zaterdag 25 november 2023

90s Movie Review - The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Director:
Gary Trousdale, Kirk Wise
Genre: Animation/ Family/ Drama
Runtime: 91 minutes
Year: 1997
Starring: Tom Hulce, Demi Moore, Kevin Kline, Jason Alexander, Jim Cummings, Tony Jay

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2023 MOVIE CHALLENGE
WEEK 47: A MUSICAL
 
Description: A deformed bell-ringer (Tom Hulce) must assert his independence from a vicious government minister (Tony Jay) in order to help his friend, a gypsy dancer (Demi Moore).

Review: Victor Hugo’s classic story begins in the film with the festival of fools. Quasimo lives in the bell tower of Notre Dame and dreams of being among people for once. Judge Frollo, who raised him, made Quasimodo believe that no one would accept a ‘monster’. But at the urging of his three friends, Gargoyles Victor, Hugo and Laverne, he descends to the revelry anyway.

At first, people believe he is in disguide, but the crowd discovers that Quasimodo is not wearing a mask. In front of Frollo, he is tied up and pelted with rotten tomates. The judge forbids his new captain Phoebus to intervene. But gypsy woman Esmeralda cannot stand this mistreatment and finally cuts Quasimodo loose. Frollo declares her an outlaw and sets about hunting her down. The only safe haven for Esmeralda is the Notre Dame, with Quasimodo as her only friend.

Like Victor Hugo’s “Les Misérables”, “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” lends itself fairly well as a musical in which Gregorian singing, quiet songs and rousing melodies alternate. The film starts off very sad. Within the first 30 minutes, Quasimodo is almost tossed in a well as a baby, Frollo makes him sing he is deformed and a monster and he is tied up and humiliated in front of an entire crowd. It does become much happier and unlike the novel, the film has a happy ending. It’s still Disney.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

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