He is just a regular guy who is so hateful and I agree 💯% he is by far the scariest next Clayton from Tarzan, cruella from 101 dalmatians, and Percy from the green mile!
@@armynurseboy idk when I was a kid he was sort of the doofus of the Disney men. I have no idea why because he's funny and heroic in the movie but his Ken doll (yes, he had a Ken doll) was always the one we wouldn't play with. It's also the only one we didn't name lol we had a ton of Kens but they all had their own names and 30 years later I actually remember them. Don't remember math, but at least I remember the 25 different Ken names I had as a child. But Pheobus was just...Pheobus.
Fun fact: Esmerelda was a NIGHTMARE to animate. There is so much movement with her character, from her long hair to her earrings and jewelry, to her long flowing skirt. Despite the headache of animating her, I think we can all agree it was well worth it. The animation in this film is so well done!
@@ElvishReactionsit absolutely does. pretty much all direct-to-DVD disney sequels tanked in quality so its not like they could keep up with how complex of a design she had in the first movie, let alone make it look nearly as good.
it was definitely well worth it. pity they didnt have master animators like ken anderson on board (he had died 3 years earlier) Im sure he would have had it done real smooth.
I loved Esmeralda and Phoebus. As a kid I was pissed she didn’t go with Quasi, but when I watched it again when I was older I understood. Phoebus and Esmeralda were into each other from the jump and every scene between them clearly showed that. Not only that but Phoebus treated her with dignity and respect despite her people’s circumstance. Plus both saw how the other was just a good person. Quasimodo saw her as an Angel (Heaven’s light) and Frollo saw her as some seductress or a demon (Hellfire). Phoebus saw her for who she was.
I would've preferred it if Esmeralda & Phoebus' relationship was only platonic, and it was Quasimodo & Frollo's perceptions of them that twisted things.
@@jp3813 Personally I feel like Phoebus being the one to end up with her emphasizes more where Frollo and Quasi erred though. Plus the two had lots of scenes where Quasi and Frollo weren’t even present.
@@raunjisto2925 Perhaps if Phoebus didn't look like the typical handsome hero. If you were to show pictures of the three male characters to kids for the first time, I think they can easily figure out which one will be chosen by the female lead as her love interest.
Exactly!! Phoebus didn't idolize her or condemned her, just saw her for who she was, standing by her side, fighting for the people, and he being a genuine person himself, it's just perfect. Regardless of what Quasi did for her, she was genuine towards their friendship, so why would Quasi be entitled to her affection in a romantic context? He already had her affection, platonically, but he did and he recognized it himself, that he could not choose for her whom she should love, and just because she didn't love him the way he originally wanted her to, it didn't mean she didn't love him at all. It's just so precious c':
@@jp3813 Well he was a soldier and knight who was famous for his skills in warfare, so him being big muscular makes sense. Even then, the movie started being about Quasi wanting to be out there and live among everyone else, which he still obtained
I actually really liked that Quasimodo didn’t get the girl. It made Esmeralda seem less like the prize, and more like an individual. But more importantly, it created a beautiful contrast between Quasimodo and Frollo in how they handle their feelings. Looking at how masculinity is portrayed in those relationships I think that movie was well ahead of it’s time.
First off: the editor’s notes had me cackling. Love them. But also strongly agree this is one of the greatest musical scores ever written for a film, not even just a Disney film. Alan Mencken really pulled out all the stops with this one.
That man went apeshit on that score and soundtrack! He did so spectacularly and that's why I don't want the live action, they for sure gon fuck it up and this movie so sacred to me!
I liked that Quasimodo doesn't get Esmeralda in the end, but accepts that she loves Phoebus, and they all remain friendly in the end. Also, Hellfire is still in my opinion one of the creepiest Disney villain songs in terms of genuinely making me feel frightened of a character. Seriously, Frollo is probably the most evil Disney villain ever. Tony Jay did an excellent job voicing him. RIP.
I think in the broadway musical version of the movie Esmeralda and Phoebus get a duet that turns into a trio with Quasimodo lamenting that he won't get love like that, but that at the end of the play Frollo does die and so does Esmeralda, but that as she dies she thanks Quasimodo for being a good friend to her, and we hear the reprise of 'The Bells of Notre Dame' as we see Phoebus and Quasimodo carry her through the streets of Paris together.
Man Disney went SO DAMN HARD on this movie! They never approach these kinds of topics anymore but my goodness they did a phenomenal job with the Hunchback of Notredame.
Fun fact, Tom Hulce (the voice of Quasi) was nervous about singing in the movie. He thought his voice had too much vibrato but it ended up only adding to Quasi's character. This is my favorite Disney movie. I loved it as a kid and I love it now.
@@wowplayer160 James Baxter was the lead animator on Quasimodo for the film and he was also the lead animator on Belle from Beauty and the Beast and Rafiki in the lion king.
26:51 I like how they strung out the traditional "Disney death" for Esmeralda to the point where first time watchers are really like "would they really do that?" That's especially true for viewers familiar with the original book who are aware that Esmeralda really does die at the end of the story. Was basically a way to preserve some of Hugo's original story while still being family friendly. If they HAD gone through with it this probably would have given Mufasa's death a run for its money...
In the stage musical version of the film where they had a bit more freedom (it was originally meant for European audiences and they felt Europeans were more open to tragedy than Americans at the time).... (Spoilers) ....she does die during that scene and Quasi straight-up murder Frollo in retribution. Frollo going "you don't want to do this", the gargoyles/saints whispering "yes you do", Quasi telling Frollo "You have been a good teacher" before throwing him to his death and then a reprise of "the world is cruel, the world is ugly" kicking in. It didn't have to go that hard for a tie-in musical, yet it did.
And I believe even Phoebus dies too: killed by Fleur-de-Lys, another girl in love with him, thus went jealous of Esmeralda and he liked her better than herself, so she threw a vendetta at him and murdered him in retribution as well...and finally killed herself right after that. Wonderful, isn't it? 😈😅🔥🗡💀
I adore the juxtaposition here Frollo leads singing "stay in here" whilst Quasi sings "out there" Quasi sings "Heavens Light" and Frollo sings "Hellfire" The beauty of the cathedral and music style has a genuine impact
In the musical the bells complement the chorus in “Olim” (the opening song). I actually really like how in the film the bells drown out the singing. Can’t describe why. I just do.
Hellfire is one of (if not the) best Disney songs ever made, but people often sleep on Bells of Notre Dame, which I think is the best opening song of any Disney movie. Besides the amazing melody, epic instrumentation, and super-dark opening narrative and visuals, nothing beats that AMAZING high note that the singer does at the end. Pulls your soul right up through the cap of your skull.
I read the book when I was 8 because I found it in the school library and thought it was the Disney movie. It is, in fact, not lol. Have not read it since then and I still remember every single plot point because of how messed up it was.
Yeah in the novel Phoebus is not exactly a hero, and Frollo isn’t exactly a villain, and Esmerelda isn’t exactly a strong female character. But thats what makes Victor Hugo’s characters so good, Hunchback and Les Miserables should be required reading
I like that this movie didn’t pull the “man that isn’t conventionally attractive gets the girl anyway because he’s so good so he ‘deserves’ it” that so many movies were doing at the time. Sure, he was disappointed, and that’s okay, but he wasn’t mad at her or stopped helping her once he realized he wouldn’t get what literally every man in Paris wanted from her and the only use that Frollo saw in her. He’s a good person, and he knew that Esmeralda didn’t love him back, so he cherished their friendship and helped good people without expectation of reward. A very important lesson that many people have forgotten.
I like that this disney version actuarlly kept the darkness of the novel. Yes, of course they gave it a happy ending, instead of sticking with the original ending, and yes, they softened certain parts of the story, but compared to other disney movies, this movie is absolutley brutal.
I liked how even though they changed Frollo from the Arch-Deacon to a Judge, they kept his motivations centered and framed as him believing his acts were virtuous. Made my mom think twice before going to the clergy.
