@@catandrobbyfloresit always bugged me so much that watership down was rated G (/U) and the first pokémon movie of all things was rated PG for cartoon violence 😂
Honestly, I watched many of these shows when I was a kid and never had nightmares. So its hilarious seeing ppl today claim it would give a kid nightmares. xD
The fact that a Disney children's movie decided to tackle religious hypocrisy & fanaticism, racism, ableism, gas-lighting & manipulation is just...astounding to say the least. As I kid I LOVED this movie, primarily because I was born in the hospital right next to Notre Dame (Hotel Dieu in Paris), but as an adult, I appreciate it so much more since I unfortunately understand & have seen the themes in real-life. Edit: Because of the Sanctuary sequence (the MUSIC, the dynamic shooting, the colors, etc) & when Frollo says "He shall smite the wicked..." I would pay an embarrassing amount of money to see this movie in IMAX with surround sound!
It's pretty easy when the source material is already written. Hunchback of notre dame is a book written by Victor Hugo, who also wrote the book Les Miserables which is a very popular musical nowadays.
Definitely Disney's darkest, riskiest movie! And honestly, Frollo didnt love Esmeralda. He didnt even want her to fall in love with him. He was a twisted, religious man who let the sin of lust over take him, and he didnt care if Esmeralda consented to his feelings so long as he could control her and have her to himself. It's incredibly messed up and bold for Disney to introduce such a concept for a villain like that!
This is what makes Frollo character really well written and performed. His character is very realistic he is a self righteous man with power by his side who can justify anything to himself with a few excuses. Look at all the evil people in history they all have a similar belief and mentality. You see two sides of religious people Frollo and arch Priest the archpriest with compassion and mercy love in fact. However Frollo is all things according to physically seen what the public can see with manipulation. He is by the darkest villian made other then the Horned king from the black cauldron and Maleficent those 3 top 3 villains I'd probably add evil queen and Jafari just under them. This is why their newer films aren't as good at all you can make actual evil people who are threats. if they tried to live action this I don't think they could recapture Frollo this well at all they'd make him have compassion or show his childhood or etc...
31:40 - I remember watching this in the theatre and wondering if they had actually killed off Esmeralda like in the original book. That might sound crazy these days but remember this was two years after Lion King killing off Mufasa which no one saw coming, and the year prior Pocahontas did it with Kocoum (not exactly a beloved character but still). But I think it was a great way to preserve some of the tragedy of the original story by drawing out the traditional "Disney death" as long as possible (even Quasi's cradling Esmeralda's "dead" body looks like it could be homage to the final scene of the book in the graveyard, which I'm trying hard not to explicitly spoil but it's pretty easy to look up)
I envy you. I wish I could have watched this in theatres. I was only 4 years old when it came out. But it was always my Disney favourite. I think more or less the same the guy says in the video, though. This would have probably somehow scared me at that age; it’s so dark and gothic… But in an incredibly beautiful way
TLK, Pocahontas and HOND so collectively traumatized me as a kid that I swore off Disney for a little while - my family went to see Hercules and I stayed home. Ironically Hercules turned out to be the least dark of the entire Disney Renaissance (although it does have some adult humor in there) - so the joke was on me lol@@Alphasnowbordergirl
Marketing this movie when it first came out was really hard... imagine parents taking their kids to see it, expecting a fun party movie, only to face torture, lustful priests, religious hypocrisy, and a city on fire. Although if they didn't look up what book it was adapted from first in preparation, that was probably on them 😂
@@nextstop-everywhere back in the day, even though I was an adult, I would see every Disney animated movie on the big screen on opening weekend. And the visuals for Hunchback are probably one of their best
There's been a diversification of the music on children's animated film since this came out but, even now, this stands out as an unusually sophisticated soundtrack. The lyrics, the rhythms and musical patterns. Extraordinary in the context.
The biggest thing for me was growing up and rewatching this movie. When I was little I just thought Frollo was creepy but when I was 14 I understood what a messed up man that guy is. He is a 56yrs old man lusting after a 20 year old woman.....like he is old enough to be her dad..and he blames her.,
This movie was kind of ahead of its time in that respect (never once does it try to shame Esmeralda by making it look like she might be to blame for being open about her body, when Frollo blames her he's clearly in the wrong)
@@abrahamaytemo Agree 100%. The movie clearly shows Frollo blaming everyone else-Quasi's birth mom, her people, even God-but himself. So when he blames Esmeralda for his lust, we the audience know better. Also, the super innocent way Quasi tells her "But you're a wonderful dancer" shows that her body and her dancing aren't shameful things. Where Frollo sees a sex object, Quasi sees a talented artist.
36:00 When this movie first came out I was 12 years old and I remember my older high school cousin Christy at the time went to see it and remember my mom having a discussion with her asking how it was and I remember my cousin's reply being "it's good, but it's not for kids." I remember being very confused when I heard her say that, like why would she say that about a Disney animated film? I had never heard anyone say something like that about a Disney animated movie back in those days. So my parents never took me to see it, and I never asked to see it. All the marketing for this film at the time I remember being very vague and not really the usual marketing blitz of a typical Disney animated blockbuster film. Im retrospect, I now understand why. This film, because it deals with themes of corruption, religion, and lust, it was not really pushed to be the next big Disney animated family movie that everyone must see. The marketing was all very vague and "kid friendly" yet sparse and did not match at all what this film actually turned out to be. So I think there was a lot of confusion surrounding this movie when it originally came out. I remember most of the "marketing" of this movie was by word of mouth from people who had seen it. And everybody seemed to describe it in a way that gave families pause to take children to see it. So this film is not for everyone. It is dark. It was unexpected for Disney to take on such a risky project like this at the time. And apparently they knew what they had created, and were proud of it, but were willing to let it be "it is what it is, the way it is" and let the cards fall where they may with regard to critical reception and monetary success. I actually really applaud Disney for this movie. It went against the grain of what was expected and acceptable at the time. And it did pay for it slightly. I remember a lot of people didn't talk about it much or go to see it like the other Disney animated movies. I remember how I noticed almost nobody I knew personally had gone to see it which was not usual at the time in the 90s for a new animated Disney movie. I think partly because of the lack of marketing and also partly because of the reputation of it "not being for kids" which all led to a limited viewership is why you and others do not hear about it much. So therefore, this film was missed by the general audience and is why you will only hear about it from those who are die hard fans of it. However, for people who are not oversensitive or easily offended, this is actually one of Disney's boldest and most interesting projects they've ever done, in my opinion. The art and animation is top notch. The themes and premise are dark, rich, and deep. The movie deals with mature themes that are based in realism. The music is incredible and some of the best they've ever done. The voice acting is on point. A lot of people who hold this movie in high regard agree it is a diamond in the rough. It's actually really special and outstanding as it is fringe. It isn't afraid to touch on realistic dark themes of our real world that often people want to stay blind too. So it is a bold movie with a lot of substance and for that I give it a lot of respect.
"Quasi, take it from an old spectator. Life's not a spectator sport. If watchin' is all you're gonna do, then you're gonna watch your life go by without ya." Fun Fact: Director Gary Trousdale voiced The Old Heretic. Location Location Fact: To stay consistent to the architecture and details of Notre Dame, animators spent several weeks in and around the actual cathedral. They were given office space at the recently-opened Disneyland Paris in the interim. Historical Fact: Several times during the film there are references to a war. The conflict in question was the Hundred Years' War between England and France, that engulfed all Europe from 1337 to 1453 and also involved Portugal, Scotland, Genoa, Navarra, Aragon, Bohemia, Brittany, Castille, Aquitaine, and Burgundy. Ultimately, it was won by France and the reigning House of Valois. Music Enthusiast Fact: The song Hellfire (1996) is considered one of the darkest songs written for a Disney film, and was nearly cut from the film. For the scene where Judge Frollo (Tony Jay) sings "Hellfire" and sees Esmeralda (Demi Moore) dancing in the fire before him, the MPAA insisted that the Disney animators make Esmeralda's clothing more well-defined, as she seemed nude.
This was a unique Disney production. It was really dark, and went far into the mental issues of the villain - much farther than ever before. And the score is epic.
Also as a child this was my kind of film. The lighter ones were ok but these were the ones I wanted to watch. Kids are vulnerable but not weak or stupid. The world has light and dark and this was relatable for me. More relatable than the happy sunny stuff. Kids have complex inner lives and movies like these help them to process them safely. It’s dark but not too dark.
