Disney Animated Classic Number 34

Starring: Tom Hulce, Demi Moore, Tony Jay, Kevin Kline, Paul Kandel, Jason Alexander, Mary Wickes and Charles Kimbrough

Directed by: Gary Trousdale & Kirk Wise

Rating: ★★★★

Quasimodo, in all his disfigured glory

Let’s be honest: a Disney animated musical based on a 19^th century French novel about a disfigured man who lives in a cathedral sounds like a terrible idea for a children’s film. There’s a reason why I had absolutely no reason to be compelled to watch it, either as a child or an adult.

But I am very glad that I did.

Judge Frollo and Quasimodo share a drink together in the Cathedral

Coming after Pukeahontas Pocahontas, a film that people would be wrong in remembering fondly, Hunchback takes things to strange new heights  by delivering an almost entirely realistic and incredibly dark musical masterpiece that is both genuinely moving and entertaining.

Esmeralda and her goat, Djali, are both excellent characters that enhance the film

The film begins with probably the worst musical number in the entire film, which is about the Notre Dame cathedral, as it is crammed full of epically cheesy gusto as it tries- and fails- to be like a song from Beauty and the Beast. Yes, we get that both films are set in France, but one film is Gothic and gritty and the other has a singing candelabra. And immediately, we know that Hunchback is not going to be a particularly happy, uplifting Disney outing, because the story begins with Judge Frollo (Jay) chasing gypsies through the streets of Paris and murdering a woman on the steps of Notre Dame.

To say that Judge Frollo is a nasty villain is perhaps the understatement of the year, as after he kills the woman, who turns out to be Quasimodo’s (Hulce) mother, he then intends to toss her deformed baby into a well. He is one sick man. Luckily for us, and for Quasimodo, hauntingly horrifying statues of saints that line the cathedral spur some sort of guilt into the evil Judge, and he decides not murder a helpless baby, instead allowing the child to grow up, locked away from society because of his grotesque appearance, as a bell ringer in the church.

Is Judge Frollo the most evil Disney villain of all time?

I reiterate: Judge Frollo is not a nice man.

One thing that I really loved about this opening sequence was the monastic choir, who sing all of the incidental background music. Their harmonious voices really give the movie a feeling of dread and, at times, sanctity, which not only fits in well with the religious undercurrents, but also makes Hunchback seem like a proper musical, as the focus is equally balanced between songs and dialogue. Because of this, I would love to see Hunchback on stage. With a huge choir, brilliant performances and gothic sets, it could be awe-inspiring.  

Notre Dame Cathedral is also a highlight of the movie

Speaking of the musical moments, I really enjoyed most of the songs: the one that Quasimodo sings about living ‘Out There’ in the real world; ‘Topsy Turvy’ set at the Festival of Fools looks incredible; ‘Heaven’s Light’ and ‘Hellfire’; and my favourite,  Esmeralda’s song, ‘God Help the Outcasts’, which is a powerfully touching prayer.

‘Hellfire’, Judge Frollo’s lustful song about being consumed by an insatiable desire for Esmeralda, is dark, disturbing, and because of that, great. Not many Disney films dare to have such a potent villain’s song, especially one about Hell and sex.  The way that the score weaves in these religious themes in a subtle but yet powerful way really elevates and enhances the movie.

And you wonder why Judge Frollo can't resist Esmeralda's charms?

The other aspect that I really loved about The Hunchback of Notre Dame was the characters. Quasimodo himself is completely enchanting, Esmeralda is endearing, Judge Frollo is brilliantly detestable, and it is good that the villain is a Judge and not a Priest, so that, for once, the Christians aren’t the scoundrels. Even the quirky comic relief characters, in the form of Gargoyles, aren’t too annoying or obnoxious, as they are essentially a figment of Quasimodo’s imagination, rather than actual sentient pieces of stone, which makes the film pretty realistic. Their song may be lame, but you need some kind of happiness amidst the gloom. I also really liked Esmeralda’s goat, which is, for once, a great animal sidekick.

The cathedral, Notre Dame, is also a wonderful character, and a lot of time and effort has been spent in making the church stand out and have a strong presence throughout the movie, which of course makes sense, as most of the movie takes place in or around the brilliant basilica.

