No Spoilers. (If you want a more in-depth spoiler review leave comments)

Broken Lizard Quasi
Steve Lemme as Quasi

When this project was first announced in November 2021, it was promoted of satirical take on Hugo’s The Hunchback Notre Dame. This would have seemed novel to those unfamiliar with the 1999 parody of the novel, Quasimodo del Paris and thus an interesting take for an adaptation. When the first trailer dropped it seems like the project was Broken Lizard’s attempt to be Monty Python with a Hunchback named Quasi through in. It didn’t seem like a parody of novel or the character. And after watching the movie it still doesn’t.

Quasi Versus The Book

The first thing the movie tells you, is that you the viewer don’t know the story. You didn’t read the book. A bold assumption since most people have a basic bit of knowledge, even if from the Disney version.

The movie also sets the story in 13th century so it’s doubtful the viewer or anyone on the production read novel or went to the novel’s wiki page. The novel is set in 1482. So either they didn’t know that or the production was confused on how the dating system works. This movie sets the story in the 13th century or the 1200s.

Is this Movie REALLY a Parody?

Aside from Quasi, whose full name is Quasi Modo, having a hunchback is there anything within the movie that makes it a parody of the novel or any previous movie versions? Quasi mentions that he grew up in a bell-tower and there are bell related jokes. Are there any mentions to any characters from the book? No. It’s just the hunch and bells. Though there is a character named Claude who is Pope’s man but that is more incidental than anything.

Oddly the movie does have similarities with common with the Enchanted Tales version and The Magical Adventures of Quasimodo involving Quasi’s backstory.

A Style of Humor

As far of the humor goes, it’s subjective. If you like the Broken Lizard style of humor maybe you will like Quasi. There are some instances that were almost funny but not much landed. Brevity was needed. There is a lot about oysters. Like a lot lines of dialogue about oysters. Just so much about Oysters.

Is it an Actual Satire?

The satirical aspect is more about medieval power structures but the film does nothing interesting, clever or funny with it. There was little of that in the book especially since the King Louis was very hands-off with governing and only cared when he thought the mob was attacking Notre Dame. There is more in the book about the court system and it seems disingenuous to the character that Quasimodo would go into practice of torture as a profession. But remember no one read book, the prologue made that clear.

As far as parodies or satire go, Quasi misses the mark for being one for Hugo’s novel. It states that no one read the book as a a get out jail free card which doesn’t work. The novel has been retold so many times, even by Hugo himself, that no one really cares if a version is by the book or not. Saying lines like that just puts itself in opposition with viewer. At most, it’s referential to the novel since it a slight knowledge of it but really this version is a protracted comedy sketch.

Final Thoughts

If you are already a fan of Broken Lizard and you want something to watch, go for it. Most of the reviews say if you turn your brain off for 90 minutes it’s alright. Though they’re more entertaining movies if you want to shut your brain off.

If you have ever slightly enjoyed any Hunchback version in the past do not watch. It’s a hard pass. It’s only nominally a version of the story.

.5 out 10 Bells  

Side note – This movie did make me curious about the history of oyster consumption, so I guess that is a point in it’s favor. Because Oysters! It’s still weird even after watching this movie.

On Tuesday March 21, the trailer for Quasi dropped. Quasi is the Broken Lizard satirical take on The Hunchback of Notre Dame or that is what the people say. From this trailer I do not see it.

What Quasi has going for it…

Sure, there are somethings in common with Hugo’s novel and/or other adaptations. It takes place in medieval France and there is a hunchback named Quasi, which is a nickname of Quasimodo, but that’s a far as it goes according to the trailer.

This trailer poses three questions.

First being what makes a good trailer? I have seen great trailers for bad movies and bad trailers for awesome movies. Trailers are an art form. One has to give people just enough of the film that people want to see more. From this trailer and reading comments on social media, this trailer is for people who are Broken Lizard fans already and also want it mixed with a bit of Monty Python-type of humor.

From this trailer, it does seem like comedy troupe wanted to a comedy movie set in medieval period but wanted/needed to ground it in already known story. The general public knows of The Hunchback of Notre Dame as it is an old novel but most people don’t know the story that well. All most people might know about the novel are the basics. Quasimodo is a Hunchback who rings the bells at Notre Dame. So it a good base for whatever story you want.

Which bring us to the second question, What makes a Hunchback adaptation an adaptation of the story? What elements are needed? Very simply, one needs a Quasimodo character, an outcast who has deep reverence for a specific place. Does it HAVE to be a cathedral? It helps but it not specifically needed given the story. It has to be a place where people align themselves, a place that forms a sense of identity and connections. Then you have the foils to Quasimodo. An Esmeralda character who is also considered an outcast as she is a member of the Travelers but she beloved by the public as well as beautiful. And a Frollo-type character who is part of the community and is mostly respected because of his position but not loved by anyone and is for most part is alright with that since he considers himself above the common masses. I would say those core-elements are needed to convey the basic plot of novel, there are exceptions but for the MOST part those elements in some form are needed.

Thoughts on the Trailer

So what did I think of the trailer for Quasi? Umm…. I didn’t. It’s not my style of humor and I wouldn’t say I have high-brow humor. I have been known to like dumb stuff.

