So as I’ve mentioned several times Disney takes older movies and re-makes them with their saccharine Disney stamp. Aladdin is based off of the Thief of Baghdad1924 and1940 and The Thief And The Cobbler. Beauty and the Beast based is off of La Belle et La Bete, though Belle is based off of Hepburn’s portayle of Jo from Little Women . And Be Our Guest uses Gustav Mahler’s “Symphonie 3 First Movement” for the melody.
And of course Disney is based Hunchback off of the 1939 version of Hunchback of Notre Dame with slight hints made to the Lon Chaney version in 1923. However Disney will never admit to doing this instead they do the opposite. In the DVD audio commentary, Directors Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise and Producer Don Hahn basically criticize the 1939 version and the 1923 version. They claim that these two movies have made Quasimodo into a monster. While Lon Chaney’s version is consider to be horror, it is not, Chaney is not the horrific monster that commentary paints him as. And as Charles Laughton’s Quasimodo well Disney’s Quasimodo is far more monstrous.
Quasimodo during Out There Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Reverse King Kong Shot Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
It makes me more than a little angry that Disney uses these sources but in an commentary they debase them and then they discuss other movies that they took inspiration from Like King Kong and Singin’ in the Rain . They also mention Minster Toad’s Wide Ride and Fantasia in relation to “Hellfire.” It’s just annoying the way the directors and producer go on about how the brought a sense of humanity to Quasimodo that the old Hollywood failed to do.
(Hi 2026 version of me here. I don’t why I was so done on movie reference and inspiration here. All I can blame it on was my inflexibility for adaptations being more like the book and/or just being in my “mean angry critic” phase. But I hear that making people mad on the internet gets more attention so I’ll just leave my commentary.)
Notre Dame of Paris Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
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In Victor Hugo’s original book, Notre Dame is more than just a setting. Notre Dame was character and the whole of Quasimodo’s universe. Quasimodo’s existent was so much engrained in Notre Dame that Quasimodo was essentially its soul.
Disney’s representation of Notre Dame of Paris in very much in opposition to the book. In the Disney’s Hunchback of Notre Dame, it’s just a building and its’ role is more like a prison than a sanctuary. Frollo arranged baby Quasi to live in the bell tower where he can be “locked away where no one else can see.” Quasimodo then dreams of getting out of Notre dame.
Now in the book Quasimodo loved Notre Dame he didn’t want to leave it, he loved it. Esmeralda also tells the Court of Miracles that Quasimodo ” helped her escape from the Cathedral”. Notre dame is pegged as something that has to be escaped because it’s a prison. Which is why it’s odd when Phoebus makes his speech about Frollo declaring war on Notre Dame. Frollo seems to be an agent working with Notre Dame to keep people in, so why do people want to defend it? I think it just Frollo-hate on the part of the Parisians, I mean he did burn the city. And when Quasimodo declares sanuaury for Esmeralda.
The movie presents it as prison not sanctuary so why is it so great for Esmeralda to have sanctuary? Really, that climix is contrived when it you think about.
Molten Lead over Notre Dame Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
My guess is original text had an attack of Notre Dame where Quasimodo defends it and Esmeralda from misidentified attackers and pours molten lead out the gutters and Disney really wanted to do that shot and that’s why they had to do it. But Notre Dame’s status in the story got lost among the 18 story writers. That’s right, 18 people worked on the story, there are not even 18 characters. It’s a classic case of too many cooks in the kitchen. I think ultimately that the 18 writers are to blame for all the differences to characters and to plot and for making an important point of the book the role of Notre Dame from sanctuary to prison.
Quaismodo Bells of Notre dame reprise Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Phoebus and Esmeralda Happy Ending Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Clopin Reprise of Bells of Notre Dame Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
The Good Guys lives.
Yeah, this isn’t a big differences. Most film adaptations let the leads live. It is interesting that Esmeralda is really only spared because she is sentence to burn instead of hanging. If she had hanged the scene would have been less dramtic. So another minor difference is all the fire imagery including Esmeralda on the stake.
Also in letting the character live it takes away the theme of “Ananke” (simply meaning Death Destiny) Ananke is the word that book is based off of. However it’s only been features in like two adaptations and beside this movie is about how we “not to be deceived by appearances, for beauty is found within” no wait that’s Beauty and the Beast…. no it’s the same in Hunchback of the Notre Dame. Stupid Disney morals ruining their movies.
