Rating: Score: 8.3/10
Grade: A-
Family-Friendliness Scale: Level 3 (OK)
Kids ages 9+
With the successes of Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Lion King, and Pocahontas, Disney tried to keep its' Renaissance going with a very different approach...
Positive Notes
The story is complex and its' strong positive messages of seeing others for who they are (not how they appear), accepting oneself for who you are, bravery, self-sacrifice, and self-awareness ring throughout the entire movie. Quasimodo ends up proving to everyone that he isn't a monster, he's just like everyone else, and he's more than willing to prove it. He also willingly risks his life to save the people he loves (as with other characters). Actually, some of the plotlines and characters are very similar to those from Tangled, though I wouldn't compare a princess with magic hair to a somewhat-deformed human being, a wanted thief to a gypsy girl on the run and a possessive, selfish mother to a religious leader gone mad.
The animation is fantastic for a film made in the mid-90's, with some realistic backgrounds based upon the cathedrals of Notre Dame in France. The voice cast is also stellar, with Tom Hulce, Demi Moore, and Tony Jay standing out. The legendary Alan Menken, who scores many Disney films, is at his best in this flick, with excellent orchestrations, and the songs which he wrote with Stephen Schwartz are also excellent, from the enthusiastic "Out There" to the dramatic "Hellfire".
Negative Notes
Hunchback for the most part strays away from anything that would be considered very offending, but it is indeed one of Disney's darkest films. While its' religious roots are mainly Catholicism/Christianity, there are a couple of parts that will likely scare younger children. On the upside, there is no real use of magic, unless if you count illusions done by Esmeralda that are claimed to be "witchcraft", though gypsies are seen to be both fortune tellers and palm readers, and their supposed "court of miracles" seems to be a bit of a spiritual place. The only real problem with this film is its' references to persecution, religious injustice and lust. Violence is for the most part mild, but there are a few threats, a few slapstick battles, and a couple of characters either die or come close to death. The h-word is used repeatedly, but not in its' usual swear fashion. We also hear "d--nation" and the unfinished "son of a..." once each, as well as "heck" and "dang' repeatedly.
Conclusion
Finding it as a VHS tape in a rarely-opened cabinet in my house, I was surprised how today there hasn't been a Special Edition DVD release 15 years later. When I watched it when I was 7 and 8 years old, I was pretty creeped out at a couple of scenes, but didn't get some of the story as well, but I loved Quasimodo and I remember listening to one of the songs on a CD several times. Watching it again, its' a bit of a different experience, as now I understand some of the things I didn't get about it to begin with, though its' still the same movie I still very much enjoy.
Hunchback is Disney's most mature film, but its' also one of their most visually impressive and well-made animated films they've done. The characters sparkle with sincerity, and the animation is wonderful. Plus with this being Alan Menken's best score (in my opinion) and the wonderfully-written songs, and you have a Disney classic. It is a shame that it hasn't gotten the attention it deserved (like two other Disney favorites of mine, Oliver and Company and The Aristocats).
For families expecting a G-rated film will be shocked to hear this. Hunchback contains enough dark content and references to age-inappropriate concepts that it will likely disappoint parents and spark a nightmare or two in little ones. Plus some Christians may be confused with the role of Frollo and how he uses Biblical verses to do his evil work. However, here is how I translate his conflict. We all have choices in life, and God gives us life and a choice. He doesn't want others to kill or judge people because they've made bad choices. He wants them to live their lives and make a choice on their own, because He loves each and every one of us (and one of the Ten Commandments says, "thou shalt not kill").
But veiled Biblical messages aside, Hunchback is mainly for older children and adults, and that's that.
