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For those who don’t know what The Hunchback of Notre Dame is. It’s an book by Victor Hugo in 1831 that inspired an series of adaptations from movies like the 1939 film that stared Charles Laughton and musicals. Than in 1996, Disney made an animated film on it after making "Pocahontas". It is directed by Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise, directors of "Beauty and the Beast".
The story is about an kind deformed bell ringer named Quasimodo who longs to be outside with the people outside of his bell tower. However his master Frollo forbids him to go due to his looks and reminds him of the cruel world that’s out there. After his gargoyles friends encouraged to go out for once and join the Festival of Fools. At the festival, he ran into the gypsy dancer Esmeralda who takes him to be in the contest The King of Fools. After winning he gets humiliated by the crowd cruelly and Esmeralda saves him while becoming an wanted criminal for that. After going to Notre Dame, she forced to stay their due to the guards at every door. She meets Quasimodo again in the bell tower and get to know each other while he begins to see world in an better light than the one Frollo tell him all the time.
Out of all the Disney films, this is the most dark and took risks while ,making changes to the story. Did it paid off. Honestly I think it paid off in an way that I enjoy alot. I like the main character of Quasimodo and he’s very relatable. The villain Frollo is Disney’s best villain that he’s the more realistic villain that theirs an Frollo everywhere in our lives. He does bad things while claiming he doing this for religious reasons while being an lying hypocrite. It also help that his voice actor Tony Jays did an great job adding an menace to him and leaving an cold impression when he see Frollo on screen. The animation is pretty good leading to some really good shots. The soundtrack and most of the songs are really good that fits with the tone they going for at this film.
They are problems to it, They are changes to this from the book they may leave some disappointed like some people from the book don’t show up. Frollo is not an archdeacon in this one. Than they are the gargoyles, they are not funny and just kind of out of place for this. I know they need humor to entertain the younger people watching it but at least make them funny. And they are some songs I don’t care for like “A Guy Like You” that doesn't fit with the tone and not memorable.
Now would I recommend this? While some people may have more of the problem with some the flaws, honestly I would recommend this and at least give this one an try.
9/10
