Customer Reviews

The Hunchback Of Notre Dame (Ultimate Edition)

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

...although this new Image release which replaces their 1999 edition is likely the best that we'll see until someone can afford to do a full scale restoration. David Shepard and Film Preservation Associates are to be commended for making this look as good as they have considering the limited funds they have to work with (Shepard once said that Kevin Brownlow and Photoplay Productions spend on one reel what he spends on an entire film) and the source material which appears to be 16mm. There is no significant new footage here but the film has been speed corrected which accounts for the longer running time. The print seems to be the same as the 1999 release with lots of scratches throughout but the image is sharper and the toning of certain scenes is better.

Aside from the condition of the print what really keeps this from being the "Ultimate Edition" is the score by Donald Hunsberger. Hunsberger is a fine conductor (check out his Eastman Wind Ensemble recordings) but the music he compiled is too lighthearted overall and not sombre or medieval enough to enhance what's going on during the movie especially toward the end (the compiled score used for the 1999 version was far more appropriate). A darker score like the one Ennio Morricone did for the 1912 RICHARD III would help to undercut the melodramatic elements of the story and some of the performances. Once again a score can make or break a silent film.

Lon Chaney remains a marvel as Quasimodo, fully inhabiting the character beneath the makeup and the natural speed transfer restores his performance to what it should be. The medieval sets and vast army of extras also continue to inspire awe 80+ years later. The disc comes with program reproductions, 3-D glasses for old stills, and commentary from Chaney scholar Michael F. Blake. So fans of HUNCHBACK and Chaney rush out and be sure to get this edition for your DVD collection. I just wish that someday someone with unlimited funds can really produce the ultimate edition (ala METROPOLIS, BATTLESHIP POTEMKIN, PHANTOM OF THE OPERA) that this classic deserves.

Good: By a long shot, this is the most clear print EVER; for the first time the actor's facial expressions are clearly visible.
They've added over 20 minutes from any previous edition

Bad: No scratch removal.I assume they didn't have the funding for it; but as this is such an important piece of American history, it should have been done right. At least in the future, someone can load this dvd into a professional pc with scratch removal software & fix it right.

I know, I know. "The film's nearly 80 years old"; "what did I expect??"; "there's only so much you can do to restore old films..." I've heard it all, and this transfer from Image still gets only 3 stars. Why? Because I've seen better transfer elements on VHS, for crying out loud, elements that possessed far better image clarity than we're given on this disc. In several areas, the image is nearly washed out, leaving only tiny black pixels in its stead. Clearly, this is a problem with the version that Image has chosen for the transfer, and is not a problem that is attributable to the age of the picture. Having said that, however, it should be noted that there are no truly superb prints of this silent "Hunchback," and that the picture is worth spending a few hundred thousand-or a million or two-bucks to restore, if not with an entirely new negative, then at least via digital means. It is a fine rendition (I won't argue the point of whether Laughton's fine portrayal is 'better'...this is in the eye of the beholder) of Hugo's novel, and Lon Chaney's characterization is one of the most startling ever put on film. Mr. Chaney's use of his hands conveys subtleties that his face does not, providing us with one of the silent silver screen's most moving performances. He is Quasimodo, the hunchback, just as he was Erik, the Phantom, Blizzard, the underworld mastermind, and the tough sergeant in "Tell It To The Marines." If you're looking for a film with a thrilling story that is punctuated by pathos, and the kind of catharsis that can only come from witnessing the triumph of love and the human spirit, there is no better viewing than the 1923 "Hunchback of Notre Dame." Just be ready for the inevitable "who dragged this print through the Liquid Paper factory" question you'll be asking yourself when you view this DVD. PLEASE, Image, or Criterion--do something to rescue this classic movie so that my grandchildren can enjoy it, too.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame is quite a good silent film, starring the famous Lon Chaney Sr. as the eccentric and tortured Quasimodo. The story slightly follows Victor Hugo's novel, and the acting is fine for this type of genre. The story flows well, though the movie is rather overlong for 1925. There are two DVD's and several VHS versions of the film sold on the market.
The two DVD versions differ in quality. I own the earlier, unrestored release by Alpha Video. This edition is the one NOT to purchase. The picture quality is grainy and snowy. The screen is also difficult to see at times, and the picture is so bright that you are looking at a white screen. True, the film is over 75 years old, but it deserves a better restoration. The more recent DVD, released by Republic Pictures, has been restored and cleaned up. The Alpha DVD price is also cheaper. To appreciate the film and Lon Chaney in full glory, purchase the restored Republic DVD and nothing else.
P.S. Ignore the retarded Disney version.

I'd have to agree with the already-published reviews here that the quality of the print, although the best I've seen for this film, leaves something to be desired, mainly due to the large amount of scratches in some scenes. But the film itself and the special features are what indeed makes this "ultimate", especially the always thorough and informative content from Chaney scholar Michael F. Blake. His audio commentary is insightful, and the accompanying print essay is great as well. The 3-D stills are pretty cool, and I love the reproduction of the original theatrical program. Print quality aside, this is a great addition to anyone's silent film collection.

