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Yeah, Clariss. This is one of many animated movies that wasn’t afraid to show the dark side of humanity, especially through a religious perspective. As being one myself, unlike Frollo, I know what I have done was wrong and every time I falter, I regret it every day. Despite that inner conflict, I’m certain that only the Almighty Creator can judge me for who I am because He has the capability of reading one’s heart; a trait that no one has and never will since we humans are too flawed in every way to enact true justice. People like him are the reason why many people lose faith in God because of all the actions they commit and they easily assigned blame to someone who had nothing to do with such merciless savagery. It’s also the reason of why I feel more connected to animals than people because of what we do to this world and all that dwells upon it. For quite some, I’ve always fantasized myself being blessed with the powers of the Animal Kingdom that with it, not only I’d feel truly whole but to also use this gift to punish those who are truly wicked. If it was up to me, I’d rid the earth of the humans who bring death and destruction to the innocent, to both man and beast alike. Once it is done, mankind and the animal kingdom will truly flourish in a new era of true coexistence and peace. Enough said. As a token of my appreciation, I ask you… Nay, I demand you to check out Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron for this is a crown jewel for all Gen Z individuals everywhere, including myself. Fair warning: have some tissues on standby.
do yourself a favor and deep dive into the latin translations in songs like hellfire, and see how they counterpoint the song. also direaes irae at the beginning during the chase with frollo and qausi's mom.
also, I love how hellfire, and heavens light are opposites. heavens light idealizes esmerelda, where helfire is about lust, sexualization. but both deal with objectification. pheobus is the only one to see her as a person at first. qausi comes around I think, though.
wait wait wait... I this movie is always giving me more levels of wtf. Frollo is offering silver to the romani to betray esmerelda. he's literally asking them to be a judas iscariot. he stops short of offering thirty, but still.
Frollo is a perfect, terrifying embodiment of that Barbara Brown Taylor quote: "Beware those who claim to know the mind of God, and are prepared to use force, if necessary, to make others conform. Beware those who cannot tell God's will from their own."
"Hellfire" is one of if not the best villain song ever, and Frollo is one of Disney's scariest villains because of how real he is. Tony Jay voiced him to perfection.
There are actual people like Frollo in this world. Sexist, dangerously religious, manipulative, hypocritical, and corrupted by power. The best Disney villain for me because of how eerily realistic he is.
And now you see why many people regard Frollo to be the sacriest Disney villain - he is 100% convinced he is correct at all times. None of the gleeful evil of, say, Maleficent or Ursula, he thinks he is the good guy.
I don’t live in a world with sea witches. I don’t live in a world with Dark Fairies. I don’t live in a world under threat from evil sorcerers or aliens. I do, however live in a world full of people who are like Frollo or worse - and they gravitate towards power in the same way. That is what makes him truly terrifying.
@@shadowwynd6641 Yes. The scariest thing in the world. People who have power, who think they are always right, that it is always someone else's fault and that using violence to advance their objectives is justified. This is a believable vilain, and he's terrifying.
“Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.” Someone like Frollo is exactly what CS Lewis was talking about I think LOL
Fun Fact: Even though Frollo proclaims that he's a " Righteous man of God", he shows that he is guilty of all seven deadly sins when he sings Hellfire.
Mother Gothel from "Tangled" comes close, in terms of brainwashing her own foster child into believing she is locking her away from the world for her own good and guilt-tripping her for questioning it, much as Frollo does for Quasimodo. Still, in terms of depicting religious and/or racially motivated bigotry as the reason behind his behaviour and coming as close as a Disney film can to portraying a sexual deviant, I absolutely agree that no other villain of theirs has even approached the level of Frollo.
@@Extra_050 To a point I agree that gaslighting was used in both of these villains, however in ,,tangled" at least there was a reason for it - because if mother Gothel didn't use Rapunzel's hair she would die, here there is none. Frollo was more than willing to kill Quasimodo at the start and only stopped because of the archbishop and he gaslighted him for no other reason than to well just because he could. Furthermore the fact Quasi led Frollo to the court of miracles was just a lucky chance, but Frollo was somewhat believing he was having his sins forgiven by taking care of him. What also makes Frollo worse is that he is based on people that actually existed during the church inquisition drunk with power killing left and right and constantly abusing their power to get what they wanted.
@@WafflesssFallingReminds me of when Nostalgia Critic did a solo review of the movie and had a counter for the amount of women who had to leave the room.
I often defend Frollo, but specifically the book version who was much more sympathetic. I don't even really consider him a villain in that... but film Frollo is 100% terrible.
Agreed. Book Frollo was somewhat more sympathetic. The only thing even remotely good about Movie Frollo is his amazing voice actor. I mean the Hellfire song is so epic that it took Disney years before they let another villain have their own song.
The gaslighting from Frollo is so scary, because it is so Real. One of the most despicable villains. Also, there are a Ton of Frollos roaming around these days.
As a Christian myself, I always appreciated how the film shows so many different takes on religion. Frollo’s the religious extremist, hyper-judgmental, self-righteous and harsh on others. The Archdeacon, on the other hand, is someone who lives the values of the faith in a positive way. Esmeralda is agnostic (judging by the first line of “God Help the Outcasts”) and is an example of a virtuous non religious person. Quasimodo is a positive example of a religious layperson (he works and lives in the cathedral, but he’s not a member of the church), best exemplified during the “Heaven’s Light” / “Hellfire” duet. Both Quasimodo and Frollo are attracted to Esmeralda, and both express their feelings in religious terms, but for Quasi it’s a sweet, entirely positive feeling, and he values Esmeralda as a person, while Frollo treats his attraction in a very sex-negative way and only values Esmeralda as a possession. I always took it as the film not indicting anyone for what they believe, only for how they treat others. It’s a very mature approach and one of the reasons I love this movie. 😊
If he works for the church, he is definitely a member of it. Religion is a part of the traditional culture here and what described how the world worked and as such you were a christian unless you belonged to another religion
@@issyd2366 Sorry I didn’t explain that better! What I meant about not being a member of the church wasn’t that he wasn’t Christian, but rather that he didn’t hold a formal position in it, the way an archdeacon or bishop would. There was probably a better way for me to say that. 😅
26:07 - 26:46 What's really amazing about this scene is that Esmeralda isn't just being a friend to Quasimodo. She's offering him a way out of his abusive homelife. She's not forcing him to do anything he doesn't want to do, she's merely offering her point of view and showing that he has options should he ever change his mind. Most people have trouble doing this because those who've experienced abuse have a hard time separating from that as a part of themselves and believing they'll ever find anything better. But studies have shown that by doing it in small steps, it can have a tremendous impact and provide the first steps to breaking away from it. It's still up to the individual, and when they're ready to explore it, it's not hopeless like some believe it to be.
@david-jonballinger6638 Tony Jay Worked For Nickelodeon Warner Bros 20th Century Fox Paramount Cartoon Network Universal Studios and yes Disney 1996 was a great year for him
Tony Jay, the voice actor behind Frollo, originally auditioned for Jafar. He was almost cast, too, before Jonathan Freeman ultimately got the part. They kept Tony in mind for the future though, and when it came time to cast Frollo they offered Tony the part. Masterful casting decisions all around, imo.
@@KrystalAnn0688 Plus, he was the narrator of Treasure Planet when Jim was reading a book about Nathaniel Flint’s exploits. It was brief but I wouldn’t have want it any other way.
The animators for this movie were given special permission to tour the cathedral. Much of what you see of it in here is a faithful depiction of the real thing.
Theres something that i really like in this movie. All throughout the story, the Cathedral is used to represent God (or divine power). During the "Eyes of Notre Dame" part of the opening, when the lightning flashes, the Icon of Mary's eyes open. At the end, when the bonfire is lit, Quasi screams, but at the same time, all the bells in the belfry resonate (like the cathedral itself is screaming at the injustice.) And when Frollo is standing on the Gargoyle Grostesque talking about plunging the wicked into the firey pit, the grostesque comes to life and drags Frollo to the firey death beneath him. Notre Dame feels like a quiet character in of itself. When i was growing up, my parents showed me this to tell me that manipulators can be anywhere. Especially in positions of power.
Something I really appreciate more as I grow older is how Quasimodo DOESN'T hook up with Esmerelda in the end. The entire film is thematically framed about Quasi's opposition to Frollo and which one is a true man and which one is a monster. With Esmerelda, it's the final parallel between them and the ultimate deciding factor. Frollo is obsessed with Esmerelda to the point where either he must possess her or she must die because that's the only acceptable alternative. To Frollo, Esmerelda is nothing greater than an object. But Quasimodo sees her as a real person and genuinely cares for her, and because of that he is able to let her go even though it goes against what he thought he wanted. It's the ultimate declaration of his humanity.
