The Hunchback of Notre Dame

The Hunchback of Notre Dame is a 1996 American animated musical comedy-drama film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released to theaters on June 21, 1996 by Walt Disney Pictures. The thirty-fourth animated feature in the Disney Animated Canon, the film is loosely based on Victor Hugo's novel of the same name, but changed most of its substance to make it more family-friendly. The plot centers on Esmeralda, a Romani dancer; Claude Frollo, a powerful and ruthless Minister of Justice who lusts after her and plans to commit genocide by killing all of the Roma that live in Paris; Quasimodo, the protagonist, Notre Dame's kindhearted and deformed bell-ringer, who adores Esmeralda; and Phoebus, the chivalrous but irreverent military captain, who holds affections for Esmeralda.
The film was directed by Kirk Wise and Gary Trousdale, directors of Beauty and the Beast, and produced by Don Hahn, producer of Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King. The animation screenplay was written by Irene Mecchi and Jonathan Roberts, who had previously worked on The Lion King, and Tab Murphy, Bob Tzudiker, and Noni White, who would go on to write the screenplay for Tarzan. For The songs for the musical film were composed by Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz and the film featured the voices of Tom Hulce, Demi Moore, Kevin Kline, Paul Kandel, Jason Alexander, Charles Kimbrough, David Ogden Stiers, Tony Jay, and Mary Wickes (in her final film role). It belongs to the era known as the Disney Renaissance.
The Hunchback of Notre Dame premiered on June 19, 1996 at the New Orleans Superdome and was released worldwide on June 21, 1996. It received positive reviews from critics and was a box office success, earning over $325 million worldwide.
A direct-to-video sequel The Hunchback of Notre Dame II was released in 2002. A darker, Gothic stage adaption of the film was re-written and directed by James Lapine and produced by Walt Disney Theatrical in Berlin, Germany as Der Glöckner von Notre Dame that ran from 1999 to 2002.
==Plot==
The movie opens in 15th century Paris with Clopin, a Romani puppeteer, telling a group of children the story of the Hunchback of Notre Dame. The story begins in 1462 as three Roma sneak illegally into Paris, but are ambushed by a squadron of soldiers working for Judge Claude Frollo, the Minister of Justice and de facto ruler of Paris. A Romani woman attempts to flee with her baby, but Frollo, thinking the woman is carrying stolen goods chases her. She manages to evade him briefly to arrive at Notre Dame. She pounds on the door, begging for sanctuary, but Frollo catches up to her and grabs the bundle from her arms, kicking her away in the process and causing her to fall and fatally strike her head on the steps of Notre Dame. Frollo then realizes that the "stolen goods" was her infant son, who is deformed, and declares the baby "a monster." He spots a nearby well and attempts to drop the baby into it, but the Archdeacon appears and stops him. Frollo tries to claim that the baby is an "unholy demon" that he's "sending back to hell, where it belongs." The Archdeacon accuses him of murdering an innocent woman and attempting to murder newborn baby. Frollo denies that he is in the wrong, saying his conscience is clear, but the Archdeacon declares he can lie to himself all he wants, but he cannot hide his crime from "the eyes of Notre Dame" (the statues of the saints outside the cathedral). Fearing for his soul and in order to atone for his sin, Frollo reluctantly agrees to raise the deformed child as his own, hiding him in the Cathedral's bell tower and naming him Quasimodo. He notes that someday the child may be of use to him.
Twenty years later, in 1482, Quasimodo has developed into a kind yet isolated young man employed as Notre Dame's bell ringer. He keeps three gargoyles, Victor, Hugo, and Laverne, and the pigeons that roost on the cathedral as his only company. He is constantly told by Frollo that he is a monster who would be rejected by the uncaring outside world. Though he believes Frollo, he still yearns to go outside for even a single day. Every year Quasimodo looks forward to seeing the Festival of Fools, but this time the thought of the festival leaves him depressed, as he never gets to attend. Quasimodo's friends insist he go as he loves the festival and would have fun. Quasimodo reminds them he can't leave the tower because Frollo has forbidden it. After some prompting, Quasimodo almost leaves, but Frollo arrives at just that moment to bring him lunch. While reviewing the alphabet, Quasimodo accidentally lets slip that his thoughts are on the festival, and Frollo becomes angry that Quasimodo wants to go to the festival. Quasimodo points out that Frollo goes every year. Frollo explains he goes because he is a public official despite hating every second of it. He reminds Quasimodo that nobody would like him because of his appearance and how after his mother "abandoned him," he would have been treated poorly had Frollo not taken him in. Before leaving, Frollo reminds Quasimodo that the bell tower is his only safe haven. Despite these warnings, Quasimodo still wishes to see the city and plans sneak out of the Cathedral to attend the Feast of Fools.
Meanwhile, Captain Phoebus, who has been away at war, has returned to Paris to serve as Frollo's new captain of the guards. He is charmed by a Romani dancer named Esmeralda, performing with her pet goat Djali. When she is accused of stealing the money she earned by dancing, Phoebus distracts and humiliates the Brutish and Oafish Guards who harass her. After Phoebus pulls rank on the guards, they escort him to the Palace of Justice. There Phoebus meets with Frollo, who after hearing about his war record expects Phoebus to be the perfect replacement for his last captain, who was "a bit of a disappointment." Frollo explains that Phoebus' job will be to help him eradicate the Roma from Paris--a task he has been attempting himself for the past 20 years. Frollo has heard of their safe haven called the Court of Miracles and shows Phoebus that he intends to destroy it like the bugs under a stone. Phoebus uncomfortably acknowledges Frollo's point. A cheer from the crowd beneath Notre Dame reminds Frollo that duty calls, and he orders Phoebus to accompany him to the festival.
