Is The Hunchback of Notre Dame's Hellfire still the most chilling villain song? (Disney)

[Jadow]

For some context, this song is basically about Judge Frollo's lust for the gipsy girl Esmeralda while also adding some religion to the mix, but don't let my simple description tell the whole story, watch the video or read the lyrics and see for yourself. As a kid I had no idea what the song was about, re-watching this scene as an adult well...WTF

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Spoiler: Lyrics

Confiteor Deo Omnipotenti (I confess to God almighty)
Beatae Mariae semper Virgini (To blessed Mary ever Virgin)
Beato Michaeli archangelo (To the blessed archangel Michael)
Sanctis apostolis omnibus sanctis (To the holy apostles to all the saints)

Beata Maria
You know I am a righteous man
Of my virtue I am justly proud

Et tibit Pater (And to you, Father)

Beata Maria




You know I'm so much purer than
The common, vulgar, weak, licentious crowd

Quia peccavi nimis (That I have sinned)

Then tell me, Maria
Why I see her dancing there
Why her smold'ring eyes still scorch my soul

Cogitatione (In thought)

I feel her, I see her
The sun caught in her raven hair
Is blazing in me out of all control

Verbo et opere (In word and deed)

Like fire




Hellfire
This fire in my skin
This burning
Desire
Is turning me to sin
It's not my fault

Mea culpa (Through my fault)

I'm not to blame

Mea culpa (Through my fault)

It is the gypsy girl
The witch who sent this flame

Mea maxima culpa (Through my most griveous fault)





It's not my fault

Mea culpa (Through my fault)

If in God's plan

Mea culpa (Through my fault)

He made the devil so much
Stronger than a man

Mea maxima culpa (Through my most griveous fault)

Protect me, Maria
Don't let this siren cast her spell
Don't let her fire sear my flesh and bone
Destroy Esmeralda
And let her taste the fires of hell




Or else let her be mine and mine alone
Hellfire
Dark fire
Now gypsy, it's your turn
Choose me or
Your pyre
Be mine or you will burn

Kyrie Eleison (Lord have mercy)

God have mercy on her

Kyrie Eleison (Lord have mercy)

God have mercy on me

Kyrie Eleison (Lord have mercy)

But she will be mine
Or she will burn!

 

[PlanetSmasher]

It still blows my mind that Disney actually released a movie where a church leader decides to burn down the city of Paris because he got a boner from a pole dancer and decided that if he couldn't sleep with her the whole world had to die.

Like it's unbelievable that this is a thing in the world we live in.

It's also an incredible piece of music and a visual triumph.

 

[Spine Crawler]

id say its up there but "be prepared" is also great. well that and "friends on the other side"

 

[Illusion]

It still blows my mind that Disney actually released a movie where a church leader decides to burn down the city of Paris because he got a boner from a pole dancer and decided that if he couldn't sleep with her the whole world had to die.

Like it's unbelievable that this is a thing in the world we live in.

It's also an incredible piece of music and a visual triumph.

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That's one way to explain it.

Hunchback of Notre Dame was definitely one of the strangest choices to adapt into a Disney movie. Years into the future now, I wish Disney had the balls to take out the gargoyles and made it even more for adults.

The film itself is good, but its still weird like all the theater plays that came before it.

 

[El Bombastico]

It remains the best Disney Villain song ever.

 

[Reym]

I love everything about "Hellfire", but one of my favorite aspects that often gets glossed over is its juxtaposition to "Heaven's Light". I imagine due to Heaven's Light being a subdued number compared to Hellfire's bombast, but it really drives home the contrast.
As flawed as HoND is, it's among my personal favorite Disney movies because the stuff it gets right is gotten SO right that I can forgive the stuff it does wrong (though I definitely understand people who can't.) Frollo is one of the most terrifying Disney villains, because he's real, and Hellfire exemplifies why.

 

[PlanetSmasher]

That's one way to explain it.

Hunchback of Notre Dame was definitely one of the strangest choices to adapt into a Disney movie. Years into the future now, I wish Disney had the balls to take out the gargoyles and made it even more for adults.

The film itself is good, but its still weird like all the theater plays that came before it.

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Yup. The movie, when it's firing on all cylinders (the Bells, Heaven's Light/Hellfire, etc) is amazing but the sacrifices they had to make to make it "Disney appropriate" (gargoyles, the visual framing of the Court of Miracles even if the song itself is super catchy Menken) really hold it back.

It's probably the best overall score a Disney film has ever had, even if the film itself isn't amazing because of those incongruous elements.

 

[Chivalry]

Anyone who likes this movie should check out the french musical Notre-Dame de Paris. It's amazing in any language, but I highly recommend the french version.

 

[Valkyr Junkie]

id say its up there but "be prepared" is also great. well that and "friends on the other side"

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Yup, I'd rank both of these higher.

 

[jack_package_200]

Yeah its kind of insane they did this.

Its certainly the most adult moment of the Disney renaissance

 

[manzoman96]

Not sure it's the most chilling, but the song is definitely 🔥 (pun intended)

 

[Beren]

Definitely. Like others said, there's a lot of great things in this movie, and there's a few so terrible things that they make it a hard rewatch.

Second place chilling villain song is probably Friends on the Other Side.

 

[JimJamJones]

It remains the best Disney Villain song ever.

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That's not Friends on the Other Side.

 

[PlanetSmasher]

Yup, I'd rank both of these higher.

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I think both of those songs are more fun than Hellfire. Friends on the Other Side especially isn't scary, it's a really fun song that's just Keith David having a great fuckin' time.

Hellfire is legitimately scary because of the context and the meaning behind the words. This dude is so far gone he'd burn down an entire city because a girl he saw dance ONE TIME won't get with him.

 

[Pendas]

id say its up there but "be prepared" is also great. well that and "friends on the other side"

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I agree with this, and also Gaston's Song. I love that Disney Villain songs are so varied. They range from chilling, to mysterious, and downright cocky. Every song perfectly encapsulates the Villains personality / motives.

 

[Cass_Se]

Yup. The movie, when it's firing on all cylinders (the Bells, Heaven's Light/Hellfire, etc) is amazing but the sacrifices they had to make to make it "Disney appropriate" (gargoyles, the visual framing of the Court of Miracles even if the song itself is super catchy Menken) really hold it back.

It's probably the best overall score a Disney film has ever had, even if the film itself isn't amazing because of those incongruous elements.

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The Bells gives me chills every single time I listem to it. It may not be one of the greatest Disney songs (not a knock against the song, it's amazing, I just likely wouldn't put it in my Top 10), but it's magnificent unlike any other.

On a similar note, I'd say I prefer Be Prepared as a villain song, but Hellfire is so much more effective.

 

[PlanetSmasher]

The Bells gives me chills every single time I listem to it. It may not be one of the greatest Disney songs (not a knock against the song, it's amazing, I just likely wouldn't put it in my Top 10), but it's magnificent unlike any other.

On a similar note, I'd say I prefer Be Prepared as a villain song, but Hellfire is so much more effective.

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Be Prepared is a much more fun song (also way easier to sing because Tony Jay was a monolith of a man), for sure. But the impact of Hellfire is like an emotional gut punch. It's honestly some of Menken's best work.

"It's not my fault, if in God's plan / he made the devil so much stronger than a man" is one of those lyrics you just have to sit there and be like "HOW THIS IS IN A DISNEY MOVIE"

 

[KillstealWolf]

Depends if this counts or not:

 

[Necron]

Amazing song...

Unbelievable it was actually approved in the first place.

 

[Beren]

Depends if this counts or not:

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It's really, really good, but I'd be hard pressed to say that counts as a Disney villain song, since obviously Disney didn't make that song.

I'd say Pink Elephants on Parade counts more.

 

[manzoman96]

Depends if this counts or not:

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Man I need this movie in 4K

 

[Spine Crawler]

The Bells gives me chills every single time I listem to it. It may not be one of the greatest Disney songs (not a knock against the song, it's amazing, I just likely wouldn't put it in my Top 10), but it's magnificent unlike any other.

On a similar note, I'd say I prefer Be Prepared as a villain song, but Hellfire is so much more effective.

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hunchback has the best songs of any disney movie.

the bells, out there, god help the outcast

all is great.

 

[Terrell]

That's one way to explain it.

Hunchback of Notre Dame was definitely one of the strangest choices to adapt into a Disney movie. Years into the future now, I wish Disney had the balls to take out the gargoyles and made it even more for adults.

The film itself is good, but its still weird like all the theater plays that came before it.

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So you're saying it's time for this to be the next live-action adaptation?

 

[TheGamingNewsGuy]

So you're saying it's time for this to be the next live-action adaptation?

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Honestly, if we get a live action adaption...i hope they get Peter Capaldi

 

[PlanetSmasher]

Honestly, if we get a live action adaption...i hope they get Peter Capaldi

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holy shit

 

[mikeamizzle]

Depends if this counts or not:

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This is it for me. 4K Atmos for the 80th anniversary should be a thing...

 

[Duane]

It's really great, and so is the whole movie. And yes, the gargoyles are insufferable, but the movie just needs to make it a little more clear that they don't exist. They're not switching back to stone when somebody else walks in the room, they're always stone and inanimate. They only sing and make immature jokes in Quasimodo's desperately lonely imagination.

 

[TheGamingNewsGuy]

holy shit

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Tell me that Peter Capaldi wouldn't be perfect as Frollo. He even looks like Frollo

 

[Deleted member 29682]

I like it because it's not boastful or scheming like many villain songs, but about Frollo's guilt and terror of divine judgement in the face of temptation.

 

[PlanetSmasher]

Tell me that Peter Capaldi wouldn't be perfect as Frollo. He even looks like Frollo

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I could absolutely see it. I don't think he has the baritone singing voice for Hellfire but he could absolutely nail the character. I mean we all know how good an actor he is.

 

[TheGamingNewsGuy]

I could absolutely see it. I don't think he has the baritone singing voice for Hellfire but he could absolutely nail the character. I mean we all know how good an actor he is.

