Distracting similarities between Beauty and Hunchback?

[DisneyFan09]

As known, Beauty and the Beast and The Hunchback of Notre Dame were made by the same directors and producer. But in case if you didn’t know, Kirk Wise and Gary Trousdale were chosen to direct Hunchback in order to not “remake” Beauty and the Beast, since the plot of Hunchback already shared the same premise; a hideous “monster” who has to hide from the outside world, befriending a beauty. Of course the stories aren’t identical, but the premises are still similar. This makes a comparison inevitable. However, I’ve always thought both movies were quite similar in other ways.

- Both movies take place in France (of course not in the same time period).
- Both movies start with a prologue where the camera flies through the place where the monstrous protagonists live (the castle and the Cathedral).
- The city of Paris is somewhat reminiscent of Belle’s village.
- The townspeople starts their day in the prologue (of course not in the same way).
- Both “monsters” are befriended by headstrong, but gentle beauties, who teach them that the interior is the most crucial.
- Both beauties are pursued by the villain who wants them.
- Both protagonists have loony, non-animal, talking sidekicks (the enchanted objects, the Gargoyles).
- Both villains fall to their deaths from the top of the castle/cathedral.

Disney is known for recycling some cues and ideas in their movies. But the cues from Beauty are so obvious in Hunchback. So my question is; do you think the obvious and crucial similarities are distracting? Or not?

[Vlad]

That is so true! I never even noticed these similarities! Well, except for the fact that both stories take place in France. Oh, an let's not forget that Belle also made a cameo appeareance in HoND, during the "Out There" sequence, and that Tony Jay voiced characters in both movies (Monsieur d'Arque in BatB and Judge Claude Frollo in HoND, respectively)

[Vlad]

And also, that Alan Menken wrote the score for both movies. And what glorious scores he wrote! His best works in my opinion

[Mooky]

Similarities are purely cosmetic. It just so happens that BatB and THOND share a significant parallel in their basic plot construction (a French 'monster' befriends a beautiful, oddball girl), but the actual stories play out in a completely different manner.

Everything else (talking sidekicks, prologue centered on a protagonist, disapproving society, villain pursuing protagonist/deuteragonist romantically, villain falling to their death) represents common Disney tropes which can be found in number -- if not all -- Disney films, and they were especially typical for the Disney Renaissance period.

So, no, I don't find them distracting or that much similar, TBH.

[ProfessorRatigan]

Hunchback and Beauty and the Beast are, respectively, my number 1 and 2 favorite Disney Animated Classics. Do I find the similarities distracting? Not at all.

Quasimodo is a very heartfelt, loveable protagonist who just wants the chance to live life like 'normal' people. The Beast has a chance to be 'normal,' and he knows exactly how: he just has to earn the love of Belle. The Beast has hope of being 'normal.' Quasi doesn't. The Beast goes through an evolution through the film. He starts off monstrous, more animalistic than human and that slowly and subtly reverses as the romance between he and Belle progresses. Quasimodo also goes through a change. Not one like the Beast's, but it is more subtle. Notice how in the opening scenes of the film, whenever he is around Frollo, Quasi becomes a stuttering, nervous wreck. He wrings his hands, anxiously. He averts his gaze. His posture becomes more depressed. He fumbles, seems more clumsy. But by the end, he's standing up to Frollo. (The scene where he rounds on Frollo and jerks the knife out of his hand.) At the beginning of the film he almost wouldn't even dream of defying his master. It's only after being pressured by the Gargoyles that he even agrees to go to Feast of Fools. But by the end of the film, he's risking life and limb to save Esmeralda, openly defying him. He no longer stutters, he no longer runs away. It's subtle, not in your face, and not quite as well done as the Beast's transformation from monster to man, but it's still worth noting, I think.

