Review: The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)

Set in 15^th century France, the title character, named Quasimodo (voiced by Tom Hulce) was taken in as a boy by judge Frollo (voiced by Tony Jay), who is an evil man confining the partially deaf Quasimodo to the belltower. Poor, unfortunate Quasimodo’s only company up there are the stone gargoyles (one voiced by Jason Alexander). However, one day he defies orders to watch a gypsy festival, where he becomes instantly smitten with gypsy girl Esmerelda (voiced by Demi Moore). He rescues her from the clutches of Frollo, who wants her arrested and burned at the stake. Or maybe he just wants to jump her bones. Unfortunately for both Quasimodo and Frollo, Esmerelda seems to only have eyes for Frollo’s chief guard Phoebus (voiced by Kevin Kline), though she treats the hunchback with more kindness and sympathy than anyone else in the city.

 

A bit of a serious undertaking for a Disney animated film, this 1996 adaptation of the famed Victor Hugo novel from directors Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise (who previously directed Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast”), is a lot more successful than I was expecting. I think it’s the strength of the story itself that really sees this work (even when softened and pared down by Disney), but it’s also lovely to look at and even listen to. It ain’t very French, however.

 

The slightly askew animation style works much better here than in “Hercules” where they went a bit too far with it so as to become unrecognisable as Disney animation. For 2D animation (though some is apparently 3D- it’s pretty seamless to me!) there is certainly a fair amount of detail, texture, and dimension. Kudos to the animators for not making Quasimodo too ‘cute’ or palatable, so as to ruin the point. He’s certainly uglier than the Beast from “Beauty and the Beast”. Esmerelda is especially beautiful, supposedly based on Jennifer Connelly, but looking to me like a long-haired Demi Moore with a tan. The songs are much more of the “Les Miserables” variety of stage musical song than the usual Disney love ballad schmaltz. That sort of thing isn’t my cup of tea but I was happy to take a break from the norm, nonetheless.

 

You won’t immediately recognise the voices aside from Jason Alexander and a slightly miscast Kevin Kline (a strange choice for a macho soldier role), but Demi Moore is actually quite good as Esmerelda. The character itself is one of the more interesting Disney heroines, and certainly one of the feistiest. Tony Jay actually impresses more than anyone as the seriously evil villain, having more than a little Cardinal Richelieu about him. He is positively dripping with disdain, and along with the gorgeous animated scenery, is the highlight of the film. Jason Alexander and the other gargoyles are funny, but one feels the film actually doesn’t even need the levity. Having said that, I loved one sign that read ‘Mon Sewer’, so I can’t be too harsh on the use of humour here. Tom Hulce is OK as Quasimodo, he probably should’ve adopted a more constrictive, “Elephant Man” vocal style to be honest. A minor quibble.

 

This is a surprisingly effective Disney picture from a source material you’d think would be too depressing. But although the humour isn’t entirely necessarily, things never get too dark nor is anything jarring. It’s a bit bloody short, though, so it’s especially surprising that the story still comes off. Hugo’s novel was adapted by Irene Mecchi (“The Lion King”), Tab Murphy (“Dark Country”, Disney’s “Tarzan”), Jonathan Roberts (“The Lion King”), Bob Tzudiker (“Newsies”), and Noni White (“Newsies”).

 

I actually slightly favour this more streamlined version of the tale over the also very fine Charles Laughton version from 1939. This one is streamlined for the better in my view. Check it out, especially if you’re curious to see what Disney would do with this subject matter. It works better than you might expect.

 

Rating: B-