My Own Personal Nerdy Disney and Animation Scrutinizing Analyses: The Legacy Collection Release of "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" - The Long Awaited Release of The Full Score for "Hunchback"

Hi folks! Welcome to my My Own Personal Nerdy Disney and Animation Scrutinizing Analysis blog. A blog where I'm analyzing several Disney films, Disney or Animation in general! These entries are just meant to be my analyses. Not reviews or statements. Just fun analyses! Though I'll make some personal remarks now and then, the content of these entries are meant to be depicted objectively. They're made for entertainment purpose only and the pictures/clips are copyright Disney or other companies.

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For once I`m actually going to do a departure: To write an entry about an Legacy Collection release. Which is (somewhat) of an review.

I was taking a break for this selfie :)

It should`ve been Sing and
Bounce Along ;)

The fall of 2021 has been a long awaited time for fans of The Hunchback of Notre Dame. A time they`ve waited long for: To finally have the full score of the movie released. As a part of the Legacy Collection. While Hunchback haven`t been the only requested score for The Legacy Collection, it`s definivitely been one of the most requested. In fact, Hunchback has always been labeled for it`s bold and daring music. And frankly, many people have considered Hunchback to be Alan Menken`s best score.

It`s not a Royal crown, so
that`s why it`s broken like
this ;)

But Hunchback has always had a passionate fanbase, nonetheless. A fanbase which seems to grow each year (Stephen Schwartz says how many approached him by claiming Hunchback as their favorite movie). Therefore it`s nice to see that the Legacy Collection have finally truly honored it`s fanbase and Anniversary in 2021 with giving it`s much awaited soundtrack. However, Hunchback had it`s own Anniversary in 2021. By finally turning 25. And while there was little done for it on it`s previous Anniversaries, it seems like Disney have realized it`s fanbase and given Hunchback the honoring it deserves.

Hunchback`s Reputation and The Requests for It`s Legacy Collection Release

I want you to read the palm of
my hand :) I want others to
do it for once :)

n fact, there are two staples that Disney`s Hunchback has been stuck with: For being radical and underrated. Both of these staples happens to have a connection to each other (for obvious reasons, duuh). Therefore it would be reasonable to think that`s been the main reason for why Disney haven`t given it attention afterwards. That`s why it was a huge, personal surprise (for me) that it was finally released on the Legacy Collection.

We`re a Burlesque Circus
for toddlers :)

While it was requested long before it`s release, it wasn`t really likely that it was going to receive one. But as for the releases of the Legacy line: While the amount of releases have been on a steady decline since it`s Genesis in 2014, there have been a couple of random, scattered releases afterwards (the last release prior to Hunchback was Beauty and the Beast in January 2018). But what`s remarkable is how the songs were released on Spotify prior to it`s physical release (and for once it wasn`t sold from Amazon.com, who usually also sold their copies. Since it could be purchased from Disney Music Emporium).

The Previous Legacy Collection Releases, The Pro and Con`s of Hunchback`s Legacy Release and the Demo`s and Bonus Songs

The Legacy Collection has been a neat niche line for Disney fans: To finally have the full releases of the full scores (featuring original artwork and illustrations by Lorelay Bové). Since most of their Official releases haven`t included the full scores, it`s been nice to have at least one release to have them all.

Don`t worry, it`s not as
cheap as it looks like :)

Not coincidentially, most of the releases have been synergized with their Anniversaries (with the exception of Robin Hood and Beauty and the Beast). So Hunchback haven`t been any exception in that regard. But it`s been nice to finally hear the full score. Especially the original opening to The Bells of Notre Dame (who had many bells at it`s beginning). And the full cues of the pieces which has never been released. The only downside is how the reprise of Heavens Light (the overlooked song that has always been neglected at the expense of Hellfire) haven`t been included (despite how the beginning and ending of the songs have been included).

Don`t worry, this necklace
isn`t stolen :)

Also missing is the original He Shall Be Wicked cue from the climax as well. As well as the demo of a pivotal deleted song, As Long as There`s a Moon (which is truly remarkable, due to how it`s been one of the official deleted songs). Yet various demos of the songs have been included on the Release. Most of the demos for the Reanissance pictures have been included on their Legacy releases. But at least the demo for Hellfire reveals something that haven`t been revealed to the public before: How the song was originally going to have a entirely different chorus.