(2026 edit many versions skip Ananke, it shouldn’t be a point against it. If anyting it shoud be a point against version who introduce the concept and do nothing with it. So no Disney having a happy ending isn’t a bad thing it’s just a difference and many version have the characters live. )
Gringoire is Clopin and Phoebus
Clopin with Puppet Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Bruno Pelletier as Gringoire in Notre Dame de Paris
Phoebus explaining his name Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Another minor difference is the lack of Gringoire.
Gringoire in the book was a cowardly poet who runs off with Djali. He also acts like a story teller and the voice of author. In Disney, Gringoire is divided between Clopin and Phoebus. It’s a minor difference because when it comes to cutting characters out Gringoire is seldom cut from other version. Phoebus is the one to get diminished over Gringoire.
More Thoughts plus I was Wrong*
Quasimodo Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Esmeralda about to burn Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Phoebus cross-eyed Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
There is just so many differences between Disney and the book that to write these posts has been mind boggling. I could just have an entire blog about the differences and it would probably last a good long time.
Because let’s face Disney didn’t re-tell Hugo’s story they retold the 1939 version. Then they got 18 people to collaborate on the story who may not have even seen the Charles Laughton version or read the book. This is why Esmeralda is impressed with Quasimodo’s space and not with Phoebus’ name (in the book she loved his name,) why Quasimodo builds models instead ringing his bells, and why Frollo is more obsessed with fire than Esmeralda.
If you read the book and then watch the Disney you would know that this movie has very little in common with book. The only things that are correct are names and the settings*. That’s it but in regards to the setting Disney may have got the place right but Notre Dame role in this movie is very much twisted.
(*2026 – Again I was being harsh, no excuse the 2011 version of me, I’m remorse for my lack of inflexibility on book to movie adaptation decisions when I wrote I reviews this movie. The Disney version is a adaptation that is suitable for a general audience they had to make changes. However I do think the concept of three men’s different perspectives of one woman, which is the crux of the novel, is handle well by this movie. Possibly better than the 1939 version.)
In all seriousness Disney’s Hunchback of Notre Dame really only has the basic premise of the original novel. All the characters differ in attitudes and back storys. The way the story unfolds and comes to its conclusion is different because of the characters.
Frollo
Frollo Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney
In making Frollo a judge and not a priest we loss his turmoil which makes Frollo an interesting and complex character.
I really don’t care as much about his lust and obsession for Esmeralda just because he hate the Romani people. Also in the book, his obsession occurs slowly. He sees her and is instantly taken by her youthful beauty. After that he begins stalking her and by kidnapping her he forces the the plot to take action.
In the Disney movie, Quasimodo doesn’t have the some loyalty and Frollo abuses him by telling him he’s a monster and keeps him locked in the tower. In the book Frollo did no such thing and Quasimodo could leave Notre Dame if he wished.
Quasimodo
Quasimodo during Out There Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Quasimodo in the Disney movie is very much like Ariel. He wants to live with the normal people. He is very naive, kind and gentle.
In the book, Quasimodo is kind and loyal to those who have been kind to him i.e Frollo and Esmeralda. However, Quasimodo is also angry and doesn’t really like people. He would never want to leave Notre Dame as Notre Dame is his universe. He loves Notre Dame so much that he is very much a part of it and his lovers are bells. The relationship between Quasimodo and Notre Dame is destroyed in the Disney version as Notre Dame is not so much a sanctuary but a prison.
Also in the movie Disney he briefly mentions the bells but you don’t get the sense that he loves the bells. I also don’t see this Quasimodo killing Frollo in fit of rage or lying down next to Esmeralda to die.
Esmeralda
Esmeralda’s Dance Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Esmeralda is the polar opposition between Disney movie and the book.
In the book she is at least part French and is young, beautiful, naive, shallow and, childish.
In the Disney movie, while she is beautiful, she has none of the other traits, though the youth is debatable. She is confident and is in control of her sexual appeal. In the Disney version she is a full Romani and we are never given any sense of her backstory.
In the book she was unaware of her beauty and she lacks any worldliness. This naivety is what gets her into trouble in the book and ultimately is what kills her and not a passion for social justice.
Phoebus
Phoebus Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Phoebus in the book is a jerk who is kind of dumb and just wants to sleep with pretty girls.
Also he is two-timing cheat, who despite being engaged he tries sleeps with every good-looking girl he can.
