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The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Name: The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Director: Gary Trousdale, Kirk Wise
Released: 1996
Duration: 91 min

Representation Score

8.1/10

Excellent

1996

Director

Gary Trousdale, Kirk Wise

Runtime

91 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

The film stands out by giving significant roles to its underrepresented characters, especially Esmeralda and Quasimodo. It goes beyond superficial inclusion to delve into systemic prejudice and social exclusion. However, the narrative remains strictly centered on traditional heterosexual relationships, with no representation of LGBTQ+ identities. This absence restricts the film's progressive scope. Ultimately, the film's strength lies in its nuanced critique of institutional power and traditional Western morality.

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Category Breakdown

Does The Hunchback of Notre Dame have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The story centers around traditional romantic tensions and desires, lacking representations of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities.

How does The Hunchback of Notre Dame portray gender?

Good

Esmeralda disrupts traditional gender roles through her strong influence and fearless actions. The film also questions masculinity by portraying Frollo as a morally flawed authority figure.

How racially and ethnically diverse is The Hunchback of Notre Dame?

Good

Esmeralda highlights ethnic exclusion and systemic discrimination. The film showcases a vibrant community of outcasts that contrasts the era's homogeneous power structures.

How does The Hunchback of Notre Dame represent religion and culture?

Excellent

The narrative critiques Western institutional power by presenting the Church and State as potentially corrupt entities. It explores how religious doctrine can justify oppression.

Does The Hunchback of Notre Dame include disability representation?

Excellent

Quasimodo’s physical differences serve as a lens for examining social exclusion rather than being used for mockery. The film emphasizes his struggle for dignity and personal experiences.

Present on Screen

Esmeralda is a powerful female lead who drives the moral narrative.
Quasimodo is portrayed with dignity, focusing on his humanity rather than his physical differences.
The film offers a sophisticated critique of religious and judicial institutions.
The Romani community is depicted as a vibrant, cohesive counter-narrative to social homogeneity.

Limited or Absent

The film lacks any representation of LGBTQ+ identities or non-assuming gender matches what was assigned at birth narratives.
Romantic tensions are confined to traditional heterosexual structures.

Official Synopsis

Isolated in the bell tower of Notre Dame, Quasimodo longs to experience the world beyond the cathedral walls, despite the wishes of his stern guardian, the Judge of Paris Claude Frollo. His first venture into the city leads him to Esmeralda, a fearless Romani woman whose defiance of Frollo's tyranny draws her—and Quasimodo—into his dangerous obsession.

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