Quasimodo sneaks down to the town square and finds he has a front row seat to see the master of ceremonies, Clopin, announce the start to the Feast of Fools. Quasimodo tries to stay out of sight, but is followed and harassed by Clopin until he accidentally stumbles into Esmeralda's tent. She helps him up and compliments him on his "mask." Frollo arrives at the festival escorted by Phoebus and his guards, and Phoebus has the guards disperse through the crowd to keep an eye on things. Frollo sits in his designated booth, only to be startled and irritated by Clopin, who announces Esmeralda's dance performance. The crowd is smitten by Esmeralda--none moreso than Frollo, Phoebus and Quasimodo. After the dance, Clopin announces the contest for King of Fools, and Esmeralda pulls Quasimodo onto the stage to join the contest. She and the crowd are shocked to learn that Quasimodo's face is not a mask, and Frollo is angered to see that Quasimodo has disobeyed him to attend the festival. At first Quasimodo is embarrassed and tries to hide his face, but Clopin quells the alarmed crowd by reminding them they were looking for the ugliest face in Paris and found it. Quasimodo is crowned King of Fools and paraded around the square, receiving cheers, praise, and kisses.
The joy is short lived, however, when the Oafish Guard interrupts the celebration by throwing rotten fruit at Quasimodo. Other soldiers follow suit, and the crowd quickly joins in, tying Quasimodo down so that they can continue to mock and humiliate him. Quasimodo calls out desperately for his master to help. Frollo ignores Quasimodo's pleas, even holding back Phoebus' attempt to stop the cruelty. The crowd only stops when a kind Esmeralda frees Quasimodo from his restraints and openly defies Frollo. She then throws Quasimodo's prop crown at Frollo, deeming him to be the biggest fool. The judge immediately orders her arrest, but she escapes with help from the crowd, her fellow Roma, acrobatics and a few illusions, which Frollo refers to as "witchcraft." Frollo then confronts Quasimodo and sends him back inside the Cathedral before ordering Phoebus to bring Esmeralda to him alive.
Esmeralda follows Quasimodo to find him, but she is followed by Phoebus. The two engage in combat briefly, with Phoebus defending while trying to convince her that he means her no harm. Phoebus states he refuses to arrest her inside the Cathedral, convincing Esmeralda that he is friendly. After the two are introduced, Frollo comes inside and orders Phoebus to arrest her, but Phoebus covers for her saying that she has claimed "sanctuary," and thus cannot be arrested as long as she remains in Notre Dame. Frollo finally leaves when the Archdeacon intervenes, but not before grabbing Esmeralda's arm and threatening her. He tell her he's patient and she won't last long inside the church. He then sniffs her hair, claiming to imagine her with a noose around her neck, but Esmeralda is not fooled and expresses her disgust. Frollo accuses her of twisting his mind and giving him unholy thoughts. He leaves, but not before warning Esmeralda that his men will capture her the moment she attempts to escape the Cathedral. The Archdeacon advises Esmeralda to not anger Frollo anymore. She then voices her frustration with the fact that not one person from the crowd helped Quasimodo because he is different. The Archdeacon tells her that perhaps someone within the church can help her "right all the wrongs of this world." After watching everyone praying, Esmeralda prays for all those suffering, and in particular for her people, who are outcasts in society. Quasimodo listens in on her prayer, but is called out by a parishioner. He stumbles and runs back to his tower, Esmeralda following and attempting to apologize for her part in exposing Quasimodo's face to the crowd. Esmeralda demonstrates genuine kindness and praises Quasimodo for his artistic talent, forming a friendship with the bell ringer. Quasimodo shows her around his home, including his wooden city, the gargoyles, the bells (which he introduces by name), and the view from the top of the tower. He even invites her stay but she states that she cannot. He then states that she is nothing like the Roma Frollo told him about. She asks how a cruel man like Frollo could have raised a sweet man like Quasimodo. Quasimodo explains that Frollo took him in when no one else would because of his appearance. Esmeralda performs a palm reading on Quasimodo's hand and tells him he's not a monster at all. She then asks him if he thinks she is evil, to which he emphatically responds that she is good and kind to him. As gratitude for helping him in the crowd, Quasimodo helps Esmeralda escape Notre Dame. In return, Esmeralda invites him to leave Notre Dame with her, but he declines because of what happened that day and says that the Cathedral is his home. Before leaving, Esmeralda promises to visit and gives Quasimodo a map to the Romani hideout, the Court of Miracles, in case he should ever need sanctuary outside of Notre Dame.
After Quasi returns to the tower, he encounters Phoebus, who is searching for Esmeralda. Quasimodo is angry to see a guard searching his tower and demands that he leave. Phoebus explains that he is sorry for trapping Esmeralda in the church, and that he only wanted to keep her from being harmed. Before leaving, Phoebus tells Quasimodo to tell Esmeralda she is lucky to have a friend like Quasimodo. Back in the tower, the three gargoyles comment on how well he defended "his girl." At first, Quasimodo laughs at that notion, thinking he has no hope for love because of his appearance, but shortly after concludes that if one person can love him for who he is, then he may have true happiness in his grasp after all.
Back in his quarters in the Palace of Justice, Frollo begins to realize his lustful feelings for Esmeralda and prays to Mary to be free of such feelings to escape eternal damnation. During his prayer, he blames Esmeralda more and more for igniting such feelings in him, and concludes his prayer with wishing that she would either be destroyed or be his to possess. The Brutish Guard informs him of Esmeralda's escape, and Frollo determines that Esmeralda will be given the choice to either be his or to burn.
The next morning an exhausted Frollo instigates a city-wide manhunt for Esmeralda. He orders Phoebus to track down the Roma hiding throughout the city. Frollo offers the captured Roma an increasing number of pieces of silver for information on Esmeralda, but no one gives her location away and Frollo has them locked up. When Frollo orders a miller's family to be burned alive inside their home for welcoming Roma, Phoebus defies the judge and saves the family when Frollo sets the house alight. Frollo orders Phoebus executed for treason. Esmeralda, watching from nearby, slings a stone at Frollo's horse, causing a distraction that allows Phoebus to escape. After being hit by an arrow, Phoebus falls into the Seine River and is left for dead by Frollo, but he is rescued by Esmeralda, who takes him to Notre Dame for refuge.
The manhunt yields no results, and Frollo ponders how Esmeralda could've possibly escaped the cathedral, eventually concluding that Quasimodo must have helped her.
