Movies like this always have lots of other versions, remakes, the like, and sadly enough usually the first few ones don't seem to get very much attention. This is a Lon Chaney silent version, and while I can't really say it's the greatest film of all time or anything like that, I can say with some inflection that it's worth the time to search out and view, at least once.
The most noteworthy part of this production is basically its epic set-up. With Lon Chaney + Silent film + few people having seen it, it seems like it'd be entirely B movie, but that's not the case at all. Not only does the writing deal with a lot of different characters and take the time to develop them all, plus the time taken to create masses and masses of people who aren't just around for a few shots, but actually most of the storyline, it's definitely not something that deserves to just be shelved away in the movies-that-time-forgot category.
And then of course there's my hero, Lon Chaney himself. The make-up effects on him are as impressive as always (he often did his make-up himself)--so impressive that it honestly looks very real--and he does what he can with the surprisingly few minutes he has on screen. I think most surprising to modern audiences would be the fact that most of the story doesn't really revolve around him, but around Esmarelda and the many men with their power-plays around her. This movie specifically downplays the part of Quasimodo's love for her and concentrates on him more being a benevolent protector for her... after, of course, he gets the chance to know her.
It's also kind of a different film for Chaney considering that it's really big and it's not necessarily all about unrequited love to Chaney's character. Make no mistake, there's plenty of unrequited love to go around, but Quasimodo really gets the lighter end of the stick.
Anyways, it's a shame this doesn't get much focus on, but at least it IS available and at least it's pretty entertaining.
--PolarisDiB
The most noteworthy part of this production is basically its epic set-up. With Lon Chaney + Silent film + few people having seen it, it seems like it'd be entirely B movie, but that's not the case at all. Not only does the writing deal with a lot of different characters and take the time to develop them all, plus the time taken to create masses and masses of people who aren't just around for a few shots, but actually most of the storyline, it's definitely not something that deserves to just be shelved away in the movies-that-time-forgot category.
And then of course there's my hero, Lon Chaney himself. The make-up effects on him are as impressive as always (he often did his make-up himself)--so impressive that it honestly looks very real--and he does what he can with the surprisingly few minutes he has on screen. I think most surprising to modern audiences would be the fact that most of the story doesn't really revolve around him, but around Esmarelda and the many men with their power-plays around her. This movie specifically downplays the part of Quasimodo's love for her and concentrates on him more being a benevolent protector for her... after, of course, he gets the chance to know her.
It's also kind of a different film for Chaney considering that it's really big and it's not necessarily all about unrequited love to Chaney's character. Make no mistake, there's plenty of unrequited love to go around, but Quasimodo really gets the lighter end of the stick.
Anyways, it's a shame this doesn't get much focus on, but at least it IS available and at least it's pretty entertaining.
--PolarisDiB