----

!!This section refers to [[Literature/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame the original novel]].

* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation:
** This happens the most to Quasimodo and Frollo. In the book, Quasimodo is rather mean and hates most people. In the films, he is usually put in a more sympathetic light. The exact opposite usually happens to Frollo. In his book form, he is, for the most part, benevolent but sexually frustrated, and his transformation into a villain is tragic. However, in the films he is made into an all-out evil, sexually depraved monster from the start.
** Phoebus gets this treatment as well. In the 1923 and Disney adaptation he is put in the role of a pure love interest for Esmeralda. However, in the book he was kind of a jerk, who was just interested in her for sex.
* DieForOurShip: Frollo/Esmeralda fans of any of the adaptations are eager to kill off Phoebus for the sake of this ship. Then again, even if you ''don't'' support this ship, almost every Hunchback of Notre Dame fan would gladly see Phoebus die (discounting the Disney version, where Phoebus is actually a nice guy).
* ItGetsBetter: For all its strengths, the book ''could'' afford to shave off some of its exposition. [[UpToEleven There's a chapter devoted to explaining the view from Notre Dame.]]
** Actually, it's a full "book" within the book, as the book itself is set up in this format... This particular section of the book happens to be nearly 300 pages long. And yeah, it's literally descriptions of Notre Dame, with absolutely no story... But once you get into the actual stories, it's quite gripping.
* ValuesDissonance:
** Sexual obsession in a priest? Bad, wrong, dangerous. Sexual obsession of a man in his thirties for a 16-year-old girl? No prob.
** Also, this is not an anti-racist story. The Parisians' mistreatment of Esmeralda is treated as literary irony: they're wrong to treat her as they do, ''because she's really one of them.'' Their treatment of real "Gypsies" is completely excusable: it's clearly established that "Gypsies" ''really are'' dangerous -- thieves and con artists who will readily steal children. If you think Victor Hugo loved gypsies and was protesting their mistreatment, go and read ''Literature/TheManWhoLaughs''.

!! This section refers to [[Disney/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame the Disney version]].

* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation:
** ''Clopin''--he seems very happy and nice, but he does call Quasi the ugliest person in Paris in a way that even the context can't completely excuse, doesn't let him hide in the "Feast Of Fools" sequence, apparently bugs out the second everything goes pear-shaped (as Frollo would likely want to arrest him for the confusion), and then ''expresses complete delight in hanging Quasi and Phoebus''. Without giving them the chance to defend themselves in any way. He's also protecting his home, friends, and family from the most monstrous person in the country by silencing what he believes to be the man's most loyal subordinates... In fairness to Clopin, the only time he vanishes is during the "Feast of Fools" when the crowd turns on Quasimodo, but when the fighting outside Notre Dame happens he's shown jumping into the fray with the other gypsies. He's their leader, so getting himself arrested at the FOF would have been bad for the Gypsies.
** Really, most of the cast qualifies for the original novel. Quasimodo goes from a bitter misanthrope to a naive, UglyCute NiceGuy, Esmeralda from a NeutralFemale to a BadassDamsel, Frollo goes from being a tragic AntiVillain to to a CompleteMonster, and Phoebus goes from an [[LackOfEmpathy uncaring]], womanizing {{Jerkass}} to an honorable KnightInShiningArmor.
** Personally, I wouldn't classify book Esmeralda as NeautralFemale... [[spoiler:First of all, she saved an innocent man (who was deleted from the Disney film) from being executed upon stumbling upon The Court of Miracles, by marrying him, no less, though she refuses to let him touch her, she gives Quasimodo, who's being publicly punished for his attempted kidnapping of her (on Frollo's orders) water, and, after being saved by Quasimodo from near execution, and after being nearly raped by Frollo in the cathedral, who is stopped by Quasimodo, Frollo nearly kills Quasimodo, who is so devoted to his master, he's willing to die... Except Esmeralda grabs the dagger and threatens to kill Frollo herself if he lays a hand on Quasimodo or herself ever again.]]
* AwardSnub: None of the songs received Oscar nominations. Among all the movies AlanMenken composed for the DisneyAnimatedCanon during the 1990s, this is the only one that happened to.
* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic:
** It's a great score, but [[VillainSong "Hellfire"]] and the instrumental track "Sanctuary" take the cake. "Made of Stone" from the stage version certainly counts as well.
** "Out There". The combination of the gorgeous music, beautiful lyrics and Tom Hulce's spectacular performance makes it one of the most magnificent songs of the DisneyAnimatedCanon. (Or any Disney film, for that matter.)
*** And out there, living in the sun...
** ''Sing the bells, bells, bells, bells, bells, bells, bells, bells, '''BELLS OF NOTRE DAME!!!''' ''
*** Pay attention, dear listener, to Clopin's voice toward the end of that song (particularly in its first iteration). God knows why they decided to practically drown it out with the chorus, but actor/singer Paul Kandel holds an absurdly high note (a high D, a very impressive note for a male singer to hit) perfectly for an absurdly long time.