@@jagerbradley "everybody is reddeemable here" You say this as if Disney didn't make Frollo far more irredeemable in this movie than he was in the original novel.
Disney: “Now remember, this movie is for kids so the music doesn’t have to go too hard” Alan Menken: “lol, sure okay” For real though, this soundtrack is unmatched. Even “Guy like you” which is arguably the weakest song in the movie is catchy AF.
Well, we don’t see him as ugly for the fact that this is animated, and like you said, we focus more on his good qualities. From a realistic standpoint, he IS disfigured, but his inner beauty shines through because his “ugliness” looks so cartoony.
I actually love how their character designers made Quasi. They had a really difficult task: to make an ugly character compassionable and likable, and they stroke a great balance. Quasi's features are distorted, but at the same time he looks cute and maybe even cuddly. In other words, he is ugly, but not hideous.
A lot of Disney fans think the music in this movie is bad because no one remembers most of it. You said the reason yourself, it sounds like an opera. Disney musicals don't tend to have a full choir with Latin chanting; it's such a departure from movies like The Little Mermaid and Cinderella and the music is simply harder to learn and memorize. That being said it's Menken's best work and I stand by that.
One of my favorite moments during "Hellfire" is when the chorus sings "mea culpa, mea maxima culpa." It's Latin for "my fault, my most grievous fault," which is actually recited during the beginning of the Catholic Mass during a prayer called the Act of Contrition (which is sort of a collective confession of the congregation's sins and a plea for grace and forgiveness). The juxtaposition of that line with Frollo singing "It's not my fault/I'm not to blame" is sheer genius, because while he's denying accountability for his own wrongdoing, the chorus' lyrics imply that both God and his conscience know that he is the one at fault and not Esmeralda. What's even more ironic is that at the beginning of the song, Frollo starts off by praying to the Virgin Mary ("beata Maria"), who is considered a symbol of purity, before he launches into his whole monologue about lust. Instead of using the prayer as an opportunity to better himself and resist temptation, he does the opposite. It's as if he expects Mary to pat him on the back for being a "righteous man" even though in reality he is the exact antithesis of what she represents. The Marian imagery is very strong throughout the movie, with Notre Dame literally meaning "Our Lady" (a title for Mary) and her being referenced a number of times. This is probably in part due to the fact that she symbolically acts as a foil to Frollo despite not being an actual character. At the beginning of the film, when Frollo is contemplating killing baby Quasimodo, he looks up and sees the cathedral and the statue of Mary staring down at him as if judging his soul, all while the archdeacon sings "You can lie to yourself and your minions/You can claim that you haven't a qualm/But you never can run from nor hide what you've done from the eyes/The very eyes of Notre Dame". Mary is the invisible presence who is watching Frollo's every move for the whole film, a constant reminder that his "immortal soul" (as Clopin sings at the beginning) is in jeopardy if he doesn't genuinely repent and change the way he treats people. No amount of pretending to be righteous and godly will be able to save him from being damned to hell for his hypocrisy (as symbolized by him falling into the fire at the end). TL;DR this movie is masterfully written and it deserves more love
It's unfortunate that they picked Quasimodo for this, but I actually appreciate that there was one Disney movie where the protagonist doesn't just get the girl because he's the protagonist and he saved her life or whatever. A woman doesn't owe a man s*** just because he did something for her. She's allowed to not be into him, and Quasi prioritizes her happiness and gives his blessing to the couple, which is not an easy thing to do. I appreciate that about this movie.
I truly think this movie is easily one of the best things Disney has ever made. Disney today would never have the guts to make something this dark nowadays. Unfortunately this movie came at the worst point during the decline of the Disney Renaissance, coming off the heels of the failure of Pocahontas (which i never thought was that bad) and the success of Toy Story, the first CGI film. As a result, not only was the box office for this movie lower than what came before, but reviews were weaker to the point that this became the first Disney animated film nominated for a razzie (a distinction worse disney films like Frozen and Strange World dont have somehow) With this movies themes of religion, corruption, and sin, these are truly the types of animated masterpieces we need and rarely get nowadays.
Sometimes, the Razzies just make a up a category for a particular year, and the 17th iteration came up w/ the "Worst Written Film Grossing Over $100 Million" award. The nominees were The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Twister (winner), Independence Day, Mission: Impossible, & A Time to Kill. While critics didn't love these films, they've always been popular favorites among moviegoers.
As a kid I was sad he didn’t get the girl but as an adult I find this better because romantic love wasn’t as important for his story. Acceptance and feeling it was so that he could literally be out in the world like he wanted.
If anyone ever gets the chance to see this musical preformed live, it is incredible. The music from the Disney movie and the original story blended together to create a stunningly tragic masterpiece.
@@corneliusquincydavenportic1913 it’s sad it’s not on broadway, but it does have performances you can see on TH-cam and performed live. It is such a beautiful and emotional experience.
The musical is one of my favourites and so underrated! They took the Disney music, added more and lots of choir and Latin and the soundtrack is phenomenal!! The story is great (and went darker and truer to the original Victor Hugo story) and it’s so not appreciated enough!
Esmeralda became unconscious after smoke inhalation from the pyre. She just took a while to wake up. I liked that Phoebus wasn’t the typical hero in that he only cared about rescuing the girl, he stayed on the ground rallying the troops because he knew Quasimodo would try and keep Esmeralda safe and all three of them had each others backs. Quasimodo saved Esmeralda from being burned, Phoebus saved Quasimodo from falling to his death and Esmeralda saved Phoebus after he was shot.
My personal headcanon is that he had one, and then he killed it. He seems like the type---if he's got no problem with drowning babies in wells (along with....literally everything else he does XD), animals certainly wouldn't be off-limits, and neither would ppl, considering how chill he is with murder. Maybe that's what really happened to his last captain of the guard. XP
Stephen went wild with "The Prince of Egypt" and "The Hunchback of Notre Dame." I wish he'd gotten to do the soundtrack for Mulan and other Disney animated musicals.
The scariest villains are always the ones that could easily be real. Stephen King, someone known for creating very terrifying, otherworldly monsters, he himself said that from the villains he created, Anne Wilkes would be the one he would be scared of the most. She, the 'normal' person.
Between the music, the visuals, the story (though toned down for kids), and the over all message of hope, resilience and acceptance Disney went hard AF on this film. Top 5 for sure
As a 90’s kid, it made me so happy when you kept saying “on the VHS tape!” It brought back so many memories 💕 I recommend listening to the musical soundtrack. It’s spectacular!
Disney has finally realized what a hit Hunchback really is nowadays because every single show they got at their parks incorporates the soundtrack. Hellfire, Out There. The recent Epcot show actually had Someday (the credits R&B song) as the finale and it was BEAUTIFUL. they had a whole section for just the Hunchback section and as beautiful as this was, hearing it on a massive surround system at a theme park is another level
Loved how you appreciated the vibe from the first second. The music is my favorite of all disney movies - incredibly epic, the choir work, Frollo's voice. So many amazing moments from the Opening (best ever) to Out There to the Festival to Hellfire to the Third Act. 100/10
Fuck, man. You had me nearly in TEARS. Seeing you overcome with emotion there in the first 10 minutes was amazing. This film has always stood out in Disney's catalog. 🤚😭🤚
This movie terrified me as a child. I remember being heartbroken when the crowd bullied Quasimodo. Hellfire is easily my favorite song from this movie, and probably any Disney movie.
Before frollo dies, when he says “just as your own mother died trying to save you”, he meant all the way at the beginning where he killed his mom on the steps. He wanted Quasi to know how his mother really died and that he would finish taking the bloodline. Remember when we see Frollo get upset when he figured out that Quasi was interested in the Feast of Fools, he said “When your heartless mother abandoned you as a child,” lying saying that he alone had any sympathy for him as a baby.
Tony Jay had an amazing voice that brought to life three different Disney villains; Frollo, Monsieur D'Arque (the asylum owner from Beauty & the Beast), and Sher Khan (but not in the original Jungle Book, but the cartoon series Talespin). Frollo's actor on the short lived stage production, Patrick Page, has a voice so deep it's near subterranean, check out his works, especially "Hadestown".