This is exactly what I always think when I hear people talk about films like this as if they're somehow "traumatizing". By which I think they just mean it scared them as a kid. I hate the exaggeration because some people actually don't clearly understand the difference between experiencing something scary and being traumatized (not synonyms, jfc). Adults don't seem to remember that children don't ever look at stories the same as they do. Children do NOT understand all the implications and cruelty that adults focus on. Children see intense adventure, funny bits, characters, amazing music and a happy ending. This film was absolutely fascinating as a child, and it teaches you a lot about what good and evil often look like in the real world even when you're too young to fully understand it yet. I LOVED Hellfire when I was 6 years old. Did I understand what it was about? Absolutely not. Did I love the song regardless and watch the scene on repeat for hours? Yes I did. Children are not stupid, nor are they incapable of handling stories and lessons about good and evil. Those are actually very important if you want your child to grow up with any empathy or emotional intelligence.
@@naniyodesuI grew up with the censored version which stopped at “they made the devil so much stronger than a man” but I was obsessed with Les Miserables when I was eight and thought nothing of it. If adults knew some of the things children think and experience they wouldn’t worry about harmless cartoons. Heck as we speak some children are being married off or experiencing war. I am for keeping children safe but I’m against putting them in a bubble. One day the bubble will burst. I was lucky enough to have a bit of both and so I know the world is not so nice and as Esmerelda says I can get by and realise things can be even harsher. Yet I still want things better for everyone. It’s hard to explain but pretending the darkness doesn’t happen doesn’t work and saying suck it up doesn’t work either. Films like this balance both. Show you can acknowledge negative but still strive for positive. If that makes sense.
Don Bluth, who had been an animator at Disney before jumping ship over their unwillingness to do these kinds of movies, said that children can handle anything as long as there is a happy ending.
One thing i noticed is with the battle on Notre Dame tower Frollo looks more and more demonic as his sanity fades and his desire to kill Esmerelda and quaismodo grows
In the original novel there is a line that 'Quasimodo had no friends in the tower apart from stone gargoyles'. Disney decided to take this literally for their movie that is how they got the idea for the gargoyle characters.
I was still 14 years old when I saw this movie in the theater and it was just EPIC. There's just no other word for it-the sweeping camera shots, the haunting choir soundtrack, the dark and adult themes. The imagery was captivating and chilling. It didn't scare me or give me nightmares, but it was more the realization that the world truly can be like this. When Frollo pulls out Esmeralda's handkerchief in "Hellfire," even at that age I immediately knew what he wanted, and I remember thinking "Is this something I should be watching...?" Especially with my mom right next to me! Also I totally agree with you on "A Guy Like You." I get that the writers probably felt we needed some comic relief after intense scenes of, you know, lust and genocide. But even back then I would always just fast forward through it. It just never seemed to fit.
The cartoony gargoyles, in a movie that otherwise leans toward seriousness and realism, may take some getting used to, but I like their song, "A Guy Like You." It's clever and well-written. I particularly enjoy the joke in the opening lines: "Paris, the city of lovers, is glowing this evening. True, that's because it's on fire ... but still there's l'amour ... "
Oh yeah. I’ve always had little jokes in my own stories about what the guards think of all the crazy shenanigans around the buildings they guard. They just watch.
Fun fact, in French Frollo is dubbed by the same guy who dubbed Gandalf in Lord of the Rings, Jean Piat. -RIP 8:40 That view is now possible again, they unveiled the top of the new spire just a few days ago. Other fun fact, the Hunchback of Notre Dame was initially a novel by Victor Hugo published in mid 19th Century so sensibilize people to the importance of preserving historical buildinds, Notre Dame was is very poor condition, the Revolution didn't improve things. After the novel became famous, architects such as Massu and Violet-le-Duc renovated the building and rebuit the spire (the one that has since been destroyed in 2019 and from wich the new one is copied). 9:51 The palace never looked like that apart from the main stairs that still exists. It's funny how the romanticized Middle Ages by Disney is really in line with Violet-le-Duc's own vision of the Middle Ages, exagerrated. Matt, Churches were considered as sanctuary territory, where seculiar justice had NO RIGHTS. 16:49 Those rose windows were thankfully spared from the fire, and were restored to clean them from the dust and smoke. The melting metal spitting by the gargoyles is a direct reference to one of the movie adaptation from the 30s I believe. Frollo got nearly the same treatment as the Joker in Tim Burton's Batman. Phoebus mean Sun in Latin. No wonder why Versailles bus network is called Phébus in reference to the Sun King himself... If you want epics about Middle Ages or Roman era with brilliant score, might suggest watching Invanhoe, Ben-Hur and King of Kings? Miklos Rosza wrote brilliant scores for those movies...
Imagine watching The Hunchback thinking it's gonna be easier hahaha The music itself will exhaust you! It's too epic. The characters are unforgettable, the villain is so villanous! What a movie.
This is my favorite Disney movie for so many reasons. I love the soundtrack, the setting, the darker themes, and of course Frollo as a villain. Your reaction was great and I'm glad you appreciated the music and all the artistic choices they made in creating the mood.
Tom Hulce,who voiced Quasimodo in this,also played Mozart in the 1984 Best Picture Oscar winner Amadeus,definitely another film to check out at some point.
Fun fact, the Archdeacon was played by David Ogden Stiers (Cogsworth from Beauty and the Beast, Major Winchester from M*A*S*H, and Timicin from Star Trek TNG "Half a Life"!
@@epache315 When I first saw this movie in theaters back in 1996, I immediately recognized Tony Jay's richly creepy voice, as he had played a very villainous character named Paracelsus in the TV series "Beauty & the Beast" just a handful of years before the movie came out.
I love this movie! At the time when it came out, it was very controversial, parents felt betrayed, they were pissed. I saw it when I was 8 years old and I loved the music. I think the reason this movie doesn't have remakes or is not held as high esteem, at least not to the level of the Lion King, is because it's very dark. This is not a movie that would get made by today's standards, it's shocking it was even made at all. That music is of my childhood though, something about it that touched me in my soul.
“Is this *not* a kids’ movie?” Honestly, the fact that this was rated G is still one of the biggest mysteries to me. Considering just how dark and disturbing it gets (even if it’s tamer than the original book, think on THAT for a while), this should have been PG *at minimum!*
Nah, let the kids see what the real world can be like sometimes. As someone who was sheltered a little too much as a child, I wish someone had warned me.
Cinematically. Pretty sure My Lullaby (Zera's song) in LK2 came out in-between. But I agree - Tony Jay kicked so much ass they were nervous they wouldn't be able to top it, 😁
5:05 the legendary composer Alan Menken thinks that Bells of Notre Dame is his best opening number yet, so that should tell you how much love and care they put into this movie lol 12:13 not only is Clopin the narrator for Bells of Notre Dame (which tells us he KNOWS Quasimodo-- most everyone in Paris probably does because of him), but he's also the leader of the Roma population in Paris. Quasimodo's mother (and her two companions) were most likely trying to sneak into the Court of Miracles, which means it's not out of the question if Clopin observed Quasimodo's upbringing from afar. 15:02 the movie's whole 'sanctuary' theme comes from the old law of sanctuary. people could could seek a safe haven inside of a church, and fugitives were immune from arrest. this law no longer exists, though.
So I saw this in theaters when I was...I think 7 or 8, and I was immediately obsessed. Went as Esmerelda for Halloween that year and everything. I remember loving most that it felt a little dark and scary, that it wasn't talking down to me.
*I heard this guy's a good villain* Well of course he is. He shot Bob into the web, used his sister's power as a weapon, cut off Phong's head and torture him, almost married Dot by disguising himself as the other Bob, and took over the Principal Office in the infamous unsolved cliffhanger. So glad that Deanna Troi's mother didn't marry him.
This came out the year I graduated. I saw it in the theater with friends, and we were just floored by how great it was. It was protested as “anti Christian” here in the states, which just goes to show how little they understood the themes of the movie (or of their own religion, honestly)
Yeah the Archdeacon being a decent man who even brings Frollo to heel Was showing the two sides to religion Frollo is a fake pious man and relgious extremsit who uses his religion to sheild his biggotry and faults While the Archdeacon represents the kind and guiding hand that is there for those in need no matter who they are.
Disney's *Hunchback.of Notre Dame* stands on the shoulders of two previous classic film versions: the 1939 version starring Charles Laughton, and before that, the 1923 silent version starring Lon Chaney, Sr.
Personally, I love the character Esmeralda so much! She should be an official Disney Princess. And she was until 2002. She got removed because she was not as popular as some of the other Disney Princesses and she wasn't really big in the marketing. But I still think she should be one.
