The Hunchcast of Notre Dame

RKO’s “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” (1939)

On this episode of the world’s first podcast about “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” (“Notre-Dame de Paris”), we discuss RKO’s feature film of the same name, released in 1939! Made during the Holocaust and the Great Depression, this remake of Universal’s feature film speaks to the difficult state of the world in the 1930s by refocusing Victor Hugo’s story on themes of social justice. Academy Award winner Charles Laughton and then-eighteen-year-old Maureen O’Hara turn in career-best performances. Does this movie contain the best version of the character Pierre Gringoire? Why did RKO purchase the rights to make a movie based on a public-domain book? Is Charles Laughton God? Plus, Coldplay! Yo mama! Progresso soup! Aldi! The seven liberal arts! Join us as we discuss these topics and more! RING THE NOTIFICATION BELL to be automatically updated when new episodes are released! GET FREE BONUS CONTENT ON SOCIAL MEDIA: * Instagram: @TheHunchcast [https://www.instagram.com/thehunchcast/] (https://www.instagram.com/thehunchcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/thehunchcast/]) * Tumblr: @TheHunchcast [https://www.tumblr.com/thehunchcast] (https://www.tumblr.com/thehunchcast [https://www.tumblr.com/thehunchcast]) * TikTok: @TheHunchcast [https://www.tiktok.com/@thehunchcast] (https://www.tiktok.com/@thehunchcast [https://www.tiktok.com/@thehunchcast]) GET IN TOUCH: thehunchcast@gmail.com [thehunchcast@gmail.com] CHAPTERS FOR THIS EPISODE: (00:00) Intro (00:27) How Did This Get Made? (19:48) Plot Synopsis (29:27) The Ending (33:40) Writers Bruno Frank and Sonya Levien (40:38) Clopin and the Bonus Army Incident (45:33) King Louis XI’s Role (48:53) Pierre Gringoire’s Role (52:54) Esmeralda's Role (57:04) Quasimodo's Role (01:02:21) Jehan Frollo's Role (01:16:52) The Screenplay (01:20:17) The Bells of Notre Dame (01:21:48) Overall Thoughts (01:25:54) Inn, Dust, Throw (01:31:36) Outro SOURCES FOR THIS EPISODE: * “Charles Laughton: An Intimate Biography” by Charles Higham (1976) * “’Tis Herself: An Autobiography” by Maureen O’Hara (2004) * “A Man Called Cervantes” by Bruno Frank (1935) * “RKO Radio Pictures: A Titan Is Born” by Richard B. Jewell (2012) * “Thalberg: The Last Tycoon and the World of M-G-M” by Roland Flamini (1994) * “Lon Chaney, Jr.: Horror Film Star, 1906–1973” by Don G. Smith (2004) * “A Great Lady: A Life of the Screenwriter Sonya Levien” by Larry Ceplair (1996) * Variety’s July 1932, August 1932, and March 1934 issues * “RKO Buys From MGM Screen Rights to ‘Hunchback of Notre Dame.’” New York Times, January 24, 1939 * “RKO Negotiates With Orson Welles for ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame.’” New York Times, March 30, 1939 * “The Making of The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” Turner Home Entertainment (1996) Podcast logo by Ryan Grimm (Instagram: @grimmstar2002 [https://www.instagram.com/grimmstar2002/]). “The Hunchcast of Notre Dame” is a production of 1482 Media. All rights reserved.

“Man of a Thousand Faces” (1957), the Lon Chaney biopic

On this episode of the definitive podcast about “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” (“Notre-Dame de Paris”), we discuss the Lon Chaney biopic “Man of a Thousand Faces” (1957)! While this movie isn’t a direct “Hunchback” adaptation, it contains recreation scenes of Universal’s 1923 movie (the topic of our previous episode) and provides valuable insight into Lon Chaney’s (Quasimodo’s) life at the time of filming. How much of this movie is historically accurate? Why is 58-year-old James Cagney playing a 22-year-old? And why, why, WHY does the Quasimodo makeup look so terrible? Join us as we answer these questions and more! RING THE NOTIFICATION BELL to be automatically updated when new episodes are released! GET FREE BONUS CONTENT ON SOCIAL MEDIA: * Instagram: @TheHunchcast [https://www.instagram.com/thehunchcast/] (https://www.instagram.com/thehunchcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/thehunchcast/]) * Tumblr: @TheHunchcast [https://www.tumblr.com/thehunchcast] (https://www.tumblr.com/thehunchcast [https://www.tumblr.com/thehunchcast]) * TikTok: @TheHunchcast [https://www.tiktok.com/@thehunchcast] (https://www.tiktok.com/@thehunchcast [https://www.tiktok.com/@thehunchcast]) GET IN TOUCH: thehunchcast@gmail.com [thehunchcast@gmail.com] CHAPTERS FOR THIS EPISODE: (00:00) Intro (00:57) Why Did This Get Made? (08:10) Plot Synopsis (12:50) Historical Accuracy (18:04) Portrayal of Deafness and Ableism (23:13) James Cagney’s Performance (25:06) The Recreation Scenes (36:58) Chaney’s Wives (45:51) Overall Thoughts (50:42) Inn, Dust, Throw (55:54) Outro SOURCES FOR THIS EPISODE: * “Lon Chaney: The Man Behind the Thousand Faces” by Michael F. Blake * “A Thousand Faces: Lon Chaney’s Unique Artistry in Motion Pictures” by Michael F. Blake * “The Universal Story” (1996) * “Orson Welles - Interview with Michael Parkinson” (BBC 1974) * “The Kid Stays in the Picture: A Notorious Life,” an autobiography by Robert Evans (1994) Podcast logo by Ryan Grimm (Instagram: @grimmstar2002 [https://www.instagram.com/grimmstar2002/]). “The Hunchcast of Notre Dame” is a production of 1482 Media. All rights reserved.