43:30 this moment can be explained in two ways First: Frollo lost his soul when he tries to kill Esmeralda instead of helping her save hunchback and he becomes demonic and when gargoyle sees him it thinks that he’s a demon and that’s why it becomes alive( gargoyles were used to scare unholy spirits) Secondly: when Frollo tries to kill Esmeralda he loses his last chance to be redeemed and god sends satan to drag him into hell.
@@TwilightLink77 Frollo was prepared to throw a baby down a well, torture his captain of the guard, burn down a house with people inside, and burn a woman alive because she rejected him. There was no soul in that man from start to finish. IMO, the devilish gargoyle breaking and dragging him down into a fiery death was just symbolic of what would happen to him in the afterlife.
@@TwilightLink77 When he killed Quasimodo's mother, the Archdeacon gave Frollo a second chance to reedem himself in exchange for securing a place in Heaven. Frollo, blinded by his lust, greed, and wrathful nature, squandered that opportunity away, and Satan claimed the soul he was owed.
"all my life you told me that the world is a dark cruel place, but now I see the only thing dark and cruel about it is people like you" Real Talk👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
30:10 This is by far the BEST reaction to this movie I have seen. I pretty much agreed with you throughout the entire time. Love it! Also quick note about the song Hellfire: The latin chant accompanied in the song by the "red ghosts" is the Catholic prayer "Confiteor Deo" or "I Confess" which is a prayer of confessing your sins to God and realizing your faults. It's a lovely countermelody to Frollo's lyrics of self-righteousness. ALSO! You skipped the part in the video, but you probably saw it. The guard at the door, surrounded by white mist, that alerts Frollo about Esmeralda's escape is thought to be either God or an angel of God giving Frollo one last chance to stop and forget her, but as we see, Frollo ignores the warning. This is one of the most visually stunning movies ever created.
Frollo is so terrifying because he is so real. I once saw a comment that describes him perfectly, "he's a overly-religious, sexually-repressed, politician." Honestly, what is more terrifying than that?
So fun music notes, "Notre Dame" translated, refers to the Virgin Mary, mother of God, who for Catholics is a BIG deal. Like, in many regards she's treated as second only to God, Jesus, and the holy spirit, and therefore she's frequently featured in Catholic prayer and iconography. So the frequent references to the "eyes of Notre Dame" and "Beata Maria" mean not just the eyes of the sculptures on the Cathedral, but also the eyes of the Most Holy Woman judging Frollo, a deeply misogynistic character. As far as fun 'general movie" notes, the sketches and photos Disney animators took to animate this movie are probably the most complete record of the Notre Dame architecture in existence, and after the fire they gave over their entire archive of images for the reconstruction efforts.
In fact the original title of the novel, "Notre Dame de Paris" (literally "Our Lady of Paris") referred to three different things; the cathedral itself, the Virgin Mary and Esmeralda.
“And he shall smite the wicked and plunge them into the fiery pit” and then Frollo falls into a fiery pit. One of my favorite moments. So good. Also, this has to be the best reaction to this movie I’ve seen. You picked up on so much.
I don’t remember who wrote this quote but I love how it sums up the reason Quasi and Esmeralda wouldn’t work: “Quasi saw Esmeralda as an Angel, Frollo regarded her as a demon, Phoebus saw her as a woman” Quasimodo saw the good in Esmeralda but he idolized her and put her on a pedestal, she was good “despite” what he was taught Romani people were, his love would lend itself for an imbalanced dynamic and it’s probably part of the reason Esmeralda only saw him as a friend Quasi’s black and white views and the isolation made his emotional growth a bit stunted, he needed to know more people, make friends etc. before anything else
Agreed. It's worth noting that Esmeralda is quite likely the first woman Quasimodo has ever spoken to, maybe the second person who's been genuinely nice to him (presuming the archdeacon was), and maybe the third human he's met period. When poor Quasimodo has spent that much time lonely and isolated and has that little experience with the various forms of human connection (Frollo being his bedrock example of it) it's little wonder he was smitten. The maturity he shows by being quick to accept that she didn't want him back (at least romantically) and let his feelings for her go makes the the film's statement that he is a man (and Frollo a monster) all the more powerful.
@@thepowerfulwolfspirit.2581 I have memories of visiting Disneyland in '96 after this movie came out, and visiting a little shop in the courtyard of Sleeping Beauty's castle where they had "Hunchback" movie memorabilia. Coming out of the shop, first I spotted a very shy Quasimodo peeking out from a shady alcove at the passersby, then I realized Frollo was behind me, stroking long tresses of my waist-length hair that I hadn't bothered to put up in a braid that day. Even though he was a character actor, "Claude Frollo" was creepy to see up close and being so realistic and in-character, even if I was never someone remotely as beautiful as Esmerelda. But the actor was playing his character so perfectly to park visitors at that time! Nowadays, I doubt Disney would ever let their character actors do that, but it fit for Frollo, and back then, there was none of the #Me Too stuff around to put a stop to it. Another day, my mother & brother were there, and they took a side exit from Fantasyland towards Main Street, which lead over the castle moat. It was quiet and less crowded there, so they stopped to feed the swans in the moat, and Clopin came out and joined them in feeding the swans, totally keeping in character with them, and just interacting with them one-on-one. It was a great time to have Disneyland passes, especially so we could go often to see their theater-in-the-round "Festival of Fools" stage show.
Frollo is & will always be the scariest villain Disney has ever created. The kind of men that Frollo was written after have always & will always exist, using their position of authority or even religious influence to hold power over people, or even worse, claim their actions are holy. I saw the Off-Broadway production of Hunchback at the Paper Mill Playhouse a long time ago & it was so good. I'm still sad it never got a proper Broadway run.
Cool fact the Deacons line at the beginning about the eyes of Notre Dame is literal. The way the eyes of all the statues and gargoyles have an effect where they appear to follow you as you walk around the church. So you can't hide what you done from Notre Dame signifying that your sins can't be hidden. I got to see Notre Dame in person before the unfortunate fire it had and its majesty is so beautiful.
I just love how Hellfire is so repulsive in its lyrics. “Destroy Esmeralda and let her taste the fires of hell, or else let her be mine and mine alone.” That’s some twisted crap right there. None of the other Disney villains songs descend into such gross territory and I think that’s a large part of why Hellfire is held in such high regard. You really delve into this evil man’s mind and see how twisted up and vile he is. And the interesting part is that his conscious does try to weigh in but he argues back at every moment. During the mea culpa’s he’s constantly denying guilt. But by the end of the song he realizes he is about to go a step he shouldn’t go and says “God have mercy on me.” At this point he KNOWS he’s about to do something horrible but now he just doesn’t care.
One of the greatest "modern" Disney films that will never be made again, one of the greatest Villains of all time as well with the best Villian song too!
Back in 1996 when the movie came out, it was shocking that disney would make this movie because of the controversial subjects. The song "Hellfire" was even at some point supposed not to be in the movie because it was way to dark, but the producers chose to keep it to show people exactly how evil Frollo was. They new this was a risk to take. Even tho this movie is the darkest of all disney movies, and probably isnt even made for children it ended up as a box office succes with an earning of 325 million dollars worldwide. It will also forever be in my personal top 3 of best disney movies of all time!
"Now he has declared war on Notre Dame herself. Will we allow it?" Well, we're French and it's been about a week and half since our last revolution, so "NO!"
I had an Esmeralda statur who was able to shine in the night. It was my nightlight 😊 she is such a strong and empathic woman and this Story taught me that you should never judge one by their appearance, belief or style of living ❤❤❤❤ we are all human!
Quasimodo breaking the chains and swinging down the cathedral to rescue Esmeralda is one of my favorite scenes in animation. Used to reenact it a lot as a kid.
It’s so painful how much I relate to a lot of this. I went to a Christian school. Every time a couple was caught so much as kissing, it was always us girls that would get pulled out of class and lectured by admin about “not tempting your brothers.” It’s infuriating 🤬
I was a kid when this movie came out, and I remember that the marketing really hyped up the festival scene to make it look like a fun movie. I only saw it once as a kid because as soon as that tomato hits Quasimodo, it just gets so dark. It wasn't part of my family's disney collection and I know that's how it was for a lot of families when this movie was new. But so many of the kids who first saw it in '96 re-watch it years later and it sort of becomes everyone's favorite. Disney swept it under the rug but it's such a gem. Hands down the best music & score, brilliant message, so uplifting ❤
I'm so thrilled that this masterpiece is finally getting some of the recognition and praise it deserves. I wish that Disney hadn't made the gargoyles quite so cutesy, but other than that, perfection. I loved your focus on Esmeralda's song: it tends to get overlooked for the opening and Hellfire, but it's a central part of the conversation this film is portraying.
P.S. I'm impressed that Tim managed not to spoil much of this for you. It would have been interesting to be a fly on the wall for the post viewing conversation: he really seemed to love this in his own reaction.