There is a video on UA-cam from a stage version of Disney’s Hunchback where the actor playing Quasimodo is actually deaf. The clip is of the song Out There where one of the gargoyles sings the song while Quasimodo does it in sign language. It is a very emotional clip.
Now that you mention that, I'm going to have to search for the video. I wonder if YT has any videos of the old theater-in-the-round Hunchback of Notre Dame stage play they used to put on multiple times a day at Disneyland after this movie came out? Our family used to love going to see that, back when we could afford season passes to Disneyland in the '90's.
I saw this for the first time when I was 10 years old, and it's been my favorite Disney film ever since. Personal thoughts, Disney wimped out on making the gargoyles projections of Quasimodo's traumatized mind, and that wavering hurt the consistency of the film's tone quite a bit. If the studio had fully committed to that idea, no one would be questioning the masterpiece status of this work. That said, thank you for your reaction and appreciation.
In the song Hellfire the writer uses the word calumny. I can only think of one other song the used the word, and it was a song in the musical Wicked. And both were written by Stephen Schwartz
“There was only one part I didn’t like…” Every Hunchback fan: “THE GARGOYLE SONG.” This movie is a masterpiece of animation and tone if you take out most of the gargoyle stuff.
If you want to see more underrated Disney movies, check out The Great Mouse Detective, The Rescuers Down Under, A Goofy Movie, and Atlantis The Lost Empire! 😎
That's because the story based around this movie is Dark. And the original was even darker yet. And I know for a fact that the bell ringer was deaf because of being near the bells for so long he has no hearing or so I read in the old books. But then again, the darkest books and story that Disney made came from the Grim's brother's tales. Which Disney took and remade into happy endings in most of them when they were far from the truth and a lot darker like I said.
In German, the translation of the "Sanctuary!" line at the end is "Asylrecht!" (right of asylum). And if that isn't still extremely relevant today! Great movie.
LOL@ the jumpscare at the end 🤣 I remember seeing this in theaters, it was a wild experience, and yet because I was a kid a lot of the darker themes flew over my head. Definitely an underrated movie, one that gets overlooked too often
My hands down fave movie of Disney. Also green was a great colour choice for many reasons. The musical is even more accurate to the book. All versions are special
@@DarthKay093the musical did a better version for sure but I agree. I think it’s an important story to keep telling. Then again Phantom of the Opera and Les Miserables I loved before I was ten. I was obsessed with the titanic young too.
@@DarthKay093Disney was supposed to do a live action, but canceled it. So thankful because now they would ruin it now. I just know it. Maybe they would not ruin it back in 2015, but today they would. Also the movie would probably need to be PG-13 in the rating and I think they probably wouldn't want that rating. They don't have to show any nudity or use any language, but they would need to embrace the dark tone better than the animated movie to do it right Disney today doesn't dare go that dark. We'll probably never see another Hellfire type song in a Disney movie again. And personally if I was Disney and doing a live action I would definitely lean a little more into Frollo's justice system and killing those who he deems wicked, unholy, etc. And even have a young Quasimodo asking about it and Frollo saying something like, "I was called to a life where I must bring about justice and thus I am required to punish the wicked." And maybe at times in it we would see where Frollo is what I'll say is justified if it's a murderer he is punishing vs. someone who of Esmeralda's people and actually hasn't done anything wrong to deserve death, but is only accused of it. I think that kind of thing with Frollo justifiably punishing the actual wicked vs. the ones he deems wicked would ad a interesting twist to the character. We would sometimes understand he's carrying out justice (no matter if we agree with that form or justice or not), but then at other times be horrified that he kills someone who doesn't deserve it. He gives Esmeralda "a chance to repent," but what if he doesn't with anyone else even if they cry out for mercy and forgiveness? We would know what we already know and that Frollo did that for Esmeralda to have her if she chose him, but also see he never cared to do that for anyone else before. Oh the hypocrisy. That's definitely a direction I would take if I was Disney and it would make Frollo's character more complex for us too. And maybe have a flashback scene where someone gives a word and a warning to Frollo about being a judge and bringing justice, but to be careful of promoting his version of justice instead of what he is called to do? Not sure where that could fit in, but I like it.
This is one of my favorite Disney movies. It’s dark but the music is incredible, and seeing the the seige in the cathedral on the big screen back in the day was amazing
Seeing this in the theater was mind-blowing. I'd never seen a movie like this, much less a *Disney* movie. The score was fantastic and went with the dark-for-Disney tone SO well. Mom wasn't a fan of it, but it was something I had to see twice. Even now, I think it's one of the better 90s productions, and underrated to boot. The gargoyles -- yeah, they're a tonal problem, but non-human sidekick-itis infected literally all of the Disney Renaissance movies. Could they have done a better job with them? Probably, but Disney wouldn't get that sweet G rating they wanted, and the box office draw would have suffered for it. Another movie that deserved better than it got is Treasure Planet. Maybe you could react to that!
Saw this movie in the theater during a field trip in grade 5 and it was awesome...though all the parents (teachers) were shocked by the mature and dark visuals. Frollow was voiced Tony Jay (Megabyte from "Reboot"). R.I.P. Tony Jay
0:06 "no-tr-dAm" is the name of a college here in the US. "No-truh-daum" is the cathedral. Noone pronounces the cathedral the same way they pronounce the US college.
this is the darkest Disney with a lot of real thematics like racism manipulation or religion and this feels reel because the characters are actually all humains. I want to add how the soundtracks is amazing and gives me chills
I saw this in the theater when I was 8 and loved it. Esmeralda was my girl. I dressed like her and played her with my friends all the time. I remember adoring how strong and brave she was. It wasn’t watered down and even now I appreciate that it wasn’t.
I hated this movie as a kid, simply cause I was young and Quisi didn't get the girl. I rewatched it as an adult...and realized it's an effin masterpiece. The music, the darker themes, the story...just...damn. It is now on my top five best disney movies ever.
It's was a wonderful movie because of how epic it was. If you look; the Hell Fire song is covered so often, by many people here on YT. So many different styles of versions of the song. This is a very popular movie
“Disney wanted to get into darker themes!” No, Jeffrey Katzenberg wanted more movie projects he could turn into stage shows, he directed the studio to try and adapt more human-based books that would adapt more easily to Broadway and theme park stages. And, like Frozen, you can watch “Feast of Fools” and practically see the Equity staging. The studio also considered doing Don Quixote, but France’s reaction to Hunchback talked them out of it. (Yes I mentioned another scene besides the Horny Priest Song. 🙄)
Of course, Broadway has a perfectly good adaptation of *Don Quixote* called *Man of La Mancha,* which produced the hit song, "The Impossible Dream." It was filmed in 1972, and would be a good subject for a reaction.
This is definitely my favorite Disney movie, hell one of my favorite movies of all time and I don't have any nostalgia towards it, I watched it for the first time 2 month's ago. It's a dark and brutally real story about the dangers of obsessive lust, religious abuse and prejudice something I NEVER WOULD'VE EXPECTED OUT OF A DISNEY MOVIE! The dark story comes from the novel it's adapting and honestly adapting Victor Hugo's "Notre Dame de París" is one of the riskiest creative decisions Disney's ever made and I'm so glad they did, because as sad as it is, I can't imagine the company ever doing a movie on the same level like this. It has flaws, I admit. The gargoyles, ESPECIALLY HUGO really get on my nerves sometimes and their song admittedly sucks (although I think it would be fine in any other Disney movie other than hunchback). The tone even without the gargoyles is also not great, I can live through it in the festival of fools, but the sound effects in the climax is too much for a movie with so much stakes. But honestly I don't really mind those flaws since the movie is so magnificent. The soundtrack is imo the best in any Disney movie (even with "the guy like you" included). "The Bells of Notre Dame" is imo the best opening song to... yk what? probably any movie I've seen, I legendary Alan Menken himself said that "The Bells of Notre Dame is the best opening number I have written for a film". "Out there" and "God help the outcasts" are just so beautiful and heartwrenching, they both technically count for being I want songs and they are one of the best from this studio. And, do I even need to talk about "Hellfire"? Such striking visuals, such deep imagery, such a magestic yet horrifying tone, this is one of the best villain songs ever written, if not the best, hell this might the peak Disney animation if I'm being honest. Like I could talk about this movie for hours and it still wouldn't be enough. But in summary, this movie is Disney's darkest masterpiece that goes unnoticed by alot of people because of it's disappointing box office which is understandable, but still frustrating. Thanks for watching it, reactions like yours really spark my passion for movies like this.
What a great reaction, I loved it. Thanks for sharing!! I first watched this movie in french (my mother language) when it came out. I was 7 at the time and I remember clearly being both impressed and traumatized by it. I found it to be completely mesmerizing... both in a good way and in a bad way. I visited Disneyland Paris for the first time with my parents on that same year and I still have photos of myself near the castle, it was beautifully decorated with colorful topsy-turvy ornements to celebrate the release of the movie. There was a great parade with characters from the movie... And my parents bought me an Esmeralda costume there as well! This movie brings bak great memories from my childhood 😊🎉
Fitting that it was a gargoyle coming to life that kills Frollo. Gargoyles were put on churches in Medieval times as a decorative gutter, but were made in the forms they were to guard buildings from evil. The one that came to life and scared Frollo was doing its job and recognized Frollo for the evil being he was.
The 90s was a simpler time. Fun fact, the song Hellfire pushed so many limits that Disney didn't have another villain song until Princess and frog came out.
Great reaction, as a kid I was not into this movie, but as an adult I find it to be a masterpiece. Recommendations, Pocahontas I would consider a hidden gem as well although it gets a lot of flack for historical inaccuracies, nevertheless it is one of my top films of all time and Sleeping Beauty's animation just deserves all the Oscars
this came out in 1996, and i was born in 1991, so i was about 6? i grew up watching this and the older disney movie. one of the most underrated movie, i love this movie and the songs. always gets me emotional. if you watch behind the scenes with this movie you can see how some of the singers and people behind the movie cried on some of the songs they did. speaking of underrated movies, you should check out sword in the stone 1963, one of my favorite movies, but the lady on there creeped me out growing up, and still does lol. also if you go back and look at the scene with them in the courtyard, you can see belle wearing her blue dress from beauty and the beast, the scene with belle in her movie where she's walking around as well. alot of disney movies have crossovers and hidden secrets which is pretty cool.
In the song Hellfire…it’s actually not love, it’s lust. Frollo thinks it’s love because he believes himself to be righteous and above sin. That’s the reason he blames Esmeralda for tempting him when it’s his lack of free will self-control and lack of self-reflection is causing him to lust rather than love. The ultimatum is truly allow me to lust over you or burn. He made his choice when he burnt down Paris. He’s no longer motivated by hatred. He is motivated by lust, which makes it all the more creepy and realistic. The lesson is God creates; the Creator. The Devil doesn’t create, he perverts what God creates; the Destroyer. God created love and the Devil perverted it to lust. Hope that makes a little more sense out of the movie for you.
20:38 his ideology is so twisted. He blames God, doing exactly what Adam did. Adam blamed God because "the woman YOU gave me, gave it to me" then the woman blamed the serpent. Frolo can not practice self-control and love, let alone any other fruit of the spirit, so he plays the blame game. Frolo accuses God of "making the devil so much stronger than a man," which is a lie from the devil himself. No Frolo you can't ignore your own self which is accountable for your thoughts and actions. He's such scum, but i have to say it really is one of the best villain songs in Disney history.
The problem with this one was it was too dark for the typical kid-friendly audience, well the more adult audience was angry that it didn't follow the plot of the book (in the original Esmeralda dies; I think they even hung the goat).
so, no, Disney very much exerted some control. The movie was too dark, so the studio told the creators to make it lighter by adding the gargoyles. Disney then marketed the movie poorly, showing it much lighter than the dark tale it was, which led to angry parents and the movie kind of not being appreciated for a long time.
"Disney then marketed the movie poorly, showing it much lighter than the dark tale it was, which led to angry parents" Well it depends on how you frame it. From a creative standpoint it was poor marketing and it definitely seemed like Disney lied to parents. From a business perspective it was good move. Whether you like the movie or not, the movie still made a lot of money. If the marketing was more honest and upfront about the movie, the movie would have either bombed or underperformed.
I always enjoyed this movie. When i was a kid and my parents saw it for the first time my mom was like"wow. Maybe we shouldnt be watching this. This is very very dark! Are we sure this is for children?"
I highly recommend another animated movie: "The Secret of NIMH" It was produced by Don Bluth and several other animators who had defected from Disney over the studio's unwillingness to do anything other than happy, sugary animated movies at the time. "Hunchback" is the kind of movie Disney would have been making years ago if the studio execs hadn't been so set in their ways.
This is truly Disney’s classic, impactful, and darkest film on par with Dreamwork’s The Prince of Egypt. In the stage musical adaption, they actually encourage casting people with disabilities which I am proud that it’s acknowledged and encouraged. I remember seeing a video of a deaf actor playing the role of Quasimodo. As he signed his lyrics, another actor dressed as a gargoyle sang and interpreted the lead’s lines and lyrics. 💚💛🤎💖⛪️🔔
This is one of my favorite novels.... Even tho this is a superficial/white-washed version of the story, I still quite enjoy it. Idk if you or your audience would enjoy this... But I'd be quite entertained by your reactions to the classic film versions of Disney cartoons. The Lon Chaney silent film of Hunchback is the truest adaptation of novel to screen I've ever seen... And surprisingly still captivating for a dramatic silent film from over 100 years ago.
This is the darkest Disney movie you will watch. It’s literally dealing with lust and damnation and genocide.
Exactly
This Is A Dark Disney Movie
and yet is still far more cheerful than the source material.
It was rated G and somehow my little pony is pg people have gotton week.
This is A Dark Disney Movie Has Themes Like Sin Damnation Insatisfy Genocide and Even Lust
10:10 “this feels like a kids movie but it’s going to give kids nightmares” you now understand the concept of 80s G rating.
Watership Down, anyone? That one messed me up as a kid when my mom decided to share it with me from when she was a kid.
@@catandrobbyfloresit always bugged me so much that watership down was rated G (/U) and the first pokémon movie of all things was rated PG for cartoon violence 😂
you mean the 90's? it came out in 1996.
Honestly, I watched many of these shows when I was a kid and never had nightmares. So its hilarious seeing ppl today claim it would give a kid nightmares. xD
as dirrector of Dark Crystal said, its unhealthy for kids not to fear.
The fact that a Disney children's movie decided to tackle religious hypocrisy & fanaticism, racism, ableism, gas-lighting & manipulation is just...astounding to say the least. As I kid I LOVED this movie, primarily because I was born in the hospital right next to Notre Dame (Hotel Dieu in Paris), but as an adult, I appreciate it so much more since I unfortunately understand & have seen the themes in real-life.
Edit: Because of the Sanctuary sequence (the MUSIC, the dynamic shooting, the colors, etc) & when Frollo says "He shall smite the wicked..." I would pay an embarrassing amount of money to see this movie in IMAX with surround sound!
Not to mention murder, genocide, child abuse and neglect, sexual harassment, etc
You can rent imax theater screens
It's pretty easy when the source material is already written. Hunchback of notre dame is a book written by Victor Hugo, who also wrote the book Les Miserables which is a very popular musical nowadays.
Definitely Disney's darkest, riskiest movie!
And honestly, Frollo didnt love Esmeralda. He didnt even want her to fall in love with him. He was a twisted, religious man who let the sin of lust over take him, and he didnt care if Esmeralda consented to his feelings so long as he could control her and have her to himself. It's incredibly messed up and bold for Disney to introduce such a concept for a villain like that!
This is what makes Frollo character really well written and performed. His character is very realistic he is a self righteous man with power by his side who can justify anything to himself with a few excuses. Look at all the evil people in history they all have a similar belief and mentality. You see two sides of religious people Frollo and arch Priest the archpriest with compassion and mercy love in fact. However Frollo is all things according to physically seen what the public can see with manipulation. He is by the darkest villian made other then the Horned king from the black cauldron and Maleficent those 3 top 3 villains I'd probably add evil queen and Jafari just under them. This is why their newer films aren't as good at all you can make actual evil people who are threats. if they tried to live action this I don't think they could recapture Frollo this well at all they'd make him have compassion or show his childhood or etc...
this movie is criminally underrated
Absolutely!
