Hunchback of Notre Dame

DVD Features:

Description by OLDIES.com:

Lon Chaney, cinema's "Man of a Thousand Faces," stars in this silent classic - the first version of Victor Hugo's novel about the tortured hunchback. Half-blind and monstrously deformed, Quasimodo dwells within the sanctuary of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. Ridiculed and exploited by a cruel world, he passionately rings the cathedral's great bells to express his feelings. Quasimodo secretly loves a beautiful gypsy girl named Esmeralda, for whom he sacrifices his life when he rescues her from her evil guardian. Chaney's great performance and his incredible use of make-up brilliantly evoke both terror and pity for the hunchback as this classic tale is played out in medieval Paris.

Product Description:

This silent film is the first screen version of Victor Hugo's 1831 novel. Chaney plays the deformed bell-ringer who is smitten by a beautiful dancing girl persecuted by the wicked Bishop of Notre Dame.

Plot Synopsis:

A disfigured outcast from society, Quasimodo shows his humanity by rescuing a fair maiden marked for death. In the star-making gothic classic, the noble hunchback gives his life for the love of a young woman.

Plot Keywords:

Classic | Drama | Essential Cinema | Horror | Physically Impaired | Romance | Silent | Tragedy | Vintage | Wise Fools

Production Notes:

• The Image Entertainment CAV laserdisc version (Cat. #ID-3544DS) contains the following: * A remastered sepia-and-blue tinted print of the film. * A look at the Notre Dame courtyard set. * A trivia-packed reproduction of the original souvenir program. * A gatefold essay by Lon Chaney's biographer, Michael F. Blake.

Cast and Crew: