The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996 movie) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Hunchback of Notre Dame |
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North American release poster, designed by John Alvin
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| Directed by | Gary Trousdale Kirk Wise |
| Produced by | Don Hahn |
| Written by | Tab Murphy Irene Mecchi Bob Tzudiker Noni White Jonathan Roberts |
| Starring | |
| Music by | Alan Menken David Newman |
| Editing by | Ellen Keneshea |
| Studio | Walt Disney Pictures Walt Disney Feature Animation |
| Distributed by | Buena Vista Pictures |
| Release date(s) | June 21, 1996 |
| Running time | 91 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $100 million |
| Money made | $325.3 million |
The Hunchback of Notre Dame is a 1996 American animated musical drama movie. It is based on a famous book by Victor Hugo called The Hunchback of Notre-Dame. This movie was made by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It is the 34th animated movie from Disney.
The story is about a kind young man named Quasimodo. He is the bell-ringer of the big Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. Quasimodo looks different from others, and the movie shows his journey to find acceptance and friendship.
Kirk Wise and Gary Trousdale directed the movie, and Don Hahn produced it. The voices of the characters were done by actors like Tom Hulce, Demi Moore, Tony Jay, Kevin Kline, Paul Kandel, Jason Alexander, Charles Kimbrough, David Ogden Stiers, and Mary Wickes. This was Mary Wickes' last movie role. The movie was made during a special time for Disney, known as the Disney Renaissance.
The music for the movie was created by Alan Menken. The songs were written by Menken and Stephen Schwartz. They had worked together before on the movie Pocahontas.
The Hunchback of Notre Dame came out on June 21, 1996. Most people really liked it, and it made a lot of money, over $325 million worldwide. It was the fifth highest-earning movie of 1996. The movie's music was even nominated for important awards, like an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award. Later, a stage show based on the movie was created. It ran in Berlin, Germany from 1999 to 2002. A sequel movie, The Hunchback of Notre Dame II, was released in 2002.
Contents
Plot Summary
Quasimodo's Early Life
The story begins in Paris in 1482. A Gypsy puppeteer named Clopin (Paul Kandel) tells children how the hunchback came to be. Twenty years earlier, a group of Gypsies were attacked by Judge Claude Frollo (Tony Jay). He was a powerful but cruel Justice Minister. Frollo chased a woman to Notre Dame Cathedral, thinking she had stolen things. He caused her death, only to find out her "stolen goods" were actually her baby, who was born with a different appearance.
Frollo tried to harm the baby, but the archdeacon stopped him. The archdeacon told Frollo he must care for the child to make up for his actions. Frollo agreed and raised the child inside the cathedral. He named the boy Quasimodo.
The Feast of Fools
Twenty years later, Quasimodo (Tom Hulce) has grown up. He is kind-hearted but has lived his whole life alone inside the cathedral. His only friends are three talking gargoyles: Victor (Charles Kimbrough), Hugo (Jason Alexander), and Laverne (Mary Wickes). They encourage him to go to the annual Feast of Fools festival.
Frollo tries to stop Quasimodo from going, saying people will make fun of him because of how he looks. But Quasimodo goes anyway. At the festival, people are amazed by his appearance at first. However, Frollo's guards soon start a riot, and Quasimodo is humiliated. Frollo does nothing to help him.
A kind Gypsy dancer named Esmeralda (Demi Moore) helps Quasimodo escape. She uses her cleverness to get away from the guards. Frollo then confronts Quasimodo, and Quasimodo returns to the cathedral.
Esmeralda and Phoebus
Esmeralda follows Quasimodo into the cathedral. She is followed by Phoebus (Kevin Kline), the captain of the guard. Phoebus refuses to arrest Esmeralda, so she is kept inside the cathedral. Esmeralda finds Quasimodo, and they become friends. To thank her for saving him, Quasimodo helps her escape the cathedral. Esmeralda gives him a special pendant with a map to the Court of Miracles, where the Gypsies live.
Frollo becomes obsessed with finding Esmeralda. He starts a big search for her, arresting Gypsies and burning down houses. Phoebus tries to stop Frollo from burning an innocent family's home. Because of this, Frollo orders Phoebus to be killed. Phoebus is hit by an arrow and falls into the river. Esmeralda rescues him and takes him to the cathedral for safety.
The gargoyles encourage Quasimodo to tell Esmeralda how he feels about her. But Quasimodo is sad to find out that Esmeralda has feelings for Phoebus.
The Final Battle
Later that night, Frollo returns and discovers Esmeralda has escaped again. He tricks Quasimodo into thinking he knows where the Gypsies are hiding and plans to attack them. Using Esmeralda's map, Quasimodo and Phoebus go to the Court of Miracles to warn the Gypsies. However, Frollo follows them and captures all the Gypsies.
Frollo prepares to harm Esmeralda after she refuses him. But Quasimodo bravely saves her and brings her into the cathedral. Phoebus frees the Gypsies and gathers the people of Paris to fight Frollo and his men, who are trying to break into the cathedral.
Quasimodo and the gargoyles pour hot, melted metal into the streets to stop Frollo's men. Frollo manages to sneak inside and chases Quasimodo and Esmeralda onto a balcony. There, Frollo tells Quasimodo that he was the one who caused his mother's death. Frollo then falls to his own death into the hot metal below.
Phoebus saves Quasimodo. Quasimodo then gives his blessing to Esmeralda and Phoebus, and they start a relationship. Finally, Quasimodo is accepted by the people of Paris, who celebrate him as a hero.
Images for kids
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Animation work on The Hunchback of Notre Dame was partially done at 1400 Air Way in Glendale, California. This was one of several places where Walt Disney Feature Animation worked.
See also
In Spanish: El jorobado de Notre Dame (película de 1996) para niños