31:40 - I remember watching this in the theatre and wondering if they had actually killed off Esmeralda like in the original book. That might sound crazy these days but remember this was two years after Lion King killing off Mufasa which no one saw coming, and the year prior Pocahontas did it with Kocoum (not exactly a beloved character but still). But I think it was a great way to preserve some of the tragedy of the original story by drawing out the traditional "Disney death" as long as possible (even Quasi's cradling Esmeralda's "dead" body looks like it could be homage to the final scene of the book in the graveyard, which I'm trying hard not to explicitly spoil but it's pretty easy to look up)
I envy you. I wish I could have watched this in theatres. I was only 4 years old when it came out. But it was always my Disney favourite. I think more or less the same the guy says in the video, though. This would have probably somehow scared me at that age; it’s so dark and gothic… But in an incredibly beautiful way
Kocoum's death traumatized me. I loved that movie as a child and the fact he was shot and he grabbed her necklace as he fell, it was really impactful
TLK, Pocahontas and HOND so collectively traumatized me as a kid that I swore off Disney for a little while - my family went to see Hercules and I stayed home. Ironically Hercules turned out to be the least dark of the entire Disney Renaissance (although it does have some adult humor in there) - so the joke was on me lol@@Alphasnowbordergirl
Marketing this movie when it first came out was really hard... imagine parents taking their kids to see it, expecting a fun party movie, only to face torture, lustful priests, religious hypocrisy, and a city on fire. Although if they didn't look up what book it was adapted from first in preparation, that was probably on them 😂
Same thing happened with Watership Down, traumatized some kids for sure.
But watching it in theaters on the big screen as an adult is a treat. Such a well done movie. And it could have gone WAY darker
@thomasbradley4505 oh I agree, it's my favourite Disney movie ever. I just wish I could have watched it for the first time in the cinema!
@@nextstop-everywhere back in the day, even though I was an adult, I would see every Disney animated movie on the big screen on opening weekend. And the visuals for Hunchback are probably one of their best
There's been a diversification of the music on children's animated film since this came out but, even now, this stands out as an unusually sophisticated soundtrack. The lyrics, the rhythms and musical patterns. Extraordinary in the context.
The biggest thing for me was growing up and rewatching this movie. When I was little I just thought Frollo was creepy but when I was 14 I understood what a messed up man that guy is. He is a 56yrs old man lusting after a 20 year old woman.....like he is old enough to be her dad..and he blames her.,
This movie was kind of ahead of its time in that respect (never once does it try to shame Esmeralda by making it look like she might be to blame for being open about her body, when Frollo blames her he's clearly in the wrong)
@@abrahamaytemo Yes Exactly!!
@@abrahamaytemo Agree 100%. The movie clearly shows Frollo blaming everyone else-Quasi's birth mom, her people, even God-but himself. So when he blames Esmeralda for his lust, we the audience know better.
Also, the super innocent way Quasi tells her "But you're a wonderful dancer" shows that her body and her dancing aren't shameful things. Where Frollo sees a sex object, Quasi sees a talented artist.
@@josephsoltero7326 Well said
but it's so real... that's why it's scary
Back when we knew children were absolutely capable of handling these difficult subjects. I was 5 when it came out & it’s still my favourite.
36:00 When this movie first came out I was 12 years old and I remember my older high school cousin Christy at the time went to see it and remember my mom having a discussion with her asking how it was and I remember my cousin's reply being "it's good, but it's not for kids." I remember being very confused when I heard her say that, like why would she say that about a Disney animated film? I had never heard anyone say something like that about a Disney animated movie back in those days. So my parents never took me to see it, and I never asked to see it. All the marketing for this film at the time I remember being very vague and not really the usual marketing blitz of a typical Disney animated blockbuster film. Im retrospect, I now understand why. This film, because it deals with themes of corruption, religion, and lust, it was not really pushed to be the next big Disney animated family movie that everyone must see. The marketing was all very vague and "kid friendly" yet sparse and did not match at all what this film actually turned out to be. So I think there was a lot of confusion surrounding this movie when it originally came out. I remember most of the "marketing" of this movie was by word of mouth from people who had seen it. And everybody seemed to describe it in a way that gave families pause to take children to see it. So this film is not for everyone. It is dark. It was unexpected for Disney to take on such a risky project like this at the time. And apparently they knew what they had created, and were proud of it, but were willing to let it be "it is what it is, the way it is" and let the cards fall where they may with regard to critical reception and monetary success. I actually really applaud Disney for this movie. It went against the grain of what was expected and acceptable at the time. And it did pay for it slightly. I remember a lot of people didn't talk about it much or go to see it like the other Disney animated movies. I remember how I noticed almost nobody I knew personally had gone to see it which was not usual at the time in the 90s for a new animated Disney movie. I think partly because of the lack of marketing and also partly because of the reputation of it "not being for kids" which all led to a limited viewership is why you and others do not hear about it much. So therefore, this film was missed by the general audience and is why you will only hear about it from those who are die hard fans of it. However, for people who are not oversensitive or easily offended, this is actually one of Disney's boldest and most interesting projects they've ever done, in my opinion. The art and animation is top notch. The themes and premise are dark, rich, and deep. The movie deals with mature themes that are based in realism. The music is incredible and some of the best they've ever done. The voice acting is on point. A lot of people who hold this movie in high regard agree it is a diamond in the rough. It's actually really special and outstanding as it is fringe. It isn't afraid to touch on realistic dark themes of our real world that often people want to stay blind too. So it is a bold movie with a lot of substance and for that I give it a lot of respect.
"Quasi, take it from an old spectator. Life's not a spectator sport. If watchin' is all you're gonna do, then you're gonna watch your life go by without ya."
Fun Fact: Director Gary Trousdale voiced The Old Heretic.
Location Location Fact: To stay consistent to the architecture and details of Notre Dame, animators spent several weeks in and around the actual cathedral. They were given office space at the recently-opened Disneyland Paris in the interim.
Historical Fact: Several times during the film there are references to a war. The conflict in question was the Hundred Years' War between England and France, that engulfed all Europe from 1337 to 1453 and also involved Portugal, Scotland, Genoa, Navarra, Aragon, Bohemia, Brittany, Castille, Aquitaine, and Burgundy. Ultimately, it was won by France and the reigning House of Valois.
Music Enthusiast Fact: The song Hellfire (1996) is considered one of the darkest songs written for a Disney film, and was nearly cut from the film. For the scene where Judge Frollo (Tony Jay) sings "Hellfire" and sees Esmeralda (Demi Moore) dancing in the fire before him, the MPAA insisted that the Disney animators make Esmeralda's clothing more well-defined, as she seemed nude.
i consider both Hellfire and be prepared from the lion king to be the two darkest Disney songs
This was a unique Disney production. It was really dark, and went far into the mental issues of the villain - much farther than ever before. And the score is epic.
Music by Alan Menken, Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz.
Also as a child this was my kind of film. The lighter ones were ok but these were the ones I wanted to watch.
Kids are vulnerable but not weak or stupid.
The world has light and dark and this was relatable for me. More relatable than the happy sunny stuff.
Kids have complex inner lives and movies like these help them to process them safely. It’s dark but not too dark.
That’s what I believe in
This is exactly what I always think when I hear people talk about films like this as if they're somehow "traumatizing". By which I think they just mean it scared them as a kid. I hate the exaggeration because some people actually don't clearly understand the difference between experiencing something scary and being traumatized (not synonyms, jfc).
Adults don't seem to remember that children don't ever look at stories the same as they do. Children do NOT understand all the implications and cruelty that adults focus on. Children see intense adventure, funny bits, characters, amazing music and a happy ending. This film was absolutely fascinating as a child, and it teaches you a lot about what good and evil often look like in the real world even when you're too young to fully understand it yet.
I LOVED Hellfire when I was 6 years old. Did I understand what it was about? Absolutely not. Did I love the song regardless and watch the scene on repeat for hours? Yes I did.
Children are not stupid, nor are they incapable of handling stories and lessons about good and evil. Those are actually very important if you want your child to grow up with any empathy or emotional intelligence.
@@naniyodesuI grew up with the censored version which stopped at “they made the devil so much stronger than a man” but I was obsessed with Les Miserables when I was eight and thought nothing of it.
If adults knew some of the things children think and experience they wouldn’t worry about harmless cartoons.
Heck as we speak some children are being married off or experiencing war.
I am for keeping children safe but I’m against putting them in a bubble. One day the bubble will burst.
I was lucky enough to have a bit of both and so I know the world is not so nice and as Esmerelda says I can get by and realise things can be even harsher. Yet I still want things better for everyone.
It’s hard to explain but pretending the darkness doesn’t happen doesn’t work and saying suck it up doesn’t work either. Films like this balance both. Show you can acknowledge negative but still strive for positive. If that makes sense.
Don Bluth, who had been an animator at Disney before jumping ship over their unwillingness to do these kinds of movies, said that children can handle anything as long as there is a happy ending.
@@ksharbaugh2 Children and I have that in common.