The acclaimed and renowned actor of the silent era - Lon Chaney - shows us why he was named "Man of thousand faces" . This performance may be not labelled but extraordinary and outstanding.

The first version of Victor Hugo's novel about the tortured hunchback who dwells within the sanctuary of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. Ridiculed, exploited he is the freak of Paris, finds his bliss ringing louder the bells of the church to manifest his feelings. When she meets Esmeralda an alluring gypsy, he makes the best he can to rescue from her devil guardian.

The employment of special effects (notice we are in 1923) and the singular make up, the memorable stages, the perfect script in which we are aware about every insight of each personage, is undertaken with admirable execution.

I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to you. Among the most extraordinary films of the silent era, this film must be included in any list.

Lon Chaney's performance was more than good. Despite, hair, pounds of makeup, a 72-pound hunch, and four layers of clothing, Lon Chaney was able to create the role as both frightening and heartbreaking. He portrayed the exact image on what Victor Hugo was thinking when he thought up Quasimodo. I think that his performance is the best there is, the best there was, and the best there will be because originals are always the best.

Quasimodo (Lon Chaney) lives within the towering walls of the Notre Dame cathedral. He is considered a freak by everyone, especially his "master" Jehan, who treats him as if he were a pet. During the "Festival of Fools", the beautiful gypsy girl, Esmeralda (Patsy Ruth Miller) dances for the crowd. Jehan is filled with lust and sets out to have her at all cost. He uses Quasimodo to attempt a kidnapping, letting him take the fall when the soldiers come to Esmeralda's rescue. Phoebus, the captain of the guard, falls madly in love with Esmeralda, setting out to win her hand in marriage. Meanwhile, poor Quasimodo is chained and whipped before a jeering throng of onlookers. Esmeralda happens by and gives him water after hearing his pitiful cries of thirst. She also covers his wounds. This gives Quasimodo his first real taste of unconditional compassion from a fellow human being (other than the priest brother of Jehan). Alas, there seems to be far more evil than good! Quasimodo must ultimately save Esmeralda from execution when Jehan stabs Phoebus in the back, leaving her to take the rap for his crime (notice any pattern here?). While this is going on, the peasants, under their leader Clopin, have decided to rise up and revolt against the tyranny they've been crushed under for so long. THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME is quite an ambitious movie! There are several villains and heroes, all with different agendas. Quasimodo is the purest character in the story, driven only by his instincts and impulses, he helps those who help him and hurts those who hurt him. This movie also has Esmeralda's mother, a woman who hates gypsies for stealing her baby girl, never realizing until near the end that her daughter is right in front of her. Quasimodo is a tragic character on par with Frankenstein's monster, King Kong, etc. Chaney was a true genius at giving emotional depth to the hapless, "ugly" creatures he portrayed. In HUNCHBACK, he breathed life into a role that could have easily been just another two dimensional monster. This classic belongs on your DVD shelf with PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, NOSFERATU, METROPOLIS, and DOCTOR JEKYLL AND MISTER HYDE. Highly recommended...

The 'ultimate edition' of this film is just that, the best, as far as I know, available. All other representations I have seen of this film appear to originate from the same tired masters. This particular edition is the 'bees knees'! There have been no 35mm elements available for years, but this edition is probably the closest we will get, it's a 16mm print taken from a 35mm element and is as sharp and clear as 16mm can be under the circumstances. The grey scale retains it's integrity which means you won't miss any details, and it has been slightly framed so that you wont miss anything at the edges. Yes, there are plenty of scratches and blemishes, but I imagine that this would be very costly to remove.
Extras include; a copy of the original programme, an interesting and informative commentary, a film of Lon Chaney visiting the set, an extract from another Chaney film, and 3D photographs taken on the set at the time, that you can view through supplied glasses ! What more could you ask?
A note for any modern Philistine types considering this purchase; this is a black and white silent film, and Lon Chaney aint gonna talk!

This is the loveliest Special Edition of this silent classic ever made available on DVD,a perfect companion piece to Image's wonderful two disc of The Pahntom of the Opera(1925),a few years previous.While,not the classic that film is,or as good as it's 1939 film,this is STILL a must see piece of cinema with one of the great performances in film,courtesy of the imimitable Lon Chaney sr.
The film is presented tinted and for the first time is presented correctly as this was derived from a recently recovered 35mm print,and the film is finally intact.It's a very well done epic with impressive sets and production,featuring many unforgettable vignettes like Quasimodo getting whipped and being given water by Esmerelda(Patsy Ruth Miller),the festival of Fools and that climax!It's a film of immense emotional power that still resonates over eighty years later,and will likely for another eighty.

There are plenty of Special features including an essay and commentary track by Chaney biographer,Michael F.Blake,a reproduction of the film's original publicity pamphlet and 3-D stills that come with there own glasses!
It's also a treat to view Chaney in the fragment of his other Hunchback role in the now lost,"Alas and Alek".

This is a great DVD set reccomended for any Cinema fanatic and admirers of that "Man of a thousand faces".