The Cathedral is stunningly beautiful.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame is, essentially, a musical melodrama, but in the best way possible. Because Quasimodo is a great personality, and he gets some excellent songs, you genuinely feel sorry for him when he is attacked and mocked by the hateful Parisians. You’re on his side. When she is first introduced, you are also rooting for Esmeralda, even though her entrance consists of an incredibly sexual gypsy dance. The film manages to mix sex, religion, redemption and retribution together very successfully, making the movie have an incredibly dark edge to it. For one of the worst, if not the worst villains in Disney cinema history, Judge Frollo rightfully gets his comeuppance. His death is one of the most memorable, and horrendous, as he ironically falls from grace from a spire of Notre Dame into molten lava ‘Hellfire’, literally burning to death in Hell.

Esmeralda is incredibly sexual- no one can resist her...!

Now, even though I have written an incredibly positive review so far, I must address the single but most important issue that I have with The Hunchback of Notre Dame. This problem is so clearly jarring, that it does unfortunately almost ruin the entire movie, but luckily doesn’t because the rest is so well done it manages to counteract this almost fatal flaw.

Captain Phoebus has to come along and ruin everything!

And my big issue is this: why on earth doesn’t Quasimodo get together with Esmeralda? It makes no logical sense. He sings songs about being in love with her, she clearly loves him: she saves his life, he saves hers, and the entire film is meant to be about how physical appearance is made redundant if you are a beautiful person on the inside. But no, Disney, no. You had to spoil everything by adding a random additional character called Captain Phoebus (Kline), a ruggedly handsome, masculine soldier who also lusts after Esmeralda, and who we are meant to like because he goes against the orders of the Judge and refuses to murder people. Okay, sure, he isn’t evil, and he looks like a typical Disney Prince. But Esmeralda and Quasimodo are clearly in love… why else would they spend so much time singing songs about one another just so they can end up as ‘friends’?? Now I’m most definitely not the sort of person who always wants a happy ending with the two romantic leads getting together, but as I have already stated, the entire film leads you in one direction only to completely tip everything upside down and say:

"Hey: wait a minute. Esmeralda is attractive. She can’t end up with the ugly one, even though she clearly loves him and he loves her. She must be with someone equally attractive, because that is what society says, even though this film is supposed to be making a bold statement by saying that looks aren’t important. In fact, Esmeralda herself sings an entire song in which she prays to God about outcasts and why they should be shown mercy, only to hypocritically turn Quasimodo down to get with the good-looking hunk."

Poor Quasimodo realises a harsh lesson: that looks are everything!

This huge annoying problem aside, The Hunchback of Notre Dame is a powerful, moving film, with excellent animation, a brilliant score and pertinent themes of prejudice and faith. Unlike the pile of puke Pocahontas- that takes a real story and makes it insipidly unreal- Hunchback takes a fictional tale and makes it the most believable Disney film I have seen so far. Like Hunchback, Pocahontas should have toned down the unreal elements e.g. the talking tree and the rodent comic relief, and made the themes of spirituality and religion more subtle and therefore more impacting. There is only a year between them- but one Disney classic is excellent and the other terrible.

I’m not sure that The Hunchback of Notre Dame would appeal to children, as the themes are mature and the tone very gloomy. Perhaps kids who like Gothic horror films would enjoy it, but I can’t quite imagine younger children getting anything from it except nightmares.

The Gargoyles provide 'comic relief'. Luckily they aren't in it very much.

The ending, even though it is ruined by Esmeralda upsettingly declining Quasimodo’s love by saying that they would be better off as ‘friends’, is far more joyful and uplifting than the conclusion to the original story: in which everyone dies horribly. I feel that, in the case of Hunchback, this is one time where I honestly feel that the Disney ‘happy’ ending is justified and deserved, and much more appropriate and enjoyable than a downbeat death-riddled one.

Give yourself a round of applause Quasimodo: you deserve it.

It’s always nice to see a finale that both the characters and the audience work towards, so that when it happens, you feel that it is well-earned. Much to my disgust, Quasimodo does not get the girl, and although this does sort of ruin the entire point of the film, he at least gets a (sort of) happy ending, which, in the context of the rest of the movie, is exactly what he needs and deserves.