** While "Sanctuary" is about four different kinds of incredible (it's a four part piece), and Hellfire is without a doubt, the best villain song ever included in a Disney movie (if not any film), the real crowner here is without a doubt, "[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEEpavnk7Uw God Help The Outcasts]]." The music is incredible, but the lyrics deserve special mention, as they are a deconstruction of the typical Disney IWantSong, in that a Gypsy who doesn't even believe, or doubts, in God ("I don't know if you can hear me, or if you're even there") is offering to God a more humble prayer than the Catholics there who are asking for money, fame, and glory, whereas Esmeralda simply says "I ask for nothing; I can get by. But I know so many less lucky than I."
*** Equally heartwarming in the original movie the animated film was based on when Esmeralda gives the same prayer when she is introduced to Mary and Jesus.
** "Heaven's Light" is the sweetest, most perfect love song ever written. Anyone who has ever been unpopular or different knows that feeling when someone notices you, even for a moment, and this song perfectly captures that feeling: ''knowing'' that they'll probably never love you back, but for the moment, you can hope, just a little.
--->''I dare to dream that she/Might even care for me/And as I ring these bells tonight/My cold dark tower seems so bright,/I swear it must be heaven's light!''
*** Even ''better'' is how it's a perfect counterpoint to "Hellfire", which follows immediately after. From gentle hope and love to fiery rage and passion.
** [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CVwYC7WrP0 "Paris Burning"]] plays in the scene immediately following "Hellfire" and perfectly embodies the fear and terror that the citizens of Paris are forced to suffer as Frollo's madness drives him to burn the city to the ground. [[{{HSQ}} The last twenty-five seconds of the track are guaranteed to require the listener to]] [[BringMyBrownPants bring their brown pants]].
* BaseBreaker: [[TheScrappy Scrappy]] they may be, but the gargoyles do contribute a lot of genuinely FunnyMoments...
* CargoShip: Hugo thinks Djali is pretty hot. Hugo is a gargoyle, Djali is a goat. But come on, Hugo's part goat!
* CompleteMonster: Judge Claude Frollo is likely one of the most evil characters the company has ever invented. The opening riddle regarding him and Quasimodo is even "Who is the monster and who is the man?" Most Disney villains want to do things like... take over a kingdom. [[CardCarryingVillain Old-school villainy]]. Frollo wants to...er, [[PoliticallyIncorrectVillain commit genocide]]. His [[{{Squick}} creepy, creepy lust]] for Esmeralda only heightens the revulsion audiences have for him, and there aren't any other Disney villains who've tried to [[MoralEventHorizon burn entire innocent families alive in their homes]], either. A notable exception to other Disney LaughablyEvil villains. Even being a classic case of KnightTemplar, the things he does casts his "good intentions" as being sham and hollow.
* CrackShip: As noted on the YMMV/{{Tangled}} [=YMMV=] page, Frollo x Mother Gothel became one when people realized how similar they are.
* CrazyAwesome: Clopin
* CreepyAwesome: Frollo, according to some people's opinions.
* CriticalDissonance: Despite being moderately well-received (Scoring somewhere in the 70s on RottenTomatoes), this is the ONLY DisneyAnimatedCanon film to EVER get nominated for a Razzie, which is ESPECIALLY baffling considering that Disney has released [[Disney/HomeOnTheRange more]] [[Disney/ChickenLittle deserving]] [[TheWild films]]. It's considered (by those who remember it, anyway) better than its direct predecessor, ''Disney/{{Pocahontas}}'' (or at least a worthy sucessor).
* CrossesTheLineTwice: When Frollo is reviewing the alphabet with Quasimodo, this exchange happens. The censors probably let it pass because of Tom Hulce's harmless, innocent delivery of the lines and the happy gesture Quasimodo makes when he gets it right.
-->'''Frollo''': D?
-->'''Quasimodo''': Damnation.
-->'''Frollo''': E?
-->'''Quasimodo''': ''Eternal'' Damnation.
* EnsembleDarkhorse: Clopin.
** Also, Frollo is arguably this for the Disney Villains. Despite almost never appearing in crossovers, rides, merchandise or games (though will change with KingdomHearts3D) he's one of the most well remembered and many people's favorite.
* EvilIsCool[=/=]DracoInLeatherPants: Despite being a CompleteMonster, Frollo has a ''lot'' of fangirls.
* FauxSymbolism:
** Frollo ''falling'' into a [[FireAndBrimstoneHell lake of]] {{Hellfire}}-like molten lead.
** Esmeralda's "God Help The Outcasts" and Frollo's "Hellfire", when taken together, sound much like the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector.
