Disney The Hunchback of Notre Dame / The Hunchback of Notre Dame II - 3/12 Review

[zackisthewalrus]

The Hunchback of Notre Dame / The Hunchback of Notre Dame II Blu-ray

The Hunchback of Notre Dame / The Hunchback of Notre Dame II Blu-ray Review

Disney has set March 12, 2013 as the day when three animated classics and their direct-to-video sequels will make their Blu-ray debuts. Arriving in 2-Movie Collection Blu-ray + DVD Combo Packs are Mulan & Mulan 2, Brother Bear & Brother Bear 2, and The Hunchback of Notre Dame & The Hunchback of Notre Dame II. Each 3-Disc Special Edition will consist of one Blu-ray and 2 DVDs and carry a $39.99 SRP list price. More details to come.

Source: DVDizzy.com

The film has already been announced for release in Greece and the Middle East in December 2012. Hopefully, North America will see it either around then or early 2013. The only reason it probably wouldn't is if Disney Home Entertainment North America pulls a "Tarzan". Thoughts?

[blucrazy]

on of my fav disney classics wish its a diamond edition

[disneyfreak]

My guess is we'll get hunchback and hercules sometime between the end of this year or next year after a long time being overdue for a new release. What I find interesting is other countries are releasing this with Brother Bear, and the US was supposedly getting Brother Bear in Oct or Nov. Neither DVDS are out of print, and I would really hate if they don't reissue the DVDs too.

[Phil92]

I'm smelling another 2-Movie Collection with that horrendous sequel.

[PowellPressburger]

Originally Posted by Phil92

I'm smelling another 2-Movie Collection with that horrendous sequel.

Same here, I cringe at the thought.

[ChristmasFnatic]

Cant wait! Love the song of Frollo "Hellsfire".

And yeah I hope they wont add part 2! BAD ART AND BAD STORY! lol

[Moviefan2k4]

The only good things about the second were Jennifer Love Hewitt voicing Madeline, and the song she did for the soundtrack. The first is one of the best from the Renaissance era, up there with "Beauty and the Beast". I'd love to see it released on Blu-Ray.

[GC Riot]

Please, please, PLEASE don't package it with the sequel. Unlike Fox and the Hound and Pocahontas, this is one film I actually really want to own. I love the "2 movie collections" for Fantasia and The Rescuers, but those are Disney feature animation canon, the DTV sequels are not, and I want NOTHING to do with those!

[Walts Ghost]

I don't like the DTV sequels anymore than you guys do, with Aladdin and the King of Thieves and The Lion King 2 being the exceptions, but I can't hold off owning these movies that I love just because they're packaged with the sequels. Is it a bummer? Yes. But I'd rather own the original than not at all. Maybe that's just me. Just because the sequel is on the disc doesn't mean you have to watch it.

[PaysBart]

It's my favorite Disney movie so I hope it will be released in the Netherlands too this year !

[yumny]

Gave it a rewatch to see if it would be a blind buy for me. I hadn't seen this one since 2009 so I didn't know what to expect, really. I was let down a bit, safe to say this is not my favorite of the 90s.

It's not that it's a bad movie though, far from that, but the intense atmosphere and adult themes seem really heavy on me. Also is it just me or is the animation in this movie a bit lackluster compared to it's precedents Pocahontas and the Lion King, both among the most visually stunning movies Disney ever produced?

[MifuneFan]

One of the few disney animated movies I haven't seen yet.

[cuau_cg]

Originally Posted by yumny

Gave it a rewatch to see if it would be a blind buy for me. I hadn't seen this one since 2009 so I didn't know what to expect, really. I was let down a bit, safe to say this is not my favorite of the 90s.

It's not that it's a bad movie though, far from that, but the intense atmosphere and adult themes seem really heavy on me. Also is it just me or is the animation in this movie a bit lackluster compared to it's precedents Pocahontas and the Lion King, both among the most visually stunning movies Disney ever produced?

How can it be a blind buy if you have not only watched it, but rewatched it? :P

[The Mad Kiwi]

Hunchback is my third favorite Disney film after Alice and (the original) Pooh. It's not a perfect film (the gargoyles and slapstick humor are rather out of place), but what it does right, it absolutely excels in. It's got the best score of any animated film, in my opinion.

As excited as I am over it coming to Blu-ray, I'm also very worried. This is the only other CAPS film besides Rescuers Down Under not to have its digital master shown anywhere (Hercules never got a direct-from-the-digital-source release, but its HD airings are struck from the CAPS master). And since Rescuers Down Under's BD release ended up being struck from a film print, I'm worried Hunchback's will, too.

Not only that, but I was hoping the BD release would finally port over all the laserdisc supplements that didn't make it to DVD. But considering Pocahontas actually DROPPED supplements from its previous DVD release and relegated the rest to the Virtual Vault, I can't see Disney going through the effort of digging out the LD supplements for Hunchback. All I ask for is a CAPS transfer with all the laserdisc content. I'm not even asking for new supplements. Unfortunately, I have a feeling supplement-wise, it'll just be a clone of the DVD (perhaps even dropping an item or two) and will be struck from a film print. I hope I'm wrong.

[disneyfreak]

Originally Posted by The Mad Kiwi

Hunchback is my third favorite Disney film after Alice and (the original) Pooh. It's not a perfect film (the gargoyles and slapstick humor are rather out of place), but what it does right, it absolutely excels in. It's got the best score of any animated film, in my opinion.

