Quasimodo during Out There Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Thirty years ago today Disney’s “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” was released in movie theaters.
Its legacy, not to be confused with the album of the same name, is fairly mixed. It lauded for being Disney’s darkest work that deals with more serious issues. It’s also criticized for its attempt of levity with gargoyles. The gargoyles especially Hugo adds cognitive dissonance to the narrative and tone. Frollo and “Hellfire” are praised for being one of best Disney villains and “Hellfire” is considered by many to be the best villain song of all times not just in Disney movies. It’s also criticized for its representation of the Romani people as well as Esmeralda picking Phoebus over Quasimodo as well as hyper sexualizing Esmeralda.
It’s simultaneously an underrated gem yet the most well-known film adaptation of the novel.
Since Sunday was “Quasimodo Sunday” or Low Sunday let’s do a Fan-Cast for Quasimodo this month.
There seems to be a few names that get use more frequently when hypothetical fancasts for Quasimodo are brought up and one those names than get tossed around as would-be-Maybe-Quasimodo is Welsh actor/musican Iwan Rheon.
Back when I did a six month check-in on the Vincent Cassel’s Quasimodo project, I was HOPING that the casting would be announced and at that time I didn’t see any aside from an AI overview, which I have a healthy scepticism for. And again, at that time, I wanted to see if there was any truth to the info that AI was giving but when I tried to go back it didn’t offer up that same info. So I didn’t really go into that much other some speculation based on the stunt woman credits. (I hate AI.)
Fun Fact this upcoming version is the 2nd time Netflix has produced a Hunchback version but that other 2018 Idris Elba led version was canceled.
Vincent Cassel to play a version of Quasimodo in a Netflix produced movie
Anyway
It’s been about six months since it was first announced that there was to be a new movie adaptation of The Hunchback of Notre Dame starting Vincent Cassel as Quasimodo. Well in a way since this version is more based on the “historical” Quasimodo who was said to have inspired Victor Hugo.
Anyway it’s been six months so what more do we know about this movie?
The musical stage version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame is a very interesting experiment in adaptation. It’s based on a German musical based on an animated movie which itself was loosely based a French novel. The stage musical itself also tired to combine all these sources into one production resulting in a mixed bag, though many people love it.
Another aspect of the this musical is because it went to regionals there are a lot of iterations, some are amateurs productions and some are more professional.
One professionally produced production that is currently getting a lot of attention is the West End concert version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame at The Prince Edward Theatre in London. The production staged by Jack Maple.
The reason for this controversy is over the casting of Quasimodo. The role is being portrayed by two performers, Ben Joyce and Oliver Hewing. Joyce sings the role and Hewing interprets the role through BSL and dance. Hewing is meant represent Quasimodo’s inner life This casting is similar to the 5th Avenue Theatre Production as Quasimodo was played by Joshua Castillo, a deaf actor and the singing of the was performed by E.J. Cardona who was dressed like a gargoyle.
Vincent Cassel to play Quasimodo in a Netflix Re-Telling….
Vincent Cassel
Well, Well, Well, looks like Netflix is up to it again, they announced another Hunchback movie. For those of you who don’t know or don’t remember, this is the second time that Netflix has announced Hunchback adaptation, the first being in 2018 with Idris Elba as the lead with a modern setting.
This time we have Vincent Cassel taking the title role as Quasimodo. However instead of a by the book retelling according to Deadline they are doing a “retelling of the life of Quasimodo, the man said to have inspired Victor Hugo’s bell-ringer in The Hunchback of Notre-Dame” and the log line is “Set in Paris on the eve of the July Revolution (1830), this film reimagines the life of the man said to have inspired Victor Hugo’s iconic character, Quasimodo. As the cholera epidemic spreads through the city, he’s caught between political turmoil and an impossible love.”
Back in 2010 it was reported that the inspiration for Quasimodo was a stone craver whose nickname was “le bossu.” So is Cassel going to play a dual role as the Quasimodo the bell-ringer of Hugo’s novel and the historical stone craver? We shall see.
A Pandemic?
Also another just nitpick is the presence of cholera. It’s true that cholera was pandemic of the time but they are rushing the timeline of it in Paris to coincide with Hugo working on the novel. It’s could be forgiven if there is a compelling reason. But what thematic basis is for the inclusion of a pandemic with the themes of novel? Again we shall see.
Is this Miscast?
