MovieChat Forums > The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923) Discussion > Chaney's Make-up

Chaney's Make-up

posted 17 years ago by Boswell1939
5 replies | jump to latest

At the risk of receiving a lot of backlash here: does anyone else find Chaney's make-up in this movie a bit of a let-down? I think his actions & his body make-up are great but that disfigured eye has always bothered me . . . looks like the egg-crate monster eye I made as a kid. I find Chaney's make-up consistantly stellar but find his acting is much better than that damn eye. Also: I think I prefer Charles Laughton's make-up & portrayal overall. OK, commence attacks . . . NOW! (a big Chaney Fan) . .

[–] SHADO57 17 years ago

You are perhaps right. I try not to get glued to that eye, but to see the whole character's actions. I think Chaney's performance is the best of the silent era, and Laughton's performance is the best of the sound era, and sanctuary much for your comments.

[–] MissyH316 12 years ago

..."sanctuary much". LOL!

"Think slow, act fast." --Buster Keaton

[–] bsanto 16 years ago

I regretfully agree. I thought his body language was fantastic -- hump was great. The eye, however, looked awful to me. However, I do realize that I'm looking at it with my contemporary eyes. Back then it was probably a modern marvel.

[–] The_Dying_Flutchman 14 years ago

Not just the lousy eye, but that wig! Awful. But then he was Universal's Number One star and nobody would dare question him.

Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible.

[–] 12 years ago

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