Meanwhile, in the bell tower, Quasimodo watches the city burn, worried for Esmeralda. Victor, Hugo, and Laverne assure Quasimodo that Esmeralda is staying safe, and encourage him to tell her how he feels as he has much to offer. When Esmeralda arrives, Quasimodo is relieved to see her. She introduces him to Phoebus and begs Quasimodo to hide him until he recovers from his injuries. Despite his heart breaking as he watches Esmeralda and Phoebus express their feelings for one another, Quasimodo promises Esmeralda that he will protect Phoebus. Djali alerts them to Frollo's approach, and Quasimodo sends them out through a different route, then hides an unconscious Phoebus underneath his workbench. When Frollo arrives in the tower, he offers Quasimodo some grapes and watches as Quasimodo fumbles nervously. Frollo hints that he knows Quasimodo is hiding something. Noticing a wooden figure of Esmeralda that Quasimodo made, Frollo reveals he knows Quasimodo helped Esmeralda escape and loses his temper at Quasimodo, claiming that it's the hunchback's fault that Paris is burning, and calling Esmeralda a Gypsy who is incapable of love. He clutches Quasimodo by his shirt, but stops to recompose himself as he thinks Quasimodo is under her spell, promising to free them both from her. As he leaves, the judge bluffs that he knows where the Court of Miracles is and intends to attack it at dawn with a battalion. After Frollo leaves, Phoebus requests Quasimodo's help in finding the Court before Frollo. At first Quasimodo won't go because of his fear of Frollo and jealousy of Phoebus. Phoebus is disappointed with Quasimodo's attitude and leaves. The gargoyles are also unimpressed with Quasimodo. Eventually, Quasimodo concludes that he has to help his friend, and he meets Phoebus at the base of the cathedral to show him the amulet Esmeralda gave him. After Quasimodo realizes that the amulet is a map, the two set out to find the Court of Miracles. Once inside, they are ambushed by Roma and are almost hanged by their leader Clopin, who accuses them of being spies. They are saved when Esmeralda intervenes and clears up the misunderstanding. Phoebus warns the Court that Frollo plans to invade at dawn. Esmeralda urges everyone to leave right away and everyone starts to pack up. Esmeralda thanks Phoebus for warning them, even though it was risky. Phoebus realizes Quasimodo's feelings for Esmeralda and gives him all the credit.. Suddenly, Frollo's army appears and captures all the Roma. He gloats about Quasimodo being useful at last, leading him to Esmeralda but she calls the judge a liar knowing that Quasimodo did not do it intentionally. He is also impressed at Phoebus being alive and promises to "remedy that." He tells the Roma there will be a bonfire the next day and everyone is invited to witness it. Quasimodo pleads with his master to stop but Frollo won't have it. He has his soldiers take Quasimodo back to the bell tower and chain him there.
At dawn, Frollo reads Esmeralda's crimes, charging her with witchcraft and declaring the sentence to be death by burning. He gives Esmeralda one last chance to choose him or the fire, but she spits in Frollo's face and glares at him. Frollo announces that Esmeralda has refused to recant and that she will be burned. Up in the bell tower, the gargoyles try to free Quasimodo, telling him not to give up, but he refuses to listen. They tell him he is stronger than stone, which gets through to Quasimodo after a moment, and he determines to rescue Esmeralda. Frollo sets the pyre ablaze, and Quasimodo shouts for her and strains at his chains until he breaks them. He then rappels down to the pyre and frees Esmeralda, by this point unconscious from smoke inhalation, bringing her to the bell tower and crying, "Sanctuary!" As Frollo grabs a sword and orders his men to seize the cathedral, Phoebus escapes and ignites a rebellion among the people of Paris, who have had enough of Frollo's tyranny. The Parisians free the Roma and offer them weapons, and a battle ensues in the street between the citizenry and Frollo's army.
Quasimodo lays Esmeralda on his bed and starts to fight off Frollo's soldiers by tossing bricks and various other items at them, releasing their grappling hooks, knocking down their ladders, and finally by pouring molten metal through the cathedral's gargoyle spouts. Frollo, however, still manages to break in and force his way past the Archdeacon. Quasimodo, believing Esmeralda to be dead, breaks down in tears beside her body as Frollo comes into the room to kill him with a dagger. Quasimodo, in his fury, disarms his former guardian, striking genuine fear into Frollo. Quasimodo tells Frollo that people like him are the only reason the world is so "dark and cruel." Esmeralda regains consciousness and calls for Quasimodo, and Quasimodo grabs her and flees when he sees Frollo draw a sword, still determined to kill Esmeralda. The judge chases them onto the balcony, where he slashes at Quasimodo and Esmeralda with his sword. Frollo expresses his irritation and lack of surprise that Quasimodo would protect a Romni, revealing that Quasimodo's mother had died trying to protect him. Frollo then uses his cloak to pull Quasimodo down, resulting in both of them dangling off the edge of the cathedral. Frollo manages to regain his footing on a gargoyle spout as Esmeralda attempts to help Quasimodo back onto the balcony, gripping his arm desperately as he begins to asphyxiate due to his kyphosis. Frollo raises his sword in preparation to strike Esmeralda, dramatically paraphrasing the Bible with, "And He shall smite the wicked and plunge them into the fiery pit!" At that moment, the gargoyle cracks, causing Frollo to lose his footing. He desperately grips the gargoyle as it appears to come to life and snarl at him before breaking completely, plunging Frollo into the molten metal and fire below. After Frollo falls to his death, Esmeralda loses her grip on Quasimodo, who starts to fall but is caught by Phoebus on a lower floor. After three friends reunite, Esmeralda rushes into Quasimodo's arms while Phoebus steps aside. However, Quasimodo, realizing he only loves her as a friend, convinces Esmeralda to be with Phoebus and blesses their relationship.
As the citizens celebrate their victory over Frollo, Esmeralda gently coaxes Quasimodo to join them. Quasimodo reluctantly emerges from the Cathedral to face the populace again. This time, a little girl approaches him, gently touches his face and then embraces him. Clopin then cheers Quasimodo, who is hailed as a hero and is finally accepted into society. Clopin closes out the story with a riddle; "What makes a monster and what makes a man?", and Quasimodo is victoriously carried through the streets on the shoulders of his fellow Parisians, overjoyed to be one of them at last.