In the Disney version is he is noble, moral and likes to crack bad jokes. Not like book Phoebus at all.
Clopin
Clopin Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Clopin in the book in the leader of the Court of Miracles, not the Romani. The Leader of the Romani in the book was the Duke of Egypt. Typically, the leader of the Court of Miracles and the Leader of the Romani get fused into one which is Clopin. That’s a minor issue. Compared to Frollo, Quasimodo, Esmeralda and Phoebus; Disney Clopin’s differences are not so bad. He tells stories like Gringoire (a character in book) and is the leader of the Court of Miracles; he’s two characters in one, or three.
Djali
Djali Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Djali in the Disney movie is a pretty minor character who doesn’t do anything other than add some charm and humor.
In the book however Djali is pretty essential to the plot. Djali is the prime evidence for why Esmeralda is convicted of being a witch. Goats were considered to be representational of the devil and the tricks innocence tricks Djali performed like spelling and telling the time were thought to be the work of witchcraft by the judges in the book.
Of course, since the plot veers so far the book it doesn’t really matter. Djali’s main function in the movie is a cute sidekick who sells toys to children. To be honest while Djali lose plot relevance I still love Disney Djali.
The Gargoyles
TheGargoyles do not count, they’re not in the book.
Xed out Gargoyles Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
It really does seems like someone early in production took the cliff notes of Hugo’s book, throw them into a blender, strained, added water and poured out the Disney Plot. Then that got re-written by those people who didn’t read. And the differences in the characters in proof that.
(2026 edit – Kind of mean but the inspiration for the movie was based on a graphic novel by Classics Illustrated. The Hunchback of Notre Dame was Volume #18 publish in March 1944.
The production was up-front about the graphic novel adaptation of the book as the inspiration for this movie. There is also enough similarities between the Disney version and the 1939 to draw a conclusion that it was also used an inspiration for the Disney movie. Especially since in the 1039 version Quasimodo does say his iconic line “Why wasn’t made of stone like three” to a gargoyles which inspiraed a gargoyles as characters in this movie. So I do think the book wasn’t reference all that much HOWEVER “Hellfire” does have a lyric that is pretty much a line from the book so at the very least Stephen Schwartz read the book.)
Where do you begin to discuss the differences between Disney’s Hunchback of Notre Dame and Victor Hugo’s original novel Notre Dame de Paris?
I guess it easier to discuss the similarities. They both take place in Paris, there is a hunchback who is the bell ringer of Notre Dame and a pretty gypsy girl and the main characters are attractive to her. She has a goat and is dancers. There names are the same (Quasimodo, Claude Frollo, Esmeralda, Djali, Phoebus, and Clopin) and that’s pretty much it.
Good Night everybody.
2026 edit- I mean yes. The Disney version is very divergent from the source as are many of the adaptations of the novel into other medium form are.
However credit where credit is due an aspect of the novel that the Disney version gets right is perceptive of three men on one woman. Which of those perceptive is healthy and which is toxic. This version nails that part of the novel.
I’d also add that Disney Quasimodo’s attitude towards Esmeralda shifts from being school crush which idealize her to accepting her own feelings towards for Phoebus and still choosing to save her life is very healthy. That should be more discussed than “Quasimodo not getting the girl.”
Frollo singing Hellfire Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
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Let’s us now concluded the musical portion of Hunchback with probably the strongest aspect of it: Alan Menken’s Score. The Hunchback of Notre Dame has one of the best score that Disney has ever produced. Menken was inspired by Mozart’s Requiem Mass and there a lot of dark tonalities to the Music which in conclude Latin chanting which add to the gothic nature of tone to the movie. When I say Gothic I referring to the building of Notre Dame and not the genre of the Victor Hugo’s book. The score also has a lot of Leitmotifs (referring to a recurring theme associated with a particular person, place, or idea.)
Quasimodo during Out There Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Frollo singing Hellfire Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Esmeralda singing God Help the Outcast Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Quasimodo = “Out There,” Frollo =”Hellfire,” Phoebus has this march that is heard a lot when ever he appears on the screen. This Phoebus leitmotif got reused as part of the musical for Phoebus’ introductory song “Rest and Recreation.”
Esmeralda =”God Help the Outcasts.”. Clopin doesn’t seem to get one because he is always singing. You can hear the some melody throughout the movie. Track 4 Humiliation has the melody of “Out There” and “God help the Outcast.”
