The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)

What’s the Story?

When Judge Frollo (Tony Jay) discovers a group of gypsy castaways, he attempts to imprison them, and is left holding a baby in the shadow of Notre Dame Cathedral. Noticing that the child is deformed, he starts to throw him down a well, but is stopped by a priest and told to care for the child instead. So the child Quasimodo (Tom Hulce) is brought into a place of sanctuary and confinement, becoming the bell ringer of the great cathedral. As he grows, he longs to be in the world for one day and gets his wish suddenly only to learn how cruel the world can be. Lucky for Quasimodo that he meets the gypsy Esmeralda (Demi Moore), who befriends him and saves him from utter shame. Their paths become entwined and their stories of surviving as outcasts serve as a touching theme.

Is It Any Good?

Disney's recreation of Victor Hugo's novel is rich in visual and musical sensation. But deeper beneath the rich production lies questions about normalcy, how sanctuary confines us as well as protects us, and what punishment is.

Some younger children might be frightened by Frollo's intensity. With his crusade against the gypsies and simultaneous lecherous pursuit of Esmeralda, he is a formidable and contemptible villain. But Tom Hulce's performance is so lovely that it makes the darker aspects of this tale incredibly human. Along for comic relief, Jason Alexander of Seinfeld fame leads a trio of gargoyles, whose quick banter is fun, but can be a little grotesque.