==Songs==
*"The Bells of Notre Dame"
*"Out There"
*"Topsy Turvy"
*"God Help the Outcasts"
*"Heaven's Light"
*"Hellfire"
*"A Guy Like You"
*"Heaven's Light" (reprise)
*"The Court of Miracles"
*"The Bells of Notre Dame" (finale)
*"Someday"
==Cast==
*Tom Hulce as Quasimodo
*Demi Moore as Esmeralda 
**Heidi Mollenhauer as Esmeralda (singing)
*Tony Jay as Claude Frollo
*Kevin Kline as Captain Phoebus
*Paul Kandel as Clopin
*Jason Alexander as Victor
*Charles Kimbrough as Hugo
*Mary Wickes as Laverne
*David Ogden Stiers as The Archdeacon
*Frank Welker as Djali
*Mary Kay Bergman as Quasimodo's Mother
*Rodger Bumpass as Guard
*Corey Burton as The Miller
*Jennifer Darling as Woman
*Debi Derryberry as Mother, Boy in Crowd
*Bill Fagerbakke as Oafish Guard
*Mona Marshall as Woman
*Mickie McGowan as Peasant Woman, Vendor
*Denise Pickering as Little Girl
*Patrick Pinney as Guards, Quasimodo's Father
*Phil Proctor as Guards, Paris Citizens
*Jan Rabson as Various Citizens
*Peter Samuel as Chorus
*Kath Soucie as Woman
*Mary Stout as Laverne (singing)
===Additional voices===
*Jack Angel
*Joan Barber
*Scott Barnes
*Susan Blu
*Maureen Brennan
*Victoria Clark
*Philip Clarke
*Jonathan Dokuchitz
*Bill Farmer
*Laurie Faso
*Merwin Foard
*Dana Hill
*Judy Kaye
*Eddie Korbich
*Alix Korey
*Michael Lindsay
*Sherry Lynn
*Howard McGillin
*Anna McNeely
*Bruce Moore
*Gordon Stanley
*Marcelo Tubert
==Crew==
*Animation supervisors:
**James Baxter (Quasimodo)
**Tony Fucile (Esmeralda)
**Kathy Zielinski (Frollo)
**Russ Edmonds (Phoebus)
**Michael Surrey (Clopin)
**David Pruiksma (Victor and Hugo)
**Will Finn (Laverne)
**Ron Husband (Djali)
**Dave Burgess (Archdeacon)
*Art director: David Goetz
*Story supervisor: Will Finn
*Layout supervisor: Ed Ghertner
*Background supervisor: Lisa Keene
*Clean-up animation supervisor: Vera Lanpher-Pacheco
*Effects animation supervisor: Christopher Jenkins
*Computer graphics supervisor: Kiran Bhakta Joshi
*Production manager: Patricia Hicks
==Differences from the original story==
Since the original Victor Hugo novel is filled to the brim with heaps of dark and morbid subject material that would be considered inappropriate for family viewers, Disney took considerable liberties with the original source material and therefore altered the story. Here are some main differences:
*In the book, Quasimodo was deaf, and had unintelligible speech; in the film, he was not deaf, and quite capable of fluent speech.
*In the book, Frollo willingly adopts Quasimodo; in the film, Frollo is made Quasimodo's guardian by the Archdeacon as atonement for murdering Quasimodo's mother.
*In the book Quasimodo's mother is cruel and neglectful, having abandoned him on the steps of Notre Dame. In the film, she is kind and caring towards the deformed Quasimodo, as she loves him in spite of his deformity, even sacrificing herself to save Quasimodo from the cruelty of the French government led by Frollo.
*In the book, Quasimodo is around four years old when Frollo takes him in; in the film, he is an infant.
*In the film, Esmeralda was confirmed a Romani. In the book, she was born to a working girl and was ambiguously brown.
*In the film, Esmeralda saves Quasimodo and Phoebus from being hanged in the Court of Miracles. In the book, she saves a man named Pierre Gringoire.
*In the book, Phoebus was an untrustworthy womanizer. He was much kinder and friendlier to Quasimodo and Esmeralda in the film.
*In the book, Esmeralda was 16 years old. In the film she appears to be much older, perhaps in her late-20s or early-30s.
*In the book, Frollo successfully killed Esmeralda. In the film, Quasimodo rescues her from being burned at the stake.
*In the novel, Quasimodo committed suicide after Esmeralda and Frollo died. He found Esmeralda's dead body and clutched it until he starved to death.
*In the film, Frollo was a judge, was archenemies with the archdeacon, was racist, and named Quasimodo after his disfigurement. In the book, Frollo was the archdeacon had more sympathy and compassion and named Quasimodo after Quasimodo Sunday.
*In the book, Esmeralda was sentenced to be hanged. In the film, she was nearly burned at the stake.
*The talking gargoyles do not appear in the book.
*Gringoire, Fleur-de-Lys, Paquette, and Jehan Frollo do not appear in the movie.
*In the book, Frollo was thrown off the cathedral by Quasimodo after Esmeralda's death. In the film, the gargoyle on which he was standing broke, and he fell into the pit of molten lead (that Quasi and the gargoyles poured earlier) while trying to murder both Quasimodo and Esmeralda.
*In the book, Phoebus tried to seduce Esmeralda, was stabbed by Frollo (who framed Esmeralda for it), but survived, and instead of claiming Esmeralda's innocence, he married a woman named Fleur-de-Lys, though their marriage ended up being an unhappy one. In the film, he truly loved Esmeralda, and later happily marries her in the sequel, having a son (Zephyr) with her.
*In the book, Esmeralda does not like Quasimodo instantly.
*In the book, Frollo tried to rape Esmeralda when she hides in the bell tower, but Quasimodo picks up Frollo, and slams him against the wall. While in the movie, this isn't stated outright (being a family film), there are several noticeable hints that Frollo lusts for Esmeralda and that the only thing that keeps him from acting on that lust is his nature as a religious fundamentalist.
*In the book, Quasimodo gave Esmeralda a high pitched whistle, one of the few things that Quasimodo can hear; this does not appear in the film.
*In the book, Clopin leads the Court of Miracles in an attack below Notre Dame, using a scythe to fight and singing gleefully, until he is shot and killed with an arquebus (an early gun); in the film, Clopin is mostly absent from the final battle, only seen leaping out of his cage with Djali and the other Roma when the townspeople free them; he survives the battle and provides the closing narration/reprise.
*In the book, during Esmeralda's execution, the people of Paris vehemently condemn her as a witch. However, in the film, the people have an exact opposite reaction. Instead, they protest against Esmeralda's burning by proclaiming and maintaining her innocence. Some have even been seen struggling against Frollo's soldiers.