Born-again Christian here. This was the second Disney film I ever saw in theaters with my late grandparents, who were also Christian and raised me from infancy. The first Disney film I saw theatrically was "Pocahontas" as a preteen. In my matching "Pocahontas" sandals, no less. I still have that photo, too, all these years later. I miss my grandparents everyday, but I know we'll be reunited in Heaven soon enough. I even rewatch these films as a way of honoring their memory. Beautiful films and soundtracks and timeless at that. The original tale that this film was adapted from is also a great read. You just can't beat the classics!
Singing Hellfire took a LOT out of Tony Jay. Poor guy was absolutely exhausted. He performed that song so amazingly that I asked my mom to rewind the tape so I can hear it again when I first watched this so so long ago. It absolutely blew me away.
"His voice though!" Oh, his voice is one of those that was through my childhood. Tony Jay voiced several villainous characters(including the Dark Herald and Khartoum in "Aladdin the Animated Series", Monsieur D'arque from "Beauty and the Beast", Shere Khan in "Jungle Book 2", Megabyte in "Reboot", the Elder God in the epic"Soul Reaver"and its sequels...just fantastic.
One of the most underrated Disney films. The animation is top notch, the music is incredible, the voice acting is some of the best, and the story is fantastic from start to finish.
I love how she can point out the hypocrisy of church and also understand the importance of actually understanding the word as someone who was also raised religious I have so much respect for her perspective
I thought this movie was super boring as a kid and couldn't appreciate it but someone told me to give it a rewatch as a teen and I absolutely loved it. Frollo is my favourite villain because he's so scary and real. Hellfire is Disney's best song.
This story does have hints of truth and history which makes it hit home at certain points. This is also one of the few Disney movies where the main protagonist doesn't get the girl.
Fun fact: during "hellfire" frollo asks maria to help and protect him and she does. The song is interrupted by a guard saying esmeralda fled the church and the light turns blue/heavenly givimg him a chance to repent but he still chooses to pursue her and the light changes back to a hellish red again sealing his fate.
I love your reaction so much! Hellfire is absolutely haunting and incredible! This film is so underrated and thank you for watching it ❤ Also a cool detail is that during the end of hellfire, the solder who told Frollo that Esmeralda had escaped was basked in an heavenly blue and white light while Frollo was in the hellish red and orange light. This symbolizes that God gave Frollo a chance to do the right thing and let Esmeralda go, but Frollo refused and gave into his sins as he turned towards the fire, implying that he’s made his final choice and that he is going to hell.
Right? 😭 Now when I think about it, I do believe it adds to how Esmeralda sees him as more of a little brother (she's young in the book, but depicted as being in her late 20's/early 30s here) than a love interest in the first place.
@@Harukaluin19 Oh thank you for the answer. I’ve been so curious about her age cause they never mention it in the movie. But yeah she defiently is mature and feels like she is 30. Which is cool, I like that she’s mature it fits her well.
I once read a theory that about the gargoyle that snarls at Frollo before it breaks. It's posited that that gargoyle is Lucifer, and God granted the Devil himself permission to enter His most sacred cathedral to personally collect Frollo's soul
Your analysis is so spot on. The most pious are the most hypocritical, and constantly pervert their own beliefs to serve their own interests. "Do as I say, not as I do."
Everyone that worked on this movie fought hard to keep everything in it in. And they knew they had gold! Hunchback is my all time classic disney animated film
One thing I love about the stage musical, is that they make Frollo the archdeacon of Notre Dame (which is closer to the original story). The whole thing is even more focused on how corrupt Frollo’s beliefs are. They even change some lyrics in some songs to make him even more incideous. Like in the movie, there’s the lyrics “even this foul creature may yet prove to be of use to me” And in the musical they change the lyrics to “see this lonesome creature from whom lesser men would flee, I will keep and care for him and teach him at my knee, to think like me” which I find even more terrifying Also, in the musical, Frollo is Quasimodo’s uncle 😬
Wow, I didnt know that the word was used as a slur, another prove that everyday you can learn something new, Thanks so much Clariss, love your reactions
One of the best musical movements in this show, from a narrative and conceptual standpoint, is Quasimodo's "Heaven's Light" juxtaposing Frolo's "Hellfire". They happen in tandem to one another, and both of them showcase each character's true, inner being by their reflections on Esmeralda. Its SO GOOD.
I know you don't normally do this kind of content, but I would love to see you do a reaction to the cast album for the stage production of Hunchback. It expands a lot on the story (particularly with Frollo) and holds a little more true to the original book. Also, all the new musical numbers are out of this world.
R.I.P. Tony Jay (1933-2006) Voice Of Judge Frollo from Disney's The Hunchback Of Notre Dame an amazing and chilling performance singing Hellfire Judge Frollo He's Evil One of The best and most Darkest Disney Villains Ever Judge Frollo He's Really Special and Tony Jay's Voice Was a part of it. ❤️🖤💜🔥😢😢😢😢😭😭😭
An interesting detail in "Hellfire," the red robed ghosts that appear are saying, "Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa." It's a Catholic liturgical phrase that means, "My fault, my fault, my most grievous fault." So they are calling Frollo out and trying to get him to repent for lusting after Esmerelda, but Frollo is so blinded by his own self righteousness that he argues with the ghosts and projects the blame on Esmerelda.
I love watching breakdowns of Hellfire. One of the most interesting things, to me, is when Frollo's song has ended, a soldier opens a door and there is a bright light behind him, and he delivers the message that Esmeralda has escaped. This is basically the answer from God Frollo asked for, and he blatantly dismisses and acts against it.
This movie is a slept on gem. The music is fantastic. My children & I loved the movie when it came out. My daughter’s favorite doll was her red dress Esmeralda doll.
It’s beautiful, “God, Help the Outcasts” always brings me to tears whenever I hear it. Then “Hellfire” gives me goosebumps, every time. The creative team that brought this gem are maestros in their own right. It’s also the same creative team that made Atlantis: The Lost Empire. Should watch that soon.
This is one of the many examples of why millennials who grew up in the 90's look down on Disney movies now We had frollo scar oogie boogie shen Yu and Clayton and who were viscous manipulative and teaching us not to fully trust or think everyone can be save. Then they top it with some of the most gruesome Disney deaths ever 1 frollo crushed to death in his fire 2 scar torn to pieces by hyenas 3 Shen Yu blown up by fireworks 4 Clayton hanged by the jungle vines 5 oogie boogie squash by Santa Claus
Quasimodo, Frollo, and Phoebus sees diffrets of Emseralda. Frollo sees her as a Fire Witch. Quasimodo sees her as a Angel. Phoebus sees her as a Woman.
I think the Catholic church asked Disney to make the change since they felt that it was villainizing the church having a member of the church as the villain.
@Ginnyrules27 They didn't. It was more the Disney board and guidelines, a way to avoid controversy as well as different script revisions. Almost similar to the earlier black and white films.
The Fête des Fous usually took place around Epiphany/3 Kings Day. So all this is happening in January. Frollo in the novel isn't evil, just corrupt and misguided. Victor Hugo wrote the novel in reaction to the possibility of Notre Dame being demolished due to the years of disrepair and damage from the Franco-Prussian War. Hugo's book helped turn public opinion on restoring the historic cathedral.
another amazing fact about the song Hellfire whenever Frollo sings a line, the latin backing vocals that follows is a prayer for confessing your sins. an amazing contrast of how Frollo is deflecting his actions and its immediately followed by an admission of his sins. it's just another bit of detail that goes above most people who watches the movie.
The Hunchback of Notre-Dame was my favorite movie growing up and it still is. I love Quasimodo, he is sweet and kind. Esmeralda fights for justice and see past the appearance of others. And Judge Claude Frollo is one of, if not, the most realistic villain that Disney created and I love that.
I’ve absolutely loved this movie since I saw it as a kid in theaters in 1996. It’s always been one of my favorites. The visuals and the MUSIC are some of the best Disney has ever done!!
Still listening to the soundtrack till this day. A damn soundtrack masterpiece Grew up on this movie. Childhood fav. Saw it on stage at a local theatre. Could help me mouth every single word to the lyrics.
Esmerelda's 'God Help the Outcasts' hit me so hard even as a kid. Realizing through it all her prayers are for those with even less than her, people who are struggling, hurting, who need blessings--meanwhile everyone in the church--well drawn as mostly wealthy--are asking for things for themselves. About Frollo. WOW. Villian portrayal eh? Solid. Hellfire though? Amazing song. I always liked how it moves from Quasimodo's Heaven's Light (essentially viewing Esmerelda as an unobtainable angel) to his Hellfire (damning her as a seductress and the force behind his evil) Artistically? Incredible visual. I also loved how the guard that comes in is veiled in this...greywhiteish light as if to snap Frollo out of it briefly. Voice of God perhaps? A lot of people seem to have noticed that and called it to attention to so I'm glad I'm not the only one who saw it. Loved your reaction :3
The was far and away the greatest score Alan Menkin ever composed. It’s absolutely flawless. And Stephen Schwartz’s lyrics were so on point. And perhaps one of the reasons you felt done Prince of Egypt vibes is because Schwartz was the lyricist and composer for that as well.