Fun fact: Tony Jay also voiced the asylum man from Beauty and the Beast - he has such a distinct voice that I recognized that as a kid! Hunchback’s one of my faves and so underrated! 🥹🥰❤️
The lyrics to the music in this film are phenomenal. I always get chills when I hear "who is the monster and who is the man" in The Bells of Notre Dame. Easily a 10/10 film!
I personally think Hunchback has the most beautifully complex compositions of all the Disney renaissance films. But I don’t think the original target audience, kids, appreciate(d) it. It’s definitely more adult.
As good as the film is, I've always thought it was a great lost opportunity to produce a completely adult animated musical, with the kind of complexity seen in the 1939 live-action version with Charles Laughton and Maureen O'Hara. But no, it was more important for Disney to sell toys than to create a great work of fine art.
it depends how young the kids are, really young kids are less likely to understand it but older kids should probably be able to understand and appreciate it.
Fun fact: in the book, Frollo is a priest, which is why he struggles so hard with his lust for Esmeralda. Disney changed Frollo to a judge to not piss off the Catholic Church. His reaction to her, as a judge, doesn’t make as much sense, but his origin as a priest makes it make more sense.
I think it still makes sense. As a judge, he can still be a deeply religious person who saw himself as justice himself and felt himself doing justice on God's behalf. Priest makes it obvious but there are people out there like him who aren't priests and just think they are God's gift to the world
Absolutely agree that the whole evil boner makes more sense for a priest, but you can also make it work here with the fact that Esmeralda is roma and thus subhuman in Frollo's eyes, a wicked race that he's is getting rid off in god's name, so desiring her is unthinkable
So it wasn't until I was older that I paid attention to the fact that he was a judge because I always saw him more of a religious man more than anything else so it made a lot of sense to me why he hated her and her people
This cartoon is based most on 1939 "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" movie. In that movie, the antagonist is the youngest brother of Archdeacon Claude Frollo, who's a judge. That's why here Frollo is a judge too, not "To not piss the Catholic Church".
Frollo: "And he shall smite the wicked and plunge them into the fiery pit!" God: "Well that actually wasn't on my to-do list today, but if you insist..."
27:43 Fun little fact: Gargoyles were made as statue protectors for old gothic buildings, mainly churches. Who were thought to fight off evil spirits and send them back to Hell. Im not sure if the people making this movie knew that, but its a fun thought that a gargoyle dragged Frollo down into a fiery Hell where he belongs.
I LOVE that you enjoyed this so much! This is one of my top two Disney movies, and the music gives me the same emotional, chill-filled, teary reaction. This film is so underrated.
To me, this is the best film from the Disney Renaissance. Frollo is a detestable villain with an amazing song. Quasimodo is the ultimate likable protagonist. There’s a great love story. It has an iconic soundtrack. It checks every box.
I can only imagine what an amazing experience for people who watched this in theaters during its original release. Watching this on the big screen with full sounding speakers adds even more delight and is a must for this kind of film.
Paul Kandel, who provided the voice for Clopin the jester, deserves an award for his amazing singing. The way he hits that final note in the Bells of Notre Dame is absolutely godlike.
I just realised watching that final fight scene that when Frollo sees that gargoyle come to life, it's mirroring the scene where he mocks Quasimodo for talking to the statues. And he thought the statues were judging him too when he killed his mum so him saying that stone can't talk is like he was trying to convince himself that he wasn't afraid that night and the statues didn't really see what he'd done. In its own way, that's like Notre Dame saying, "hey remember when you killed that woman and almost killed her baby?? We HAVE been watching you the whole time."
Correct, that choir is to die for, and Paul Kandel didn’t have to go that hard with Clopin’s (mask guy) High D held out for eternity in the song “Bells of Notre Dame”, but he did that for us.
I heard someone say (I don’t know who) that Frollo’s prayer was answered and he had an escape to walk away from temptation to sin when the guard interrupted that Esmeralda escaped. The bright light when the guard opened the door as a way out from the darkness. But Frollo chose the hellfire. Whoever you are that made this observation as well as every creative on this film 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
That scene where the Mob turns on Quasimodod is scary. Mob mentailty is a real and terrifying thing and the modd can change in an instance from happy to dangerous, especially when most involved have been in thir cups quite a bit
@@SarahJ70 No. While, yes, Mb mentality exists there too, It isn't what I mean. In a living crowd you can _feel_ the energy change. You can feel the differnece between a happy crowd and an agry crowd and when you are in the middle it can be _iincredibly_ hard to seperate your own self from that of the others around you. Humans, while individualistic, still work in a sort of Packmenatality. If the entire pack is against something, it takes either real cajones or real stupidity to say you are for it.
@@saiyasha848 ngl internet mob mentality has gotten scary as shit lately. People have died because of it. It’s a huge contest and even personal private life drama gets aired out for revenge or someone with a personal grudge makes something up to (genuinely) ruin their career. It’s crazy.
@@gabrielesolletico6542 No, and that makes his manipulation so much more cruel: He isn't actually entirely wrong. "You are deformed and you are ugly _and these are crimes for which the world has little pity"_ The world _does_ have litlle pity for people who do not fit the mold. Especially with the time period in mind, a disabled person would never have had an _easy_ life. But Frollo is wrong on tweo things: The first thing would have been to teach Quasi to love himself as he is. It is much easier to weather disparaging things if you feel that you are worth something, which frollo maes sure Quasi doesn't "You _are_ deformed and you _are_ ugly" not "The world may see you as different and they won't always be forgiving for that, but you have to know that you are a beautiful person just the way you are." And the second is that while yes, many people out there are too much in their own heads and lifes to care about you, someone will. And that love and care can be worth all the hardship. It is the fact that Frollo doesn't give Quasi an actualy chance to make his own decision on the matter that is the real cruelty.
Think about this for a moment; Hellfire was such an amazing villain song rhat Disney didnt release another one for 13 years! The next villain song to come out was 'Friends on the other side' in Princess and the Frog.
This is easily one of my favorite Disney Animated Movies. The animation is gorgeous, the songs are incredible. Directing partners Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise made Beauty and the Beast, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Atlantis: The Lost Empire (if you haven't seen that one, you absolutely should). They were dripping with talent, but Hunchback received flak from parents for being too dark (it's really not that dark), and Atlantis didn't do very well in theaters, so their career was cut short. Such a pity. Also, for some reason, Esmerelda isn't listed as a Disney Princess. True, she isn't royalty, but neither are Belle or Mulan, and they're included. I don't know why Disney leaves her out.
Esmeralda was briefly in the Disney princess lineup in the 90s but was eventually cut. I'm glad that she is seen as a face character at Disneyland Paris, though. She is definitely one of my favorite Disney characters.
Frollo is the most realistic villain in all of Disney, because people like him have existed for years... And this movie always breaks my heart, as I feel so connected to both Quasimodo and Esmeralda (I have autism, so I've also been considered an outsider my whole life)
Jonathan Young’s covers of “The Bells of Notre Dame” (with Caleb Hyles) and “Hellfire” are absolutely spectacular. Look them up next. Disney announced their intention to make a live-action HoND… right before Notre Dame burned…
I absolutely LOVE that for this film they went to Notre Dame herself and took every single possible reference photo they could to make her as real as they could in their animation
@Paul Chapman so without doing a DEEP dive in to articles, just using headlines alone I'm finding that Disney donated 5mil to rebuild...they definitely still could've given them those photos, but as far as headlines I'm not finding anything...BUT I also remember they used one of the Assassin Creed games to help give them more references to rebuild
5:11 Fun fact: In the original novel, Quasimodo's mother DID abandon him cuz he was born deformed. She broke into someone else's house and swapped her baby out with one that looked healthy. Much later in the book you find out that baby was actually Esmeralda.