One thing i noticed is with the battle on Notre Dame tower Frollo looks more and more demonic as his sanity fades and his desire to kill Esmerelda and quaismodo grows
In the original novel there is a line that 'Quasimodo had no friends in the tower apart from stone gargoyles'. Disney decided to take this literally for their movie that is how they got the idea for the gargoyle characters.
I was still 14 years old when I saw this movie in the theater and it was just EPIC. There's just no other word for it-the sweeping camera shots, the haunting choir soundtrack, the dark and adult themes. The imagery was captivating and chilling. It didn't scare me or give me nightmares, but it was more the realization that the world truly can be like this.
When Frollo pulls out Esmeralda's handkerchief in "Hellfire," even at that age I immediately knew what he wanted, and I remember thinking "Is this something I should be watching...?" Especially with my mom right next to me!
Also I totally agree with you on "A Guy Like You." I get that the writers probably felt we needed some comic relief after intense scenes of, you know, lust and genocide. But even back then I would always just fast forward through it. It just never seemed to fit.
The cartoony gargoyles, in a movie that otherwise leans toward seriousness and realism, may take some getting used to, but I like their song, "A Guy Like You." It's clever and well-written. I particularly enjoy the joke in the opening lines: "Paris, the city of lovers, is glowing this evening. True, that's because it's on fire ... but still there's l'amour ... "
Imagine the guards during hellfire “Oh god he’s talking to the fireplace again”. 😂👍
Oh yeah. I’ve always had little jokes in my own stories about what the guards think of all the crazy shenanigans around the buildings they guard. They just watch.
I know I'm not the only one who just skipped right ahead to the Hellfire scene part of the reaction 😆🔥❤🔥
I KNOW you're not. 🤦♂ Suggesting otherwise would be implying fans have ever watched any other scene from the movie.
Eric skips ahead to the Gargoyle scenes everyone else hates apparently @@ericjanssen394 🤦♂🙃
There were a lot of other good scenes though, the Bells of Notre Dame opening is EPIC, as is the Sanctuary scene! @@ericjanssen394
I watched up until the part Esmerelda protects Quasimodo at the festival, and then I totally skipped ahead. :D
You skipped ahead to the hair sniffing scene didn't you@@ericjanssen394
My English teacher talked about how weird it was for Disney to make this story into a cartoon.
Hunchback was at the height of this animation style. The 2-D with CG moments now and then to make it epic
Fun fact, in French Frollo is dubbed by the same guy who dubbed Gandalf in Lord of the Rings, Jean Piat. -RIP
8:40 That view is now possible again, they unveiled the top of the new spire just a few days ago.
Other fun fact, the Hunchback of Notre Dame was initially a novel by Victor Hugo published in mid 19th Century so sensibilize people to the importance of preserving historical buildinds, Notre Dame was is very poor condition, the Revolution didn't improve things. After the novel became famous, architects such as Massu and Violet-le-Duc renovated the building and rebuit the spire (the one that has since been destroyed in 2019 and from wich the new one is copied).
9:51 The palace never looked like that apart from the main stairs that still exists. It's funny how the romanticized Middle Ages by Disney is really in line with Violet-le-Duc's own vision of the Middle Ages, exagerrated.
Matt, Churches were considered as sanctuary territory, where seculiar justice had NO RIGHTS.
16:49 Those rose windows were thankfully spared from the fire, and were restored to clean them from the dust and smoke.
The melting metal spitting by the gargoyles is a direct reference to one of the movie adaptation from the 30s I believe.
Frollo got nearly the same treatment as the Joker in Tim Burton's Batman.
Phoebus mean Sun in Latin. No wonder why Versailles bus network is called Phébus in reference to the Sun King himself...
If you want epics about Middle Ages or Roman era with brilliant score, might suggest watching Invanhoe, Ben-Hur and King of Kings? Miklos Rosza wrote brilliant scores for those movies...
Imagine watching The Hunchback thinking it's gonna be easier hahaha The music itself will exhaust you! It's too epic.
The characters are unforgettable, the villain is so villanous! What a movie.
This is my favorite Disney movie for so many reasons. I love the soundtrack, the setting, the darker themes, and of course Frollo as a villain. Your reaction was great and I'm glad you appreciated the music and all the artistic choices they made in creating the mood.
Tom Hulce,who voiced Quasimodo in this,also played Mozart in the 1984 Best Picture Oscar winner Amadeus,definitely another film to check out at some point.
Yes. Amazing film.
Fun fact, the Archdeacon was played by David Ogden Stiers (Cogsworth from Beauty and the Beast, Major Winchester from M*A*S*H, and Timicin from Star Trek TNG "Half a Life"!
He also did governor Ratcliffe and jumba.
@@nathancruz9172 I didnt know that, TBH I forgot the Pocahontas films but that's pretty cool
R.I.P. David Ogden Stiers and Tony Jay The Archdeacon and Judge Frollo are now in Heaven 😭😭😭😢😢
@@epache315 When I first saw this movie in theaters back in 1996, I immediately recognized Tony Jay's richly creepy voice, as he had played a very villainous character named Paracelsus in the TV series "Beauty & the Beast" just a handful of years before the movie came out.
I love this movie! At the time when it came out, it was very controversial, parents felt betrayed, they were pissed. I saw it when I was 8 years old and I loved the music. I think the reason this movie doesn't have remakes or is not held as high esteem, at least not to the level of the Lion King, is because it's very dark. This is not a movie that would get made by today's standards, it's shocking it was even made at all. That music is of my childhood though, something about it that touched me in my soul.
“Is this *not* a kids’ movie?” Honestly, the fact that this was rated G is still one of the biggest mysteries to me. Considering just how dark and disturbing it gets (even if it’s tamer than the original book, think on THAT for a while), this should have been PG *at minimum!*
Nah, let the kids see what the real world can be like sometimes. As someone who was sheltered a little too much as a child, I wish someone had warned me.
Fun fact. Hellfire was such an amazing song that, if you notice, no other Disney movie had a villain song until Princess and the Frog in 2009.
Cinematically. Pretty sure My Lullaby (Zera's song) in LK2 came out in-between. But I agree - Tony Jay kicked so much ass they were nervous they wouldn't be able to top it, 😁
@@thegrinchsendshisregards3542 yeah, I forgot to add that caveat. Thank you.
5:05 the legendary composer Alan Menken thinks that Bells of Notre Dame is his best opening number yet, so that should tell you how much love and care they put into this movie lol
12:13 not only is Clopin the narrator for Bells of Notre Dame (which tells us he KNOWS Quasimodo-- most everyone in Paris probably does because of him), but he's also the leader of the Roma population in Paris. Quasimodo's mother (and her two companions) were most likely trying to sneak into the Court of Miracles, which means it's not out of the question if Clopin observed Quasimodo's upbringing from afar.
15:02 the movie's whole 'sanctuary' theme comes from the old law of sanctuary. people could could seek a safe haven inside of a church, and fugitives were immune from arrest. this law no longer exists, though.
The bells belting is awe inspiring
9:33
Fun Fact: This guard has the same voice as Patrick The Starfish (from SpongeBob).
So I saw this in theaters when I was...I think 7 or 8, and I was immediately obsessed. Went as Esmerelda for Halloween that year and everything. I remember loving most that it felt a little dark and scary, that it wasn't talking down to me.
*I heard this guy's a good villain*
Well of course he is. He shot Bob into the web, used his sister's power as a weapon, cut off Phong's head and torture him, almost married Dot by disguising himself as the other Bob, and took over the Principal Office in the infamous unsolved cliffhanger. So glad that Deanna Troi's mother didn't marry him.
Rest in peace, Tony Jay.
This came out the year I graduated. I saw it in the theater with friends, and we were just floored by how great it was. It was protested as “anti Christian” here in the states, which just goes to show how little they understood the themes of the movie (or of their own religion, honestly)
Yeah the Archdeacon being a decent man who even brings Frollo to heel
Was showing the two sides to religion
Frollo is a fake pious man and relgious extremsit who uses his religion to sheild his biggotry and faults
While the Archdeacon represents the kind and guiding hand that is there for those in need no matter who they are.
Disney's *Hunchback.of Notre Dame* stands on the shoulders of two previous classic film versions: the 1939 version starring Charles Laughton, and before that, the 1923 silent version starring Lon Chaney, Sr.
You forgot the Version from 1956 with Antony Quinn and Gina Lollobridgida
The "eyes of Notre Dame" is always one of my favorite scenes.
