Disney Schmaltz
One of the fun things about having a toddler (and a Netflicks subscription) is revisiting all the old Disney animated films one by one. The early ones are really awful. I guess Snow White and Sleeping Beauty are okay, but Alice in Wonderland and Pinocchio are disturbing, Dumbo is about humiliation and violence, Bambi is of course about the death of both parents and romantic rivals, and Peter Pan is the most awfully sexist, racist movie ever.
But there's a whole series of movies from the Disney golden years, which was when I was in late middle school and high school. Beauties like Aladdin, The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast and Pocahontas. Then there's today's special: The Hunchback of Notre Dame, which was largely unappreciated.
It doesn't hurt that it's set in my favorite place on earth, and that the animators did months of on-site research and managed to capture the beauty of the cathedral in amazing ways. It doesn't hurt that the story was written by a Master of prose (adapted to be all happy and Disney, but still not ruined), and so we get rich characters and plot development. A non-love-story story. Love of religion but corrupt members of it. Victor Hugo must have loved his priest very much, because, as in Les Miserables the clergyman in Hunchback is generous and loving, if not powerful. We get, like Javert, one of the best bad guys ever in Frollo. A tortured man, wrapped in his own power and lust and convincing himself that his false righteousness is what matters at all costs. But what is it about Hugo's work that lends itself to fantastic music?
Because that's where this film soars: the music. Now I'm not a music person, and 2ndavemusic could describe the technicality of what resonates here much better than I could. But still I'll try.
Tom Hulce's voice is amazing. There couldn't be a better casting decision. The narrator is pretty good too.
The first second thing (after hulce) I love about the music is the way the main theme is incorporated through the score and in almost every song, so that each can be set against the steady ring of the bells. The second is the weaving in of sacred music with the newly written stuff, the parts of the old Latin Mass. wow. The contrast between Quasimodo's innocent crush in "Heaven's Light" directly into Frollo's lust in "Hell Fire" (with its mea culpas), the only transition being the main theme phrase over the ringing of the bells, and a couple of lines of the vespers. And let's not forget the lyrics. I honestly think that "God Help the Outcasts" is the most unappreciated genius ever to come out of the Schwartz/Menken dream team. Again with the contrast in both lyric and music between the steady, empty prayers of the "faithful" regulars (I ask for wealth, I ask for fame/ I ask for glory to shine on my name) and Esmerelda's heartfelt pleas: "I ask for nothing; I can get by/ but I know so many less lucky than I./ Please help my people, the poor and downtrod/ I thought we all were the children of God." And have I mentioned the music? The climactic scene when Quasi carries Esmerelda up the side of the cathedral moves me to tears every time with the sheer swell of the music. Gloria!
There's a bunch of newer pixar movies that are excellent too, but I've already carried on about Meet the Robinsons and I've written too long to go into the wonder that is Finding Nemo. Besides, that climax scene is coming up, so I have to go.
But there's a whole series of movies from the Disney golden years, which was when I was in late middle school and high school. Beauties like Aladdin, The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast and Pocahontas. Then there's today's special: The Hunchback of Notre Dame, which was largely unappreciated.
It doesn't hurt that it's set in my favorite place on earth, and that the animators did months of on-site research and managed to capture the beauty of the cathedral in amazing ways. It doesn't hurt that the story was written by a Master of prose (adapted to be all happy and Disney, but still not ruined), and so we get rich characters and plot development. A non-love-story story. Love of religion but corrupt members of it. Victor Hugo must have loved his priest very much, because, as in Les Miserables the clergyman in Hunchback is generous and loving, if not powerful. We get, like Javert, one of the best bad guys ever in Frollo. A tortured man, wrapped in his own power and lust and convincing himself that his false righteousness is what matters at all costs. But what is it about Hugo's work that lends itself to fantastic music?
Because that's where this film soars: the music. Now I'm not a music person, and 2ndavemusic could describe the technicality of what resonates here much better than I could. But still I'll try.
Tom Hulce's voice is amazing. There couldn't be a better casting decision. The narrator is pretty good too.
The first second thing (after hulce) I love about the music is the way the main theme is incorporated through the score and in almost every song, so that each can be set against the steady ring of the bells. The second is the weaving in of sacred music with the newly written stuff, the parts of the old Latin Mass. wow. The contrast between Quasimodo's innocent crush in "Heaven's Light" directly into Frollo's lust in "Hell Fire" (with its mea culpas), the only transition being the main theme phrase over the ringing of the bells, and a couple of lines of the vespers. And let's not forget the lyrics. I honestly think that "God Help the Outcasts" is the most unappreciated genius ever to come out of the Schwartz/Menken dream team. Again with the contrast in both lyric and music between the steady, empty prayers of the "faithful" regulars (I ask for wealth, I ask for fame/ I ask for glory to shine on my name) and Esmerelda's heartfelt pleas: "I ask for nothing; I can get by/ but I know so many less lucky than I./ Please help my people, the poor and downtrod/ I thought we all were the children of God." And have I mentioned the music? The climactic scene when Quasi carries Esmerelda up the side of the cathedral moves me to tears every time with the sheer swell of the music. Gloria!
There's a bunch of newer pixar movies that are excellent too, but I've already carried on about Meet the Robinsons and I've written too long to go into the wonder that is Finding Nemo. Besides, that climax scene is coming up, so I have to go.