Esmerelda was my first favorite Disney 'Princess'. Now as an adult I think she's part of the reason I'm Bi. And Clopin Trouillefou (main jester guy) was probably the reason I like scheming yet charming fictional characters.
Legit question, when was the last time a recent Disney movie made you FEEL like Notre Dame did for Mello here? I can't name one in the last...damn near 15 years. Disney really fell off.
After Mulan - "Disney" was no longer apart of the original Disney family or their original associates - it was full on sold into corporate. For a few years they focused on the theme parks for fat cash then let that fall by the wayside too. So, more CGI movies and partnering up with other franchises.
I miss the old animation (aladdin, little mermaid, beauty and the beast, etc), so disney ended with the Lion King (the start of the "newer" animation), and then they really went mental... of course... the ONLY "modern" disney that I liked: Tangled and Frozen (Brave was "okay", but there really wasn't anything special/impressive about it, for me it was really quite dull, boring, and "lack-luster")
That’s wild you had a puppet of Quasimodo AND it was one of your favorite toys without ever seeing the movie 😂 My sister and I loved to play pretend that we were Esmeralda and her pet goat back in the day hahaha
This is my all time favorite Disney movie, and I'm pretty sure alot of the backgrounds where painted or done in oil painting it's part of the reason I think it still really stands up so well
Watching your reaction was amazing as a kid I didn’t care for this movie. But as an adult rewatching I gained a whole new appreciation and respect for this movie now it’s one of my top favourite Disney movies Frollo Is the most relatable and realistic villain I believe Disney has ever had because anyone can be like him lust desire it’s crazy what he could do to get what he wanted love this movie
I think it is very sweet how keep your inner child alive and enjoy a Disney Movie like you do. I have been to Paris many years ago also to see Notre-Dame de Paris. Since then the cathedral „experienced“ joy and hardship within just within a few years. 2013 she received 9 new bells 🔔 🔔 🔔 🔔 🔔 🔔 🔔 🔔 🔔 . Many the of old ones were destroyed during the French Revolution. For 850th new bells were just appropriate. In 2019 the horrific fire. They say Notre-Dame de Paris will be reopen December 2024. Still time to plan a visit.
Seeing people nerdgasm over this movie as much as I do gives me life. It's right up there alongside The Emperor's New Groove when it comes to underrated masterpieces.
Easily my favorite Disney movie. I like to think the Gargoyles are a part of Quasi's imagination and there are some hints in the movie that that is true as well. The music also is the absolute best!
Tony Jay had the perfect villain voice. He was the voice as the main villain on the Saturday morning cartoon Reboot. He was awesome as Megabyte. Despite that show's old CGI it still holds up pretty good today.
I'm glad you appreciated the moment at 24:41 as well. The buildup is so haunting and desperate, paired with the sound just gives me such chills. The animation and sound design were above and beyond in this movie and it's in my top 5 from Disney. The mood is so dark and heavy and you just don't get that from Disney anymore.
I think the powdered wig on Quasimodo at 19:54 was a nod to the VA's role as Mozart in the film "Amadeus". Every song in this movie is awesome, and while "Hellfire" is an excellent one and an overwhelming favorite, I kind of have to give my favorite label to "Sanctuary". The Latin lyrics really hit for me.
Hellfire is arguably the best disney villian song and frollo one of the scariest villians because of how real to life he is.
I endorse this comment
The entire soundtrack was Disney's best
He is just a regular guy who is so hateful and I agree 💯% he is by far the scariest next Clayton from Tarzan, cruella from 101 dalmatians, and Percy from the green mile!
Took the words right from my mouth! Agreed 100%
Really shows how scary religion can be and how it can be misconstrued. Frollo really believes he is righteous in God’s eyes
Frollo saw Esmerelda as a demon, Quasi saw her as an angel, and Pheobus saw her has a woman. Her ending up with Pheobus made sense.
Yooo, I never put that together. Nice!
Doesn't hurt that Pheobus was a stud....
@@armynurseboy idk when I was a kid he was sort of the doofus of the Disney men. I have no idea why because he's funny and heroic in the movie but his Ken doll (yes, he had a Ken doll) was always the one we wouldn't play with. It's also the only one we didn't name lol we had a ton of Kens but they all had their own names and 30 years later I actually remember them. Don't remember math, but at least I remember the 25 different Ken names I had as a child.
But Pheobus was just...Pheobus.
Esmerelda got that..... Pheobussy...? nah that dun work... :(@@armynurseboy
Yes exactly!
Fun fact: Esmerelda was a NIGHTMARE to animate. There is so much movement with her character, from her long hair to her earrings and jewelry, to her long flowing skirt. Despite the headache of animating her, I think we can all agree it was well worth it. The animation in this film is so well done!
Maybe this explains why she looks like a trashfire in the sequel lol
@@ElvishReactions You're probably not wrong lol 💀can't say I disagree
@@ElvishReactionsit absolutely does. pretty much all direct-to-DVD disney sequels tanked in quality so its not like they could keep up with how complex of a design she had in the first movie, let alone make it look nearly as good.
@@ElvishReactionsthank god I’m not the only one who thought that! (Sorry this is late af)
it was definitely well worth it.
pity they didnt have master animators like ken anderson on board (he had died 3 years earlier) Im sure he would have had it done real smooth.
I loved Esmeralda and Phoebus. As a kid I was pissed she didn’t go with Quasi, but when I watched it again when I was older I understood. Phoebus and Esmeralda were into each other from the jump and every scene between them clearly showed that. Not only that but Phoebus treated her with dignity and respect despite her people’s circumstance. Plus both saw how the other was just a good person. Quasimodo saw her as an Angel (Heaven’s light) and Frollo saw her as some seductress or a demon (Hellfire). Phoebus saw her for who she was.
I would've preferred it if Esmeralda & Phoebus' relationship was only platonic, and it was Quasimodo & Frollo's perceptions of them that twisted things.
@@jp3813 Personally I feel like Phoebus being the one to end up with her emphasizes more where Frollo and Quasi erred though. Plus the two had lots of scenes where Quasi and Frollo weren’t even present.
@@raunjisto2925 Perhaps if Phoebus didn't look like the typical handsome hero. If you were to show pictures of the three male characters to kids for the first time, I think they can easily figure out which one will be chosen by the female lead as her love interest.
Exactly!! Phoebus didn't idolize her or condemned her, just saw her for who she was, standing by her side, fighting for the people, and he being a genuine person himself, it's just perfect. Regardless of what Quasi did for her, she was genuine towards their friendship, so why would Quasi be entitled to her affection in a romantic context? He already had her affection, platonically, but he did and he recognized it himself, that he could not choose for her whom she should love, and just because she didn't love him the way he originally wanted her to, it didn't mean she didn't love him at all. It's just so precious c':
@@jp3813 Well he was a soldier and knight who was famous for his skills in warfare, so him being big muscular makes sense. Even then, the movie started being about Quasi wanting to be out there and live among everyone else, which he still obtained
I actually really liked that Quasimodo didn’t get the girl. It made Esmeralda seem less like the prize, and more like an individual. But more importantly, it created a beautiful contrast between Quasimodo and Frollo in how they handle their feelings. Looking at how masculinity is portrayed in those relationships I think that movie was well ahead of it’s time.
Which seems funny if you know the original story XD
@@marilynman WHATS THE ORIGINAL
Also even though he didn't get the girl, he still got accepted by everybody. And that was more important to him than anything.
@@liliasleftpinkytoe1443 there was not a single good person in that book. it has tragic end
@@liliasleftpinkytoe1443 Much, MUCH darker. Everyone sucks, no happy ending.
First off: the editor’s notes had me cackling. Love them. But also strongly agree this is one of the greatest musical scores ever written for a film, not even just a Disney film. Alan Mencken really pulled out all the stops with this one.
The absolute BEST Disney soundtrack.
Seriously. Alan didn't have to go THAT HARD. Man DELIVERED.
"perhaps" 😂
That man went apeshit on that score and soundtrack! He did so spectacularly and that's why I don't want the live action, they for sure gon fuck it up and this movie so sacred to me!
