Annie Leibovitz and the Hunchback

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World Renowned Photographer, Annie Leibovitz, has taken many photographs for Disney using celebrity as iconic Disney Characters. To date she has done;

Rachel Weisz as Snow White from Snow White, by Annie Leibovitz, picture image

Rachel Weisz as Snow White from Snow White, by Annie Leibovitz

– Taylor Swift as Rapunzel from Tangled
– Julie Andrews as the Blue Fairy from Pinocchio with Abigail Breslin as an “Apprentice Fairy”
– Whoopi Goldberg as the Genie from Aladdin
– Jennifer Lopez as Jasmine and Marc Anthony as Aladdin from Aladdin
– Scarlett Johansson as Cinderella from Cinderella
– Julianne Moore as Ariel from The Little Mermaid
– Queen Latifah as Ursula from The Little Mermaid
– Jessica Biel as Pocahontas from Pocahontas
– Tina Fey as Tinkerbell, Giselle Bündchen as Wendy, and Mikhail Baryshnikov as Peter Pan from Peter Pan
– Russell Brand as Captain Hook from Peter Pan
– Olivia Wilde as the Evil Queen and Alec Bladwin as the Magic Mirror from Snow White
– Rachel Weisz as Snow White from Snow White
– Penelope Cruz as Belle and Jeff Bridges as the Beast from Beauty and the Beast
– Roger Federer as King Arthur from the Sword in the Stone
РBeyonc̩ Knowles as Alice, Lyle Lovett as the march Hare, and Oliver Platt as the Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland
– David Beckham as Prince Phillip from Sleeping Beauty
– Jack Black as Phineas, Will Ferrel as Ezra and Jason Segal as Gus from the Haunted Mansion Ride

First off a few things that irritate me. First, The Haunted Mansion? Really? You people have 38 movies you haven’t touch yet and you do a ride? Second, two from Peter Pan and a cop-out of Pinocchio? Third, the Stone and the Stone one is way off, did they even watch the movie? Because I don’t think they did. Also I have say a lot of these don’t care for a lot of these images. They look too fake, the celebrities look awkward a lot of the time and the CG work is meh-ish. Also does any one else think it’s odd that based on this series that Snow White, Ariel and Peter Pan are older than Evil Queen, Ursula and Captain Hook?  Just a thought.

But anyway getting to my point, Hunchback. Annie Leibovitz hasn’t done a Hunchback one as of yet. But if she does which Hunchback characters would you like to see represented? And who would you like representing them?

Personally they should have two, one of Frollo in the Hellfire Scene  and the other Quasimodo and Esmeralda. Since this whole series is based more on who is popular and fits the character in more of a brand way I don’t know who for Esmeralda or Frollo but Peter Dinklage comes to mind for Quasimodo. I think there is some pull for Angelina Jolie for Esmeralda and she could work but she could easily be another character? Like Maleficent. Anyway your thoughts?

Notre Dame de Paris Asian Tour Pictures

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This is from folder #21 of the pictures of the Asian Tour Cast of Notre Dame de Paris.

“Honest” Poster

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Recently so-call Honest Posters of some Disney movies have come out. They were made by Christine Gritmon and Nick Nadel from TheFW. The Poster were of Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, The Lion King and The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

This is the Hunchback one,

 

"Honest" Hunchback of Notre Dame Poster picture image

“Honest” Hunchback of Notre Dame Poster

Gah……… where do I start? Because I have a few issues with this.

First here is the write-up on it “Different take: This poster highlights how Esmeralda chooses the handsome but insincere soldier, Phoebus, over the crippled Quasimodo. The phrase emphasizes how Esmeralda chooses the handsome but insincere soldier, Phoebus, over the crippled ‘nice guy’ Quasimodo.”

How was Phoebus insincere? What does Phoebus do that warrants that adjective? Besides Phoebus may have a saratic personality but I guess saving a family doesn’t qualify him as “Nice guy”? But why do people still bring this up over and over? Esmeralda picking Phoebus over Quasimodo. Why can’t they deal with a protagonist not getting the girl? Why is Esmeralda considered some prize that Quasimodo is entitled to base on the fact that he is the protagonist? I get that is this meant to be funny but this comes back to the Esmeralda not picking Quasimodo because he both ugly and nice. When the point is she treats me more like a brother than a romantic interest. Quasimodo as anything but a friend never enters her mind.  This line of thinking that Esmeralda is shallow because she didn’t reciprocate Quasimodo’s half baked crushed is sexist. Shame on you.

Gothic Hunchback

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These pictures were from a Futuristic Gothic Musical Version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame done in 2011. Scott Walter who played Frollo (and Clopin) received a lot of praise for his Frollo.

Ron Pederson as Quasimodo, Hunchback pictureimage

Ron Pederson as Quasimodo, Hunchback

Scott Walters as Claude Frollo & Ava Markus as La Esmeralda, Hunchback picture image

Scott Walters as Claude Frollo & Ava Markus as La Esmeralda, Hunchback

Scott Walters as Claude Frollo, Hunchback picture image

Scott Walters as Claude Frollo, Hunchback

Scott Walters & Jeremy Baumung as Pierre Gringoire, Hunchback

Scott Walters & Jeremy Baumung as Pierre Gringoire, Hunchback

Such cool weird costume ^^ I would love to see this version.

The Plot of the Hunchack Segement of Wishbone

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Last time we looked at the Hunchback episode of Wishbone, we looked at the parallel story in which Wishbone’s human friend, Sam, helps an underdog to play hockey. But how is the Hunchback retelling portion of the episode?