Universal’s “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” (1923)

On this episode of the definitive podcast about “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” (“Notre-Dame de Paris”), we’re discussing Universal’s silent film “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” released in 1923! Arguably the most important “Hunchback” adaptation (though not the first), this movie, one of the most expensive ever made during its time, kicked off the Universal Monsters franchise, turned Lon Chaney, the Man of a Thousand Faces, into an internationally-recognized star, and legitimized Universal as a major film studio. But for all its fame, this film is shrouded in mystery. What happened to the scenes and subplots that were cut? Was Quasimodo’s hump actually 70 pounds? Who REALLY directed this movie? Join us as we answer these century-old questions! WATCH UNIVERSAL’S “THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME” FOR FREE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzIEOAUTb-c [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzIEOAUTb-c] RING THE NOTIFICATION BELL to be automatically updated when new episodes are released! GET FREE BONUS CONTENT ON SOCIAL MEDIA: * Instagram: @TheHunchcast [https://www.instagram.com/thehunchcast/] (https://www.instagram.com/thehunchcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/thehunchcast/]) * Tumblr: @TheHunchcast [https://www.tumblr.com/thehunchcast] (https://www.tumblr.com/thehunchcast [https://www.tumblr.com/thehunchcast]) * TikTok: @TheHunchcast [https://www.tiktok.com/@thehunchcast] (https://www.tiktok.com/@thehunchcast [https://www.tiktok.com/@thehunchcast]) GET IN TOUCH: thehunchcast@gmail.com [thehunchcast@gmail.com] CHAPTERS FOR THIS EPISODE: (00:00) Intro (00:23) Was This the First “Hunchback” Movie? (01:43) How Did This Get Made? (07:40) Plot Synopsis (13:22) The Title Cards (15:36) Jehan/Claude Frollo’s Role (18:39) The Treasure of Notre Dame (21:49) The Sets (24:19) The Film’s Central Conflict (27:51) Portrayal of the Catholic Church (32:59) Quasimodo’s Role (38:50) Esmeralda’s Role (47:53) Phoebus’s Role (53:11) The Sack Woman’s Role (57:23) Clopin’s Role (59:29) Gringoire’s Role (01:04:15) Censorship (01:08:02) Norman Kerry (01:09:32) Overall Thoughts (01:16:06) Inn, Dust, Throw (01:21:42) Outro SOURCES FOR THIS EPISODE: * “Lon Chaney: The Man Behind the Thousand Faces” by Michael F. Blake * “A Thousand Faces: Lon Chaney’s Unique Artistry in Motion Pictures” by Michael F. Blake * “The Hunchback of Notre Dame: An Original Motion Picture Edition” by Perely Poore Shehan * “The Universal Story” (1996) * “My Hollywood: When Both of Us Were Young” by Patsy Ruth Miller * “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” screenplay reprint by Philip J. Riley Podcast logo by Ryan Grimm (Instagram: @grimmstar2002 [https://www.instagram.com/grimmstar2002/]). “The Hunchcast of Notre Dame” is a production of 1482 Media. All rights reserved.