For me it’s this movie and The Prince of Egypt
I liked that Quasimodo doesn't get Esmeralda in the end, but accepts that she loves Phoebus, and they all remain friendly in the end. Also, Hellfire is still in my opinion one of the creepiest Disney villain songs in terms of genuinely making me feel frightened of a character. Seriously, Frollo is probably the most evil Disney villain ever.
Tony Jay did an excellent job voicing him. RIP.
I think in the broadway musical version of the movie Esmeralda and Phoebus get a duet that turns into a trio with Quasimodo lamenting that he won't get love like that, but that at the end of the play Frollo does die and so does Esmeralda, but that as she dies she thanks Quasimodo for being a good friend to her, and we hear the reprise of 'The Bells of Notre Dame' as we see Phoebus and Quasimodo carry her through the streets of Paris together.
Well that happens in the book.
@@Angelicwings1 what does?
@@Angelicwings1 in the book, all of them die.
I always hate how a lot of fans hate Phoebus just because he gets Esmeralda instead of Quasimodo, despite him being a great person.
Man Disney went SO DAMN HARD on this movie! They never approach these kinds of topics anymore but my goodness they did a phenomenal job with the Hunchback of Notredame.
Hopefully it won't get a remake live action
People say that the play is way better. I don’t care. Animation is lovely.
If they did people would want them cancelled
@@Beardo2517you described every remake announcement but I think a Emporers New Groove would cross that line
Fun fact, Tom Hulce (the voice of Quasi) was nervous about singing in the movie. He thought his voice had too much vibrato but it ended up only adding to Quasi's character. This is my favorite Disney movie. I loved it as a kid and I love it now.
He also played Mozart in the film Amadeus, (the scene where they put a powdered wig on Quasimodo was a nod to Tom's work)
Epitome of useless information.
Oh wow, he has such a beautiful voice and was perfect for Quasi ♥
@@migiplayz91 I love Amadeus! How did I not connect that?!?!?
@@wowplayer160 James Baxter was the lead animator on Quasimodo for the film and he was also the lead animator on Belle from Beauty and the Beast and Rafiki in the lion king.
26:51 I like how they strung out the traditional "Disney death" for Esmeralda to the point where first time watchers are really like "would they really do that?" That's especially true for viewers familiar with the original book who are aware that Esmeralda really does die at the end of the story. Was basically a way to preserve some of Hugo's original story while still being family friendly. If they HAD gone through with it this probably would have given Mufasa's death a run for its money...
In the stage musical version of the film where they had a bit more freedom (it was originally meant for European audiences and they felt Europeans were more open to tragedy than Americans at the time).... (Spoilers)
....she does die during that scene and Quasi straight-up murder Frollo in retribution. Frollo going "you don't want to do this", the gargoyles/saints whispering "yes you do", Quasi telling Frollo "You have been a good teacher" before throwing him to his death and then a reprise of "the world is cruel, the world is ugly" kicking in. It didn't have to go that hard for a tie-in musical, yet it did.
@@Painocus AND they kept the books epilogue so Quasi dies too
@@Painocus Holy shit that goes hard, I like that alot then.
And I believe even Phoebus dies too: killed by Fleur-de-Lys, another girl in love with him, thus went jealous of Esmeralda and he liked her better than herself, so she threw a vendetta at him and murdered him in retribution as well...and finally killed herself right after that. Wonderful, isn't it? 😈😅🔥🗡💀
@@Painocusme and my fiance recently saw the stage production. Literally one of the BEST things I've seen in my life.
I adore the juxtaposition here
Frollo leads singing "stay in here" whilst Quasi sings "out there"
Quasi sings "Heavens Light" and Frollo sings "Hellfire"
The beauty of the cathedral and music style has a genuine impact
The intro song gives me goosebumps every time I hear it. absolute grand scale of everything.
You can tell they put a lot of thought into the music.
In the musical the bells complement the chorus in “Olim” (the opening song). I actually really like how in the film the bells drown out the singing. Can’t describe why. I just do.
Hellfire is one of (if not the) best Disney songs ever made, but people often sleep on Bells of Notre Dame, which I think is the best opening song of any Disney movie. Besides the amazing melody, epic instrumentation, and super-dark opening narrative and visuals, nothing beats that AMAZING high note that the singer does at the end. Pulls your soul right up through the cap of your skull.
10,000% agree!!!
For me it's the lyric "Who is the monster and who is the man?"
agreeed
Definitely agree!
Couldn’t agree more
The fact that they were able to make this incredibly dark novel into a Disney movie is impressive.
And still kept it shockingly dark for Disney!
@@odile8701 yes!
I read the book when I was 8 because I found it in the school library and thought it was the Disney movie. It is, in fact, not lol. Have not read it since then and I still remember every single plot point because of how messed up it was.
Disney has a stage production of the musical, but unlike the movie, it has the book ending.
Yeah in the novel Phoebus is not exactly a hero, and Frollo isn’t exactly a villain, and Esmerelda isn’t exactly a strong female character. But thats what makes Victor Hugo’s characters so good, Hunchback and Les Miserables should be required reading
I like that this movie didn’t pull the “man that isn’t conventionally attractive gets the girl anyway because he’s so good so he ‘deserves’ it” that so many movies were doing at the time. Sure, he was disappointed, and that’s okay, but he wasn’t mad at her or stopped helping her once he realized he wouldn’t get what literally every man in Paris wanted from her and the only use that Frollo saw in her. He’s a good person, and he knew that Esmeralda didn’t love him back, so he cherished their friendship and helped good people without expectation of reward. A very important lesson that many people have forgotten.
I like that this disney version actuarlly kept the darkness of the novel.
Yes, of course they gave it a happy ending, instead of sticking with the original ending, and yes, they softened certain parts of the story, but compared to other disney movies, this movie is absolutley brutal.
I liked how even though they changed Frollo from the Arch-Deacon to a Judge, they kept his motivations centered and framed as him believing his acts were virtuous. Made my mom think twice before going to the clergy.
They really didn’t keep the darkness of the novel. Esmerelda is still alive and everybody is reddeemable here
@@jagerbradley like I said, they changed the ending.
@@jagerbradley "everybody is reddeemable here"
You say this as if Disney didn't make Frollo far more irredeemable in this movie than he was in the original novel.
The broadway version kind of kept that ending
Disney: “Now remember, this movie is for kids so the music doesn’t have to go too hard”
Alan Menken: “lol, sure okay”
For real though, this soundtrack is unmatched. Even “Guy like you” which is arguably the weakest song in the movie is catchy AF.
Sanctuary was by far the greatest piece ever written
"Kyrie eleison!"
To be fair. The crew actually thought this movie was going to be pushing for a PG-13 rating, so no wonder everyone went so hard with the production
I actually never saw his face as "ugly". He was so kind, innocent and empathetic that it made his face more pleasant to look at.
Well, we don’t see him as ugly for the fact that this is animated, and like you said, we focus more on his good qualities. From a realistic standpoint, he IS disfigured, but his inner beauty shines through because his “ugliness” looks so cartoony.
I actually love how their character designers made Quasi. They had a really difficult task: to make an ugly character compassionable and likable, and they stroke a great balance. Quasi's features are distorted, but at the same time he looks cute and maybe even cuddly. In other words, he is ugly, but not hideous.
You can overlook anyone’s physical appearance if they have a kind heart. By the end I found Frollo to be way uglier and distorted
@@Skarrier how is that fucking difficult, as a character desinger looks never matter to the personality, like what
@@SarahJ70 kinda, i would still notice the ugly parts and frollo looks prety hot ngl LMAO
A lot of Disney fans think the music in this movie is bad because no one remembers most of it. You said the reason yourself, it sounds like an opera. Disney musicals don't tend to have a full choir with Latin chanting; it's such a departure from movies like The Little Mermaid and Cinderella and the music is simply harder to learn and memorize. That being said it's Menken's best work and I stand by that.