As excited as I am over it coming to Blu-ray, I'm also very worried. This is the only other CAPS film besides Rescuers Down Under not to have its digital master shown anywhere (Hercules never got a direct-from-the-digital-source release, but its HD airings are struck from the CAPS master). And since Rescuers Down Under's BD release ended up being struck from a film print, I'm worried Hunchback's will, too.

Not only that, but I was hoping the BD release would finally port over all the laserdisc supplements that didn't make it to DVD. But considering Pocahontas actually DROPPED supplements from its previous DVD release and relegated the rest to the Virtual Vault, I can't see Disney going through the effort of digging out the LD supplements for Hunchback. All I ask for is a CAPS transfer with all the laserdisc content. I'm not even asking for new supplements. Unfortunately, I have a feeling supplement-wise, it'll just be a clone of the DVD (perhaps even dropping an item or two) and will be struck from a film print. I hope I'm wrong.

I have a feeling were going to get the same treatment the rescuers got, not transfer wise, it should be direct digital files. According to some people Hercules has been playing on tv in HD from CAPS files, i don't know if Hunchback has played, but either way they should be digital files. I have a feeling that we'll get 1 new bonus features like a deleted song or scene, and than the rest will be old features.

[The Mad Kiwi]

Originally Posted by disneyfreak

I have a feeling were going to get the same treatment the rescuers got, not transfer wise, it should be direct digital files. According to some people Hercules has been playing on tv in HD from CAPS files, i don't know if Hunchback has played, but either way they should be digital files. I have a feeling that we'll get 1 new bonus features like a deleted song or scene, and than the rest will be old features.

Hunchback has aired in HD, but the HD broadcasts are from the same print-sourced master as the DVD. That's why I'm worried. The digital master for Hunchback hasn't been shown or used anywhere, and I'm afraid Disney won't want to go through the effort of digging it up for this release. If they can at least give me a transfer direct from the digital source, I'll be fine since I know someone who can get me the laserdisc supplements.

[yumny]

Originally Posted by cuau_cg

How can it be a blind buy if you have not only watched it, but rewatched it? :P

I guess I misunderstood the definition of the term "blind buy".

Originally Posted by The Mad Kiwi

Hunchback is my third favorite Disney film after Alice and (the original) Pooh. It's not a perfect film (the gargoyles and slapstick humor are rather out of place), but what it does right, it absolutely excels in. It's got the best score of any animated film, in my opinion.

As excited as I am over it coming to Blu-ray, I'm also very worried. This is the only other CAPS film besides Rescuers Down Under not to have its digital master shown anywhere (Hercules never got a direct-from-the-digital-source release, but its HD airings are struck from the CAPS master). And since Rescuers Down Under's BD release ended up being struck from a film print, I'm worried Hunchback's will, too.

Not only that, but I was hoping the BD release would finally port over all the laserdisc supplements that didn't make it to DVD. But considering Pocahontas actually DROPPED supplements from its previous DVD release and relegated the rest to the Virtual Vault, I can't see Disney going through the effort of digging out the LD supplements for Hunchback. All I ask for is a CAPS transfer with all the laserdisc content. I'm not even asking for new supplements. Unfortunately, I have a feeling supplement-wise, it'll just be a clone of the DVD (perhaps even dropping an item or two) and will be struck from a film print. I hope I'm wrong.

The only place in the film where the gargoyles felt really out of place was when they were singing that song about Esmeralda loving Quasimodo. That was just.. weird. Other than that, I love them. Especially Laverne, oh my god she's freaking hilarious. The goat loving one, meh.

I agree with you, I really hope HonD gets an all-digital transfer and I'm really disappointed to hear about RDU being transferred from film print. I have a HD TV rip of Hercules on my laptop and it looks absolutely amazing, some of the best colours I've ever seen in an animated movie. Would like the same for HonD; the dvd I have is in comparison really murky. I hope an eventual BD brings out the bright purple in Frollo's garbs and the psychedelic palette of the Festival of Fools.

[Mr.Briggs]

I actually get a chill down my spine knowing I may end up owning that abortion of a sequel but I SO want the original on blu that I will have to suck it up & get it. I've never done custom artwork but may have to see about finding some so that it doesn't SHOW on the cover that I purchased that horrid POS.

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by yumny

Gave it a rewatch to see if it would be a blind buy for me. I hadn't seen this one since 2009 so I didn't know what to expect, really. I was let down a bit, safe to say this is not my favorite of the 90s.

It's not that it's a bad movie though, far from that, but the intense atmosphere and adult themes seem really heavy on me. Also is it just me or is the animation in this movie a bit lackluster compared to it's precedents Pocahontas and the Lion King, both among the most visually stunning movies Disney ever produced?

Holy cow -- it has to just be you, because the animation and visual staging in that movie is STUNNING. It was the first of the Eisner-era films that finally challenged Walt-era films like Pinocchio in terms of layouts, staging, backgrounds, character animation, ambition.

Hunchback has issues, but boy - animation and visuals aren't among them.

[yumny]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

Holy cow -- it has to just be you, because the animation and visual staging in that movie is STUNNING. It was the first of the Eisner-era films that finally challenged Walt-era films like Pinocchio.

Hunchback has issues, but boy - animation and visuals aren't among them.

There are a few. If I have to cite one example, I'd go with the painfully obvious CGI crowd in the end.
It's a given that it's a magnificent looking film because it's Disney, I just meant it wasn't as visually innovative compared to TLK and Pocahontas.

Gotta say by the way, best climax in a Disney movie ever.. It was just so unexpectedly epic!