Hunchback of Notre Dame shows both sides of the Church and I find it amazing, there’s Frollo the Face of Corrupted Religion and the actually Priest who is much more Peaceful and respectful as the church should be
A great detail is in the subtitles of the movie. Whenever Frollo refers to god it is lowercased because he clearly is not putting respect on God's name because of his horrible actions.
I swear, THIS, this is in my humble opinion the perfect reaction to this movie! Somehow you completely mirror my emotions in this movie, especially the music really gets to me, they don’t make masterpieces like this anymore! It’s always a treat to watch your movie reactions but this one definitely holds a special place in my heart, so really I just wanna say thank you for taking the time to watch this movie, it’s definitely something i’ll come back to whenever I feel down!
This movie kinda blew my minds as a kid, the animation is straight up ballistic and so top tier. some just truly amazing work that still is crazy af : )
Hunchaback of notre dame is unoffically Disney's greatest magnum opus. Everything from the music and score, to the scale of story and topics it covers, including the ideas of compassion, good and evil, and what makes a person who they are. The animation and design of the cathredal is beyond spectacle And amount of character brought to life by the timeless voice cast that is built and carried by the film is inspiring... Whether it be what makes a monster and what makes a man, the corruprion of power and moral peity, the themes of racism and dehumanization from people like frollo, and the nature of people like that To one of the best villain deaths from their own actions Nothing esle in most animated films has ever come close to capuring what this movie presents and tackles.
I remember when i was a little kid I thought he just wanted her as an ally... this is definitely one of those movies that gets SCARIER when you are a teenager/adult
Love this movie to this day. The visuals, the music, the commentary, love it. Fun fact: There's a fan theory (and I think one of the folks that worked on this film agreed) that the Gargoyles were meant to be taken as Quasimodo's imagination, that he was so isolated/lonely he would then imagine them coming alive and talking to him or giving him pep talks like to encourage himself. I support this theory though there are some scenes that challenge the theory. Speaking of visuals though, another fun fact: "Hellfire" had to be toned down actually because the part with Esmeralda appearing in the flames had her nude so they went back to draw her dress on. Last fun fact: Belle can be seen walking in the street during the "Out There" song.
Most people consider this as the last popular Walt Disney Renaissance film, it was a very big deal when it came out, especially as one of the darkest, and is still considered one of the best movies.
💃 Weird Trivia: The speaking voice of Esmeralda was actress Demi Moore, who was married to Bruce Willis at the time. Back then, she was just about as big a star as he was, which is why Disney thought having her name on the marquis would be good for business. The problem was that she isn't a singer, so they had to find someone else to be her singing voice. Instead of going for a big musical star to handle that chore, they instead went for an anonymous chanteuse they found crooning in an obscure saloon somewhere. They genuinely hoped that no one would notice that Esmeralda's singing voice doesn't even remotely resemble her speaking voice, but of course, everyone did. To this day, Heidi Mollenhauer (the singer) does not have a single other IMDB credit. 😎 I wouldn't call this Disney's most obscure animated musical from the 1990s. That honor still goes to "James & The Giant Peach," which came out only a couple of months before this. It features music by Randy Newman. 🍑 You're partner has already seen that one too. 😉👍
To be fair, at this point in time the singing vocals were almost always by a singer, not the voice actor. It's only in recent years they cast people who can sing to do both the voices and the songs.
Hunchback of Notre Dame is literally my favorite Disney musical. You're right Quasimodo is a superhero. The first time you see it is when he picks Phebos up with one hand while he's in his full suit of plate armor. To one hand him with such ease as he did, shows how extremely strong he is. Which further shows how mental health plays into things. Frollo has told him his whole life all those terrible things, and it makes him not realize his power, not only external, but internal. Also the sound track is so so so good. I keep hearing rumors that they are going to give this the, "live-action treatment" & that's a tough one. Not only cause I would want them to cast an actual Romanie actress for Esmerelda, but for all the songs you need 2 absolutely knock-out tenors to do Clopan and Quasi. They would also need to cast someone who can bring that intense evil to Frollo like Tony Jay did.
Man, seeing people claim Frollo "was a good guy" in the Hugo novel is WILD. Like. Bruh. What person forces their child to ring church bells until they literally go deaf? What "good guy" instantly starts descending into insanity upon being rejected by a teenager?
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Got a perfect movie for you to watch Titan A.E. next
Yeah, Clariss. This is one of many animated movies that wasn’t afraid to show the dark side of humanity, especially through a religious perspective. As being one myself, unlike Frollo, I know what I have done was wrong and every time I falter, I regret it every day. Despite that inner conflict, I’m certain that only the Almighty Creator can judge me for who I am because He has the capability of reading one’s heart; a trait that no one has and never will since we humans are too flawed in every way to enact true justice. People like him are the reason why many people lose faith in God because of all the actions they commit and they easily assigned blame to someone who had nothing to do with such merciless savagery. It’s also the reason of why I feel more connected to animals than people because of what we do to this world and all that dwells upon it. For quite some, I’ve always fantasized myself being blessed with the powers of the Animal Kingdom that with it, not only I’d feel truly whole but to also use this gift to punish those who are truly wicked. If it was up to me, I’d rid the earth of the humans who bring death and destruction to the innocent, to both man and beast alike. Once it is done, mankind and the animal kingdom will truly flourish in a new era of true coexistence and peace.
Enough said. As a token of my appreciation, I ask you… Nay, I demand you to check out Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron for this is a crown jewel for all Gen Z individuals everywhere, including myself. Fair warning: have some tissues on standby.
do yourself a favor and deep dive into the latin translations in songs like hellfire, and see how they counterpoint the song. also direaes irae at the beginning during the chase with frollo and qausi's mom.
also, I love how hellfire, and heavens light are opposites. heavens light idealizes esmerelda, where helfire is about lust, sexualization. but both deal with objectification. pheobus is the only one to see her as a person at first. qausi comes around I think, though.
wait wait wait... I this movie is always giving me more levels of wtf. Frollo is offering silver to the romani to betray esmerelda. he's literally asking them to be a judas iscariot. he stops short of offering thirty, but still.
Frollo is a perfect, terrifying embodiment of that Barbara Brown Taylor quote: "Beware those who claim to know the mind of God, and are prepared to use force, if necessary, to make others conform. Beware those who cannot tell God's will from their own."
"Hellfire" is one of if not the best villain song ever, and Frollo is one of Disney's scariest villains because of how real he is. Tony Jay voiced him to perfection.
Check out the Caleb Hyles version.
It's perfect on its own, but Caleb found a way to take it to the next level.
Agree! There are certainly other excellent Disney villain songs, but to me, the one that comes closest to “Hellfire” is “Be Prepared”!
@@videohistory722 Shoot. I highly recommend Annapantsu’s take on this song. To me, she has exceeded that with an exceptional voice like no other.
There are actual people like Frollo in this world. Sexist, dangerously religious, manipulative, hypocritical, and corrupted by power. The best Disney villain for me because of how eerily realistic he is.
And if you have never watched the scene in french dub I absolutely tell you it will give you chills 😉
And now you see why many people regard Frollo to be the sacriest Disney villain - he is 100% convinced he is correct at all times. None of the gleeful evil of, say, Maleficent or Ursula, he thinks he is the good guy.
I don’t live in a world with sea witches. I don’t live in a world with Dark Fairies. I don’t live in a world under threat from evil sorcerers or aliens.
I do, however live in a world full of people who are like Frollo or worse - and they gravitate towards power in the same way. That is what makes him truly terrifying.
@@shadowwynd6641 Yes. The scariest thing in the world. People who have power, who think they are always right, that it is always someone else's fault and that using violence to advance their objectives is justified.
This is a believable vilain, and he's terrifying.
Sums up religious people pretty nicely too, which is why it's so scary too.
“Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.” Someone like Frollo is exactly what CS Lewis was talking about I think LOL
And all the best antagonists do.
Fun Fact: Even though Frollo proclaims that he's a " Righteous man of God", he shows that he is guilty of all seven deadly sins when he sings Hellfire.
But his most main sin out of those 7 is "Lust" which in my opinion is one the worst.
@@jacobcolley9805 I would argue that Lust is the most recent one, but it is Pride that he is most guilty of. It is why he can't see his own evil.