A lot but not Majority.
People don’t like the music??? Do they have no taste??
Also I 100% agree that it’s Menken’s best work, nothing else comes remotely close
One of my favorite moments during "Hellfire" is when the chorus sings "mea culpa, mea maxima culpa." It's Latin for "my fault, my most grievous fault," which is actually recited during the beginning of the Catholic Mass during a prayer called the Act of Contrition (which is sort of a collective confession of the congregation's sins and a plea for grace and forgiveness). The juxtaposition of that line with Frollo singing "It's not my fault/I'm not to blame" is sheer genius, because while he's denying accountability for his own wrongdoing, the chorus' lyrics imply that both God and his conscience know that he is the one at fault and not Esmeralda. What's even more ironic is that at the beginning of the song, Frollo starts off by praying to the Virgin Mary ("beata Maria"), who is considered a symbol of purity, before he launches into his whole monologue about lust. Instead of using the prayer as an opportunity to better himself and resist temptation, he does the opposite. It's as if he expects Mary to pat him on the back for being a "righteous man" even though in reality he is the exact antithesis of what she represents.
The Marian imagery is very strong throughout the movie, with Notre Dame literally meaning "Our Lady" (a title for Mary) and her being referenced a number of times. This is probably in part due to the fact that she symbolically acts as a foil to Frollo despite not being an actual character. At the beginning of the film, when Frollo is contemplating killing baby Quasimodo, he looks up and sees the cathedral and the statue of Mary staring down at him as if judging his soul, all while the archdeacon sings "You can lie to yourself and your minions/You can claim that you haven't a qualm/But you never can run from nor hide what you've done from the eyes/The very eyes of Notre Dame". Mary is the invisible presence who is watching Frollo's every move for the whole film, a constant reminder that his "immortal soul" (as Clopin sings at the beginning) is in jeopardy if he doesn't genuinely repent and change the way he treats people. No amount of pretending to be righteous and godly will be able to save him from being damned to hell for his hypocrisy (as symbolized by him falling into the fire at the end).
TL;DR this movie is masterfully written and it deserves more love
The music and vocal acting is astounding. Tony Jay who voiced Frollo was a terrific actor.
Sad that he passed in 2006
It's unfortunate that they picked Quasimodo for this, but I actually appreciate that there was one Disney movie where the protagonist doesn't just get the girl because he's the protagonist and he saved her life or whatever. A woman doesn't owe a man s*** just because he did something for her. She's allowed to not be into him, and Quasi prioritizes her happiness and gives his blessing to the couple, which is not an easy thing to do. I appreciate that about this movie.
I truly think this movie is easily one of the best things Disney has ever made. Disney today would never have the guts to make something this dark nowadays.
Unfortunately this movie came at the worst point during the decline of the Disney Renaissance, coming off the heels of the failure of Pocahontas (which i never thought was that bad) and the success of Toy Story, the first CGI film. As a result, not only was the box office for this movie lower than what came before, but reviews were weaker to the point that this became the first Disney animated film nominated for a razzie (a distinction worse disney films like Frozen and Strange World dont have somehow)
With this movies themes of religion, corruption, and sin, these are truly the types of animated masterpieces we need and rarely get nowadays.
Sometimes, the Razzies just make a up a category for a particular year, and the 17th iteration came up w/ the "Worst Written Film Grossing Over $100 Million" award. The nominees were The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Twister (winner), Independence Day, Mission: Impossible, & A Time to Kill. While critics didn't love these films, they've always been popular favorites among moviegoers.
Pocahontas was my favourite as a kid and I still enjoy it today.
As a kid I was sad he didn’t get the girl but as an adult I find this better because romantic love wasn’t as important for his story. Acceptance and feeling it was so that he could literally be out in the world like he wanted.
If anyone ever gets the chance to see this musical preformed live, it is incredible.
The music from the Disney movie and the original story blended together to create a stunningly tragic masterpiece.
I actually prefer that version tbh. It’s so good that I wish it went to Broadway
@@corneliusquincydavenportic1913 it’s sad it’s not on broadway, but it does have performances you can see on TH-cam and performed live. It is such a beautiful and emotional experience.
The musical is one of my favourites and so underrated! They took the Disney music, added more and lots of choir and Latin and the soundtrack is phenomenal!! The story is great (and went darker and truer to the original Victor Hugo story) and it’s so not appreciated enough!
I love the stage musical. It's my favorite adaptation of this story! It's one of my favorite shows of all time.
Its, uh.. On TH-cam.. FYI. La Jolla Playhouse, starring Michael Arden as Quasimodo and Patrick Page as Hades -- I mean Frollo. xD
Esmeralda became unconscious after smoke inhalation from the pyre. She just took a while to wake up. I liked that Phoebus wasn’t the typical hero in that he only cared about rescuing the girl, he stayed on the ground rallying the troops because he knew Quasimodo would try and keep Esmeralda safe and all three of them had each others backs. Quasimodo saved Esmeralda from being burned, Phoebus saved Quasimodo from falling to his death and Esmeralda saved Phoebus after he was shot.
Yeah, read about Phoebus in the book... and then tell me.
Also Frollo is one of the only villains to not have a comedic sidekick. Adds even more to his villainy. He aint got time for that.
My personal headcanon is that he had one, and then he killed it. He seems like the type---if he's got no problem with drowning babies in wells (along with....literally everything else he does XD), animals certainly wouldn't be off-limits, and neither would ppl, considering how chill he is with murder. Maybe that's what really happened to his last captain of the guard. XP
Stephen went wild with "The Prince of Egypt" and "The Hunchback of Notre Dame." I wish he'd gotten to do the soundtrack for Mulan and other Disney animated musicals.
He did Pocahontas.
@@musical_lolu4811 He did the lyrics, but Alan Menken did the music.
Frollo is terrifying because he very well could be real. Def one of the best Disney villains 🔥
He is real in millions of men today. Especially in politics.
The scariest villains are always the ones that could easily be real. Stephen King, someone known for creating very terrifying, otherworldly monsters, he himself said that from the villains he created, Anne Wilkes would be the one he would be scared of the most. She, the 'normal' person.
I just keep rewatching Mel’s reaction to one of the greatest crescendos in Disney history 3:20 ❤
Same!!! Because it’s how I feel every single time I hear it! Such a perfect reaction
yes! thank you for the timestamp
Esmeralda suffered smoke inhalation. That's why she didn't wake up right away
Between the music, the visuals, the story (though toned down for kids), and the over all message of hope, resilience and acceptance Disney went hard AF on this film. Top 5 for sure
Yup. It's sad it was considered a failure.
Toned down is an understatement, that's for sure.
One of the most underrated Disney movies of all time. The soundtrack was amazing.
This is honestly some of the best music ever written for film. Alan Menken never disappoints.
Equal credit should be given to the lyricist, the great Stephen Schwartz.
As a 90’s kid, it made me so happy when you kept saying “on the VHS tape!” It brought back so many memories 💕 I recommend listening to the musical soundtrack. It’s spectacular!
YEAH.
Disney has finally realized what a hit Hunchback really is nowadays because every single show they got at their parks incorporates the soundtrack. Hellfire, Out There. The recent Epcot show actually had Someday (the credits R&B song) as the finale and it was BEAUTIFUL. they had a whole section for just the Hunchback section and as beautiful as this was, hearing it on a massive surround system at a theme park is another level
Loved how you appreciated the vibe from the first second. The music is my favorite of all disney movies - incredibly epic, the choir work, Frollo's voice. So many amazing moments from the Opening (best ever) to Out There to the Festival to Hellfire to the Third Act. 100/10
Fuck, man. You had me nearly in TEARS. Seeing you overcome with emotion there in the first 10 minutes was amazing. This film has always stood out in Disney's catalog. 🤚😭🤚
This movie terrified me as a child. I remember being heartbroken when the crowd bullied Quasimodo. Hellfire is easily my favorite song from this movie, and probably any Disney movie.
