Who's ready for Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame?- Page 2

[hotjohn]

Posted: 7/18/11 at 6:21pm

p.s. The Disney World version of The Little Mermaid was way better than the Broadway one (and it was over in a half hour!)

[perfectlymarvelous]

Posted: 7/18/11 at 6:53pm

Hunchback is actually one of my favorite Disney movies, and it's one of their best film scores as well, all of that music is stunning. I'd love for the German production with the darker elements to come to Broadway, but I'm afraid they'd sanitize it and ruin it.

[Dennis-in-ct]

Posted: 7/18/11 at 9:44pm

Count me in as one who would be THRILLED to see this come to Broadway. I love the music. I also remember the Disney live stage show at the Florida Studios theme park.

Please please please come to Broadway.

[PopAria]

Posted: 8/13/11 at 12:06pm

What would it take to brink Hunchback to Bway?? It seems like everyone is in agreement.



@HotJohn The Little Mermaid at Hollywood Studios is actually 17 minutes long. They perform Part of Your World, Poor Unfortunate Souls (with a gigantic robotic Ursula) and Under The Sea (with neon puppet fish and blacklights.)

The rest of the story is told through fast forwarding the movie on stage. I used to think it was good when I was 8, too.

[rougeduck]

Posted: 8/13/11 at 12:12pm

The hunchback theme park show was genuinely good though. I liked how it was all live...like a real show.
Anyway, yeah once again with the bring Hunchback to Broadway by 2013 and stuff.

[Gypsy9]

Posted: 8/13/11 at 2:23pm

I suggest that all of the above posters get together and watch the fine 1939 film made in Hollywood, starring the brilliant Charles Laughton as Quasimodo, a gorgeous Maureen O'Hara as Esmeralda, and a scary Cedric Hardwicke as Frollo. The film was produced by the knowledgeable Pandro S. Berman for RKO, and directed by film noire specialist William Dieterle. Then the audience of BWW posters may see that the last word on THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME has already been made. I simply cannot imagine a Disney HUNCHBACK on Broadway, brilliant as the score may be. Some things should be left alone. (And I have to admit that the last Disney animated movie that I saw was the early 1950's ALICE IN WONDERLAND. As an adult, I will stick to the book by Lewis Carroll.)

[rougeduck]

Posted: 8/13/11 at 2:35pm

But the Hunchback musical DOES exist and it's brilliant. It's just a matter of are they bringing it to broadway.

[jovie27]

Posted: 8/13/11 at 2:38pm

Does anyone know if the German production has a recording or where I can hear an American version recording? I would love to hear this "beautiful" music everyone keeps talking about. :0

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 8/13/11 at 2:43pm

Yes please, just bring this show on alreadly. As for an english recording I have never come across one ( of the german production ).

[showchoirguy]

Posted: 8/13/11 at 2:56pm

Love the movie, from what I've seen and heard, I love! I think this could hit broadway soon enough

[socarrat]

Posted: 8/13/11 at 3:25pm

Gypsy, I have seen the Laughton/O'Hara version several times, and you're right. No question about it, it is the last word on film. But we're talking theater, and the living and breathing, James Lapine based production could have an exceptional and definitive say as well.

I'm hopeful that it's a matter of time before it hits Broadway, and that it will be the German version as planned. The live production should maintain the integrity of the story to preserve the impact. I can tolerate the kiddie stuff in the Disney movie version, but it would be a major turnoff, not to mention disappointment on stage.

[gvendo2005]

Posted: 8/13/11 at 8:32pm

My question is, the big instrumental dance for the gypsies in Act Two seems to be more of a trope of German theater than Broadway these days, and it wasn't even put in till late in the game -- the "Court of Miracles" number from the film was still in during NY rehearsals. What are the bets that that number will come back in whatever version comes to Broadway?

[Moneyspider]

Posted: 8/14/11 at 6:28pm

Basically, the Disney movie is gay coded. Even if the actor singing "Out There" wasn't gay, the song has a clear subtext. As does Hellfire. Yes, his focus is heterosexual but he still cones off as acloset case.

[rougeduck]

Posted: 8/14/11 at 6:38pm

Yup

[JohnPopa]

Posted: 8/14/11 at 6:49pm

I like the songs a great deal but think it's a saccharine adaptation of a really rough and powerful story.

[hyperbole_and_a_half]

Posted: 8/14/11 at 6:57pm

I once read a four thousand word blog post advocating a boycott of Disney's Hunchback of Notre Dame because it was thinly veiled propaganda for La Raza (allegedly).

I think the argument that Quasimodo should be added to the Disney Princess pantheon is even more ridiculous than that.

[staunchcharacter]

Posted: 8/14/11 at 9:07pm

I agree wholeheartedly with perfectlymarvelous. If it transfer, I hope they decide to keep it dark. If not, it would just be a usual disney romp.

[BwyLuvr]

Posted: 8/14/11 at 10:44pm

I am so ready. The orchestrations are beautiful. And,the story is even more relevant, now that bullying is publicly addressed, and differences and diversity celebrated.

Bring it on!

[Moneyspider]

Posted: 8/15/11 at 10:52am

hyperbole_and_a_half> the themes of Disney's hunchback are unmistakable. Interns of intention, though, theyre more about playing both sides of the divide. I also think it's ludicrous to say Quasi should be in the princess line but when I see something like this http://www.amazon.com/Mattel-High-School-Musical-Grad/dp/B001BJ9KDC/ref=pd_sim_t_2 resulting from market research...

[hyperbole_and_a_half]

Posted: 8/15/11 at 11:44am

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pareidolia

[DeNada]

Posted: 8/15/11 at 12:05pm

jovie, the German cast was recorded back in the 90s when the show premiered. You can get second hand copies off eBay or Amazon (where it looks like it's about $35 second hand?) - the album is unfortunately out of print as Stella went bust many years ago now.

My understanding is that the show is going to play in Holland in the next couple of years in a new production. I would guess that the success (or otherwise) of that will determine whether or not the show has a future life in other countries.

[PopAria]

Posted: 8/15/11 at 12:08pm

Diversity is the new Black.

Born This Way, anyone?


Hunchback marketing could get really creative.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 8/15/11 at 12:13pm

I saw the production in Berlin and I'd love for it to come to Broadway, but with a new set design. I got really bored with blocks and projections after the first 15 minutes or so. The only scene that impressed me visually was the interior of Notre Dame during God Help the Outcasts. The costumes were wonderful, especially the gargoyles, which could have been irritatingly cheesy, but looked absolutely stunning.

Drew Sarich was perfect, though there were a few odd directing choices. For example, Out There was almost entirely performed while on his knees. It looked really awkward. And Topsy Turvy was choreographed with a distinct German bent based on a popular folk dance, so it looked more odd and simplistic to me than to the average German audience.