The Case for Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Lindsay Ellis



This video is nominally about the Disney adaptation, but more broadly it's about how interpretations of Victor Hugo's novel have changed over time.

I actually read the original novel back in 2006.  Although I regret to say that now I remember very little about it.  (One of the frustrating things about trying to be well-read is how much you forget over time.)  But looking back on my 2006 review, I highlighted some of the same things that Lindsay Ellis does.  (I also mentioned how much of the book is concerned about describing the architecture.)

I did see the Disney version, but I was already 18 when it came out, so it didn't have a big impact on me.

The version that I remember best is the 1939 version.  It was on TV one night on AMC, and I watched it when I was about 13 or 14 or so.  And I remember being impressed with the epic story and the complex plotlines.  That's the version that still sticks in my head to this day, even though I've more or less forgotten the book.