Quasimodo declares Sanctuary for Esmeralda
So while the songs are pretty hit and miss, the score is strong. My Favorite track is defiantly Sanctuary! It’s over the top and dramatic. Plus I’m a fan of Latin choir, it maybe a cliche but they really do make everything sound much more epic
Cast confirmed: Matt Laurent will be Quasimodo, Robert Marien will be Frollo, and Myriam Brousseau will be the understudy for Fleur-De-Lys and Esmeralda. Rehearsals will start this October in Paris before heading to China where they’ll start touring with Notre-Dame in 2012 and 2013 for 8 to 9 month in English. Robert Marien will also be the vocal supervisor and Gilles Maheu will be the director.
As Long as there’s a moon Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
In a Place of Miracles Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
So there were two Deleted Songs in Hunchback of Notre Dame: “As Long as there’s a Moon” and “In a Place of Miracles.” Both songs were love songs for Phoebus and Esmeralda, and occurs right before Frollo arrested anyone. It was an awkward place for the songs as it’s like “Hey Frollo is coming” “Oh no but first a love song”, it just didn’t work. The other problem is that the directors felt that a love song for Phoebus and Esmeralda took any the Quasimodo-ness from the movie, yada yada yada the directors loved Quasimodo as the focus and no else. As result no love songs.
In a Place of Miracles Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
As Long as there’s a moon Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Both deleted songs were meh, “In a Place of Miracle” was a duet between Phoebus and Esmeralda and “As Long as there’s a moon” featured Clopinsinging and followed a scene from the book. They’re average songs that were awkwardly placed.
As Long as there’s a moon Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
In a Place of Miracles Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
I prefer “As Long as there a moon” more than “In Place of Miracles” but then again Clopin the best human character. I also kind of like that they didn’t have a love song however maybe the addition of love song for Phoebus and Esmeralda would have made fans believe their romance instead of just thinking Esmeralda was shallow in not choosing Esmeralda.
In a Place of Miracles Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
As Long as there’s a moon Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
So now we come to the Demo reel of “Someday.” If “Someday” had been chosen over “God help the Outcast” the animation would have looked have followed this. It’s pretty the some as “God Help the Outcast” and it’s sung by HeidiMollenhaur.
Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
So the story goes that Alan Menken wrote “God Help the Outcast” for the “Esmeralda Prayer” sequence. The director felt that they wanted a song with more energy for this part because they felt Outcast was to quiet.
Menken then wrote “Someday” which is a bigger number. However untimely the Directors felt it was too big a number to be sung in Notre Dame of Paris and they went with “God help the Outcast.”
Now if you read my review of “God help the Outcast” you’d know I have some problems with song as I find to be on the condescending side. It bothers me that Directors opted for “Outcast” over “Someday” by claiming it was more humble. Example what more humble saying your at loss words or trying to relate to Mary? I find “Someday” far humbler.
Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
It also bothers me that they claimed “Someday” was too big for Notre Dame. In “God Help the Outcast” Parishioner sing loudly and Esmeralda does belt a little bit towards the end of “God Help the Outcast.”
So why was “God Help the Outcast” chosen over “Someday”? The reason I think is untimely “God Help the Outcast” reflects Quasimodo more. Esmeralda maybe singing about Romani but the song heavy eludes back to Quasimodo. And this film never wants you to forget Quasimodo, ever. In “Someday” she says the phase “Out There” but other than that Quasimodo is really reflected back. So since the film can’t seem to go 5 minutes without Quasimodo the songs is about Outcasts and not the world as a whole.
Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
A Picture from the demo reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Final Thoughts
Should they have gone with “Someday” over “God help the Outcast” for Esmeralda’s Prayer? Hard to say, while I like Someday better “God help the Outcast” has more Drama and tension to it plus it refers back to the source material; The 1939 version of Hunchback of Notre Dame, so if nothing else Film Buffs can better catch Disney ripping off another movie which what Disney loves to do.
Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Esmeralda Demo Reel of Someday Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
, Notre Dame is more than just a setting. Notre Dame was character and the whole of Quasimodo’s universe. Quasimodo’s existent was so much engrained in Notre Dame that Quasimodo was essentially its soul.
is different from the 
. To be honest while Djali lose plot relevance I still love Disney Djali. 
. The Hunchback of Notre Dame has one of the best score that Disney has ever produced. Menken was inspired by 
It’s over the top and dramatic. Plus I’m a fan of Latin choir, it maybe a cliche but they really do make everything sound much more epic