==Production==
===Development===
The idea to adapt The Hunchback of Notre Dame came from development executive David Stainton in 1993, who was inspired to turn Victor Hugo's novel The Hunchback of Notre-Dame into an animated feature film after reading the Classics Illustrated comic book adaptation. Stainton then proposed the idea to then-studio chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg. Following Beauty and the Beast, Gary Trousdale had taken the opportunity to take a break from directing, instead spending several months developing storyboards for The Lion King. Following this, Trousdale and Kirk Wise subsequently attempted developing an animated feature based on the Greek myth of Orpheus titled A Song of the Sea, adapting it to make the central character a humpback whale and setting it in the open ocean. The concept obstinately refused to pull together, but while they were working on the project they were summoned to meet with Katzenberg. "During that time," explained Trousdale, "while we working on it, we got a call from Jeffrey. He said, "Guys, drop everything – you're working on Hunchback now." According to Wise, they believed that it had "a great deal of potential...great memorable characters, a really terrific setting, the potential for fantastic visuals, and a lot of emotion."
Production on The Hunchback of Notre Dame went underway in the summer of 1993. In October 1993, directors Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise, art director David Goetz, Roy Conli, Ed Ghertner, Will Finn, Alan Menken, and Stephen Schwartz took a trip to Paris, France for ten days; three days were devoted to exploring Notre Dame including a private tour of rarely glimpsed sites as actual passageways, stairwells, towers, and hidden room within which Hugo set his actions. Also included were visits to the Palace of Justice and an original location of the Court of Miracles.
===Writing===
Writer Tab Murphy was brought on board to write the screenplay, and it was decided early on that Quasimodo would be the center of the story, as he was in past live-action film adaptations. A love story between Quasimodo and Esmeralda was originally conceived, according to Murphy, but "we decided to make Phoebus more heroic and central to the story. Out of that decision grew the idea of some sort of a triangle between Quasimodo, Esmeralda, and Phoebus." Some of the novel's key characters were jettisoned entirely while the gargoyles of Notre Dame were added to the story by Trousdale and Wise, and portrayed as comedic friends and confidantes of Quasimodo as suggested in the novel, which reads "The other statues, the ones of monsters and demons, felt no hatred for Quasimodo…The saints were his friends and blessed him the monsters were his friends and protected him. Thus he would pour out his heart at length to them."
One of the first changes made to accommodate Disney's request was to turn the villainous Claude Frollo into a judge rather than an archdeacon, thus avoiding religious sensibilities in the finished film. "As we were exploring the characters, especially Frollo, we certainly found a lot of historical parallels to the type of mania he had: the Confederate South, Nazi Germany, take your pick," explained Wise. "Those things influenced our thinking." Producer Don Hahn evaluated that one inspiration for Frollo was found in Ralph Fiennes's performance as Amon Goeth in Schindler's List, who murders Jews yet desires his Jewish maid. For the opening sequence, Disney story veteran Burny Mattinson constructed an effective sequence that covered much exposition, although studio chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg felt something was missing. Following Stephen Schwartz's suggestion to musicalize the sequence, French animators Paul and Gaëtan Brizzi storyboarded the sequence to Menken and Schwartz's music resulting in "The Bells of Notre Dame". Lyricist Stephen Schwartz also worked closely with the writing team even suggesting that the audience should be left wondering what the outcome of what Phoebus would do before he douses the torch in water in defiance of Frollo. Another was, unsurprisingly, the film's conclusion. While Frollo's death was retained – and, indeed, made even more horrific – both Quasimodo and Esmeralda were spared their fates and given a happy ending. This revised ending was based in part on Victor Hugo's own libretto to a Hunchback opera, in which he had allowed Captain Phoebus to save Esmeralda from her execution.
===Casting===
In late 1993, pop singer Cyndi Lauper was the first actor attached to the film during its initial stages. Thinking she was cast as Esmeralda, Lauper was startled to learn she was to voice a gargoyle named Quinn, and was hired one week after one reading with the directors. The development team would later come up with the names of Chaney, Laughton, and Quinn – named after the actors who portrayed Quasimodo in previous Hunchback film adaptations. However, Disney's legal department objected to the proposed names of the gargoyles, fearing that the estates of Lon Chaney, Charles Laughton, or Anthony Quinn (who was alive at the time) might file a lawsuit over the use of their names so the names was dropped. Trousdale and Wise then suggested naming the characters Lon, Charles, and Anthony – which resulted in the same legal concern – before instead naming the first two gargoyles after Victor Hugo, and the third as Laverne, which was selected by Kirk Wise as a tribute to Andrews Sisters singer Laverne Andrews. Nowcast as Laverne, Lauper was deemed too youthful for a friend who was to provide Quasimodo wise counsel while at the same time Sam McMurray – best known for his work on The Tracey Ullman Show – was hired for Hugo. Meanwhile, Charles Kimbrough was cast as Victor who at first was unimpressed at an animated adaptation of Hunchback, but later became rather impressed at the level of research that went into the film and how the story ideas transitioned from the novel to the screen. After several recording sessions and test screenings, Lauper and McMurray were called by the directors who regrettably released them from their roles. Jason Alexander, having voiced Abis Mal in The Return of Jafar, was cast as Hugo fulfilling a lifelong desire to be in a Disney film. Laverne was then revisioned into a wiser, mature character with Mary Wickes cast in the role. Following Wickes' death in October 1995, Jane Withers was hired to voice her six remaining lines.