** Quasimodo tied with chains to the cathedral pillars with his arms outstretched brings to mind both Christ's crucifixion and Samson being put on display for the Philistines. When he breaks free and the pillars crumble, it is reminiscent of how Samson met his end, pushing down the pillars and bringing the roof down on himself and everyone else in the hall.
** Elements of the Notre Dame architecture are used to convey different moods: for example, the statues foreboding and ominous, the stained glass beautiful and hopeful.
** At the end of "Hellfire" in the DVD Commentary:
-->'''DVDCommentary:''' Here's some more of our ham-fisted symbolism--Frollo falls down in the shape of a crucifix!
** Also, during the last few minutes Esmeralda is wearing a white dress. See ColorCodedForYourConvenience above.
** Pay very close attention to the scene where Frollo destroys Quasimodo's model of Paris. As he does so he picks up a wooden figure of Esmeralda and throws it, knocking over a figure of himself in the process.
* GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff: The movie was (perhaps, naturally) a ''huge'' hit in France. The filmmakers were especially worried about offending the French people by taking an iconic symbol of French literature and culture and giving it the so-called "Disney Treatment."
** MexicansLoveSpeedyGonzales: as a result
* HilariousInHindsight: The fact that the voice actor for [[WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants Patrick Star]] voices a guard whom of which has the line "Now THAT's ugly!" [[Literature/TheUglyBarnacle Why is this hilarious in hindsight]]?
* HoYay: Djali is referred to as a male. Hugo makes no secret of his attraction to him.
* MagnificentBastard: Frollo tricks Quasimodo into thinking that he knows where the Court of Miracles is located, causing Quasimodo and Phoebus to go their in order to warn the gypsies, thus leading Frollo straight to them.
* MemeticMolester: Frollo, for [[SexIsEvilAndIAmHorny good]] [[CompleteMonster reason]].
* MemeticMutation: "Hellfire" is becoming an increasingly popular subject for YouTubePoop.
* MisaimedFandom: Frollo was often thought of as [[EvilIsCool cool]] despite having much less reason to be thought of as such ([[MoralEventHorizon and much more NOT to]]) than other Disney villains. Instead of being a muscular macho-man like [[Disney/BeautyAndTheBeast Gaston]] or a sorcerer like [[Disney/{{Aladdin}} Jafar]], he is a genocidal self-righteous old religious fanatic; an intent to subvert EvilIsCool is somewhat apparent here, [[{{Understatement}} yet it apparently did not work either.]]
** He certainly rocks the TallDarkAndSnarky look and being voiced by TonyJay certainly helps.
** Also, the most prevalent shipping in the fanbase is Esmeralda x Frollo, AKA "Fresme". Go ahead, look. You'll be VERY hard-pressed to find any artwork depicting her with Phoebus or even Quasimodo.
** Also, Quasimodo/Esmeralda fans get angry at Esmeralda and accuse her of being shallow, ungrateful or slutty for choosing the handsome Phoebus over the physically deformed Quasi. Thing is, Esmeralda did NOT choose Phoebus for his good looks, but because ''he saw her as the person she actually is'' (unlike Quasimodo who heavily idealised her)... and not to mention Esmeralda did NOT owe Quasimodo ANYTHING because he liked her. Being nice to a person does NOT automatically equal to having any inherent "right" to their affections.
* SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome: For those of us who like to [[RootingForTheEmpire Root for the Empire]], Frollo gets one when he suddenly shows up at the Court of Miracles.
---> '''Esmeralda:''' You took a terrible risk coming here. It may not exactly show, but we're grateful.
---> '''Phoebus:''' Don't thank me, thank Quasimodo. Without his help, I'd never have found my way here.
---> '''Frollo''' ''(from off-screen)'': '''Nor would I.'''
* MoralEventHorizon: Frollo either crossed it when he killed Quasimodo's mother and almost killed him too as a baby or when he had a house burned down with an innocent family trapped inside.
* NarmCharm: The entire ending teeters on this, especially the unprovoked hug by a random kid (who also shows up at Clopin's puppet show...)
* NoYay: Frollo's obsession with Esmeralda.
** [[MisaimedFandom Yet the majority of the fanbase ships them...]]
* TheScrappy: Nobody seems to like the gargoyles (unless you're a Jason Alexander fan), mostly due to their contribution of the LighterAndSofter tone of the film. And causing MoodWhiplash in almost every scene they appear in.
** They ''are'' [[ActuallyPrettyFunny pretty funny]]. The question is whether or not their relatively broad humor is a good thing, given what the [[DarkerAndEdgier rest of the movie is like.]]
** The gargoyles are RescuedFromTheScrappyHeap in the German musical version. They are portrayed as figments of Quasi's imagination and their humor is toned down, which many feel is how they should have been done in the actual movie.
