gentcallr Reviews

The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1976 TV Movie)

I've been hoping to see this a second time since 1977

[7/10 · 16 September 2005]

As far as I know, this has only shown on television in the US once (summer of '77), and has never been on video. I remember this TV movie obviously had a much lower budget that the three previous theatrical versions. However, I found it fascinating because it is at least as true to the book as the Anthony Quinn version. Like Victor Hugo's book, it has dark humor mixed with tragedy, and does not seem very concerned about offending the church. They did something similar in the 1982 TV movie with Anthony Hopkins, but that felt like more of an adaptation of the Charles Laughton version than like a new adaptation of the book. The versions I enjoy watching the most are those from 1939 and 1996, but I'll be grateful if anyone can tell me where I can get a copy of this one on DVD or VHS.