Hunchback of Notre Dame 1996

 

“Here is a riddle to guess if you can, who is the monster and who is the man?”

Apparently, after one redefines the medium of animation as Disney did in the early '90s , you also have the luxury of throwing the baby out with the bath water. I am jesting of course, though it is an interesting thought. How does an animation studio known for family friendly fare go from Beauty and the Beast to the Hunchback of Notre Dame with no apparent evolutionary stop gap. Nothing to say, we're changing so come along for the ride.
There was Pocahontas, though intended or not that film still had a sense of fantasy mixed in with its historical aspirations. As I am thinking, The truth is that Pocahontas indicates a question. A question that all animators seem to ask themselves, at least in the American sphere. When are we going to be taken seriously? Presumably this is a question that Disney asked himself consistently throughout his life. It is a quandary that he never seemed to rectify, in the general consensus. At the risk of going too far afield, The reality is that the answer to that question doesn't really matter. What matters are the stories that are being told, no matter the medium that they are told in.
Disney's adoption of Victor Hugo's The Hunchback of Notre Dame is not unique because it turns animation on its head. The film is "Unique“ because it doesn't. It may alter your perception of what animation is, but it does not alter the medium of animation itself. Animation is a medium, a varied way to tell stories. Yet it is so often relegated to extremes, either Cocomelon or South Park, a babysitting tool or a raunchy cultural satire. Though animation is much broader than these two distinct poles. The '90s Disney Renaissance is the American evangelist for that width; The Hunchback of Notre Dame is perhaps its prime indicator.
The film offers so much by way of its character studies, as well as an honest exploration of spiritual abuse. Though the character of Frollo is not my focus here. I would recommend The fascinating episode of Cinema Therapy which can be found on YouTube, if you're interested in exploring those spiritual aspects of him further. My interest here is the dichotomy between Frollo and Quasimodo.
In classic Disney style, Quasimodo wishes to extricate himself from the confines of his everyday life. Though in his case there is a new wrinkle to this desire. He wants to escape his everyday life in order to experience everyday life. Quasimodo is different from those around him and he knows that his life would change drastically if others find out who he was. Quasimodo is physically deformed and Frollo forbids him from leaving the confines Of Notre Dame cathedral, where he is “Safe " from the ridicule of the world outside.
It's worth noting here that Frollo is not a priest in this version of Victor Hugo’s classic. In other words Notre Dame and the Catholic faith are not Quasimodo's restraints. His restraints come from Frollo, and Frollo alone.
Perhaps it is a good time to give some background on our abusive "Guardian”. Frollo is a man that longs to purge the world of vice and sin” Again, there is no faith here except for Frollo’s perversion of what he thinks is faith. A man through and through, Frollo conveys righteous arrogance with a clarity that is shocking. This clarity, however betrays something more, a severe misunderstanding of the human person, and the dignity they have in God's eyes. Frollo hates the world and everything in it. He thinks himself above it, and he wants everybody to know that. This sentiment is elucidated beautifully in composer Alan Minkin and Lyricist Steven Schwartz's hunting musical number “Hellfire”.
While Frollo tries to dominate from above, Quasimodo illustrates The desire to love, and in so doing understand those around him.
    It could be said that Disney's Hunchback is all about vantage points, and where humanity sits within these points of view. For the majority of the film Quasimodo is situated above the rest of humanity, living as he does in the bell tower of Notre Dame. Frollo is also located above the common folk, with his so-called duty of keeper of the peace. Quasimodo however, does not Lord his position over others, he wishes, instead to relinquish it, and join the world of the common folk. To live his life as one of them. Frollo will have none of this however. He tells Quasimodo that he does not belong with humanity. He tells him that he is a freak and unwanted. What Frollo doesn't tell his ward however, is that he applies these sentiments to all of humanity, not just Quasimodo.
If we are talking unique, in terms of Hunchback adaptations, this may be where it's at folks. Frollo and Quasimodo are two sides to the same question. Are human beings worthy of love and do we have dignity beyond our faults? Frollo and Quasimodo, two men, two different perceptions of the same faith.

“Here is a riddle to guess if you can, who is the monster and who is the man?

In most cases you never know what the future holds, even more so when you're 26. When Kirk Wise and Gary Tisdale were unceremoniously thrust into the directing duties of Beauty and The Beast, the farthest thing from their minds was revitalizing American animation. I would bet that all they wanted to do was survive. After that was done? Maybe, if they were lucky they, and their team could try and salvage a film that was barely breathing at the time, and bring it back to working order…

    So I guess they were lucky. They were able to hit a grand slam twice in a row. Here, I would like to thank Kirk Wise and Gary Tisdale. As well as their entire team, from the bottom of my heart. Thank you, for reminding me, that our dignity is an innate gift. All I needed to do was to listen. To the bells in my heart, telling me to look up and recognize my dignity as a son of God.

“Here is a riddle to guess if you can, who is the monster and who is the man? Sing the bells, bells, bells, bells, bells of Notre Dame!“

I adore both Beauty and the Beast and the Hunchback of Notre Dame. I hope in some way , you find them as powerful, meaningful and entertaining as I do.