** To be more precise, Hugo is the one usually considered TheScrappy, while Victor and Laverne are at the very least tolerated. In particular, the RunningGag of pigeons annoying Laverne is generally considered a little funny at the beginning and [[CrowningMomentOfFunny very funny]] by the end.
** [[SissyVillain Sarousch]] in the DTV sequel is considered one of the worst Disney villains of all time, especially in comparison to his predecessor, [[CompleteMonster Frollo]], who is considered one of the ''best''.
* {{Sequelitis}}: The first film had gorgeous animation, dealt with some pretty heavy themes for a Disney movie, and had very good music. The sequel dispensed with all of these and made the tone much LighterAndSofter. [[MoneyDearBoy Why Kevin Kline, Tom Hulce and Demi Moore stuck around for it is a mystery for the ages.]]
** There are two reasons the sequel exists 1) [[MoneyDearBoy Disney was big on sequels at the time]] and 2) [[ThrowTheDogABone People felt bad that Quasimodo didn't get the girl.]]
* SignatureScene: "Hellfire" is arguably the most famous scene in the film.
** Although "Out There" is another strong contender.
* {{Squick}}:
** Frollo grabbing Esmeralda in the church and '''smelling her hair.''' Tell me you didn't find it sickening. Unless you're a NightmareFetishist, and find it ... extremely hot.
*** During 'Hellfire', what he does with one of her scarves (which is hard to describe- nothing graphic, just squicky indeed).
** While it's played for laughs, Hugo the Gargoyle's attraction towards Djali the goat is fairly disturbing.
* SpecialEffectsFailure: The crowd scenes utilize CGI people. Especially on the Blu-Ray, it's... noticeable.
* [[SurprisinglyImprovedSequel Surprisingly Improved Successor]]: While the film is a [[ContestedSequel Contested Installment]] in the Canon, ''Hunchback'' (and ''Disney/{{Hercules}}'') are considered at the very least a step in a different direction from ''Disney/{{Pocahontas}}''.
* TearJerker: The [[DarkReprise reprise]] of ''Heaven's Light'' as Quasimodo watches Esmarelda kiss Phoebus and tearing up his ace of hearts card.
-->''I knew I'd never know/ that warm and loving glow/ though I might wish with all my might/ no face as hideous as my face/ was ever meant for heaven's light!''
** ''God Help The Outcasts'', especially the line "I ask for nothing/ I can get by,/ but I know so many/ less lucky than I" coming from Esmerelda.
* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot: Many fans liked the idea of Quasimodo gaining his own LoveInterest, and feel Madelline herself is a fairly interesting character who provides a nice contrast to him (as someone who is beautiful on the outside but feels she is ugly on the inside), so much about the sequel is just so poorly executed it almost ruins the whole concept.
* UglyCute: Quasimodo, who's Ugly ''Adorable''. WordOfGod states that he was specifically designed this way (taking inspriation from, among other things, pugs) so it's much easier for the audience to identify and sympathize with him early on. If he's too ugly it takes too long and the moment is lost, and there are even some people who will ''never'' empathize with him no matter how good of a person he is if he's too ugly.
* UnfortunateImplications: The fact that Quasimodo didn't end up with Esmerelda suggests that looks really are important, seeing as from a purely objective standpoint Quasimodo is a much kinder and gentler person than Captain Phoebus.
* ViewerGenderConfusion:
** The gargoyle Laverne has no TertiarySexualCharacteristics and a voice actress (Mary Wickes) with a husky voice. Although she has an obviously feminine name, it's only mentioned once in the film.
** [[GenderBlenderName Laverne can be a guy's name, too]].
*** Well, yes, but Laverne ''did'' wear a somewhat skimpy red dress during A Guy Like You in the piano sequence.
*** But Hugo crossdressed as Esmerelda...
** Averted in other languages where either her voice is unmistakably female, the language itself has grammar rules that indicates gender (like in Spanish or French) or both.
** Djali the goat is female in the novel, male in this movie, and indeterminate in the sequel.
* VindicatedByHistory: When it was released, it was a moderate hit with both critics and audiences - the consensus was "Hey, it was better than ''Disney/{{Pocahontas}}'', but nowhere near as good as ''Disney/TheLionKing'' or ''Disney/BeautyAndTheBeast''". However, it's recently become a contender for the MagnumOpus of Disney's Renaissance era.
* SugarWiki/VisualEffectsOfAwesome: Notre Dame, and the Frollo's image of Esmeralda dancing in the flames in the Hellfire song. It is mentioned in the commentary that the special effects team gave their best in that scene.
* TheWoobie: ''Quasimodo.''
** IronWoobie: Towards the end of the movie.
** Esmeralda counts as well, given all the persecution the gypsies go through, the fact that [[CompleteMonster Frollo]] is after her specifically, and she still manages to be willing to pray for ''everybody else'' in "God Help the Outcasts."

----