Film Review

FILM REVIEW: The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1982)

The Hunchback of Notre Dame is a movie based on the book "Notre Dame de Paris" written by the well known French author Victor Hugo in 1831. Though there are many versions of this movie, including ones made in the early days of film and those in the cartoon genre, however, this movie was made in 1982. The story begins in the old city of Paris in 1482. The Hunchback of Notre Dame is a story of an orphaned infant, who is seen by the women of the church as a monster possessed by the devil. This monster was then adopted by Claude Frollo, a monk who then names this infant, Quasimodo. The movie continues twenty five years later after Quasimodo has grown up. It is a story of the beautiful gypsy Esmeralda and Quasimodo the deaf, deformed, hunchback who ring the bells of Notre Dame. Quasimodo is in love with Esmerelda. However, Claude Frollo, the evil archdeacon has a great deal of passion for Esmeralda. But, Esmeralda is in love with Captain Phoebus, the captain of the royal army. As the story unfolds, Frollo stabs the captain in the back and Esmeralda is accused in his death. Quasimodo attempts to keep Esmeralda safe in the bell tower from the government and the evil archdeacon Frollo. Unfortunately, Frollo finds her only to be rejected. Frollo then denies her sanctuary at Notre Dame leaving her fate to that of the executioners. Then one night, the rest of the gypsies wanted to free Esmeralda, so they attempted to break down the doors of Notre Dame in hopes of setting her free. However, Quasimodo thought they were trying to kill her and he began to throw wooden pillars, stones, and eventually pouring molten metal from the balcony of Notre Dame onto the gypsies below. Next the royal army comes to take Esmeralda away. Quasimodo led Esmeralda out a back way along with Gringoire who was married to Esmeralda earlier in the movie that led to the Place de Greve. Frollo then attempts to kill Quasimodo, but in return is killed by Quasimodo. As the authorities try to capture Quasimodo, he climbs over the edge of one of the balconies of Notre Dame and tries to hide from the royal army. To his demise, he grasps onto one of the many gargoyles, loses his grip, and plunges to his death. While this movie ends this way, other movies, and the original literary work have a different depiction of the end.

This movie being based off the novel written by Hugo, allows the viewers to see into the past not only the time when the story was written, but the time that the story depicts. Victor Hugo is an author who is concerned with historical accuracy and has written a historic novel. Hugo's story attempts to directly let the readers know the exact date that the novel begins, January 6, 1482. He also includes various quotes of Latin and Greek origin, to make his characters play the roles of medieval times. The theme of Gothic architecture was portrayed throughout the novel and the movie with the cathedral of Notre Dame, and the Gargoyles that are frequent reminders of this grand church and time.

This version of the Hunchback of Notre Dame allows viewers to look into the past by the many examples of historical accuracies present in this film. The Festival of Fools that takes place at the beginning of the film is one such example. Also know as a feast of fools, this was a popular event of medieval Europe mainly in France but occurring in other countries such as Spain, Germany, and England. The festival of fools allowed townspeople to wear masks, disguises, and the chance to mock officials of the church. The gypsies are also a portrayal of an actual group of people who lived a nomadic lifestyle. The gypsies are stereotypically