Gargoyle Question?! - The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996) Discussion

[–] mtman318 9 years ago

I think it can be seen either way. The commentary keeps it ambiguous too. True, sometimes the gargoyles actually do stuff, but it possible it's like Fight Club when (major spoilers for Fight Club) the main character--I can't recall his name at the moment--sees Brad Pitt's character say and do stuff, but it was actually him the whole time. Personally, I prefer the idea that they're all in his head.

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[–] gracecain 9 years ago

The fact that his loneliness could cause them to come to life in his mind went right over my head as a child. It kind of makes the character, quasi, seem more real and tortured. But I like the idea too

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[–] Purple_Cloud_9 9 years ago

I believe they're real because in the sequel Madellaine notices them talking, also.

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[–] KristenStewartForever 8 years ago

That's exactly right

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[–] haunt_freak 8 years ago

The sequel is a travesty that we need to forget was ever made.

~~~
"I'm not used to being out in months that don't begin with 'O'."
-The Ringmaster, Dark Harbor

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[–] ZakkWyldeMyLittlePony 7 years ago

I would not take the sequel that seriously. I never saw it, but I heard it was bad. Plus, all Disney sequels tend to be pretty bad period. Although I liked that they redeemed Iago in Return of Jafar.

Lars Ulrich is a Brony

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[–] number9-4 9 years ago

I think they're real, but then the movie people just ran with it and said they could be figments of Quasi's imagination to sound deep or something. Because it wouldn't be the first time inanimate objects were used as sidekicks when it had nothing to do with loneliness (the magic carpet, all the BatB appliances), and also the gargoyles are shown waging war on Frollo's men.

I suppose the difference is that the magic carpet and the BatB characters were all enchanted, and no mention of that is ever made in the gargoyles' case. But I personally think that's just a technicality.

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[–] Getalis 9 years ago

How did Calvin tie himself up in that chair? 

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[–] GreenGoblinsOckVenom86 7 years ago

No offense number but it is said in beauty and the beast that everyone that lived in the castle was cursed by being turned into pieces of furniture or other objects. So every piece of furniture and object that was that was alive and moving around was a person.

Anyway I always thought the Gargoyles were real. They just didn't trust anyone but Quisimoto with that secret.
"I'll be back!" The Terminator

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[–] JJdaPK 9 years ago

If the gargoyles are real, then why on earth did they not help Quasimodo and Esmeralda when Frollo was trying to stab them on the balcony?

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[–] number9-4 8 years ago

Good question. However, if the gargoyles aren't real, how is it they were perched outside when first introduced (with Hugo and the nest in his mouth), then moved inside when Frollo comes in and sees them (because they'd been following Quasi and then froze)? If he were just imagining them, they wouldn't have actually changed locations.

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[–] JJdaPK 8 years ago

^Quasimodo would have probably moved the gargoyles himself.

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[–] number9-4 8 years ago

That would imply he knows they're not real, if he has to go and move them. And I thought the point everyone is making is that he's so lonesome, he basically hallucinates these friends.

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[–] JJdaPK 8 years ago

^It would me more of a multiple personality type thing. Kind of how Norman Bates dresses up as his mother when he kills people, yet he still believes she is a separate person and alive.

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[–] number9-4 8 years ago

I'm pretty sure when they're shown firing at Frollo's guards, Quasi isn't even around, which is another reason I think the creators are reaching when they say they could be imaginary.

Also, it would make a lot more sense, to me, for him to hallucinate that his figurines of the villagers were real, since he so desperately longed to know them. I guess you could argue he wouldn't do that because he knows they're real and sees them going about their lives down below, but that also implies that psychosis is based in logic, which is sort of a catch-22.

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[–] marvelass 8 years ago

I'm pretty sure when they're shown firing at Frollo's guards, Quasi isn't even around, which is another reason I think the creators are reaching when they say they could be imaginary.

I think they were initially meant to be real, but after the film came out and the garygoyles were lambasted by not only critics but regular viewers as well (especially that time-inopportune song "A Guy Like You"), the filmmakers decided to backtrack. There's a reason why they were removed from the stage version.

BTW: Hugo briefly comes to life for Djali, when Qausi is giving Esmeralda a tour of the place.

.

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[–] number9-4 8 years ago

I think they were initially meant to be real, but after the film came out and the garygoyles were lambasted by not only critics but regular viewers as well (especially that time-inopportune song "A Guy Like You"), the filmmakers decided to backtrack.

Exactly.

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[–] NobodymournstheWicked 8 years ago

They actually talked but only when Quasimodo was alone, the only one that moved at all when somebody was somebody was around besides Quasimodo being alone was Hugo.

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[–] KristenStewartForever 8 years ago

No. They are real. They can really come alive and talk. Because they're fighting off the guards. They're helping him save the day. There's no way Quasimodo could imagine this. Plus, Hugo's crush on Djali. And Madeline sees them alive in the sequel.

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[–] htarceno 8 years ago

because Quasi felt deformed and ugly, he could relate to the gargoyles more than he could other people. ln his mind, they were real. they were his friends.

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[–] NobodymournstheWicked 8 years ago

I have to 100% agree with you

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[–] watcher101 7 years ago

No, they were real. They interacted with other people and objects throughout the movie, and they moved around in ways Quasi couldn't/wouldn't have been able to move them. There's also the fact that the goat took notice that they were alive too. Had they really only been in Quasi's mind would have been very interesting, but in this case, what we saw was the real thing.

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[–] joshwinkler87 7 years ago

They were real I think for the reasons already stated but the only question is why did they act as if they were not alive around Frollo, Esmerelda, etc...

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