The Costumes of the Other Characters from the 1956 version

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Quasimodo (Anthony Quinn) with a cat, 1956 The Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Quasimodo (Anthony Quinn) with a cat, 1956 The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Quasimodo – One of the Hallmarks of any good Hunchback of Notre Dame version is how Quasimodo’s look. It’s important to his character. The 1956 version tried to humanize his looks and it didn’t work, at all.

He hardly has any deformity and he’s not a hunchback, Quinn just slouches, so he’s a slouch-back.  Did they forget his hunch? Anyway.  His over-all costume is tan and green. It fits in with scope of the other designs of the movie but it’s too neat and clean for a recluse bell-ringer.

Frollo (Alain Cuny), 1956 The Hunchback of Notre Dame picture iamge

Frollo (Alain Cuny), 1956 The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Frollo – Frollo’s costume from a design stand point is simple, he wears black, the end. Mess that up and you have an very incompetent costume designer.Of course ideally he wears a back hooded robe.

And this version got all those elements. There is some more design inserted into the costume but it doesn’t distract. He has wide sleeves typically called “poet sleeves.”  He also has seams that give his robe a padded look. He also sports a cape which gives a dramatic flair.

Robert Hirsch as Gringoire & Gina Lollobrigida as Esmeralda, 1956 Hunchback of Notre dame picture image

Robert Hirsch as Gringoire & Gina Lollobrigida as Esmeralda, 1956 Hunchback of Notre dame

Gringoire – Gringoire, like Quasimodo wears green and tan. His doublet has puffed sleeves that  extend into a false sleeve which gives of top-heaviness which was fashionable at the time. He also has the same padding like seams that Frollo has on his costume.

jean Danet as Phoebus,1956 Hunchback of Notre dame picture imge

Jean Danet as Phoebus,1956 Hunchback of Notre dame

Phoebus– Since Phoebus is rich and a soldier he get a few costume changes. He gets soldier suit and two civilian looks. However these looks are quite similar. All of his looks have sparkles which I’m sure is an anachronism. His costume also use richer fabrics than the other characters but the cut is identical to Gringoire’s costume.

Danielle Dumont as Fleur de Lys, 1956 Hunchback of Notre dame picture image

Danielle Dumont as Fleur de Lys, 1956 Hunchback of Notre dame

Fleur de Lys–  Fleur wears a light blue gown with a veiled hennin (the princess  pointy hat), which was the fashion in the 15th century.  Her style of dress is very on point with what women wore then, it has a high waistline and a v-neckline. Her gown is detailed with fur and appliques. Though appliques are yet an anachronism.

Philippe Clay as Clopin, 1956 Hunchback of Notre dame picture image

Philippe Clay as Clopin, 1956 Hunchback of Notre dame

Clopin –  Being as he poses a beggar, Clopin wears tan and rougher fabrics. Unlike Quasimodo and Gringoire, his clothing are ragged. He also is typically seen wearing a cloth cap that matches his tan tunic.

Quasimodo (Anthony Quinn) giving flowers to Esmeralda (Gina Lollobrigida) 1956 The Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Quasimodo (Anthony Quinn) giving flowers to Esmeralda (Gina Lollobrigida) 1956 The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Overall, while the costumes in this movie are not to exciting they more or less work within the scope of a medieval movie. However they don’t stand out as being amazing. The worse thing about the costumes in this movie is the lack of effort on Quasimodo’s make-up. Even if you are going to humanize Quasimodo’s looks, he still NEEDS A HUNCH!

Next 1956 Article – The Sets

Set of Notre Dame from the 1956 version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Set of Notre Dame from the 1956 version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

How is Quasimodo! holding up against Theater Critics?

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Steven Webb (Quaimodo) and Zoë George (Esmeralda) in Lionel Bart's Quasimodo! picture image

Steven Webb (Quaimodo) and Zoë George (Esmeralda) in Lionel Bart’s Quasimodo!

There have been a lot of reviews published on the new Hunchback of Notre Dame show “Quasimodo!” by Lionel Bart.  The reviews have been mixed. The show was written in 1963 and only performed in workshops. However the show was never actually finished by Bart. The result of this the the show despite being polished and tweaked still feels unfinished.  From reading the reviews it seems like only Quasimodo and Esmeralda get any sense of character develop. Frollo seems to suffer the most as he is given no scenes or solo to make him the key antagonist. However the review really  focus on Esmeralda and Quasimodo as the heart of the show. The review also praise the cast for their enthusiasms and passion for the show. Perhaps the show needs another round of revisions before it’s given a second round on stage because it seems to have good bones.