Personally, I love the character Esmeralda so much! She should be an official Disney Princess. And she was until 2002. She got removed because she was not as popular as some of the other Disney Princesses and she wasn't really big in the marketing. But I still think she should be one.
The music slaps hard in this movie.
There is a video on UA-cam from a stage version of Disney’s Hunchback where the actor playing Quasimodo is actually deaf. The clip is of the song Out There where one of the gargoyles sings the song while Quasimodo does it in sign language. It is a very emotional clip.
Now that you mention that, I'm going to have to search for the video. I wonder if YT has any videos of the old theater-in-the-round Hunchback of Notre Dame stage play they used to put on multiple times a day at Disneyland after this movie came out? Our family used to love going to see that, back when we could afford season passes to Disneyland in the '90's.
“I’ll find her even if I have to burn down all of Paris” well if anything the man keeps his word 😅
I saw this for the first time when I was 10 years old, and it's been my favorite Disney film ever since. Personal thoughts, Disney wimped out on making the gargoyles projections of Quasimodo's traumatized mind, and that wavering hurt the consistency of the film's tone quite a bit. If the studio had fully committed to that idea, no one would be questioning the masterpiece status of this work. That said, thank you for your reaction and appreciation.
In the song Hellfire the writer uses the word calumny. I can only think of one other song the used the word, and it was a song in the musical Wicked. And both were written by Stephen Schwartz
“There was only one part I didn’t like…”
Every Hunchback fan: “THE GARGOYLE SONG.”
This movie is a masterpiece of animation and tone if you take out most of the gargoyle stuff.
My headcanon is that the gargoyles are just stone, and they are only alive in Quasimodo’s imagination.
3:33 Just wait for his villain song...THE BESTS VILLAIN SONG EVER.
If you want to see more underrated Disney movies, check out The Great Mouse Detective, The Rescuers Down Under, A Goofy Movie, and Atlantis The Lost Empire!
😎
I love how by the ending stretch of the film all key players had a brush with dead. Very wholesome 😊
That's because the story based around this movie is Dark. And the original was even darker yet. And I know for a fact that the bell ringer was deaf because of being near the bells for so long he has no hearing or so I read in the old books. But then again, the darkest books and story that Disney made came from the Grim's brother's tales. Which Disney took and remade into happy endings in most of them when they were far from the truth and a lot darker like I said.
In German, the translation of the "Sanctuary!" line at the end is "Asylrecht!" (right of asylum). And if that isn't still extremely relevant today!
Great movie.
LOL@ the jumpscare at the end 🤣
I remember seeing this in theaters, it was a wild experience, and yet because I was a kid a lot of the darker themes flew over my head. Definitely an underrated movie, one that gets overlooked too often
My hands down fave movie of Disney.
Also green was a great colour choice for many reasons.
The musical is even more accurate to the book. All versions are special
I hope we eventually get a new adaptation of the book (Not the Disney version even tho I love it)
@@DarthKay093the musical did a better version for sure but I agree. I think it’s an important story to keep telling.
Then again Phantom of the Opera and Les Miserables I loved before I was ten.
I was obsessed with the titanic young too.
@@Angelicwings1 Gaston Leroux 🤝 Victor Hugo being incredible Dark writers That their characters are still immortal
@@DarthKay093 indeed as well as Poe
@@DarthKay093Disney was supposed to do a live action, but canceled it. So thankful because now they would ruin it now. I just know it. Maybe they would not ruin it back in 2015, but today they would. Also the movie would probably need to be PG-13 in the rating and I think they probably wouldn't want that rating. They don't have to show any nudity or use any language, but they would need to embrace the dark tone better than the animated movie to do it right Disney today doesn't dare go that dark. We'll probably never see another Hellfire type song in a Disney movie again. And personally if I was Disney and doing a live action I would definitely lean a little more into Frollo's justice system and killing those who he deems wicked, unholy, etc. And even have a young Quasimodo asking about it and Frollo saying something like, "I was called to a life where I must bring about justice and thus I am required to punish the wicked." And maybe at times in it we would see where Frollo is what I'll say is justified if it's a murderer he is punishing vs. someone who of Esmeralda's people and actually hasn't done anything wrong to deserve death, but is only accused of it. I think that kind of thing with Frollo justifiably punishing the actual wicked vs. the ones he deems wicked would ad a interesting twist to the character. We would sometimes understand he's carrying out justice (no matter if we agree with that form or justice or not), but then at other times be horrified that he kills someone who doesn't deserve it. He gives Esmeralda "a chance to repent," but what if he doesn't with anyone else even if they cry out for mercy and forgiveness? We would know what we already know and that Frollo did that for Esmeralda to have her if she chose him, but also see he never cared to do that for anyone else before. Oh the hypocrisy. That's definitely a direction I would take if I was Disney and it would make Frollo's character more complex for us too. And maybe have a flashback scene where someone gives a word and a warning to Frollo about being a judge and bringing justice, but to be careful of promoting his version of justice instead of what he is called to do? Not sure where that could fit in, but I like it.
The best opening of any Disney movie!!
This is one of my favorite Disney movies. It’s dark but the music is incredible, and seeing the the seige in the cathedral on the big screen back in the day was amazing
I love when esmerelda goes to help quasimodo and frollo demands she gets down, she shows respect at first by calling him your honour.
Seeing this in the theater was mind-blowing. I'd never seen a movie like this, much less a *Disney* movie. The score was fantastic and went with the dark-for-Disney tone SO well. Mom wasn't a fan of it, but it was something I had to see twice. Even now, I think it's one of the better 90s productions, and underrated to boot.
The gargoyles -- yeah, they're a tonal problem, but non-human sidekick-itis infected literally all of the Disney Renaissance movies. Could they have done a better job with them? Probably, but Disney wouldn't get that sweet G rating they wanted, and the box office draw would have suffered for it.
Another movie that deserved better than it got is Treasure Planet. Maybe you could react to that!
Saw this movie in the theater during a field trip in grade 5 and it was awesome...though all the parents (teachers) were shocked by the mature and dark visuals. Frollow was voiced Tony Jay (Megabyte from "Reboot"). R.I.P. Tony Jay
0:06 "no-tr-dAm" is the name of a college here in the US. "No-truh-daum" is the cathedral. Noone pronounces the cathedral the same way they pronounce the US college.
this is the darkest Disney with a lot of real thematics like racism manipulation or religion and this feels reel because the characters are actually all humains. I want to add how the soundtracks is amazing and gives me chills
I saw this in the theater when I was 8 and loved it. Esmeralda was my girl. I dressed like her and played her with my friends all the time. I remember adoring how strong and brave she was. It wasn’t watered down and even now I appreciate that it wasn’t.
I hated this movie as a kid, simply cause I was young and Quisi didn't get the girl. I rewatched it as an adult...and realized it's an effin masterpiece. The music, the darker themes, the story...just...damn. It is now on my top five best disney movies ever.
If Hellfire doesn't play when I to hell, I'll go to heaven.
It's was a wonderful movie because of how epic it was. If you look; the Hell Fire song is covered so often, by many people here on YT. So many different styles of versions of the song. This is a very popular movie
“Disney wanted to get into darker themes!” No, Jeffrey Katzenberg wanted more movie projects he could turn into stage shows, he directed the studio to try and adapt more human-based books that would adapt more easily to Broadway and theme park stages. And, like Frozen, you can watch “Feast of Fools” and practically see the Equity staging. The studio also considered doing Don Quixote, but France’s reaction to Hunchback talked them out of it.
(Yes I mentioned another scene besides the Horny Priest Song. 🙄)
Of course, Broadway has a perfectly good adaptation of *Don Quixote* called *Man of La Mancha,* which produced the hit song, "The Impossible Dream." It was filmed in 1972, and would be a good subject for a reaction.
I’m glad we got a Hunchback stage show. It’s fantastic.
