Called The Bells of Notre Dame in Japan.
Running Time: 91 minutes

Inspired by Victor Hugo's classic novel, though different from the original story,
this was the 34th full length animated film by Disney and very successful internationally.

Quasimodo, a gentle and lonely hunchbacked bell ringer,
is forced to live in the massive bell towers of Notre Dame Cathedral,
in the heart of this medieval city, by his evil guardian Frollo.
Quasimodo defies his keeper Frollo to join the Festival of Fools,
where he meets the beautiful gypsy Esmeralda (voice performance by Demi Moore).

Frollo feels all gypsy's are evil and should be eliminated.
Adolf Hilter killed countless gypsies in his concentration camp furnaces during WorldWar II.
Gypsies are traveling tribal people moving throughout Europe,
often making a living as entertainers, fortune tellers, tinkers, and sometimes as petty criminals.
Have you any experience with gypsies?
How do you feel about people who live outside of conventional society?
Should they be controlled? How?


Frollo thought he was protecting the morality of his city by outlawing the activities of gypsies,
in the hope of keeping people's mind on purer less socially degrading tasks such as music and dance.
Many cultures try and restrict bizarre or outlandish social behavior to protect their citizens.
In some cultures women keep themselves covered to avoid exciting men.
Drinking and sexual images are outlawed.
What do you feel about censorship and 'blue laws'*
designed to shield people from corrupting influences?
Where is your line, between what is decent and what is not?

Quasimodo is a young man in his early twenties, who lives with imaginary friends.
He talks daily to his gargoyle pals, the nervous and proper Victor,
the crude but comical Hugo (performed by Jason Alexander)
and Laverne an old imaginary woman who pigeons seem to love.
What do you feel about a man who still has imaginary friends in his twenties?
Did you have fantasy friends when you were young?
At what age did you stop having these make believe companions?
Should parents be worried if their child has imaginary buddies in their twenties?
What do you think of the character Quasimodo? Is he crazy?


from the Home of the HoND MUCK

*Blue Laws were originally established in 1781 in colonial New England, in North America, to regulate morals and conduct, and were considered by some as too numerous and extremely rigorous laws. They still exist to a lesser degree in modern America with laws regulating work, commerce, and amusements on Sunday.

Disney characters are trademarks of The Walt Disney Company