Mandy Patinkin was approached for the title role, but his style of portraying Quasimodo collided with the producers' demands, and Patinkin stated "'I [was] just there at the audition [and I] said, 'I can't do this.'" Tom Hulce was cast as Quasimodo following his first audition for the role, and according to the actor, he noticed during the audition that the Disney executives, producers, and directors were "were staring at the floor. It looked like everyone was at a memorial service" until he noticed the floor was lined with storyboard sketches. According to Wise, the filmmakers "like to audition the voices with our eyes closed, so we see the character's face." Quasimodo was originally portrayed to be more monstrous, older, and with more of a speech impediment during the early rehearsals, but Hulce commented that "we experimented, endlessly. At one point I was ready to call in and say 'Things just aren't happening.'". Ultimately, the directors desired to portray Quasimodo with a younger voice different from the previous portrayals since "[Victor] Hugo described Quasimodo as 20". Additionally, Hulce was allowed to do his own singing after being asked to perform a demo recording of "Out There". Desiring a huskier voice different from the leading Disney heroines, Demi Moore was cast as Esmeralda, and met with Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz on singing. After several singing demos, the actress said "You'd better get someone else," according to Schwartz. New York City cabaret singer Heidi Mollenhauer was selected to provide the singing voice. For the role of Phoebus, co-director Kirk Wise explained that "As we're designing the characters, we form a short list of names...to help us find the personality of the character." Subsequently, the filmmakers modeled his portrayal on the personalities of Errol Flynn and John Wayne, and "One of the names on the top of the list all the time was Kevin Kline." British actor Tony Jay, who declared his role as Frollo as his "bid for immortality", was cast after the directors worked with him in Beauty and the Beast. After watching his portrayal as Uncle Ernie in the musical The Who's Tommy, Broadway actor Paul Kandel was selected to voice Clopin.
===Animation===
Alongside Pocahontas, storyboard work on The Hunchback of the Notre Dame was among the first to be produced for an animated film on the new Disney Feature Animation building adjacent to the main Disney lot in Burbank, which was dedicated in 1995. However, as the Feature Animation building was occupied with The Lion King and Pocahontas at the time, more animators were hired from Canada and United Kingdom to join the production team for Hunchback, and as the development phase furthered along, most of the entire animation team was moved out into a large warehouse facility on Airway in Glendale, California. As the Disney story artists, layout crew, and animators moved in their new quarters, they decided to name the building "Sanctuary."
Since Who Framed Roger Rabbit, other animators hired by Disney Feature Animation were from Germany, France, Ireland, and additional ones from Canada were involved in providing animation duties at the recently opened satellite studio, Walt Disney Animation Paris, of which about 20 percent of the film was done. Meanwhile, while Walt Disney Feature Animation Florida was prepping their first in-house production then titled The Legend of Mulan, at least seven animators penned about four minutes of screentime, mostly involving Frollo and Quasimodo. Layout, cleanup, and special-effects artists provided additional support.
To achieve large-scale crowd scenes, particularly for the Feast of Fools sequence and the film's climax, computer animation was used to create six types of characters - males and females either average in weight, fat, or thin - which were programmed and assigned 72 specific movements ranging from jumping and clapping. Digital technology also provided a visual sweep that freed Quasimodo to scamper around the cathedral and soar around the plaza to rescue Esmeralda.
===Music===
The film's soundtrack includes a musical score written by Alan Menken and songs written by Menken and Stephen Schwartz. Songs include "The Bells of Notre Dame" for Clopin, "Out There" for Quasimodo and Frollo, "Topsy Turvy" also for Clopin, "God Help the Outcasts" for Esmeralda, "Heaven's Light" for Quasimodo, "Hellfire" for Frollo, "A Guy Like You" for the gargoyles, and "The Court of Miracles" for Clopin and the Roma.
Three songs written for the film were discarded during the storyboarding process and not used: "In a Place of Miracles", "As Long As There's a Moon", and "Someday", a candidate to replace "God Help the Outcasts". Though not included in the body of the film, "Someday" is heard over the end credits, performed by R&B group All-4-One in the North American English release, and Eternal in the British English version. Luis Miguel recorded the version for the Latin American Spanish version, which became a major hit in Mexico.
==Release==
In 1994, the film was scheduled for a Christmas 1995 release, though the film was reportedly delayed following the departure of Jeffrey Katzenberg from the Walt Disney Company. By January 1995, it was later pushed back to a summer 1996 release. The film premiered on June 19, 1996, at the New Orleans Superdome, where it was played on six enormous screens. The premiere was preceded by a parade through the French Quarter, beginning at Jackson Square and utilizing floats and cast members from Walt Disney World. The film was widely released two days later.
===Marketing===
As part of the film's promotion, Walt Disney Records shipped two million products, including sing-along home videos, soundtrack CDs, and the "My First Read Along" novelized version of the film, aimed at a toddler demographic. Upon release, The Hunchback of Notre Dame was accompanied by a marketing campaign at more than $40 million with commercial tie-ins with Burger King, Payless Shoes, Nestle, and Mattel. By 1997, Disney earned approximately $500 million in profit with the spin-off products based on the film.
===Box office===
In its opening weekend, the film opened in second place at the box office behind Eraser, grossing $21.3 million. In a new box office strategy, Disney also included ticket sales which were sold from Disney stores nationwide, which added about $1 million to the box-office numbers. However, in comparison to Pocahontas, which had grossed $29 million the previous year, Buena Vista Pictures Distribution president Dick Cook defended the results claiming it was comparable to Beauty and the Beast, which opened in half as many theaters and grossed about $9 million. In foreign markets, by December 1996, the film became the fifteenth film that year to gross over $100 million surpassing the domestic box office gross and went on to accumulate $200 million. The film would ultimately gross just over $100 million domestically and over $325 million worldwide, making it the fifth highest grossing film of 1996, between Independence Day, Twister, Mission: Impossible, The Rock, and 101 Dalmatians.
===Critical response===
Review aggregator website gave the film a 73% positive rating based on 51 reviews with its consensus stating, "Disney's take on the Victor Hugo classic is dramatically uneven, but its strong visuals, dark themes, and message of tolerance make for a more-sophisticated-than-average children's film." Chicago Sun-Times film critic Roger Ebert rewarded the film 4 stars, calling it "the best Disney animated feature since Beauty and the Beast – a whirling, uplifting, thrilling story with a heart-touching message that emerges from the comedy and song". In his written review for the Chicago Tribune, Gene Siskel awarded the film 3½ (out of a possible 4) stars describing the film as "a surprisingly emotional, simplified version of the Victor Hugo novel" with "effective songs and, yes, tasteful bits of humor". Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly graded the film an A in his review and labeled it: "the best of Disney's 'serious' animated features in the multiplex era, (...) an emotionally rounded fairy tale that balances darkness and sentimentality, pathos and triumph, with uncanny grace".