Yo... I'm glad I'm not the only one who saw that
"Of my virtue I am just proud" is such a great line
@schmelzwah and let's not forget Wrath, setting an entire city ablaze, vowing that if Esmeralda doesn't choose him, she will burn.
Disney would NEVER have the guts to pull off a movie and villain like this again
Mother Gothel from "Tangled" comes close, in terms of brainwashing her own foster child into believing she is locking her away from the world for her own good and guilt-tripping her for questioning it, much as Frollo does for Quasimodo. Still, in terms of depicting religious and/or racially motivated bigotry as the reason behind his behaviour and coming as close as a Disney film can to portraying a sexual deviant, I absolutely agree that no other villain of theirs has even approached the level of Frollo.
@@Extra_050 To a point I agree that gaslighting was used in both of these villains, however in ,,tangled" at least there was a reason for it - because if mother Gothel didn't use Rapunzel's hair she would die, here there is none. Frollo was more than willing to kill Quasimodo at the start and only stopped because of the archbishop and he gaslighted him for no other reason than to well just because he could. Furthermore the fact Quasi led Frollo to the court of miracles was just a lucky chance, but Frollo was somewhat believing he was having his sins forgiven by taking care of him. What also makes Frollo worse is that he is based on people that actually existed during the church inquisition drunk with power killing left and right and constantly abusing their power to get what they wanted.
Thats because if they did this now the internet would be outraged. Not really Disney's fault
They dont have the writers to pull this off.
"NOBODY DEFEND FROLLO IN THE COMMENTS!"
".....yeah but that voice though 👀"
👀👀😅
@@WafflesssFallingReminds me of when Nostalgia Critic did a solo review of the movie and had a counter for the amount of women who had to leave the room.
I often defend Frollo, but specifically the book version who was much more sympathetic. I don't even really consider him a villain in that... but film Frollo is 100% terrible.
Agreed. Book Frollo was somewhat more sympathetic. The only thing even remotely good about Movie Frollo is his amazing voice actor. I mean the Hellfire song is so epic that it took Disney years before they let another villain have their own song.
Maybe weird connection.... but anybody watched Castlevania on Netflix, hear me out.... Does the Bishop remind y'all of Frollo, or nah?
The gaslighting from Frollo is so scary, because it is so Real. One of the most despicable villains. Also, there are a Ton of Frollos roaming around these days.
Don’t forget that years later will be seeing Mother Gothel as well.
@@TwilightLink77 But Gothel knew she was doing something wrong. Frollo was convinced that he was in the right.
@@P4nDA_pls So Frollo is worse than Gothel?
@@p.l.j.9825Yes, he is. He is even more abusive than Gothel
I think Frollo would judge Mother Gothel for what she did to Rapunzel even when he treats Quasimodo the same way.
Frollo is so much worse as a parental figure than Gothel or Tremaine.
@@matthewmazzatto8003 I know but he wouldn't admit that
Insightful. Because she's doing it to benefit from unholy witchcraft while he, of course, is a righteous man! He's so disgusting.
@@matthewmazzatto8003 That's true, but he sees himself as righteous
It’s cause
she’s not deformed,
she isn’t ugly
and these are gifts for which the world holds boundless pity,
As a Christian myself, I always appreciated how the film shows so many different takes on religion. Frollo’s the religious extremist, hyper-judgmental, self-righteous and harsh on others. The Archdeacon, on the other hand, is someone who lives the values of the faith in a positive way. Esmeralda is agnostic (judging by the first line of “God Help the Outcasts”) and is an example of a virtuous non religious person. Quasimodo is a positive example of a religious layperson (he works and lives in the cathedral, but he’s not a member of the church), best exemplified during the “Heaven’s Light” / “Hellfire” duet. Both Quasimodo and Frollo are attracted to Esmeralda, and both express their feelings in religious terms, but for Quasi it’s a sweet, entirely positive feeling, and he values Esmeralda as a person, while Frollo treats his attraction in a very sex-negative way and only values Esmeralda as a possession.
I always took it as the film not indicting anyone for what they believe, only for how they treat others. It’s a very mature approach and one of the reasons I love this movie. 😊
If he works for the church, he is definitely a member of it. Religion is a part of the traditional culture here and what described how the world worked and as such you were a christian unless you belonged to another religion
@@issyd2366 Sorry I didn’t explain that better! What I meant about not being a member of the church wasn’t that he wasn’t Christian, but rather that he didn’t hold a formal position in it, the way an archdeacon or bishop would. There was probably a better way for me to say that. 😅
26:07 - 26:46 What's really amazing about this scene is that Esmeralda isn't just being a friend to Quasimodo. She's offering him a way out of his abusive homelife. She's not forcing him to do anything he doesn't want to do, she's merely offering her point of view and showing that he has options should he ever change his mind. Most people have trouble doing this because those who've experienced abuse have a hard time separating from that as a part of themselves and believing they'll ever find anything better. But studies have shown that by doing it in small steps, it can have a tremendous impact and provide the first steps to breaking away from it. It's still up to the individual, and when they're ready to explore it, it's not hopeless like some believe it to be.
R.I.P. Tony Jay (1933-2006) Voice Of Judge Frollo from Disney's The Hunchback Of Notre Dame an amazing and chilling performance singing Hellfire
Hate Frollo. LOVE Tony Jay ❤
@@KrystalAnn0688Tony Jay Voiced Judge Frollo from Disney's The Hunchback Of Notre Dame an amazing and chilling performance singing Hellfire
He also voiced Dr Lipschitz from Rugrats ❤
@david-jonballinger6638 Tony Jay Worked For Nickelodeon Warner Bros 20th Century Fox Paramount Cartoon Network Universal Studios and yes Disney 1996 was a great year for him
Omg.. he literally died the year I was born. R.I.P.
Tony Jay, the voice actor behind Frollo, originally auditioned for Jafar. He was almost cast, too, before Jonathan Freeman ultimately got the part. They kept Tony in mind for the future though, and when it came time to cast Frollo they offered Tony the part. Masterful casting decisions all around, imo.
He also voiced Monsieur D’Arque in Beauty & the Beast ❤ aka creepy dude that imprisons Belles father Maurice
@@KrystalAnn0688And Beauty and the Beast was directed by Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise who also directed this.
If you can handle the old animation, his performance as Megabyte from Reboot is fantastic.
@@KrystalAnn0688 Plus, he was the narrator of Treasure Planet when Jim was reading a book about Nathaniel Flint’s exploits. It was brief but I wouldn’t have want it any other way.
@@CancerMage Holy shit, that WAS him wasn't it?? I grew up with Reboot.
The animators for this movie were given special permission to tour the cathedral.
Much of what you see of it in here is a faithful depiction of the real thing.
I wonder how the restoration is going for it. I cried when I turned on the news and saw it burning.
@@kirara2516 yes it was sad
@@kirara2516it still hurts
@@kirara2516 it’s almost completed and was restored as closely as they possibly could!
I heard that Disney offered the pictures and illustrations from that tour to aid the reconstruction.
Theres something that i really like in this movie. All throughout the story, the Cathedral is used to represent God (or divine power). During the "Eyes of Notre Dame" part of the opening, when the lightning flashes, the Icon of Mary's eyes open. At the end, when the bonfire is lit, Quasi screams, but at the same time, all the bells in the belfry resonate (like the cathedral itself is screaming at the injustice.) And when Frollo is standing on the Gargoyle Grostesque talking about plunging the wicked into the firey pit, the grostesque comes to life and drags Frollo to the firey death beneath him.
Notre Dame feels like a quiet character in of itself.
When i was growing up, my parents showed me this to tell me that manipulators can be anywhere. Especially in positions of power.
Something I really appreciate more as I grow older is how Quasimodo DOESN'T hook up with Esmerelda in the end. The entire film is thematically framed about Quasi's opposition to Frollo and which one is a true man and which one is a monster. With Esmerelda, it's the final parallel between them and the ultimate deciding factor. Frollo is obsessed with Esmerelda to the point where either he must possess her or she must die because that's the only acceptable alternative. To Frollo, Esmerelda is nothing greater than an object. But Quasimodo sees her as a real person and genuinely cares for her, and because of that he is able to let her go even though it goes against what he thought he wanted. It's the ultimate declaration of his humanity.
43:30 this moment can be explained in two ways
First: Frollo lost his soul when he tries to kill Esmeralda instead of helping her save hunchback and he becomes demonic and when gargoyle sees him it thinks that he’s a demon and that’s why it becomes alive( gargoyles were used to scare unholy spirits)
Secondly: when Frollo tries to kill Esmeralda he loses his last chance to be redeemed and god sends satan to drag him into hell.
I thought he lost his soul when he killed Quasimodo’s mother?
