• DJ_JJSlider wrote his opinion about The Hunchback of Notre Dame
    6 years ago
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    Aside from the fact that this film changes the entire ending of Victor Hugo's book, blah blah blah, it's still an ambitious undertaking for a Disney musical. The score and the original songs are some of the best ever heard in a animated movie. Bette Midler sings one of the most magnificent performances of "God Bless the Outcasts." There's a brilliant All-4-One song that I just had to play on piano for a recital, because it's one of the only Disney songs written in an unusual 12/8 tempo. I also like how there's a gargoyle named Victor and another gargoyle named Hugo. Get it? Victor Hugo. Phshaw.
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    • Sandvich
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      Sandvich
      Editing … The good parts are so extraordinary, but why, WHY did they have to put in the terrible slapstick? Come on Disney, even after Pocahontas a "cut the cheese!" joke was beneath you. Beauty and the Beast (2017) basically killed any enthusiasm I had for live action Disney remakes, but if they HAVE to do them this would be a pretty good one to take another crack at. I mean goddamn, there are only a couple other moments in animated cinema that have ever given me chills like "SAAANTUUUAAARY!!!!" I would want at least a PG-13 rating though.
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    • MrZAP
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      MrZAP
      Editing … Not just the ending; it changes every single character and axes some important ones. I was in the unusual position of not seeing the movie until a couple years ago, shortly after reading the book, and it practically ruined it for me. The only thing that really saved the experience was the music.
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    • MrZAP
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      MrZAP
      Editing … If you haven't read the book, you should. The most fully-realized and immersive historical setting I've ever encountered in a work of literature with a great darkly comic tone. And Frollo is an even better villain/character.
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    • Sandvich
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      Sandvich
      Editing … Mandatory Viewing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIIWy3TZ1eI
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    • DJ_JJSlider
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      DJ_JJSlider
      Editing … I really feel bad, watching this thing just for the music. Yes, I've read the actual Victor Hugo book (not written by gargoyles). And I've seen parts of the real live action movie. And yeah, I cried. Anyways, everyone else can probably tell that I'm not a huge Disney fan. But I do love the Simba Cam idea...
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    • DJ_JJSlider
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      DJ_JJSlider
      Editing … Deleted by himself
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    • DJ_JJSlider
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      DJ_JJSlider
      Editing … Deleted by himself
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    • DJ_JJSlider
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      DJ_JJSlider
      Editing … Deleted by himself
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    • DJ_JJSlider
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      DJ_JJSlider
      Editing … Halfway through the book, I said to myself, "Whoa, Esmerelda..." Man, that was a dark ending. And I had to slog through Hugo's long, rambling chapter about the architecture of Paris. Personally, I think the actual city was better than anything. Unfortunately, I'd have to plan ahead just to climb up to see the bell tower, because that thing is huge.
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    • DJ_JJSlider
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      DJ_JJSlider
      Editing … In case anyone noticed, I'm a huge fanboy of Hunchback memorabilia and Notre Dame and...gothic stuff. I blame it on Dracula. And Castlevania and s**t. Everything is goth. Hot Topic, baby.
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    • MrZAP
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      MrZAP
      Editing … I am a Disney fan but Hunchback wasn't one of their best. I do think it's a hard novel to adapt into a Disney movie, though, and Lindsay's video (which is great) does bring up some aspects of book characterization- particularly concerning Esmeralda- that are somewhat problematic today. I give them credit for trying.
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    • MrZAP
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      MrZAP
      Editing … Dracula is a great book that suffers from the first hundred or so pages being so much more engrossing than the rest. Harker's story is great but it kind of loses the thread a little after.
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    • MrZAP
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      MrZAP
      Editing … Also, yeah, Hugo's, what, 30+ page rant on architecture does come out of nowhere but it's an interesting take on a lot of themes of the book, so I can live with it.
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