Richard Corliss of Time praised the film, giving a positive review and stating that "the result is a grand cartoon cathedral, teeming with gargoyles and treachery, hopeless love and tortured lust" and also said, "Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz have written the largest, most imposing score yet for an animated film". Charles Spencer of The Daily Telegraph gave it a positive review, saying, "it is thrillingly dramatic, and for long stretches, you forget you are watching a cartoon at all... A dazzling treat". Variety also gave the film a positive review, stating that "there is much to admire in Hunchback, not least the risk of doing such a downer of a story at all" and also saying: "the new film should further secure Disney's dominance in animation, and connoisseurs of the genre, old and young, will have plenty to savor".
Also addressing the film's darker themes, The Daily Mail called The Hunchback of Notre Dame "Disney's darkest picture, with a pervading atmosphere of racial tension, religious bigotry, and mob hysteria" and "the best version yet of Hugo's novel, a cartoon masterpiece, and one of the great movie musicals". Janet Maslin wrote in her The New York Times review, "In a film that bears conspicuous, eager resemblances to other recent Disney hits, the filmmakers' Herculean work is overshadowed by a Sisyphean problem. There's just no way to delight children with a feel-good version of this story."
Upon opening in France in March 1997, reception from French critics towards Hunchback was reported to be "glowing, largely positive". French critics and audience even found resonance in the film when it mirrored a real-life incident from August 1995 where French police stormed a Parisian church and took away more than 200 illegal immigrants who were seeking sanctuary from deportation. "It is difficult not to think of the undocumented immigrants of St. Bernard when Frollo tries to sweep out the rabble," wrote one reviewer.
==Awards==
*BMI
**BMI Film Music Award (Won)
*Satellite Awards
**Best Animated or Mixed Media Feature (Won)
*Oscar 
**Best Original Score by Alan Menken (Nominated, lost against Emma)
*Golden Globes
**Best Original Score (Nominated, lost against The English Patient)
*Young Artist Award 
**Best Family Feature Film - Animation (Nominated, lost against James and the Giant Peach)
The film currently stands with a 80% "fresh" rating at Rottentomatoes.com, with a 60% "fresh" rating by established critics (the "Cream of the Crop").
==Allusions==
*Belle, Magic Carpet, and Pumbaa appear during the song "Out There".
*When Esmeralda is looking at Quasimodo's model of Paris, she notices a sculpture of the town baker - the same baker who appears in Beauty and the Beast.
==Home video==
The Hunchback of Notre Dame was first issued on VHS, standard CLV Laserdisc, and special edition CAV Laserdisc on March 4, 1997, under the Walt Disney Masterpiece Collection label. It was then re-issued on March 19, 2002, on DVD and VHS, along with its direct-to-video sequel, The Hunchback of Notre Dame II. A Blu-ray version of the film was released on March 12, 2013, along with Mulan and Brother Bear.
==Other media==
===Adaptations===
Disney Comic Hits #11, published by Marvel Comics, features two stories based upon the film.
Disney-MGM Studios had a stage show based on the film from 1996 to 2002. It was located in The Backlot Theatre in the New York Street section of the theme park (now called Streets of America). After the show's closing, and part of the re-theming of the area, a mural of a San Francisco street went up to block off the view of the theater's vacant interior. Recently, The Backlot Theatre underwent a major renovation to enclose it. No new attraction for the location has been announced, although it is often used during special events.
The film was adapted into a darker, more Gothic musical production, re-written and directed by James Lapine and produced by the Disney theatrical branch, in Berlin, Germany. The musical Der Glöckner von Notre Dame (translated in English as The Bellringer of Notre Dame) was very successful and played from 1999 to 2002, before closing. A cast recording was also recorded in German.
Years later, from 2014-2015, a North American production that kept the story closer to the book was opened to very positive reviews in the La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego and the Paper Mill Playhouse in New Jersey before closing. A cast recording released on January 22, 2016 sparked a renewed interest in the show, and fans on Change.org called for a Broadway transfer. However, Schwartz commented on the matter in an interview with Playbill.com, saying that the show was designed specifically for amateur theaters and will not move to Broadway. (Interestingly enough, in that same interview, Schwartz, who is also the creator of Broadway, such hits as Wicked, Pippin, and Godspell, comically added that his two favorite shows that he's ever done, Hunchback and Children of Eden, have not been put on Broadway.) Rather, it will be available for licensing with Music Theatre International, the company that currently licenses all Disney theatrical productions 
Currently, the North American version of the show is available for licensing with Musical Theatre International.
===Sequel===
In 2002, a direct-to-video sequel, The Hunchback of Notre Dame II, was released on VHS and DVD. The plot focuses once again on Quasimodo as he continues to ring the bells now with the help of Zephyr, Esmeralda, and Phoebus' son. He also meets and falls in love with a new girl named Madellaine who has come to Paris with her evil circus master, Sarousch.
Quasimodo, Esmeralda, Victor, Hugo, Laverne, and Frollo all made guest appearances on the Disney Channel TV series House of Mouse. Frollo also be can seen amongst a crowd of Disney Villains in Mickey's House of Villains.
===Video games===
In 1996, to tie in with the original theatrical release, The Hunchback of Notre Dame: Topsy Turvy Games was released by Disney Interactive for the PC and the Nintendo Game Boy, which is a collection of mini-games based around the Festival of Fools that includes a variation of Balloon Fight.
A world based on The Hunchback of Notre Dame, La Cité des Cloches (The City of Bells), made its debut appearance in the Kingdom Hearts series in Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance. It was the first new Disney world confirmed for the game. All of the main characters except Clopin and the Archdeacon appear.
==Gallery==
==Videos==
The Hunchback of Notre Dame - 1995 Teaser Trailer|1995 Teaser Trailer
The Hunchback of Notre Dame - Sneak Peek -1 (February 28, 1996)|1995 Sneak Peek Trailer 1
The Hunchback of Notre Dame - Sneak Peek -2 (April 24, 1996)|1996 Sneak Peek Trailer 2
The Hunchback of Notre Dame - 1997 VHS Trailer|1997 Home Video Trailer
The Hunchback of Notre Dame - 2002 DVD-VHS Trailer|2002 Trailer
==Trivia==
*This is the second of three Disney films in which Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz collaborated, the first being Pocahontas and the third being Enchanted.