Nope he lost it at the end cause you can literally see how his eyes and teeth turned into red color
@@TwilightLink77 Frollo was prepared to throw a baby down a well, torture his captain of the guard, burn down a house with people inside, and burn a woman alive because she rejected him. There was no soul in that man from start to finish. IMO, the devilish gargoyle breaking and dragging him down into a fiery death was just symbolic of what would happen to him in the afterlife.
Wow, just wow, that’s dark.
@@TwilightLink77 When he killed Quasimodo's mother, the Archdeacon gave Frollo a second chance to reedem himself in exchange for securing a place in Heaven. Frollo, blinded by his lust, greed, and wrathful nature, squandered that opportunity away, and Satan claimed the soul he was owed.
"all my life you told me that the world is a dark cruel place, but now I see the only thing dark and cruel about it is people like you"
Real Talk👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
YES QUASI!👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳😍😍😍😍😍
The best quote!!!
30:10 This is by far the BEST reaction to this movie I have seen. I pretty much agreed with you throughout the entire time. Love it! Also quick note about the song Hellfire: The latin chant accompanied in the song by the "red ghosts" is the Catholic prayer "Confiteor Deo" or "I Confess" which is a prayer of confessing your sins to God and realizing your faults. It's a lovely countermelody to Frollo's lyrics of self-righteousness. ALSO! You skipped the part in the video, but you probably saw it. The guard at the door, surrounded by white mist, that alerts Frollo about Esmeralda's escape is thought to be either God or an angel of God giving Frollo one last chance to stop and forget her, but as we see, Frollo ignores the warning. This is one of the most visually stunning movies ever created.
Frollo is so terrifying because he is so real. I once saw a comment that describes him perfectly, "he's a overly-religious, sexually-repressed, politician." Honestly, what is more terrifying than that?
A serial killer🤦
Satan
the people who vote for them
absolutely
So fun music notes, "Notre Dame" translated, refers to the Virgin Mary, mother of God, who for Catholics is a BIG deal. Like, in many regards she's treated as second only to God, Jesus, and the holy spirit, and therefore she's frequently featured in Catholic prayer and iconography. So the frequent references to the "eyes of Notre Dame" and "Beata Maria" mean not just the eyes of the sculptures on the Cathedral, but also the eyes of the Most Holy Woman judging Frollo, a deeply misogynistic character.
As far as fun 'general movie" notes, the sketches and photos Disney animators took to animate this movie are probably the most complete record of the Notre Dame architecture in existence, and after the fire they gave over their entire archive of images for the reconstruction efforts.
In fact the original title of the novel, "Notre Dame de Paris" (literally "Our Lady of Paris") referred to three different things; the cathedral itself, the Virgin Mary and Esmeralda.
“And he shall smite the wicked and plunge them into the fiery pit” and then Frollo falls into a fiery pit. One of my favorite moments. So good. Also, this has to be the best reaction to this movie I’ve seen. You picked up on so much.
I don’t remember who wrote this quote but I love how it sums up the reason Quasi and Esmeralda wouldn’t work: “Quasi saw Esmeralda as an Angel, Frollo regarded her as a demon, Phoebus saw her as a woman” Quasimodo saw the good in Esmeralda but he idolized her and put her on a pedestal, she was good “despite” what he was taught Romani people were, his love would lend itself for an imbalanced dynamic and it’s probably part of the reason Esmeralda only saw him as a friend Quasi’s black and white views and the isolation made his emotional growth a bit stunted, he needed to know more people, make friends etc. before anything else
Agreed. It's worth noting that Esmeralda is quite likely the first woman Quasimodo has ever spoken to, maybe the second person who's been genuinely nice to him (presuming the archdeacon was), and maybe the third human he's met period. When poor Quasimodo has spent that much time lonely and isolated and has that little experience with the various forms of human connection (Frollo being his bedrock example of it) it's little wonder he was smitten. The maturity he shows by being quick to accept that she didn't want him back (at least romantically) and let his feelings for her go makes the the film's statement that he is a man (and Frollo a monster) all the more powerful.
Frollo = evil
Tony Jay = god tier. Some of the best voice acting in Disney’s history
"Frollo's nose is long and he wears a dress" is the line that gets me every time
The line is "and he wears a truss"
@@desmondgentle1474 a what?
@@NordicKitttruss.
HA! Told you! Pay up!
Frollo's expressions, particularly when he's smiling, are just the most skin-crawling thing ever. I love this movie.
The fact that, when Frollo grabs Esmeralda and sniffs her hair, your gut reaction was "ohhh this brings back memories" says it all, I think.
Like what kind of memories?
@@thepowerfulwolfspirit.2581 I have memories of visiting Disneyland in '96 after this movie came out, and visiting a little shop in the courtyard of Sleeping Beauty's castle where they had "Hunchback" movie memorabilia. Coming out of the shop, first I spotted a very shy Quasimodo peeking out from a shady alcove at the passersby, then I realized Frollo was behind me, stroking long tresses of my waist-length hair that I hadn't bothered to put up in a braid that day. Even though he was a character actor, "Claude Frollo" was creepy to see up close and being so realistic and in-character, even if I was never someone remotely as beautiful as Esmerelda. But the actor was playing his character so perfectly to park visitors at that time! Nowadays, I doubt Disney would ever let their character actors do that, but it fit for Frollo, and back then, there was none of the #Me Too stuff around to put a stop to it. Another day, my mother & brother were there, and they took a side exit from Fantasyland towards Main Street, which lead over the castle moat. It was quiet and less crowded there, so they stopped to feed the swans in the moat, and Clopin came out and joined them in feeding the swans, totally keeping in character with them, and just interacting with them one-on-one. It was a great time to have Disneyland passes, especially so we could go often to see their theater-in-the-round "Festival of Fools" stage show.
@@thepowerfulwolfspirit.2581that would rightfully be none of your business 🙂
@@vukogamer6198 Yeah, I know sorry.
@@thepowerfulwolfspirit.2581 no prob bro, you did write it 5 months ago, and as we all know, people usually get wiser when they age.
Frollo is & will always be the scariest villain Disney has ever created. The kind of men that Frollo was written after have always & will always exist, using their position of authority or even religious influence to hold power over people, or even worse, claim their actions are holy. I saw the Off-Broadway production of Hunchback at the Paper Mill Playhouse a long time ago & it was so good. I'm still sad it never got a proper Broadway run.
What makes Frollo very scary is Clariss is there are people like him still out there and lurking in the shadows.
In the US they're not even in the shadows anymore. They're out in the open saying the quiet parts out loud and proud.
@kriscynical what are they saying? I live under a rock 😂.
Cool fact the Deacons line at the beginning about the eyes of Notre Dame is literal. The way the eyes of all the statues and gargoyles have an effect where they appear to follow you as you walk around the church. So you can't hide what you done from Notre Dame signifying that your sins can't be hidden. I got to see Notre Dame in person before the unfortunate fire it had and its majesty is so beautiful.
I just love how Hellfire is so repulsive in its lyrics. “Destroy Esmeralda and let her taste the fires of hell, or else let her be mine and mine alone.” That’s some twisted crap right there. None of the other Disney villains songs descend into such gross territory and I think that’s a large part of why Hellfire is held in such high regard. You really delve into this evil man’s mind and see how twisted up and vile he is.
And the interesting part is that his conscious does try to weigh in but he argues back at every moment. During the mea culpa’s he’s constantly denying guilt. But by the end of the song he realizes he is about to go a step he shouldn’t go and says “God have mercy on me.” At this point he KNOWS he’s about to do something horrible but now he just doesn’t care.
One of the greatest "modern" Disney films that will never be made again, one of the greatest Villains of all time as well with the best Villian song too!
I wouldn't want to see today's Disney remake it!
Back in 1996 when the movie came out, it was shocking that disney would make this movie because of the controversial subjects. The song "Hellfire" was even at some point supposed not to be in the movie because it was way to dark, but the producers chose to keep it to show people exactly how evil Frollo was. They new this was a risk to take.
Even tho this movie is the darkest of all disney movies, and probably isnt even made for children it ended up as a box office succes with an earning of 325 million dollars worldwide.
It will also forever be in my personal top 3 of best disney movies of all time!
"Now he has declared war on Notre Dame herself. Will we allow it?"
Well, we're French and it's been about a week and half since our last revolution, so "NO!"
I had an Esmeralda statur who was able to shine in the night. It was my nightlight 😊 she is such a strong and empathic woman and this Story taught me that you should never judge one by their appearance, belief or style of living ❤❤❤❤ we are all human!
Quasimodo breaking the chains and swinging down the cathedral to rescue Esmeralda is one of my favorite scenes in animation. Used to reenact it a lot as a kid.
It’s so painful how much I relate to a lot of this. I went to a Christian school. Every time a couple was caught so much as kissing, it was always us girls that would get pulled out of class and lectured by admin about “not tempting your brothers.” It’s infuriating 🤬
@7:29 More to your point, there's a theory that the gargoyles are actually angels in disguise to watch over Quasi.
