The Hunchback (1997)

Sorry, this movie sucks

It was OK. I don't see why everyone loves it so much. It wasn't very smart or deep or well-directed.

There is just so much movie here. For some it may be too much. But in the same secretly sarcastic way most telemarketers say the phrase, the title of this one is particularly apt.

The movie really just wants to entertain people.

It is not the best film regarding Hugo,s popular novel but it is watchable mainly for Richard Harris performance ....by the way he really looks like Nosferatou minus the pointed ears abd nails

This version of the Victor Hugo story was good as a whole. Quasimodo wasn't particularly ugly, and it was amazing that he had read so much. Esmeralda was sweet, and it was no wonder she rejected Frollo since he looked very old and was far from attractive. However, at the beginning he really wanted to protect Quasimodo.I was surprised that the art of printing books was so important in the film. It was incredible that Frollo was even ready to kill the King's minister rather than to let the people have books!The public humiliation of Quasimodo and Esmeralda was shocking. It was touching that Esmeralda tried to appeal the King for the bellringer. I was very delighted that those two became friends, and again, it deeply touched me to hear Quasimodo talk about his appearance.I had never before seen a version in which Quasimodo addressed Frollo as his father. He wanted to get him to confess his crime, but still, he tried to save him from death. And he was even strong enough to defy his guardian when he said: "You are a freak."At the end, it was touching to see Esmeralda ring the bells for Quasimodo - at least, he was happy at the moment of his death.

Harris is intense and frightening as dom claude an expert actor who knows his trade very well. Patinkin is very sympathetic and hayak looks good but offers little emotion. a decent film but the 1982 derek jacobi version explored characterization much better.

Technically this movie sounds a bit of a dud. Terribly understated, little to no character development (even the Disney version had more if only just), dodgy make up even though Mandy Patinkin still manages to give an exeptionally sympathetic portrayal of Quasimodo, showing him as the man more than the monster. Some of the scenes remembered from the classic were downplayed where a little spectacle wouldn't have hurt. Most of the performances are 1 dimensional but the 3 main characters are good, Richard Harris is quite menacing as Dom Frollo. Direction is a bit sad in a lot of places giving the feel that the director just wanted to get the scene out of the way and move onto the next one. But despite all these flaws it's still pretty good. You really feel something for Quasimodo, all that he's been through, and the characterisation of him as a man rather than a monstrosity makes you all the more sympathetic. Worth Seeing....