If you find this style of humor funny that is great, humor is very subjection but I didn’t find it funny and I’m failing to see The Hunchback of Notre Dame in this “version.” Broken Lizard can do whatever medieval comedy movie they want but don’t peddle it as a movie version of novel if just in name only.

The news outlets were calling it a satirical or spoof of the novel but I’m not seeing even that much. If the Hunchback character was named anything else I don’t think it would change a thing within the story, it’s just to get people to think it’s the novel with nothing else of the novel is there.

An Illuminating Quote

Here’s a quote from Jay Chandrasekhar about the movie “I will tell you this, we have a movie called ‘Quasi’, which we made. It’s going to come out in December on Hulu, and it’s a 13th-century French … It’s like murder, assassination, mystery. I play the King of France, Paul Soter plays the Pope, and Steve Lemme plays a hunchback. And it’s a big international sort of … It’s a ‘Monty Python’ movie.” https://collider.com/super-troopers-3-script-update-jay-chandrasekhar-comments/

Judging from the quote it doesn’t SOUND like they were originally aiming for a Hunchback version either.

So yeah while I was wrong in my assumption that Kevin Heffernan would play Quasi(modo) when in-fact Steven Lemme is playing the Hunchback character, I feel wrong calling this movie a Hunchback of Notre Dame adaptation.

I wouldn’t have known about the movie if wasn’t being called a Hunchback version and the trailer is giving me little to support that it is one. Especially since an actor in the film called the titular character “a hunchback.” It seems that the troupe wanted to do a Monty Python and the Holy Grail type flick mixed with their brand of humor and to make the project marketable they named the Hunchback Quasi and labelled it as a spoof for subterfuge.

So the third and final question is should Quasi even be reviewed as a Hunchback adaptation???

Broken Lizard's Quasi
Quasi

About a year ago, in November 2021 it was announced that Broken Lizard was making a satirical take on Hunchback. The Film was dubbed Quasi.

Now if you are like me and I know you are, you keep up with all things Hunchback. From news of the adaptions and so on. For about the last decade there has been eight or so announcements on new Hunchback Tv/Film projects. The Broken Lizard one was the last one and so far the only one to get a release date.

Quasi hits Hulu (US) on April 20th 2023. It will be on other streaming platforms for other countries so no worries. There are also actors listed but no roles given. Like I can guess who is playing Esmeralda (or a character like Esmeralda) but I don’t know for sure.

So in 5 months I better know what that axe means in the logo because I’m puzzled. Mayhaps I need to read the novel again because axe iconography is not something I recall. Bells, sure, gargoyles, hell yeah, cathedral stuff, yup, gallows, a bit bleak but yes, even fire I get but an axe? No.

Also what is a little maddening, at least for me, is that the last film adaptation of Hunchback to come out a little over 20 years was a parody. In the interim between versions nothing and now two comedic takes back to back even with a 20+ year gap. Kinda odd.

So Quasi will be the next Hunchback film version to get released since the 90s.

Source – https://deadline.com/2022/11/broken-lizard-quasi-film-release-date

Site Update- I’m sorry I haven’t done a Magical Adventure post in a while time just gets away from me but I do mean to finish it I just don’t know when. I’m remorseful that it taking me so long. I have no excuses though.

Way back in early 2019, I did a post on the Hunchback movie/Tv versions that had been announced, The Tale of Six Hunchbacks, and for the record I did miss one, so there were actually seven versions until now. A new version has been announced.

Super Troopers

Broken Lizard, a comedy Troupe known for Super Troopers is making a satirical version of Hugo’s novel. This upcoming version is called Quasi.

According to deadline ‘The plot follows a hapless hunchback who only yearns for love, but finds himself in the middle of a murderous feud between the Pope and the King of France when each orders the hunchback to kill the other.’

This version is clearly not following the book by seemingly any means but who knows since that is a just the set-up.

Disney will release the film on Star+ in Latin America, and on Disney+ in all other territories. Star+ in Latin America, and on Disney+ in all other international territories. It will be a Hulu original in the States.

Patrick Timsit as Quasimodo & Melanie Thierry as Esmeralda Quasimodo d'El Paris picture image
Patrick Timsit as Quasimodo & Melanie Thierry as Esmeralda

I should make it very, very clear that this version is not the first time Hunchback has been made into a satirical or parody movie version. In fact the last movie version to be released was Quasimodo d’el Paris which was a modern parody version in 1999.

It does seem very, very odd that if Quasi next version to be released that there are two back to back spoof Hunchback versions to come out with over 20+ year gap in between.

Just a quick recap of the Hunchback movie/tv versions that have been announced since the formation of this blog, there was the Josh Brolin version, The Max Ryan version, Peter Chernin version, The Peter Dinklage/Charles Dance version, The Tom Hollander version, the Idris Elba version and the Disney live-action version being spearheaded by Josh Gad.

There has been no news other than Gad saying that Disney Live-action was still in the works as of January 2021. Which is fine, better the production don’t rush it.

Of course I would welcome any and all of these versions. No matter how Jazzy or if there was a character called “Figment” in it who was not the Epcot dragon, I think, I don’t actually know for sure.

I will withhold any opinion of this Broken Lizard’s version till a trailer or pictures are out, or at least I will try. But it will be great to get a new movie version.

What do you think? Excited for Quasi or just excited for a new version?