I was a kid when this movie came out, and I remember that the marketing really hyped up the festival scene to make it look like a fun movie. I only saw it once as a kid because as soon as that tomato hits Quasimodo, it just gets so dark. It wasn't part of my family's disney collection and I know that's how it was for a lot of families when this movie was new. But so many of the kids who first saw it in '96 re-watch it years later and it sort of becomes everyone's favorite. Disney swept it under the rug but it's such a gem. Hands down the best music & score, brilliant message, so uplifting ❤
I'm so thrilled that this masterpiece is finally getting some of the recognition and praise it deserves. I wish that Disney hadn't made the gargoyles quite so cutesy, but other than that, perfection. I loved your focus on Esmeralda's song: it tends to get overlooked for the opening and Hellfire, but it's a central part of the conversation this film is portraying.
P.S. I'm impressed that Tim managed not to spoil much of this for you. It would have been interesting to be a fly on the wall for the post viewing conversation: he really seemed to love this in his own reaction.
Counterpoint - the cheesy gargoyles are essential given how dark the rest of the movie is.
You’ve got to give the kids something.
Born-again Christian here. This was the second Disney film I ever saw in theaters with my late grandparents, who were also Christian and raised me from infancy. The first Disney film I saw theatrically was "Pocahontas" as a preteen. In my matching "Pocahontas" sandals, no less. I still have that photo, too, all these years later. I miss my grandparents everyday, but I know we'll be reunited in Heaven soon enough. I even rewatch these films as a way of honoring their memory. Beautiful films and soundtracks and timeless at that. The original tale that this film was adapted from is also a great read. You just can't beat the classics!
fun fact, Quasimodo is voiced by the guy who played Mozart in Amadeus, which is a great movie if you haven't seen it
Amadeus is one of my favorite films of all time. When I saw Tom Hulce was Quasi I screamed out in excitement! 😊
Singing Hellfire took a LOT out of Tony Jay. Poor guy was absolutely exhausted.
He performed that song so amazingly that I asked my mom to rewind the tape so I can hear it again when I first watched this so so long ago. It absolutely blew me away.
"His voice though!" Oh, his voice is one of those that was through my childhood. Tony Jay voiced several villainous characters(including the Dark Herald and Khartoum in "Aladdin the Animated Series", Monsieur D'arque from "Beauty and the Beast", Shere Khan in "Jungle Book 2", Megabyte in "Reboot", the Elder God in the epic"Soul Reaver"and its sequels...just fantastic.
“Oh god he’s talking to the fireplace again!” 😂😂😂
I admire how funny, intelligent, and kind Clariss is.
One of the most underrated Disney films. The animation is top notch, the music is incredible, the voice acting is some of the best, and the story is fantastic from start to finish.
I love how she can point out the hypocrisy of church and also understand the importance of actually understanding the word as someone who was also raised religious I have so much respect for her perspective
I thought this movie was super boring as a kid and couldn't appreciate it but someone told me to give it a rewatch as a teen and I absolutely loved it. Frollo is my favourite villain because he's so scary and real. Hellfire is Disney's best song.
43:27 The most ironic scene about Frollo's death is when that gargoyle comes alive is sign telling him "hell is waiting for you" 😈
This story does have hints of truth and history which makes it hit home at certain points. This is also one of the few Disney movies where the main protagonist doesn't get the girl.
Fun fact: during "hellfire" frollo asks maria to help and protect him and she does. The song is interrupted by a guard saying esmeralda fled the church and the light turns blue/heavenly givimg him a chance to repent but he still chooses to pursue her and the light changes back to a hellish red again sealing his fate.
I love your reaction so much! Hellfire is absolutely haunting and incredible! This film is so underrated and thank you for watching it ❤
Also a cool detail is that during the end of hellfire, the solder who told Frollo that Esmeralda had escaped was basked in an heavenly blue and white light while Frollo was in the hellish red and orange light.
This symbolizes that God gave Frollo a chance to do the right thing and let Esmeralda go, but Frollo refused and gave into his sins as he turned towards the fire, implying that he’s made his final choice and that he is going to hell.
Wait, I just had to look this all up. Quasimodo was only 20 years old ?? Oh, the poor baby.
Right? 😭
Now when I think about it, I do believe it adds to how Esmeralda sees him as more of a little brother (she's young in the book, but depicted as being in her late 20's/early 30s here) than a love interest in the first place.
@@Annausagi2How old is Esmeralda supposed to be? I always felt like she’s supposed to be like 30 because she has such a mature vibe. Does anyone know?
@@iamvia9749 yeah she's 30 smthin here , in the book she's younger than 19
@@Harukaluin19 Oh thank you for the answer. I’ve been so curious about her age cause they never mention it in the movie. But yeah she defiently is mature and feels like she is 30. Which is cool, I like that she’s mature it fits her well.
The jester has some fucking pipes. Im surprised no one reacts to them high notes he hits. This movie is goated!
I once read a theory that about the gargoyle that snarls at Frollo before it breaks. It's posited that that gargoyle is Lucifer, and God granted the Devil himself permission to enter His most sacred cathedral to personally collect Frollo's soul
Or it's the wrath of God, casting Frollo out of the cathedral.
Your analysis is so spot on. The most pious are the most hypocritical, and constantly pervert their own beliefs to serve their own interests. "Do as I say, not as I do."
Everyone that worked on this movie fought hard to keep everything in it in. And they knew they had gold! Hunchback is my all time classic disney animated film
One thing I love about the stage musical, is that they make Frollo the archdeacon of Notre Dame (which is closer to the original story). The whole thing is even more focused on how corrupt Frollo’s beliefs are. They even change some lyrics in some songs to make him even more incideous.
Like in the movie, there’s the lyrics “even this foul creature may yet prove to be of use to me”
And in the musical they change the lyrics to “see this lonesome creature from whom lesser men would flee, I will keep and care for him and teach him at my knee, to think like me” which I find even more terrifying
Also, in the musical, Frollo is Quasimodo’s uncle 😬
Wow, I didnt know that the word was used as a slur, another prove that everyday you can learn something new, Thanks so much Clariss, love your reactions
If you want to learn more about the Romani people, I recommend watching florian/ @florida.florian videos and shorts, they are a really good resource.
The humiliation of Quasimodo is the most disturbing, cruel thing Disney ever put to celluloid.
Truly great cinema.
One of the best musical movements in this show, from a narrative and conceptual standpoint, is Quasimodo's "Heaven's Light" juxtaposing Frolo's "Hellfire". They happen in tandem to one another, and both of them showcase each character's true, inner being by their reflections on Esmeralda. Its SO GOOD.
I know you don't normally do this kind of content, but I would love to see you do a reaction to the cast album for the stage production of Hunchback. It expands a lot on the story (particularly with Frollo) and holds a little more true to the original book. Also, all the new musical numbers are out of this world.
Omg yes!! The stage show is perfection!!
R.I.P. Tony Jay (1933-2006) Voice Of Judge Frollo from Disney's The Hunchback Of Notre Dame an amazing and chilling performance singing Hellfire Judge Frollo He's Evil One of The best and most Darkest Disney Villains Ever Judge Frollo He's Really Special and Tony Jay's Voice Was a part of it. ❤️🖤💜🔥😢😢😢😢😭😭😭
An interesting detail in "Hellfire," the red robed ghosts that appear are saying, "Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa." It's a Catholic liturgical phrase that means, "My fault, my fault, my most grievous fault." So they are calling Frollo out and trying to get him to repent for lusting after Esmerelda, but Frollo is so blinded by his own self righteousness that he argues with the ghosts and projects the blame on Esmerelda.
I love watching breakdowns of Hellfire. One of the most interesting things, to me, is when Frollo's song has ended, a soldier opens a door and there is a bright light behind him, and he delivers the message that Esmeralda has escaped. This is basically the answer from God Frollo asked for, and he blatantly dismisses and acts against it.
This movie is a slept on gem. The music is fantastic. My children & I loved the movie when it came out. My daughter’s favorite doll was her red dress Esmeralda doll.
It’s beautiful, “God, Help the Outcasts” always brings me to tears whenever I hear it. Then “Hellfire” gives me goosebumps, every time. The creative team that brought this gem are maestros in their own right. It’s also the same creative team that made Atlantis: The Lost Empire. Should watch that soon.
This is one of the many examples of why millennials who grew up in the 90's look down on Disney movies now
We had frollo scar oogie boogie shen Yu and Clayton and who were viscous manipulative and teaching us not to fully trust or think everyone can be save. Then they top it with some of the most gruesome Disney deaths ever
1 frollo crushed to death in his fire
2 scar torn to pieces by hyenas
3 Shen Yu blown up by fireworks
4 Clayton hanged by the jungle vines
5 oogie boogie squash by Santa Claus
Quasimodo, Frollo, and Phoebus sees diffrets of Emseralda.