First off, due to the format of Wishbone the retelling of any of any the classic stories the show tells is severely abridged. The Notre Dame section is only about 10 minutes in length. There are only three principle characters; Quasimodo, Frollo, and Esmeralda. However Phoebus is mention but only as Esmeralda’s boyfriend.

Wishbone as Quasimodo, The Hunchdog of Notre Dame, picture image

Wishbone as Quasimodo, The Hunchdog of Notre Dame

The first and longest part of the Hunchback segment is Quasimodo (played by Wishbone) is saying that he should get out more and bam a second later he is at the Feast of Fools and crowned the “Prince of Fools.” (That’s a new one)

Esmeralda (Lanell Pena) and Wishbone as Quasimodo, The Hunchdog of Notre Dame, picture image

Esmeralda (Lanell Pena) and Wishbone as Quasimodo, The Hunchdog of Notre Dame

The crowd laughs at him and makes quips at his ugliness but then we meet Esmeralda. She dances as both Quasimodo and Frollo watch. She stops when she see Quasimodo’s face and runs off. Frollo then yells at Quasimodo by telling expository dialogue about how they know each other.

Esmeralda (Lanell Pena) and Wishbone as Quasimodo, The Hunchdog of Notre Dame, picture image

Esmeralda (Lanell Pena) and Wishbone as Quasimodo, The Hunchdog of Notre Dame

Frollo and Quasimodo then go into a tavern where the see Esmeralda dancing. Frollo watches her intently. He then tells Quasimodo to get her for him. As she leaves, Qausimodo approaches her and tells her to come with him or Frollo will hurt him. Just then Frollo comes up behind Esmeralda and tries to grab her. But she faints and Frollo runs off leaving Qausmodo to take the blame.

Esmeralda (Lanell Pena) and Wishbone as Quasimodo, The Hunchdog of Notre Dame picture image

Esmeralda (Lanell Pena) and Wishbone as Quasimodo, The Hunchdog of Notre Dame

The next time we go back to the Hunchback story, Quasimodo is on the pillory asking for water.  Esmeralda walks up to Quasimodo and gives him water and Quasimodo is thankful.

Esmeralda (Lanell Pena) and Frollo (Sean Hennigan), Wishbone, The Hunchdog of Notre Dame, picture image

Esmeralda (Lanell Pena) and Frollo (Sean Hennigan), The Hunchdog of Notre Dame

The last segment of the story is the big rescue. Wishbone explains that Frollo attacked Esmeralda’s boyfriend but she is accused of the crime and is sentenced to death. As she brought up the gallows, Frollo stops her and tells her that he can save her if she accepts him but she rejects him.

Wishbone as Quasimodo, The Hunchdog of Notre Dame, picture image

Wishbone as Quasimodo, The Hunchdog of Notre Dame

Quasimodo watches on but relieve that he can do something. He leaps down and bits the pant leg of the hang man. As he does Esmeralda removes the rope from her neck (I guess her hands were not tied).

Esmeralda (Lanell Pena) and Wishbone as Quasimodo, The Hunchdog of Notre Dame, ;icture image

Esmeralda (Lanell Pena) and Wishbone as Quasimodo, The Hunchdog of Notre Dame

The two run towards Notre Dame but Frollo tries to stop them but fails. The two make it inside the cathedral and Esmeralda telling Quasimodo that “he is truly beautiful”.  The End

And that is it. It’s very short and really only have like only 4 scenes and yet it still better than most made for video hunchback versions.

Next Wishbone article – Review of the Hunchback segment

Esmeralda (Lanell Pena), Wishbone, The Hunchdog of Notre Dame picture image

Esmeralda (Lanell Pena), The Hunchdog of Notre Dame

Lifehouse’s Quasimodo

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Another song named after Quasimodo.

The song captures Quasimodo as a figure who is pushed around and who suffers but breaks free of and does accept himself. Of Course the song has a lot of interpretations but given the name it has to a reference to Quasimodo the literary figure.

Get the song here,

More Pictures from Crocus City 2012

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Quasimodo’s Hair Color

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Garou as Quasimodo Notre Dame de Paris image picture

Garou as Quasimodo Notre Dame de Paris

A question that comes up a lot is about Quasimodo’s hair. Why does he have red hair? I recently saw this asked on http://notredamedeparisfans.tumblr.com/. Quasimodo in both Notre Dame de Paris and Disney version is depicted as having red hair. Other version also have him with red hair.  And the answer is very simple, it’s in the original novel. Quasimodo has red hair in the book. In Book 1 chapter 5 entitled “Quasimodo” It says “…..A huge head, bristling with red hair….” as part of Quasimodo description. It’s on page 50 for those who have the Barnes Nobel version.

Quasimodo Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney picture image

Quasimodo’s Reveal Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney

So why did Hugo pick red for Quasimodo’s hair color? Well the reason could be that there was a medieval belief that red hair marked a beastly sexual desire and moral degeneration. Or it makes him more of a social outcast than if he had a blond, black or brown hair.

Anthony Hopkins as Quasimodo from the 1982 version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, picture image

Anthony Hopkins as Quasimodo from the 1982 version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Though why Esmeralda in Notre Dame de Paris sometimes has red hair is a different question. I mean I the first person cast had black hair (Noa), Helene Segera has brown but against the red light looks reddish. Then when Julie Zenatti was cast she got the red hair as well as France D’Amour. Since then of the more than a few other opted for red hair.

Frances d'Amour as Esmeralda in Notre Dame de Paris picture image

Frances d’Amour as Esmeralda in Notre Dame de Paris