The song of the show seems to Abracadabra (which is duet between Esmeralda and Gringoire )

(This is the Hunchblog’s 60oth post)

Hunchback Spotting; Jean de Florette

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For a while I have been thinking about films that has similar character types to The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Like movies that feature Hunchbacks, Gypsies, Obsessed creepy guys, etc.

One famous movie to feature a Hunchback in it is called Jean De Florette.

Gérard Depardieu and Yves Montand inJean De Florette picture image

Gérard Depardieu and Yves Montand inJean De Florette

It stars Gérard Depardieu as Jean de Florette who is a hunchback. Unlike Quasimodo he is not ugly, Daniel Auteuil’s character, Ugolin covers that as well as creepy romantic obsession in the second part Manon of the Spring (more on this in another post). The two films make up one story.

Gérard Depardieu as Jean with his wife Aimee (Elisabeth Depardieu) and Daughter Manon (Ernestine Mazurowna), Jean de Florette picture image

Gérard Depardieu as Jean with his wife Aimee (Elisabeth Depardieu) and Daughter Manon (Ernestine Mazurowna), Jean de Florette

So what is the movie about? Basically, a greedy landowner, Cesar Soubeyran (Yves Montand) and his nephew Ugolin want the property next to them. When the owner is killed in a fight his nephew Jean Cadoret, a tax collector and a hunchback, inherits the property. He moves in with his wife Aimee and young daughter Manon and tries to live off the land. But Cesar and Ugolin’s designs on getting Jean’s property push them to ruin Jean.

Gérard Depardieu as Jean De Florette picture image

Gérard Depardieu as Jean De Florette

The sequel Manon of the Spring picks off where Jean de Florette left off and it gives a reason for why Jean was a Hunchback that could be applied to Quasimodo. I won’t say what it is but it’s fun to think about what caused Quasimodo’s deformity.

 

Fan-Art Friday 03/01/13

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Today’s Fan-art is by SerifeB and it’s a traditional drawing of Esmeralda and Quasimodo. I love the use of colors, it’s so pretty. I also really love the positioning  of Esmeralda and Quasimodo.

Notre Dame de Paris by SerifeB picture image

Notre Dame de Paris by SerifeB

Check out more of SerifeB’s art here

 

 

 

 

 

Hunchback Cameo in The Naked Gun

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I was watching The Naked Gun 2 & 1/2: The Smell of Fear and at one point, they’re are talking about questioning a witness who “looked pretty bad” and “took a nasty bump on the head.” The main character Frank Drebin (Leslie Nielsen) turns to question an a ugly person who is not the witness.

Frank Drebin (Leslie Neilsen) questions Quaismodo in The Naked Gun2 & 1/2 pictureimage

Frank Drebin (Leslie Neilsen) questions Quaismodo in The Naked Gun2 & 1/2

Now tell me this isn’t supposed to look like Quasimodo? There is a hunch and the smaller eye. This is meant to be Quasimodo without saying it is.

Not a total Jerk; The 1956 Version of Phoebus

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Jean Danet as Phoebus,1956 Hunchback of Notre dame picture image

Jean Danet as Phoebus,1956 Hunchback of Notre dame

Phoebus is a character that can fulfill many different niches. He can be a jerk or the love interest pending on the direction the version is taking.

The 1956 version of Phoebus is different, he is a sort of jerk but he does in fact care.

Jean Danet as Phoebus & Gina Lollobrigida as Esmeralda,1956 Hunchback of Notre dame picture image

Jean Danet as Phoebus & Gina Lollobrigida as Esmeralda,1956 Hunchback of Notre dame

We first see Phoebus when he rescues Esmeralda from Quasimodo. He is, naturally, instantly attractive to her and proceeds to take her to an inn.  After he pays for the room Esmeralda runs off. This really doesn’t bother him all that much. The owner of the inn says that Esmeralda is too beautiful and wild  which is the kind of woman Phoebus always dreamed of.

Jean Danet as Phoebus & Anthony Quinn as Quasimodo, 1956 Hunchback of Notre dame picture image

Jean Danet as Phoebus & Anthony Quinn as Quasimodo, 1956 Hunchback of Notre dame

So it would seem that maybe Phoebus and Esmeralda could have worked out in this version if things had gone differently. I mean, yeah, he is engaged to Fleur de Lys and he seems to  like her enough. But Phoebus does tell Quasimodo that he wished he could have saved Esmeralda. So he does care for Esmeralda even if he is going to be with Fleur de Lys.