Belle is pretty bland, I think. She just wants people to 'understand' her. Esmeralda is, however, rather selfless. She wants nothing more than the persecution of her people to come to an end. She's not self obsessed. We can't...really...say the same for Belle. Belle stays pretty boring throughout her film. Esmeralda is an outcast. Not in the sense that Belle is 'odd' or perceived as strange, but a genuine second-class citizen. You didn't hear Esmeralda whining about it. No, she openly stood up to her oppressor in the public square! Talk about BALLS! The man you know is killing your people and you outright disrespect him in full-view of the peasantry? You go girl!

The Enchanted objects and the Gargoyles. There's no comparison which was the better of the two... The Gargoyles are routinely criticized. (Whenever someone discusses Hunchback, these three characters are mentioned without fail. Same as with Little Mermaid, people aren't going to talk about that film without mentioning that blasted penis on the cover. People just CANNOT get over some things, can they?) I like the Gargoyles. I like them. I think they're rather endearing. To me, they've never been a problem. They're cute, they give Quasi the little push he needs and I never saw the harm in them. However, they just do not exude the charm, grace or dignity of Lumiere, Mrs. Potts or Cogsworth, respectively.

Judge Claude Frollo and Gaston both represent two of the most well-rounded Disney villains in the history of the company. Gaston is interesting because of his evolution. He starts off just this chump, a dimwitted buffoon, becomes nastier and nastier as the film goes on and by the end becomes a full-fledged murderer! He was interesting. He was funny, he was menacing. But he just doesn't hold a candle to Frollo. Frollo is the most despicable, most monstrous creation the Disney company has ever spawned. And god bless him for it! He elevates Hunchback from touching children's film to grandiose heights, forcing us to confront the ugliness of bigotry, hate and religious zealotry like no character the House of Mouse ever did until him. Disney always had great, campy villains you rooted for. Ursula, Gaston, Jafar, Scar. Cruella, Hook, Mim, Medusa. But Frollo, much like the Queen, terrified us because he reminded us the world was and is full of people just like him. Gaston had too much daintiness and comedy behind him to really elevate him to that level.

As for the songs, both soundtracks are very nearly perfect. There isn't a song from either I would do away with. Beauty and the Beast represents Ashman and Menken at the top of their game, a soundtrack that, while not as fun as Mermaid or Aladdin, is more mature and more somber. And speaking of somber, Hunchback's score is that in spades. The power of Menken's score really drives home the intensity of the story and the lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, while not as catchy as any of Ashman's, compliment the tonality of the film very well.

[PatrickvD]

They're thematically similar because with Hunchback, Disney was aiming to repeat the critical success of Beauty. They tried this mainly by focusing on the darker aspects of the beauty/monster theme.

Their only mistake? The gargoyles.

Also, not very distracting.

[Scarred4life]

Well, I don't think these are very big or important similarities. Merely surface details, as someone else said. Most of those similarities you originally posted are really, quite a stretch. They're different time periods, the gargoyles are nothing like the enchanted objects, Belle was from a small town, Quasimodo from a large city. And what similarities they do share (the opening sequences, beauty comes from within) are not distracting in any way.

[DisneyFan09]

Belle was from a small town, Quasimodo from a large city.

Call me stupid, ignorant and dumb and all that, but was Paris really a large city in Late Medieval?

[Pokeholic_Prince]

The themes you mention aren't only present in Disney movies, but many movies. The outcast wanting to fit in and beauty is only skin deep are very broad and appealing themes that are used a lot throughout cinema. Both movies are some of the most mature films disney has ever made and I like them a lot, BatB in particular, which I love even more after each view. The only thing that I find a distraction in HoND are the gargoyals. They're likable characters, but they break up the tone, just as your getting completely sucked into the film.

[Super Aurora]

Belle was from a small town, Quasimodo from a large city.

Call me stupid, ignorant and dumb and all that, but was Paris really a large city in Late Medieval?

In medieval terms, it still was even if it look smaller than modern Paris. It was still a big city at the time. Had a large cathedral, Justice house, etc. That was pretty much a city of the time.

And considering the place and people Belle live in, and what time and era it was(1700's as well as the englightment era); That was pretty much is a small remote village compared to the real cities of 1700's.