Frollo sees her as a Fire Witch.
Quasimodo sees her as a Angel.
Phoebus sees her as a Woman.
In the film Frollo is just a judge in the book he is an archdecon. The book is way darker and depressing.
I think the Catholic church asked Disney to make the change since they felt that it was villainizing the church having a member of the church as the villain.
@Ginnyrules27 They didn't. It was more the Disney board and guidelines, a way to avoid controversy as well as different script revisions. Almost similar to the earlier black and white films.
@@taerdrop Huh...now I know! I was always told it was the church who got the change made. Thank you for the info!
True
Obviously it's gonna be a little changed and the book is gonna be way darker and depressing.. it's quite literally a Disney movie..
The Fête des Fous usually took place around Epiphany/3 Kings Day. So all this is happening in January.
Frollo in the novel isn't evil, just corrupt and misguided.
Victor Hugo wrote the novel in reaction to the possibility of Notre Dame being demolished due to the years of disrepair and damage from the Franco-Prussian War. Hugo's book helped turn public opinion on restoring the historic cathedral.
another amazing fact about the song Hellfire whenever Frollo sings a line, the latin backing vocals that follows is a prayer for confessing your sins. an amazing contrast of how Frollo is deflecting his actions and its immediately followed by an admission of his sins. it's just another bit of detail that goes above most people who watches the movie.
The Hunchback of Notre-Dame was my favorite movie growing up and it still is. I love Quasimodo, he is sweet and kind. Esmeralda fights for justice and see past the appearance of others. And Judge Claude Frollo is one of, if not, the most realistic villain that Disney created and I love that.
Listen to Hellfire again, specifically the choir, knowing that “Mea Culpa” means “An acknowledgment of a personal error or fault.”
Hands down, this is my favorite reaction you've done. I adore this movie and you edited this PHENOMENALLY well with the music transitions
I’ve absolutely loved this movie since I saw it as a kid in theaters in 1996. It’s always been one of my favorites. The visuals and the MUSIC are some of the best Disney has ever done!!
Still listening to the soundtrack till this day. A damn soundtrack masterpiece
Grew up on this movie. Childhood fav.
Saw it on stage at a local theatre. Could help me mouth every single word to the lyrics.
Esmerelda's 'God Help the Outcasts' hit me so hard even as a kid. Realizing through it all her prayers are for those with even less than her, people who are struggling, hurting, who need blessings--meanwhile everyone in the church--well drawn as mostly wealthy--are asking for things for themselves.
About Frollo. WOW. Villian portrayal eh? Solid. Hellfire though? Amazing song. I always liked how it moves from Quasimodo's Heaven's Light (essentially viewing Esmerelda as an unobtainable angel) to his Hellfire (damning her as a seductress and the force behind his evil) Artistically? Incredible visual. I also loved how the guard that comes in is veiled in this...greywhiteish light as if to snap Frollo out of it briefly. Voice of God perhaps? A lot of people seem to have noticed that and called it to attention to so I'm glad I'm not the only one who saw it.
Loved your reaction :3
My favorite Disney film. I had a Esmeralda Halloween costume back in the 90s.
Saw this as a kid in the theater and was blown away! I continue to revisit this one along with Beauty and the Beast more than any other Disney film.
The Part When Judge Frollo Threw The Archdeacon Down The Stairs That Was Very Mean
The was far and away the greatest score Alan Menkin ever composed. It’s absolutely flawless. And Stephen Schwartz’s lyrics were so on point.
And perhaps one of the reasons you felt done Prince of Egypt vibes is because Schwartz was the lyricist and composer for that as well.
I like how the narration at the beginning says it is a tale of "a man and a monster", but "monster" is referring to Frollo, not Quasimodo.
As a very devout and radical Catholic, I really enjoy how the Church is portrayed in this film: She is the safe haven amidst a corrupt world.
Hunchback of Notre Dame shows both sides of the Church and I find it amazing, there’s Frollo the Face of Corrupted Religion and the actually Priest who is much more Peaceful and respectful as the church should be
A great detail is in the subtitles of the movie. Whenever Frollo refers to god it is lowercased because he clearly is not putting respect on God's name because of his horrible actions.
I swear, THIS, this is in my humble opinion the perfect reaction to this movie!
Somehow you completely mirror my emotions in this movie, especially the music really gets to me, they don’t make masterpieces like this anymore!
It’s always a treat to watch your movie reactions but this one definitely holds a special place in my heart, so really I just wanna say thank you for taking the time to watch this movie, it’s definitely something i’ll come back to whenever I feel down!
The beginning of the end for the Disney Renaissance.
This movie kinda blew my minds as a kid, the animation is straight up ballistic and so top tier. some just truly amazing work that still is crazy af : )
Hunchaback of notre dame is unoffically Disney's greatest magnum opus.
Everything from the music and score, to the scale of story and topics it covers, including the ideas of compassion, good and evil, and what makes a person who they are.
The animation and design of the cathredal is beyond spectacle
And amount of character brought to life by the timeless voice cast that is built and carried by the film is inspiring...
Whether it be what makes a monster and what makes a man, the corruprion of power and moral peity, the themes of racism and dehumanization from people like frollo, and the nature of people like that
To one of the best villain deaths from their own actions
Nothing esle in most animated films has ever come close to capuring what this movie presents and tackles.
I remember when i was a little kid I thought he just wanted her as an ally... this is definitely one of those movies that gets SCARIER when you are a teenager/adult
Love this movie to this day. The visuals, the music, the commentary, love it. Fun fact: There's a fan theory (and I think one of the folks that worked on this film agreed) that the Gargoyles were meant to be taken as Quasimodo's imagination, that he was so isolated/lonely he would then imagine them coming alive and talking to him or giving him pep talks like to encourage himself. I support this theory though there are some scenes that challenge the theory. Speaking of visuals though, another fun fact: "Hellfire" had to be toned down actually because the part with Esmeralda appearing in the flames had her nude so they went back to draw her dress on. Last fun fact: Belle can be seen walking in the street during the "Out There" song.
Most people consider this as the last popular Walt Disney Renaissance film, it was a very big deal when it came out, especially as one of the darkest, and is still considered one of the best movies.
R.I.P. David Ogden Stiers and Tony Jay The Archdeacon and Judge Frollo are now in Heaven 😭😭😭😭😢😢😢
💃 Weird Trivia: The speaking voice of Esmeralda was actress Demi Moore, who was married to Bruce Willis at the time. Back then, she was just about as big a star as he was, which is why Disney thought having her name on the marquis would be good for business. The problem was that she isn't a singer, so they had to find someone else to be her singing voice. Instead of going for a big musical star to handle that chore, they instead went for an anonymous chanteuse they found crooning in an obscure saloon somewhere. They genuinely hoped that no one would notice that Esmeralda's singing voice doesn't even remotely resemble her speaking voice, but of course, everyone did. To this day, Heidi Mollenhauer (the singer) does not have a single other IMDB credit. 😎 I wouldn't call this Disney's most obscure animated musical from the 1990s. That honor still goes to "James & The Giant Peach," which came out only a couple of months before this. It features music by Randy Newman. 🍑 You're partner has already seen that one too. 😉👍
All that being the case, Demi Moore is still a great actor and she does a great job as Esmerelda, while God Help The Outcasts is a beautiful song.
To be fair, at this point in time the singing vocals were almost always by a singer, not the voice actor. It's only in recent years they cast people who can sing to do both the voices and the songs.
Hunchback of Notre Dame is literally my favorite Disney musical. You're right Quasimodo is a superhero. The first time you see it is when he picks Phebos up with one hand while he's in his full suit of plate armor. To one hand him with such ease as he did, shows how extremely strong he is. Which further shows how mental health plays into things. Frollo has told him his whole life all those terrible things, and it makes him not realize his power, not only external, but internal.
Also the sound track is so so so good. I keep hearing rumors that they are going to give this the, "live-action treatment" & that's a tough one. Not only cause I would want them to cast an actual Romanie actress for Esmerelda, but for all the songs you need 2 absolutely knock-out tenors to do Clopan and Quasi. They would also need to cast someone who can bring that intense evil to Frollo like Tony Jay did.
This was my favourite as a child. Kids can handle tragedy. Then Disney finished all of it.
The Hunchback of Notre Dame is my second favorite Disney movie next to Mulan.
Man, seeing people claim Frollo "was a good guy" in the Hugo novel is WILD. Like. Bruh. What person forces their child to ring church bells until they literally go deaf? What "good guy" instantly starts descending into insanity upon being rejected by a teenager?
They probably just mean compared to his film counterpart, which is a very low bar
@@hazakurasuyama9016 the bar is in hell lol
@@rincaimo812 true