I wanted to be a
female Jeff
Dunham :)

The first demo for God Help the Outcasts reveals the process of how Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz have planned the song. One of the demo`s for Topsy Turvy reveals a different verse for the song. But what`s also remarkable how the songs for the German Stage Show have been included (in German of course). While it would be tempting to call it invigorating, it certainly is for a Legacy Collection. As it`s previous releases never had songs from a Stage Version before.

How the Physical Release was Delayed, Information and Which Song Is Most Streamed on Spotify

No, this isn`t the original
novel ;)

However, the physical copy of Hunchback was delayed various weeks after it`s supposed release date. And one must wonder if it was because of the missing pieces. Yet what`s utterly disappointing is how little information about the music written on the actual album. Due to how previous Legacy Releases had much information written on them (yes, even the release of Pocahontas), it`s a pity.

We`re trying to
squeeze Mickey :) And
succeeding ;)

Still there`s been some interesting trivia about Hunchback revealed: How Heidi Mollenhauer (Esmeralda`s singing voice) was a nightclub singer prior Hunchback. And that Stephen Schwartz didn`t got notes from Disney for Hellfire, despite how the crew were obviously shocked. And yes, the creators were certain that Hellfire wouldn`t be in the movie (and belive it or not, but Hellfire was going to be a monologue, until the songwriters suggested it to be a song. And they added the sound effects to the word "sin" to cover up for it. Tony Jay, Frollo`s voice actor, joked that he never wanted to be a singer and was terrified to do the song. And yes, Kathy Zielinski`s (Frollo`s animator) young daughter sang the song and did the mannerisms while recording).

Yet Menken has confirmed how Hunchback has been his most ambitious score and the one he`s most proud of. And how he liked that it took that risk (despite how Hellfire was uncomfortable for Will Finn to watch with an family audience). To dive into the various types of music was been irresistible for the songwriters. The Legacy Collection also revealed that the score was recorded in New York and Hollywood. And the chorus was done in a Victorian church that Beatles producer had made into a recording studio. With an authentic organ.

It should`ve been Sungod :)

Since Hunchback was shut from the Academy Awards in 1997, Schwartz thought it was his most beautiful score and the best musical adaptation of the Hunchback story. And the mature ambition to the music was planned from the get-go (despite how the main challenge was to make it different from Beauty and the Beast).

At least we`re better than
Unicorns and Ponies :)

However, regarding how many plays the songs have been on Spotify, it`s baffling how the most hated song, A Guy Like You has gotten many streams. Since it`s been perceived the black sheep of the songs, it`s still baffling. But it`s also remarkable how little plays Hellfire has gotten (the most streamed song to date being The Bells of Notre Dame). Due to how many plays it has on the Official Soundtrack, it`s baffling that it`s fate has been the opposite. However, the songs were also released on YouTube (where Hellfire has gotten more views).

Don`t get used
to it, I`ll drop
ya when you`ll
get your carrot
:)

But since we live in the world where physical albums have been reduced, it`s a pity how there haven`t been released an official featurette of the music of Hunchback with it`s Legacy release. Since the earliest releases of this line included some featurettes (some of them being available on YouTube), it`s a pity how it`s been dismissed. As for more trivia about the music artists, Menken wanted Michael Jackson for a song, but Disney wouldn`t let him. And Meat Loaf and Cher were considered for Quasimodo and Esmeralda. And Cindi Lauper as a Gargoyle.

Look at this, Frollo. Not every
fire is from Hell ;)

Yay! We could fit everyone
It was hard, but we succeeded
:)

Epilogue

I`m covered in
Spiderweb.
Incredible that it
looks like this,
huh? :)

At the end, it`s nice to see that the long awaited release of the Hunchback soundtrack is now finally a reality. And despite it`s shortcomings, it`s still nice to have most of the score released, nonetheless. And of course it`s a synergy that it has been released to it`s 25th Anniversary. And of course it`s incredible that Hunchback has reached it`s Silver Anniversary now. Regardless of it`s controversies and bad staple, it`s nice to see that it`s gotten some recognition. So at the end, there`s nothing left to wish it Happy Past 25th Anniversary and may you continue to have many more.