda’s look was based somewhat on Gina Lollobrigida’s Esmeralda  as well as Demi Moore (maybe, I can’t really tell, I haven’t seen a ton of Moore’s films discern her mannerism and/or acting style in Esmeralda’s animation.)

Demi Moore image picture
Demi Moore
Esmeralda Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image red dress
Esmeralda Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Gina Lollobrigida as Esmeralda Hunchback of Notre Dame 1956 image picture
Gina Lollobrigida as Esmeralda Hunchback of Notre Dame 1956

*Since 2021 the blog has been using the words Travelers or Nomads to convey the group of people that Esmeralda is associated with while trying to be respectful. You can read that post here. I do tend to favor the travelers usage.

Next Time Phoebus

Phoebus Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image
Phoebus Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

So I found this video a while ago. It a video of the Hunchback of Notre Dame to “why is the Rum gone”. There two videos like this on youtube but I find this video more fun, plus  ye olde heretic is in this one ^_~ so I thought I’d share

video starts at 0:20 Enjoy

The Old Heretic Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

The Old Heretic Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame


Brute and Oaf Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Brute and Oaf Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

The main characters of Disney’s Hunchback don’t give us much indication of how “normal” people of Paris conduct themselves. Quasimodo is a forced shut-in, Frollo essentially King, Esmeralda and Clopin  are outcasts, and Phoebus, well he just comes off too perfect to really be associated with “normal people”. So which characters represent as Frollo put it “the common, vulgar, weak, licentious crowd”? That would be the two guards that  are seen throughout the movie. They are credited as the Brutish Guard (voiced by Corey Burton) and the Oafish Guard (voiced Bill Fagerbakke aka  Patrick from SpongeBob SquarePants ). I’m just going to  call them as Brute and Oaf.

Brute and Oaf Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Esmeralda, Brute and Oaf Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Brute and Oaf Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Brute and Oaf Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Brute and Oaf shooing nobody Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Brute and Oaf shooing away nobody Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We first see Brute and Oaf harassing Esmeralda because she’s a Gypsy and judging by all the gold in her hat, she is probably better paid then them. Anyway they try to assert their authority but then became submissive when Phoebus out ranks them. They are quite stupid, they shoo away people to show Phoebus to the Palace of Justice, but when viewed from behind you can hear them still shooing people but there is no there. These guy are all talk and no action, Djali can take them with very little effort.

 

Brute and Oaf Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Brute and Oaf up to no good Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Brute and Oaf Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Brute and Oaf Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Brute and Oaf Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Brute and Oaf trying to crowd surf Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brute and Oaf are the main cause for the getting the plot moving. Yes, it’s all them. If wasn’t for them, Quaismodo would have been King of Fools without incident and Frollo would just have been mad at him. But because Oaf throw a tomato (where did he even get that) it sets  the chain of events into motion. The Crowd throws food at Quasimodo then ties him down, Frollo refuses  to help, Esmeralda helps Quasimodo, Frollo gets mad at her, she defies him and hello chase scene and obsession. Thank you Oaf and Brute for being common, vulgar, weak, and licentious and getting the plot in motion.

 

Brute and Oaf Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Djali takes out Brute and Oaf Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Brute and Oaf Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Brute with Achilles Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Brute and Oaf Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Brute and Oaf Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

 

 

 

 

 

So Brute and Oaf represent the common people, they promote distrust in authority figures for Esmeralda, cause the plot to take off but that not it. They also provide some humor. Brute provides Achilles with a sit and  oaf provides some amusement being an oaf and all. Plus Oaf’s voice sounds comedic (Patrick from Spongebob). But don’t count on them in a pinch – storming a certain cathedral – they’re no help at all.

Brute and Oaf Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Brute and Frollo Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Brute and Oaf Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Oaf and Phoebus Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

 

 

 

 

 

Basically Brute and Oaf are glorified extras but they do something for the plot unlike some glorified extras that are memroable but do nothing for the plot, just add humor.

 

Next Time- a memorable old chap  who “enjoys” a running gag (well not really).

The Old Heretic Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

The Old Heretic Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

As I mentioned before I edit videos ( it’s a Hobby). Typically I make Anime Music Videos (AMV). In early 2010, My Sister and I made an AMV using Ranma 1/2 to Dechire from Notre Dame de Paris.  What do you need to know to fully enjoy this? Well the guy featured in this video  believes that the two girls are in love with him but they’re not, they hate him.

Please enjoy ^_^