This is definitely my favorite Disney movie, hell one of my favorite movies of all time and I don't have any nostalgia towards it, I watched it for the first time 2 month's ago. It's a dark and brutally real story about the dangers of obsessive lust, religious abuse and prejudice something I NEVER WOULD'VE EXPECTED OUT OF A DISNEY MOVIE! The dark story comes from the novel it's adapting and honestly adapting Victor Hugo's "Notre Dame de París" is one of the riskiest creative decisions Disney's ever made and I'm so glad they did, because as sad as it is, I can't imagine the company ever doing a movie on the same level like this. It has flaws, I admit. The gargoyles, ESPECIALLY HUGO really get on my nerves sometimes and their song admittedly sucks (although I think it would be fine in any other Disney movie other than hunchback). The tone even without the gargoyles is also not great, I can live through it in the festival of fools, but the sound effects in the climax is too much for a movie with so much stakes. But honestly I don't really mind those flaws since the movie is so magnificent. The soundtrack is imo the best in any Disney movie (even with "the guy like you" included). "The Bells of Notre Dame" is imo the best opening song to... yk what? probably any movie I've seen, I legendary Alan Menken himself said that "The Bells of Notre Dame is the best opening number I have written for a film". "Out there" and "God help the outcasts" are just so beautiful and heartwrenching, they both technically count for being I want songs and they are one of the best from this studio. And, do I even need to talk about "Hellfire"? Such striking visuals, such deep imagery, such a magestic yet horrifying tone, this is one of the best villain songs ever written, if not the best, hell this might the peak Disney animation if I'm being honest. Like I could talk about this movie for hours and it still wouldn't be enough. But in summary, this movie is Disney's darkest masterpiece that goes unnoticed by alot of people because of it's disappointing box office which is understandable, but still frustrating. Thanks for watching it, reactions like yours really spark my passion for movies like this.
What a great reaction, I loved it. Thanks for sharing!!
I first watched this movie in french (my mother language) when it came out. I was 7 at the time and I remember clearly being both impressed and traumatized by it. I found it to be completely mesmerizing... both in a good way and in a bad way.
I visited Disneyland Paris for the first time with my parents on that same year and I still have photos of myself near the castle, it was beautifully decorated with colorful topsy-turvy ornements to celebrate the release of the movie. There was a great parade with characters from the movie... And my parents bought me an Esmeralda costume there as well! This movie brings bak great memories from my childhood 😊🎉
Fitting that it was a gargoyle coming to life that kills Frollo. Gargoyles were put on churches in Medieval times as a decorative gutter, but were made in the forms they were to guard buildings from evil. The one that came to life and scared Frollo was doing its job and recognized Frollo for the evil being he was.
19:59
Greatest Villain Song Ever!!!
😎
The 90s was a simpler time. Fun fact, the song Hellfire pushed so many limits that Disney didn't have another villain song until Princess and frog came out.
Great reaction, as a kid I was not into this movie, but as an adult I find it to be a masterpiece. Recommendations, Pocahontas I would consider a hidden gem as well although it gets a lot of flack for historical inaccuracies, nevertheless it is one of my top films of all time and Sleeping Beauty's animation just deserves all the Oscars
this came out in 1996, and i was born in 1991, so i was about 6? i grew up watching this and the older disney movie. one of the most underrated movie, i love this movie and the songs. always gets me emotional. if you watch behind the scenes with this movie you can see how some of the singers and people behind the movie cried on some of the songs they did. speaking of underrated movies, you should check out sword in the stone 1963, one of my favorite movies, but the lady on there creeped me out growing up, and still does lol. also if you go back and look at the scene with them in the courtyard, you can see belle wearing her blue dress from beauty and the beast, the scene with belle in her movie where she's walking around as well. alot of disney movies have crossovers and hidden secrets which is pretty cool.
I love those 3 Gargoyles. and that they were based off the Three Stooges is super funny and creative.
You're not alone. I liked the Gargoyles to. But I can't stand Dory from Finding Nemo so what do I know?
Not a lot of people noticed that Frollo kept the scarf Esmeralda used in dancing.
I think 'Out There' might be one of the best Disney songs ever written but it doesn't get enough attention being attached to such a serious film.
90s Disney movies were ballsy & risky
Stephen Schwartz needs to do more musicals for Disney! He did several great ones during the renaissance (with and without Alan Menken).
In the song Hellfire…it’s actually not love, it’s lust. Frollo thinks it’s love because he believes himself to be righteous and above sin. That’s the reason he blames Esmeralda for tempting him when it’s his lack of free will self-control and lack of self-reflection is causing him to lust rather than love. The ultimatum is truly allow me to lust over you or burn. He made his choice when he burnt down Paris. He’s no longer motivated by hatred. He is motivated by lust, which makes it all the more creepy and realistic. The lesson is God creates; the Creator. The Devil doesn’t create, he perverts what God creates; the Destroyer. God created love and the Devil perverted it to lust. Hope that makes a little more sense out of the movie for you.
Judge Frollo Holy Hellfire!❤️🖤💜🔥
20:38 his ideology is so twisted. He blames God, doing exactly what Adam did. Adam blamed God because "the woman YOU gave me, gave it to me" then the woman blamed the serpent. Frolo can not practice self-control and love, let alone any other fruit of the spirit, so he plays the blame game.
Frolo accuses God of "making the devil so much stronger than a man," which is a lie from the devil himself. No Frolo you can't ignore your own self which is accountable for your thoughts and actions. He's such scum, but i have to say it really is one of the best villain songs in Disney history.
The problem with this one was it was too dark for the typical kid-friendly audience, well the more adult audience was angry that it didn't follow the plot of the book (in the original Esmeralda dies; I think they even hung the goat).
so, no, Disney very much exerted some control. The movie was too dark, so the studio told the creators to make it lighter by adding the gargoyles. Disney then marketed the movie poorly, showing it much lighter than the dark tale it was, which led to angry parents and the movie kind of not being appreciated for a long time.
"Disney then marketed the movie poorly, showing it much lighter than the dark tale it was, which led to angry parents"
Well it depends on how you frame it. From a creative standpoint it was poor marketing and it definitely seemed like Disney lied to parents. From a business perspective it was good move. Whether you like the movie or not, the movie still made a lot of money. If the marketing was more honest and upfront about the movie, the movie would have either bombed or underperformed.
Hunchback is the Deep Space Nine of Disney movies
That just means they will not mess with it like the other stuff.
Thanks (and I hope your cold has subsided by now), Oliver! 🔔 I saw this one in the cinema... loved it. Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise directed.
Awesome reaction of my favorite Disney movie!!!!!😊😊😊😊😊
13:55-31:03 😂 30:29-30:33 sanctuary! 31:10 guard 🪤 31:33 it’s called the molten lead. 33:26 🃏 33:32-33:37 good riddance. 33:46 way to go, Phoebus! 34:30 🎉
This was and is still my favorite animated film from The Disney Renaissance Saga.
I always enjoyed this movie. When i was a kid and my parents saw it for the first time my mom was like"wow. Maybe we shouldnt be watching this. This is very very dark! Are we sure this is for children?"
Frollo is definitely Disney’s darkest and most terrifying and evil villain.
Grew up watching it and love it hellfire is awesome and also love the bells
Frollo's Lament may be 'the most' of any Disney song ever.
When it comes to being true to the book, they got Frollo exactly right!
The farther is jumba from stitch.😊
I usually Watched Disney's The Hunchback Of Notre Dame 1 and 2 in 🇺🇲English and Spanish 🇲🇽
I highly recommend another animated movie: "The Secret of NIMH"
It was produced by Don Bluth and several other animators who had defected from Disney over the studio's unwillingness to do anything other than happy, sugary animated movies at the time. "Hunchback" is the kind of movie Disney would have been making years ago if the studio execs hadn't been so set in their ways.
Frollo is the worst, absolutely!
Also, your reaction to that last jump scare gave me life 😂😂
Great movie. Thanks Ollie.
Visiting the catacombs is dangerous
Just wish they never cancelled the musical. Truly magnificent.
This is truly Disney’s classic, impactful, and darkest film on par with Dreamwork’s The Prince of Egypt. In the stage musical adaption, they actually encourage casting people with disabilities which I am proud that it’s acknowledged and encouraged. I remember seeing a video of a deaf actor playing the role of Quasimodo. As he signed his lyrics, another actor dressed as a gargoyle sang and interpreted the lead’s lines and lyrics.
💚💛🤎💖⛪️🔔
Stephen Schwartz, who wrote lyrics for Alan Menken's music in *Hunchback,* wrote both music and lyrics for *Prince of Egypt.*
@@oliverbrownlow5615 and he wrote the music to iconic musical WICKED 💚🖤🧹
This is one of my favorite novels.... Even tho this is a superficial/white-washed version of the story, I still quite enjoy it.
Idk if you or your audience would enjoy this... But I'd be quite entertained by your reactions to the classic film versions of Disney cartoons. The Lon Chaney silent film of Hunchback is the truest adaptation of novel to screen I've ever seen... And surprisingly still captivating for a dramatic silent film from over 100 years ago.
This was a good reaction video. I love The Hunchback Of Notre Dame. Defiently one of my favorites🤗 Greetings from Olivia from Sweden
Remember everybody this was rated G the 90's were awesome.