Vincent Cassel
Then there is Cassel himself. While he is a competent actor, it’s disappointing to see cast him as Quasimodo. He has the right look and presence to play Frollo. While I do concede that traditionally 58 isn’t exactly “too old” to play the role Quasimodo as Quasimodo’s actors average age is 43, with the inclusion Steve Lemme from “Quasi!” which I’m loathed to include in the data points and 41 without, Cassel is defiantly at the older range of the actors who have played the role.
Also I concede that it doesn’t really matter whether his looks matter since he will most likely be in prosthetics so it’s a moot point. Still it’s a little disappointing of casting choice since Quasimodo is seldom ever played by a younger performer as in the book he is around 20 years old. And if you want to get even more exact, he’s most likely 19 years old. During his trial (Book Six, Chapter One) Quasimodo says that believes he will be 20 on Saint Martins’ Day which is November 11th and the events of novel are roughly between January to July of 1482. But that is a colossal nitpick.
Liberty on Liberties
So it looks this version is going to take a lot of liberties with the story both figuratively and historically in effort to differentiate itself from the other versions. Even though it’s following the trend of naming the movie after Quasimodo much like the two other odd takes that have come before it, 1999’s “Quasimodo d’El Paris” and 2023’s “Quasi!”
Since 2010 there have been eight Hunchback movie productions to get announced. Only one got made and released and that was only nominally a version and technically shouldn’t even count. This is the ninth Hunchback version to be announced so again we shall see if this THE version that gets released and is marginally good. So far my expectations are quite low. But on the plus side, Content!
Any thoughts or feeling on this news? Are you Happy with the casting of Vincent Cassel as Quasimodo?
Since it’s Valentine’s Day, let’s celebrate 5 times that Quasimodo and Esmeralda* actually got together at the end as a romantic couple. And not in the tragic way like in the novel but in the happy romance kind. (* one of the “Esmeraldas” has a different name but she is essentially Esmeralda.)
Quasimodo d’El Paris
Patrick Timsit as Quasimodo & Melanie Thierry as Esmeralda
This odd modern comedic retelling does in fact have these two getting together at the end. It’s a weird version to be sure but it does have it’s moments and it’s a nice change of pace for a live-action version having these two get together at the end.
The Magical Adventures of Quasimodo
Esmeralda give Quasimodo a little hug
While this Children’s TV Show version doesn’t in fact have Quasimodo and Esmeralda officially as couple, they are cute and flirty with each other and it was clear that was the direction for these two had the show gone on longer.
The Jetlag Version
Quasimodo and Esmeralda embrace
The Jetlag version ends with Esmeralda and Quasimodo running off together after a very loving embrace.
Enchanted Tales
Melody and Quasimodo
Melody is essentially Esmeralda in all except in name, so she counts. While the Enchanted Tales version is decidedly mediocre these two get married at the end and that is very romance. (Very Romance is a Bluey-ism)
And Last but not Least HUNCH!
Quasimodo and Esmeralda in Hunch, The Critic
While this is a fake musical from the 90s show The Critic, it still counts! In the show “Hunch” is an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical and it’s clear that Esmeralda and Quasimodo has a romantic attachment. (Put a pin in this one for now.)
If you look up Quasimodo on mycast.io one actor who comes up again and again is Taron Egerton. Egerton is a welsh actor who rose to prominence with his role as Elton John is the biopic Rocketman. He was praised for the role and some critics said he carried the film but most of them just praised his overall performance. He even learned to sing for the movie and has sung in other roles. However the question is…
Would Taron Egerton be good choice for Quasimodo?
Seeing how most of the fan casts are for “Disney’s Quasimodo,” sing skills are a moot point unless somehow, something happens and we either get a live action Disney version or different movie musical based on the Hunchback happens. Anything this could happen. But putting that aside does the popular consensus have this casting option correct?
Taron Egerton as Elton John, “Rocketman” (2019)
Looking through his filmography, Egerton varies in his roles and project types. The only thing I’ve watched prior to this post that he was cast in was Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. In that show he voiced, Rian one of the main characters and he was great. That show was a treasure trove of talent, it’s a crime that is was canceled, A CRIME I say!
It’s fairly safe to suggest that Egerton would have little to no issue effectively play the role as he is a very nuanced actor and has great sense of physicality both of which are very much necessary for playing Quasimodo.
Taron Egerton
Egerton as has a very approachable warm look without any dramatic angles to his face which makes him a good fit to play Quasimodo. Based on his role as Elton John it’s easy to envision Egerton as Quasimodo because the characters share similar coloring.
Taron Egerton
Egerton has the acting skills to brilliantly play Quasimodo and he has a good look that would be a good basis for all the transformative details that is need to portrays the iconic hunchback.
