Short and Sweet
The Hunchback of Notre-Dame is the title of a film adaptation based on Victor Hugo’s novel The Hunchback of Notre-Dame.
Quasimodo, a misshapen foundling, was raised by Jehan, the cathedral’s archdeacon of Notre-Dame who was rumored to be a sorcerer, and trained to be the bell ringer of Notre-Dame. When Dom Frollo fails to win over the gypsy Esmeralda, he drives her into the clutches of the Inquisition. Quasimodo manages to rescue Esmeralda from her execution by taking her to the sanctuary of Notre-Dame Cathedral.
In a dramatic finale, Quasimodo throws his master, Dom Frollo, from the tower of the cathedral to his death and dies himself.
Action
Quasimodo, who has the appearance of a deformity, leads a solitary life as the bell ringer of the Paris Cathedral of Notre Dame. During the Feast of Fools, he sees Esmeralda, a beauty raised by gypsies, and is fascinated by her. However, Clopin, the King of the Beggars who had rescued Esmeralda from the gypsies, as well as Dom Claude, the archdeacon of the cathedral, and his younger brother, the priest Jehan, also find Esmeralda attractive. When Jehan and Quasimodo attempt to abduct Esmeralda, they are caught by the royal guard; Jehan escapes, but Quasimodo is captured. Esmeralda falls in love with Phoebus, the leader of the royal guard, who is engaged to Fleur de Lys.
The next day, Quasimodo is publicly whipped and put in chains by the king. Esmeralda gives him a jug of water to drink; Claude frees him from his chains. Phoebus and Jehan now compete for Esmeralda’s favor. When Phoebus seems to be winning, he is stabbed by Jehan. However, Esmeralda is mistaken for the perpetrator and sentenced to death. The supposedly dead Jehan, who is actually severely injured, now tries, along with Clopin and Quasimodo, to rescue Esmeralda. Quasimodo and Claude hide Esmeralda in the bell tower. The population mobilized by Clopin storms the cathedral; Quasimodo and Phoebus defend it. When Jehan attacks Esmeralda, Quasimodo throws him off the bell tower. Phoebus and Esmeralda are reunited; Quasimodo dies.
Music
The new music was composed in 2008 for concert organ and large percussion ensemble (tubular bells, marimba, glockenspiel, drums, cymbals, various percussion instruments) and had its premiere at the Summer Music Festival in Celle (Lower Saxony). An alternative performance is available for piano and percussion.
Based on the dramaturgical characteristics of the silent film era (reduced narrative tempo, special scene editing, etc.), Kaets composes a new music that infuses the highly emotional and dramatic images with a unique musical life, aligning with the cinematic development.