*The Hunchback of Notre Dame was the first Disney animated film to contain a production budget around $100 million dollars at the time, until Tarzan three years later.
*Belle also makes a cameo appearance in the film. During the song Out There, Belle is seen walking through the streets reading her book, which would make some believe that both films take place at the same time. However, this is clearly impossible, based on the fashions, technology, and politics seen in Beauty and the Beast, which placed her film in the latter half of the 18th century, pre-revolutionary (pre-1789) France. Glen Keane confirmed that Belle's cameo in the film was not canonical. However, both time periods are similar in the fact that married women were viewed not as equal human beings under God (and the law of today), but as personal property and as obedient, servile slaves to their husbands that (in some extreme cases) can be bought and sold like any purchase (Gaston's behavior towards Belle and all women in his village is a testament to this, and Claude Frollo exudes a similar treatment to Esmeralda in the film as well).
**Coincidentally, both Beauty and the Beast and this film are directed by both Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise.
*According to the song "Topsy Turvy", the story takes place during and after the 6th of January. However, there is no sign in the atmosphere that it is winter.
*This was the first Walt Disney Animation Studios film to include a post-credits scene.
**It was also the second Disney animated film in general to do so after James and the Giant Peach (released two months earlier).
*Many Disney fans have considered this film to be one of Disney's darkest films due to the subjects tackled in the film including racism and harassment.
*An original pitch for the movie portrayed Phoebus as a more Gaston-like figure, described as a "log-headed" soldier, while Quasimodo was a poet and the focus was on a love story between him and Esmeralda. This changed after Tab Murphy took over as the writer. After a few months of working on the project, Murphy decided that Quasimodo's story should focus more on earning the acceptance of the people and incorporate more themes from the actual novel.
*At several points, Disney executives pushed for an ending where Quasimodo and Esmeralda end up together. This was due to negative test audience reactions to the endings of early cuts of the movie, with some finding the depiction of Quasimodo's inability to win Esmeralda's affection too upsetting and pessimistic, despite the "inner beauty" theme. However, the writers struggled to maintain this idea, as they felt it might overshadow Quasimodo's actual arc of being accepted by the people and overcoming Frollo's influence. They were concerned that defining Quasimodo's worth by having him achieve a romantic relationship would undermine his journey. After many rewrites, a compromise was proposed: Esmeralda would choose Quasimodo over Phoebus temporarily, acknowledging his heroism. However, Quasimodo would ultimately realize that he loves Esmeralda only as a friend and would step aside, allowing her to be with Phoebus. This resolution was designed to feel like Quasimodo's own decision and to show that he was capable of "getting the girl" if he truly wanted to. Additionally, the romance between Esmeralda and Phoebus was edited down in the final third of the film. Their love song, Phoebus' participation in the final battle with Frollo, and a wedding subplot were removed, as test audiences felt too sympathetic toward Quasimodo to appreciate the romantic moments between the two lovers. Some viewers even found the characters unlikable for not recognizing Quasimodo's true feelings. To address this, a scene was added where Phoebus acknowledges Quasimodo's feelings for Esmeralda and gives him credit, demonstrating that Phoebus sees Quasimodo as his equal and is willing to step aside for his sake, ensuring that the bell-ringer isn't "short-changed" in any way as far his happy ending.
*The filmmakers briefly considered having Quasimodo killed off, since that is his fate in the original novel. He was originally supposed to be stabbed by Frollo, then Esmeralda regains consciousness and tries to save him by killing Frollo. Phoebus was then supposed to meet up with them, and Quasimodo's last wish was to ring the bells one last time. They take him to the bells, then Esmeralda and Phoebus help him ring the bells as he dies. The final shot was going to include Esmeralda and Phoebus crying over their best friend as the people of Paris cheer for their success, unaware of Quasimodo's death. However, the film's head writer Tab Murphy claims this information is only a rumor, as from day one Disney made a rule that the movie must have a "happy ending," and killing Quasimodo or Esmeralda was never on the table.
*The filmmakers originally wanted Esmeralda to kill Judge Frollo in order to save Quasimodo. Esmeralda would've jumped onto the ledge then grabbed Quasimodo's hand. Judge Frollo would've attempted to kill Quasimodo with his sword then Esmeralda would've kicked Judge Frollo off the cathedral, causing Frollo to fall to his death. This idea was ultimately abandoned, as having a heroine kill the villain was considered improper in a family film and may have gotten the film a PG-13 rating. Though their fears were arguably unfounded, as the heroine of Disney's 1998 animated feature does kill her film's villain, and that movie was also rated G.
*This film was released the same year Doctor Who star Jon Pertwee passed away. His family stated that he had seen every other Disney film during his lifetime and they ended up crying halfway through God Help the Outcasts because of his death and how sad the song was.
*This is the first Disney animated film where the male lead (Quasimodo) and female lead (Esmeralda) do not end up together, as in this case the female lead ends up with someone else (Phoebus).
*In 2019, a live-action adaptation was reported to be in the works under the title Hunchback. However, similar to the rejection of Pocahontas, Alan Menken suggested in May, 2023 that further development had stalled and concluded that "it sits in this limbo right now".
*This is the first film under the Walt Disney Pictures banner to have some movie posters with the company url Disney.com at the bottoms.
==References==
==External links==
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<tabber>
|-|The Hunchback of Notre Dame=
|-|Disney theatrical animated features=
</tabber>
ar:أحدب نوتردام
da:Klokkeren fra Notre Dame
es:El Jorobado de Notre Dame
fi:Notre Damen kellonsoittaja
fr:Le Bossu de Notre-Dame
it:Il gobbo di Notre Dame
ja:ノートルダムの鐘
nl:De Klokkenluider van de Notre Dame
no:Ringeren i Notre Dame
pl:Dzwonnik z Notre Dame
pt-br:O Corcunda de Notre Dame
ro:Cocoșatul de la Notre-Dame
ru:Горбун из Нотр Дама
zh:钟楼怪人
Category:Disney animated features canon
Category:1996 films
Category:Disney films
Category:Films based on books
Category:Animated films
Category:Disney Renaissance
Category:The Hunchback Of Notre Dame
Category:Traditionally Animated Films
Category:G-rated films
Category:Disney Dreams!
Category:Academy Award nominated films