Discussing “La Esmeralda” (1836) with musicologist Dr. Denise Boneau

On this special episode of the definitive podcast about “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” (“Notre-Dame de Paris”), we sit down with musicologist Dr. Denise Boneau, the world’s leading expert on composer Louise Bertin, for an exclusive interview about the opera “La Esmeralda” (1836), the subject of our previous episode. A graduate of the University of Chicago, Dr. Boneau’s doctoral dissertation revived academic interest in Louise Bertin, who by that point had faded from public memory. Her passion for Bertin’s work has taken to France to see the first productions of Bertin’s operas in nearly 200 years, none of which would have been possible if Dr. Boneau hadn’t brought Bertin’s work back into public view. We’d like to express our sincerest thanks to Dr. Boneau for generously offering her time and expertise! LISTEN TO “LA ESMERALDA” WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tEP6_VCwyI [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tEP6_VCwyI] RING THAT NOTIFICATION BELL to be automatically updated when new episodes are released! GET FREE BONUS CONTENT ON SOCIAL MEDIA: * Instagram: @TheHunchcast [https://www.instagram.com/thehunchcast/] (https://www.instagram.com/thehunchcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/thehunchcast/]) * Tumblr: @TheHunchcast [https://www.tumblr.com/thehunchcast] (https://www.tumblr.com/thehunchcast [https://www.tumblr.com/thehunchcast]) * TikTok: @TheHunchcast [https://www.tiktok.com/@thehunchcast] (https://www.tiktok.com/@thehunchcast [https://www.tiktok.com/@thehunchcast]) GET IN TOUCH: thehunchcast@gmail.com [thehunchcast@gmail.com] CHAPTERS FOR THIS EPISODE: (00:00) Introduction (01:01) Denise Boneau and Her Dissertation (09:51) Who Was Louise Bertin? (15:28) Louise’s Operas (24:32) La Esmeralda’s Tumultuous Production (35:20) Louise’s Disability + Upbringing (42:41) Louise’s Legacy (45:55) Louise and Hugo’s friendship (56:45) La Esmeralda’s 21st-Century Revival (01:01:26) Hector Berlioz’s Involvement (01:05:18) Quasimodo’s Aria (01:09:08) Outro SOURCES FOR THIS EPISODE: * “Louise Bertin and Opera in Paris in the 1820s and 1830s,” a dissertation by Dr. Denise Boneau * “Victor Hugo By A Witness Of His Life” by Adèle Hugo * “Mémoires de Hector Berlioz” (1870) Podcast logo by Ryan Grimm (Instagram: @grimmstar2002 [https://www.instagram.com/grimmstar2002/]). Episode cover art by Victor-Louis Mottez. “The Hunchcast of Notre Dame” is a production of 1482 Media. All rights reserved.

“La Esmeralda” (1836), an opera by Louise Bertin & Victor Hugo

Tune in next week for an exclusive interview with the world's leading expert on Louise Bertin, musicologist Dr. Denise Boneau! On this episode of the world’s first podcast about “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” (“Notre-Dame de Paris”), we discuss the opera “La Esmeralda” (1836), the only “Hunchback” adaptation Victor Hugo participated in creating. Composed by Louise Bertin, a young disabled woman, this controversial opera was only performed six times during its original run. Bertin was so traumatized by the backlash against it that she never composed another opera. What’s to blame for the failure of “La Esmeralda”? Government censorship? Sexist critics? Audiences of hecklers, including “The Three Musketeers” author Alexandre Dumas? Joins us as we grapple with this nearly 200-year-old question. LISTEN TO “LA ESMERALDA” WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tEP6_VCwyI [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tEP6_VCwyI] RING THAT NOTIFICATION BELL to be automatically updated when new episodes are released! GET FREE BONUS CONTENT ON SOCIAL MEDIA: * Instagram: @TheHunchcast [https://www.instagram.com/thehunchcast/] (https://www.instagram.com/thehunchcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/thehunchcast/]) * Tumblr: @TheHunchcast [https://www.tumblr.com/thehunchcast] (https://www.tumblr.com/thehunchcast [https://www.tumblr.com/thehunchcast]) * TikTok: @TheHunchcast [https://www.tiktok.com/@thehunchcast] (https://www.tiktok.com/@thehunchcast [https://www.tiktok.com/@thehunchcast]) GET IN TOUCH: thehunchcast@gmail.com [thehunchcast@gmail.com] CHAPTERS FOR THIS EPISODE: (00:00) Intro (01:18) Who Was Louise Bertin? (02:58) The Opera's Development (20:28) The Opera's Premiere (25:19) The Opera's Legacy (27:53) Plot Synopsis (30:45) The Opera vs. the Novel (42:40) Clopin’s Role (46:22) Phoebus’s Role (49:45) Quasimodo’s Role (52:52) The Music (01:01:31) How “La Esmeralda” Influenced Future “Hunchback” Adaptations (01:03:11) Overall Thoughts (01:10:06) Inn, Dust, Throw (01:17:07) Outro SOURCES FOR THIS EPISODE: * “Louise Bertin and Opera in Paris in the 1820s and 1830s,” a dissertation by Dr. Denise Boneau * The French History Podcast: “Notre-Dame in Adaptation [https://www.thefrenchhistorypodcast.com/notre-dame-in-adaptation-louise-bertins-la-esmeralda-by-emma-kavanagh/#:~:text=La%20Esmeraldawas%20based%20on%20Victor%20Hugo's%20novel%20Notre%20Dame%20de%20Paris&text=Many%20years%20later%2C%20Berlioz%20lamented%20the%20work's%20fate%20in%20his%20memoirs.]: Louise Bertin’s La Esmeralda by musicologist Dr. Emma Kavanagh” * “Music and Manners in France and Germany” (1844) by Henry Chorley * “Historique De La Esmeralda” (1905), an essay by Paul Meurice * “Victor Hugo By A Witness Of His Life” by Adèle Hugo * “Mémoires de Hector Berlioz” (1870) Podcast logo by Ryan Grimm (Instagram: @grimmstar2002 [https://www.instagram.com/grimmstar2002/]). Episode cover art by Louis Boulanger. “The Hunchcast of Notre Dame” is a production of 1482 Media. All rights reserved.