Jean Danet as Phoebus & Danielle Dumont as Fleur de Lys, 1956 Hunchback of Notre dame picture image

Jean Danet as Phoebus & Danielle Dumont as Fleur de Lys, 1956 Hunchback of Notre dame

I could be reading into this a little too much or maybe I’m giving this Phoebus too much credit but it seems to me that Phoebus might have chosen Esmeralda and merely just settled for Fleur de Lys. I think if that was made more apparent in the film it would have given Phoebus a bit more pathos which makes sense as this movie has Anankh has its basis.

Plus it would make the audience connect more to him. However as it stands, two lines makes Phoebus a deeper  and more interesting character than Esmeralda, Quasimodo and Frollo  which is sad but still two lines isn’t enough make him sympathetic.

Jean Danet as Phoebus & Gina Lollobrigida as Esmeralda,1956 Hunchback of Notre dame picture image

Jean Danet as Phoebus & Gina Lollobrigida as Esmeralda,1956 Hunchback of Notre dame

Next Article on the 1956 version: Gringoire

Robert Hirsch as Gringoire, 1956 Hunchback of Notre dame picture image

Robert Hirsch as Gringoire, 1956 Hunchback of Notre dame

 

Esmeralda likes Phoebus, Get Over it

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I was reading an article on Moviefone about Movie monsters and love. The article looks at The Beast,  King Kong, The Phantom, The Wolf Man, Teen Wolf, Gill-Man, Swamp Thing, Shrek, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, the Twilight boys and of course  Disney’s Quasimodo.

Esmeralda, Phoebus and Quaismodo Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Esmeralda, Phoebus and Quaismodo Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

The write-up on Quasimodo and Esmeralda is basically the same old complaints with zero on incite to what the movie was trying to do.

Esmeralda and Quasimodo Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Esmeralda and Quaismodo Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

The articles implies that Esmeralda is not in love with Quasimodo because he is ugly. I think that if Quasimodo was in fact good-looking or normal looking but had the same personally she still would not be in love him. She treats him like a child. She supports, him and wants him to succeed but while she like his kindness she doesn’t find it a turn on. Esmeralda seems to like confidence,  dry wit and kindness. Quasi doesn’t have have the first two traits at all.

Phoebus Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame sun god picture image apollo

Phoebus explaining his name Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

The Article also calls Phoebus vain? What? How do you figure? Is it because he say’s his name mean “Sun God?” Because he sounded more self-mocking than egoistical.

Esmeralda, Phoebus, and Quasimodo Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Quasimodo accepts Esmeralda and Phoebus as a couple Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

But I find it amazing that the general public are so quick to bring up the fact that Esmeralda does not fall in love with Quasimodo. The movie does several things which I have mentioned over and over (read here) to get the audience on the couple’s side. They share their first scene together, the have the snarky Disney couple trope, they have the same personality, they treat each like people not angels or devils, their animals have the same coloration. What else can this movie do? Did Quasimodo have to marry them? Because he did that but it was cut from the movie. He did join their hands and looks happy for them.

Esmeralda and Quasimodo Disney Hunchback of Notre dame picture image

Esmeralda and Quasimodo Disney Hunchback of Notre dame

I don’t want to say this movie is subtle but when it comes to getting that Esmeralda and Phoebus are perfect for each other, people either are in denial or really do just perceive Esmeralda as shallow when she doesn’t actually do anything really shallow  except fall in love with a guy that is like herself. But perhaps the main reason for people’s general denial of acceptance of this couple is because many people can relate to the protagonist and in him getting the girl  it gives us the viewers hope that we too can reach our goals.

Quaismodo Bells of Notre dame reprise Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Quaismodo Bells of Notre dame reprise Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

However I will point that Quasimodo’s main goal was to be accepted by society which he was in the end. His mission from the start was to spend a day outside without fear not to fall in love. One could make the point that his goal changed when he met Esmeralda but it really just seemed that his attachment got twisted into love by the gargoyles and an overall love of love. He was never really in love with Esmeralda he was in love with a perception of her based on that it was his time talking  to a  female and she was nice to him. His affection for her was not a deep love it was a strong friendship.

Esmeralda and Quasimodo Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Esmeralda and Quasimodo Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

I’m sorry to rant like this but it just so annoying that people complain about this so much.