MEOW!
Nostalgic Insights: Let's get this fact about myself out of the way: The only time I have ever been associated with Victor Hugo's novel of the same name is through the magic of the internet, where I have found out that the creative minds at Disney made several changes in order to appeal to the whole family. This time around, there's comic relief, obligatory musical numbers, and {SPOILER} a sort-of happy ending for our likable heroes! That didn't mean it was all peaches-and-pies, however. There were inevitable deaths, the imagery was darker than usual family fare, and some of the thematic elements would go over the heads of anyone under the age of ten.
And ya know what? I not only thought The Hunchback of Notre Dame was the best thing Disney has ever produced (yes, even more than The Lion King), but I also thought that it was one of my favorite movies of all-time, although that opinion formed when I was just about to finish sixth grade in...ugh...middle school. The animation popped out like it was intended for three dimensions, the characters were relatable even if the story wasn't entirely comprehensible, and the music...perfection. Without question, Alan Menken created a breathtaking score for this film, and along with Stephen Schwartz (who was also responsible for The Prince of Egypt, a film that will be reviewed later this month), they created some of the finest songs ever composed for a motion picture. I couldn't find one fault in the score, in general.
So, do I sing the bells of notre dame today, or do I throw this film into the heckfire?
Critical Insights: Can someone give me a brief, critical explanation as to why The Hunchback of Notre Dame is not a Broadway musical yet? With films like Newsies and, gosh, Bring It On getting the Broadway treatment, you'd expect a film like Hunchback to get its due already. But from what I hear, it'll possibly never get its due since it's a little too 'risque' for a family-friendly audience. Yes, because the Beast was meant to be a kind and gentle soul from the beginning of the story. The Lion King never dealt with themes such as death and lust; "The Madness of King Scar" is the equivalent of "Hellfire" in certain lyrics. Mary Poppins didn't send Miss Andrew to what seemed to be the depths of Hell, and in a life-size birdcage, no less. And that cute little mermaid certainly covered her entire body with seaweed in order to be age-appropriate for children. They aren't going to be sheltered like Quasimodo forever; they need to get, pun intended, out there and discover who they are before it's too late.
That said, The Hunchback of Notre Dame is a very dark and emotional film, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't get exhausted by the time the film was over. Even so, it's difficult creating an animated musical for families while remaining in tune with Hugo's themes. By jove, they pull it off B-E-A-utifully with breathtaking animation, mature thematic elements, and in my honest opinion, not only the finest score ever written for a Disney film, but one of the finest scores ever written for any film, period. This is one of Disney's greatest achievements--one that I'd even rank above Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King as the best film of the '90s Disney renaissance.
And what other Disney film opens with a chorus singing Epic Latin before the Disney logo appears? ZING!
Whenever you have Alan Menken composing a film score, especially one that was composed in the '90s, you have to prepare yourself for an emotional roller coaster. Whenever you have both Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz writing the songs together...well...in a way, it feels like "Kingda Ka" at Six Flags Great Adventure. You know that the ride is about to start, but when it does, it hits you in a way that will give you chills a couple of minutes afterwards, and then you want to ride it again and again and again. The songs in The Hunchback of Notre Dame is the equivalent of my description regarding "Kingda Ka." They're mighty. They're expansive. They all contain a certain amount of depth that'll leave you breathless. You may even find that "A Guy Like You," upon further observation, is not the traditional 'comic relief' song meant to make people happier; the lyrics in that song contain a bittersweet sense of confidence and realistic hope. They're also AWESOME. AWE. SOME. What I would give to hear "The Bells of Notre Dame" through the comfort of an epic sound system. No, scratch that, make that an IMAX sound system, with 18,000 watts of supreme surround sound. And might I remind you of how grander the epic latin choir would sound if that happened? Disney, MAKE IT SO!
And how AWESOME would it be to observe Notre Dame in its superbly drawn glory on an IMAX screen? Gosh, it's such a beautiful work of art in itself. But some scenes also stand out, with or without the cathedral to support them. When Quasimodo sings about how he wishes to be "Out There" with the 'ordinary people,' it's the perfect definition of breathtaking; his heart is about as open as how he perceives the outside world to be, and the animation executes that concept magnificently. So beautiful. Another pitch-perfect scene is when Esmeralda prays God to help out the outcasts; in that scene, there's a moment when she's walking through the candlesticks (it's more beautiful than it sounds), and each candle is different from each other. Again, so beautiful. In certain shots, it feels like an angel is either flying through the streets of Paris, or looking down on the "simple peasant-folk."
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Again. SO. BEAUTIFUL. GARSH.
Beautiful also describes the mature thematic elements scattered throughout this story. Now let it be known that had this film been created today, this would've received a PG rating for sure; heck, it would've been considered 'too inappropriate for children,' just like ParaNorman or Rango was when they were released into theaters. Personally, I think children of ANY age should watch Hunchback. Of course, they won't be able to see quite under the surface yet, but they will hopefully be able to see the good in Quasimodo, and they will easily be delighted by the Gargoyles' antics and optimism. A decade later, when they have grown up, they will have finally learned the complexities of what makes a monster and what makes a man. And of course, they would sing "The Bells of Notre Dame." If we're lucky.
Small nitpicks before concluding: The film sometimes overindulges in its darkness to the point of exhaustion, and for a film that was telling its story straight, was it really necessary to throw in a Wizard of Oz reference? Fly, my references, fly away!
Those nitpicks, however, are scars when looking at the overall brilliance that is The Hunchback of Notre Dame--a film that has still remained one of the best movie musicals I've ever seen, and one of my favorite films of all-time. When a team of dreamers come to work on a project like Hunchback, something special can be created, and let me tell you, oh reader, something special has been created. A beautiful work of art like this is hard to come by, and if you ever come across this, sit down and prepare to be wowed by what the wonders of sight and sound can do. Until then, a little message for you all:
Someday
Life will be fairer
Need will be rarer
Greed will not pay
God speed
This bright millennium
On its way
Let it come
Someday
Out of five gargoyles, I give The Hunchback of Notre Dame...
Until next time,
ONCE!
and MEOW, of course!
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