3:26 Clopin hitting that final note still gives me goosebumps
Before frollo dies, when he says “just as your own mother died trying to save you”, he meant all the way at the beginning where he killed his mom on the steps.
He wanted Quasi to know how his mother really died and that he would finish taking the bloodline.
Remember when we see Frollo get upset when he figured out that Quasi was interested in the Feast of Fools, he said “When your heartless mother abandoned you as a child,” lying saying that he alone had any sympathy for him as a baby.
Tony Jay had an amazing voice that brought to life three different Disney villains; Frollo, Monsieur D'Arque (the asylum owner from Beauty & the Beast), and Sher Khan (but not in the original Jungle Book, but the cartoon series Talespin). Frollo's actor on the short lived stage production, Patrick Page, has a voice so deep it's near subterranean, check out his works, especially "Hadestown".
I Perfer Judge Frollo Better
He was also the iconic villain Megabyte in the tv series Reboot
Fun fact: Tony Jay also voiced the asylum man from Beauty and the Beast - he has such a distinct voice that I recognized that as a kid! Hunchback’s one of my faves and so underrated! 🥹🥰❤️
The lyrics to the music in this film are phenomenal. I always get chills when I hear "who is the monster and who is the man" in The Bells of Notre Dame. Easily a 10/10 film!
The lyrics are by the great Stephen Schwartz.
This movie is still one of the best animated films of all time. Not my favorite Disney film but arguably the peak of the Disney Renaissance.
I personally think Hunchback has the most beautifully complex compositions of all the Disney renaissance films. But I don’t think the original target audience, kids, appreciate(d) it. It’s definitely more adult.
As good as the film is, I've always thought it was a great lost opportunity to produce a completely adult animated musical, with the kind of complexity seen in the 1939 live-action version with Charles Laughton and Maureen O'Hara. But no, it was more important for Disney to sell toys than to create a great work of fine art.
I appreciated the hell out of it as a kid in the 90s. But I also read alot of books so maybe I wasn’t quite normal.
it depends how young the kids are, really young kids are less likely to understand it but older kids should probably be able to understand and appreciate it.
I like that Quasimodo didn't end up with Esmerelda. He saw her as an angel, Frollo saw her as a devil, but Pheobus saw her as a person
It touches me to the core how much you loved this movie, how much you appreciate all the little details especially the music. Made me cry man
"You know if you could smash that, you would"
*Laughs in Hellfire*
Also, Esmerelda *did* die in the book, due to smoke inhalation (iirc).
Thought it was from the rope around her neck?
@@Wingedskywolf that is correct. For the stage musical ( spoilers ) she dies from smoke inhalation
watching your eyes grow wide and your breath catch at the music is just worth all the multiple rewatches i'm gonna do of this reaction.
Fun fact: in the book, Frollo is a priest, which is why he struggles so hard with his lust for Esmeralda. Disney changed Frollo to a judge to not piss off the Catholic Church. His reaction to her, as a judge, doesn’t make as much sense, but his origin as a priest makes it make more sense.
I think it still makes sense. As a judge, he can still be a deeply religious person who saw himself as justice himself and felt himself doing justice on God's behalf. Priest makes it obvious but there are people out there like him who aren't priests and just think they are God's gift to the world
Absolutely agree that the whole evil boner makes more sense for a priest, but you can also make it work here with the fact that Esmeralda is roma and thus subhuman in Frollo's eyes, a wicked race that he's is getting rid off in god's name, so desiring her is unthinkable
From the beginning of the movie we see that he hates gypsies so it makes sense that he gets some kind of self hate from suddenly wanting one
So it wasn't until I was older that I paid attention to the fact that he was a judge because I always saw him more of a religious man more than anything else so it made a lot of sense to me why he hated her and her people
This cartoon is based most on 1939 "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" movie. In that movie, the antagonist is the youngest brother of Archdeacon Claude Frollo, who's a judge. That's why here Frollo is a judge too, not "To not piss the Catholic Church".
Frollo: "And he shall smite the wicked and plunge them into the fiery pit!"
God: "Well that actually wasn't on my to-do list today, but if you insist..."
27:43 Fun little fact: Gargoyles were made as statue protectors for old gothic buildings, mainly churches. Who were thought to fight off evil spirits and send them back to Hell. Im not sure if the people making this movie knew that, but its a fun thought that a gargoyle dragged Frollo down into a fiery Hell where he belongs.
I LOVE that you enjoyed this so much! This is one of my top two Disney movies, and the music gives me the same emotional, chill-filled, teary reaction. This film is so underrated.
My fave Disney film is old and never reacted to: Sword in the Stone
To me, this is the best film from the Disney Renaissance. Frollo is a detestable villain with an amazing song. Quasimodo is the ultimate likable protagonist. There’s a great love story. It has an iconic soundtrack. It checks every box.
But are we not gonna talk about the Feature Presentation at the beginning...literally gave me nostalgia
It was bliss, and I love how he did stuff like this for Hercules, Brother Bear and Cars.
I can only imagine what an amazing experience for people who watched this in theaters during its original release.
Watching this on the big screen with full sounding speakers adds even more delight and is a must for this kind of film.
Hunchback of Notre Dame has HANDS DOWN one of the best cinematic openings in Disney's animated history.
Out of all opening songs:
Disney = The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Dreamworks = The Prince of Egypt
Both underated :D
Paul Kandel, who provided the voice for Clopin the jester, deserves an award for his amazing singing. The way he hits that final note in the Bells of Notre Dame is absolutely godlike.
I just realised watching that final fight scene that when Frollo sees that gargoyle come to life, it's mirroring the scene where he mocks Quasimodo for talking to the statues. And he thought the statues were judging him too when he killed his mum so him saying that stone can't talk is like he was trying to convince himself that he wasn't afraid that night and the statues didn't really see what he'd done. In its own way, that's like Notre Dame saying, "hey remember when you killed that woman and almost killed her baby?? We HAVE been watching you the whole time."
Correct, that choir is to die for, and Paul Kandel didn’t have to go that hard with Clopin’s (mask guy) High D held out for eternity in the song “Bells of Notre Dame”, but he did that for us.
As a fellow outcast, "God Help The Outcasts" straight up wrecks me!
I heard someone say (I don’t know who) that Frollo’s prayer was answered and he had an escape to walk away from temptation to sin when the guard interrupted that Esmeralda escaped. The bright light when the guard opened the door as a way out from the darkness. But Frollo chose the hellfire.
Whoever you are that made this observation as well as every creative on this film 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
the intro song (bells of notre dame) is a song i love to listen to over and over again, especially the crescendo/ending part
That scene where the Mob turns on Quasimodod is scary. Mob mentailty is a real and terrifying thing and the modd can change in an instance from happy to dangerous, especially when most involved have been in thir cups quite a bit
Like twitter?
@@SarahJ70 No. While, yes, Mb mentality exists there too, It isn't what I mean. In a living crowd you can _feel_ the energy change. You can feel the differnece between a happy crowd and an agry crowd and when you are in the middle it can be _iincredibly_ hard to seperate your own self from that of the others around you.
Humans, while individualistic, still work in a sort of Packmenatality. If the entire pack is against something, it takes either real cajones or real stupidity to say you are for it.
@@saiyasha848 ngl internet mob mentality has gotten scary as shit lately. People have died because of it. It’s a huge contest and even personal private life drama gets aired out for revenge or someone with a personal grudge makes something up to (genuinely) ruin their career. It’s crazy.
Frollo wasn't lieing about the World being a dark place.
@@gabrielesolletico6542 No, and that makes his manipulation so much more cruel: He isn't actually entirely wrong. "You are deformed and you are ugly _and these are crimes for which the world has little pity"_
The world _does_ have litlle pity for people who do not fit the mold. Especially with the time period in mind, a disabled person would never have had an _easy_ life.
But Frollo is wrong on tweo things: The first thing would have been to teach Quasi to love himself as he is. It is much easier to weather disparaging things if you feel that you are worth something, which frollo maes sure Quasi doesn't "You _are_ deformed and you _are_ ugly" not "The world may see you as different and they won't always be forgiving for that, but you have to know that you are a beautiful person just the way you are."
