The music was also fantastic, by the way, as was the cinematography (although those crowd scenes begin to look really fake after a while). During the entire movie, I was amazed and spellbound.

When Disney released this movie, which dealt with extremely heavy subject matter in an extremely tasteful manner, I jumped for joy.

I am 17 years old I grew up watching The Little Mermaid and Aladdin. later, we both ran frantically to go buy the CD and read the book (which, actually, was rather different than the movie, but hey.). Amid real-life donations and loving tributes to the cathedral, there's hope yet that kindness -and Notre Dame itself - can endure.Going into the theater to see this movie, my friend and I (who are 'cynical' teenage movie critics) honestly expected to be disappointed, especially after the relatively blah Pocahontas. Still, Notre Dame survived, as did Quasimodo, Esmeralda and the people of Paris. And there's the further irony that the character with the biggest moral compass is attacked on the steps of the place that's supposed to mirror everything she stands for. I don't think I ever thought twice about the scene before, but it was tough this time around not to see the heartbreaking parallel. Quasimodo fights back with fire and Notre Dame is engulfed in flames. In what has to be the darkest climax of a Disney movie to date, Frollo attempts to burn Esmeralda, whom he deemed a witch. View Gallery: Notre Dame: Explore stunning past of Paris cathedral year after fireĮsmeralda, who has nothing but still looks to help others, is a welcome reminder that kindness costs nothing and means everything. The cathedral itself has since served as an iconic reminder. My young self walked away from 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame' with an understanding that spirituality was about feeling connected to the rest of the world and treating people with kindness regardless of who they are. The score, done by Disney legend Alan Menken, is hauntingly beautiful, much like the cathedral itself. And Notre Dame takes on a character of its own in this adaptation. It's a sanctuary for the persecuted and a refuge for the misunderstood. Everything about it – from the story to the music to the stunning visuals – is a love letter to Notre Dame.Īnimators took great care to do the architecture justice, from the famous flying buttresses to the gorgeous stained glass windows. Re-watching Disney's 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame' helped me realize why.īased on Victor Hugo's 1831 novel, the 1996 animated musical centers on Quasimodo, a young man with a back deformity. Watch Video: Notre Dame fire: How did the cathedral fire spread so quickly?Īmid the news of yesterday's fire at the Notre Dame Cathedral, I found myself among the large group of people who felt profoundly affected by the tragedy, despite not identifying with any religion.

The hunchback of notre dame cathedral