The Hunchback of Notre Dame

1996 • 90 minutes
4.5
845 reviews
71%
Tomatometer
G
Rating
Eligible
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About this movie

Inspired by Victor Hugo's classic novel, Disney brings the heroic adventures of Quasimodo, the gentle and lonely bell ringer of Notre Dame, to spectacular life. At the urging of his hilarious gargoyle pals Victor, Hugo, and Laverne, Quasimodo leaves the solitary safety of his tower, venturing out to find his first true friend, the gypsy beauty Esmerelda. The most unlikely of heroes, Quasi fights to save the people and the city he loves and, in turn, helps us to see people for who they are, rather than how they appear.
Rating
G

Ratings and reviews

4.5
845 reviews
Kyle Vansteelandt
January 12, 2022
From the producer (Don Hahn) and directors (Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise) who brought you "Beauty and the Beast," comes a another enchanting and compelling story that embraces the "not judging a book by it's cover" kind of moral, and is based on a French novel by Victor Hugo. They also made it as vastly entertaining and dark as "The Lion King" (albeit this film is suitable for ages eight and up), and it all starts with a dramatically gripping opening scene. "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" is a stirring, exhilarating, and hilarious animated masterpiece that contains mature yet compelling themes of Anti-Romani sentiment, Christianity, lust, determinism, and genocide. The Christianity here is used smartly and meticulously, and the determinism is ambitious due to how rich the emotional mood of the movie, especially the characters. What makes the movie so enjoyable is that it has a lot of heart, and it is nicely handled. The stupendous animation is the key to the movie's success; The backgrounds including the French gothic castle look absolutely gorgeous, and the character designs bring out the persuasive detail of these characterizations. Depending on the mood, the art direction by David Goetz emanates the dynamic use of the vivid colors, and not only that the cinematography has a grand sense of scale, but also an involving sense of drama. Not to mention that the animation has a swift and sharp sense of humor with effective timing. The execution of the movie's dynamic tone is well-utilized by the slick timing and the pitch, mostly for the hilarious comedy. The writing by Tad Murphey is brilliant with quick-witted dialogue from the characters; for instance: one scene where a Gispy talks about the miniscule body parts the describes an individual, adding unique depth to it's themes. The music teems with a robust soundtrack with an operatic quality to it, and I love every beautiful song in the soundtrack. Some of the singers can hold a note for a long time, even a high note. The lively and dramatic score is composed by Alan Menken. The characters are strongly considerable with excellent designs, miraculous detail, and flashy emotions that one could ever desire in an animated film by Disney. Quasimodo is a likable, sympathetic, and charming underdog with bold energy and a big heart. The gifted animators made an ugly underdog look handsome in a traditional Disney animation format. Esmeralda is a mature and intelligent Gipsy. The chemistry between Quasi and Esmeralda is delightfully sincere and so pleasant to watch. The Gargoyles are an oddly significant trio that are portrayed as silly comic-relief, and they are frequently amusing. They are also supportive role models as well. Djali the goat is one of the best supporting characters ever, and I adored him every time that he is on the screen. Captain Phoebus is full of surprises, especially for the fact that he has character development that he displayed. Claude Frollo is an ominous and brooding minister of justice who bares a grudge against all of the Gypsies, because he believes that Quasimodo's mother (who is a gypsy) is a heartless thief. When Quasi was a baby, Frollo raised him as his son, and treats him with protective care. Frollo relies on his manipulative tyranny that skillfully commands obedience, He even relies on burning fire, as well as any weapon that he uses. The engaging voice-acting contributes to the entertainment value. Tom Hulce is tender and dramatic as Quasimodo. Paul Kandel does a fine job as Clopin Troillefou. Charles Kimbrough, Jason Alexander, and Mary Wickes are amusing as the comical gargoyle trio. Bill Fagerbakke is so hilarious as the oafish guard. And of course, Tony Jay voices Frollo with his low baritone voice that sounds somber and threatening. In conclusion: For me, "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" is on par with some of my favorite Disney animated films like "The Black Cauldron," and "The Lion King." It is a wonderful piece of animated art; an emotionally dynamic romp that children and adults will enjoy immensely. Highly Recommended!
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Jeanette Schramm
July 29, 2016
Between the spine-chilling soundtrack and the beautiful artwork, this movie is a real charm lost to the years. It's often overshadowed by other, newer, more popular movies, but they can't hold a candle to the Hunchback. The storyline is driving, without any lulls during which to lose audiences (new or returning); the music is simple, yet deep; the characters are flawed in non-cliché ways, each of their flaws playing an important part in the story and resolving by the end of the film. There are moments of humor scattered throughout to keep the attention of children and parents alike, and there are some more subtle jokes hidden in the film for the adult crowd alone. Whether you're looking for a casual film to enjoy while you relax or if you're looking for a real cinematic treat, The Hunchback of Notre Dame is the place to find it.
72 people found this review helpful
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Miyah Sundermeyer
April 16, 2019
The age on here says that it's for the ages of 9-12 years. I think that's rubbish because this movie has a lot of themes that people 12 and up can began to grasp. For instant this movie goes into more depth about equal and civil rights. I grew up watching this movie and fell in love with it for the movie when I was in middle school for 1. The animation and its style 2. I always thought that Quasi was adorable as he was kind 3. The music is and the songs were well written
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