And the second is that while yes, many people out there are too much in their own heads and lifes to care about you, someone will. And that love and care can be worth all the hardship. It is the fact that Frollo doesn't give Quasi an actualy chance to make his own decision on the matter that is the real cruelty.
Think about this for a moment; Hellfire was such an amazing villain song rhat Disney didnt release another one for 13 years! The next villain song to come out was 'Friends on the other side' in Princess and the Frog.
The Rescue/Sanctuary scene will always be my favourite scene in any Disney movie ever. It's incredible.
This is easily one of my favorite Disney Animated Movies. The animation is gorgeous, the songs are incredible. Directing partners Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise made Beauty and the Beast, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Atlantis: The Lost Empire (if you haven't seen that one, you absolutely should). They were dripping with talent, but Hunchback received flak from parents for being too dark (it's really not that dark), and Atlantis didn't do very well in theaters, so their career was cut short. Such a pity. Also, for some reason, Esmerelda isn't listed as a Disney Princess. True, she isn't royalty, but neither are Belle or Mulan, and they're included. I don't know why Disney leaves her out.
Esmeralda was briefly in the Disney princess lineup in the 90s but was eventually cut. I'm glad that she is seen as a face character at Disneyland Paris, though. She is definitely one of my favorite Disney characters.
That crazy note the dude hits at the end of the opening gives me shivers every time.
It’s crazy amazing. Sometimes I think he won’t hit it, but he always does haha
Frollo is the most realistic villain in all of Disney, because people like him have existed for years... And this movie always breaks my heart, as I feel so connected to both Quasimodo and Esmeralda (I have autism, so I've also been considered an outsider my whole life)
Jonathan Young’s covers of “The Bells of Notre Dame” (with Caleb Hyles) and “Hellfire” are absolutely spectacular. Look them up next.
Disney announced their intention to make a live-action HoND… right before Notre Dame burned…
I love his stuff. Especially his cover of In the Dark of the Night.
Maybe that was God's way of telling them DON'T
I absolutely LOVE that for this film they went to Notre Dame herself and took every single possible reference photo they could to make her as real as they could in their animation
My understanding is that after the cathedral burned down, they donated those reference photos to the church too.
@Paul Chapman I believe you are right but we could both be wrong..MORE RESEARCH 🤣
@Paul Chapman so without doing a DEEP dive in to articles, just using headlines alone I'm finding that Disney donated 5mil to rebuild...they definitely still could've given them those photos, but as far as headlines I'm not finding anything...BUT I also remember they used one of the Assassin Creed games to help give them more references to rebuild
5:11
Fun fact: In the original novel, Quasimodo's mother DID abandon him cuz he was born deformed. She broke into someone else's house and swapped her baby out with one that looked healthy. Much later in the book you find out that baby was actually Esmeralda.
It's wonderful to see more people watch this movie for the first time. Thanks for sharing your reaction with the rest of us!
The editor really knows his stuff, I loved the book and reading it put me through a new light. It REALLY is different in some details
Esmerelda was my first favorite Disney 'Princess'. Now as an adult I think she's part of the reason I'm Bi.
And Clopin Trouillefou (main jester guy) was probably the reason I like scheming yet charming fictional characters.
You’re not bi, just ugly. Don’t spread that crap.
Legit question, when was the last time a recent Disney movie made you FEEL like Notre Dame did for Mello here? I can't name one in the last...damn near 15 years. Disney really fell off.
After Mulan - "Disney" was no longer apart of the original Disney family or their original associates - it was full on sold into corporate. For a few years they focused on the theme parks for fat cash then let that fall by the wayside too. So, more CGI movies and partnering up with other franchises.
Carl and Ellie's love story in Up? Alba and Pedro's story set to Dos Oruguitas in Encanto?
I miss the old animation (aladdin, little mermaid, beauty and the beast, etc), so disney ended with the Lion King (the start of the "newer" animation), and then they really went mental... of course...
the ONLY "modern" disney that I liked: Tangled and Frozen
(Brave was "okay", but there really wasn't anything special/impressive about it, for me it was really quite dull, boring, and "lack-luster")
Encanto is probably the only one in the last 9-10 years for me
Bro the music in the movie is INSANE. Watching your head explode during the intro I knew you would love it 😂
19:53 i think that's a reference to the oscar winning film 'Amadeus', which Quasimodo's VA, Tom Hulce, starred in.
That’s wild you had a puppet of Quasimodo AND it was one of your favorite toys without ever seeing the movie 😂 My sister and I loved to play pretend that we were Esmeralda and her pet goat back in the day hahaha
This is my all time favorite Disney movie, and I'm pretty sure alot of the backgrounds where painted or done in oil painting it's part of the reason I think it still really stands up so well
Watching your reaction was amazing as a kid I didn’t care for this movie. But as an adult rewatching I gained a whole new appreciation and respect for this movie now it’s one of my top favourite Disney movies Frollo Is the most relatable and realistic villain I believe Disney has ever had because anyone can be like him lust desire it’s crazy what he could do to get what he wanted love this movie
Bro if you ain't simping for Esmeralda you ain't human.
I think it is very sweet how keep your inner child alive and enjoy a Disney Movie like you do. I have been to Paris many years ago also to see Notre-Dame de Paris. Since then the cathedral „experienced“ joy and hardship within just within a few years. 2013 she received 9 new bells 🔔 🔔 🔔 🔔 🔔 🔔 🔔 🔔 🔔 . Many the of old ones were destroyed during the French Revolution. For 850th new bells were just appropriate. In 2019 the horrific fire. They say Notre-Dame de Paris will be reopen December 2024. Still time to plan a visit.
This is my favorite reaction of yours! You being absolutely gobsmacked from the second it began was everything❤
4:41 that’s why it’s called the Disney Renaissance
The way Mell be simping for movie characters is crazy, I don’t blame him tho. Esmeralda, Morticia and Ursula all can get it for real.
Ur reaction was exactly mine for "The Bells Of Notre Dame" the hype and ascension from the song was unmatched in disney terms
The running gag of the old man was cute.
“I’m free, I’m free!...Dang it”
😁
Seeing people nerdgasm over this movie as much as I do gives me life. It's right up there alongside The Emperor's New Groove when it comes to underrated masterpieces.
Easily my favorite Disney movie. I like to think the Gargoyles are a part of Quasi's imagination and there are some hints in the movie that that is true as well. The music also is the absolute best!
Minus "A Guy Like You," this is probably my favorite Disney score.
This movie is why I went into opera! It’s beautifully done 🥰
Wow at 0:55 the feature program announcement feels so nostalgic I haven't heard it since I used my old VHS one last time, nice touch 💕👍🏻👍🏻
Tony Jay had the perfect villain voice. He was the voice as the main villain on the Saturday morning cartoon Reboot. He was awesome as Megabyte. Despite that show's old CGI it still holds up pretty good today.
Holy shit did you just release a memory locked deep in the forgotten vault lol
I'm glad you appreciated the moment at 24:41 as well. The buildup is so haunting and desperate, paired with the sound just gives me such chills. The animation and sound design were above and beyond in this movie and it's in my top 5 from Disney. The mood is so dark and heavy and you just don't get that from Disney anymore.
I think the powdered wig on Quasimodo at 19:54 was a nod to the VA's role as Mozart in the film "Amadeus".
Every song in this movie is awesome, and while "Hellfire" is an excellent one and an overwhelming favorite, I kind of have to give my favorite label to "Sanctuary". The Latin lyrics really hit for me.
I didn't put that together, cool.
*Ohhh in the min **10:04** if you pause closely a tear came down from his left eye 👁️😭😭😭😭 of JOY BECAUSE HE FELT THE LOVE*
I Grew up with this Disney Movie as a Kid in the late 90s Early 2000s, I Love it So Much! A Very Underrated Disney Movie.