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I beleive he can sing quite well but Hellfire in general would be a difficult song for anyone to pull off

 

[Mr Jones]

I really don't like this movie.

But The Bells of Notre Dame, and Hellfire are some of the best songs from Disney.

 

[Aly]

Love the song and the movie. It got better when I was old enough to fully understand it.

 

[Dark Knight]

I defy you to watch this without pissing yourself.

 

[Reym]

It's really great, and so is the whole movie. And yes, the gargoyles are insufferable, but the movie just needs to make it a little more clear that they don't exist. They're not switching back to stone when somebody else walks in the room, they're always stone and inanimate. They only sing and make immature jokes in Quasimodo's desperately lonely imagination.

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I agree with this. It's how I personally interpret it. It's okay if they're a bit insufferable when they're the mental projections of a kid who's been locked away and told he's a monster his whole life - he doesn't know how people really act.
The main snag is that the gargoyles interact directly with the soldiers in the end. I can pretend that it's still Quasimodo doing those actions, but as you say, the movie needs to make it more clear. really wish that aspect just wasn't there.

 

[Crazy_about_media]

Man I need this movie in 4K

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Two more left on The Signature Collection(which I hope will get released) It and The Jungle Book

 

[Z-Beat]

Probably. It's about how a dude is so horny that if this woman doesn't fuck him he'll burn her alive. Doesn't get much darker than that, and earlier in the movie that same man killed a woman and nearly threw her baby down a well

 

[Bladelaw]

Most chilling? Absolutely. Arguably the best Villain Song period. I have soft spots for Friends on the Other Side and Oogie's Song but Frollo is so far beyond cartoonish evil. It's scary because it's not a supernatural evil it's just straight human evil.

 

[Mukrab]

Disney used to be ao good at making villains. Now we have stuff like frozen which is not a bad movie but we plot twist villain couldnt be more boring and less threatening.

 

[Moist_Owlet]

But then George costanza makes fart jokes

 

[Beren]

It's really great, and so is the whole movie. And yes, the gargoyles are insufferable, but the movie just needs to make it a little more clear that they don't exist. They're not switching back to stone when somebody else walks in the room, they're always stone and inanimate. They only sing and make immature jokes in Quasimodo's desperately lonely imagination.

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Them not existing in anyone but Quasi's head isn't the problem. The problem is that they're super fucking annoying and undercut a lot of the most dramatic, interesting moments in the most obnoxious possible way. They needed to interject a LOT less.

 

[Moppy]

Does "Heffalumps and Woozles" count? If so, I'd vote that.

 

[Jadow]

Here we have a self proclaimed man of virtue in power not willing to take no for an answer, he blames the girl for his lust and instead of simply walking away he is willing to not only sacrifice his so called righteousness but her aswell, all because a pretty woman was dancing.

Sadly I have known men who have this way of thinking, maybe not as cartoonish but just as bad. Maybe this is why the song leaves such an impression on me

 

[Maolfunction]

It's arguably Disney's darkest villain song for sure in terms of its content, and it definitely has a gut punch effect when you think about what he's singing about.

That being said, as far as musicality goes, I'm going to make an argument for Poor Unfortunate Souls as being the most well rounded villain song out of Disney. Be Prepared is up there too, though, I'll admit.

 

[Pau]

If you enjoy the more serious songs from Hunchback of Notre Dame, I cannot recommend the new musical enough. It adds songs that are just as good as Hellfire. It also replaces the gargoyles with the saint statues who are explicitly part of Quasimodo's psyche and form part of the background choir. Oh and Phoebus actually gets to sing!

Some of the other big story changes. Spoilers for the novel. :P

Spoiler

Esmeralda dies.
Quasimodo kills Frollo at the urging of the saint statues.
Quasimodo dies.

Esmeralda
The song before intermission which takes place while Frollo is burning down Paris. Really great ensemble piece.


Someday
In the movie, this is the pop song during the end credits. It was originally supposed to be Esmeralda's second song and the musical gives it back to her as a duet with Pheobus. Really beautiful, in the vein of God Help the Outcasts.


Made of Stone
Sung by Quasimodo when he's chained to the bell tower, before Esmeralda is burned at the stake.


Finale
Takes Sanctuary! from the original score and adds parts to the cast instead of just the choir. Sanctuary! is probably my favorite piece of music in a Disney movie, and the musical version does not disappoint.


Those are the main highlights, but there are other great songs as well.

So you're saying it's time for this to be the next live-action adaptation?

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They've already talked about adapting it, and unfortunately they explictly said they would not be using new music from the more recent musical. It's such a shame because the completely songs are just so good and the story changes are much more true to the story and tone of the novel.

 

[Dreavus]

I saw a great comment about hellfire that said Frollo is praying to God/Mary to help him with this evil desire, and the song is literally interrupted by a soldier telling him she has escaped - like, this is god giving you the chance to just LET IT GO dude! She's gone!

But of course this isn't what he does, he's so far up his own ass he doesn't even see it.

 

[Beren]

It's arguably Disney's darkest villain song for sure in terms of its content, and it definitely has a gut punch effect when you think about what he's singing about.

That being said, as far as musicality goes, I'm going to make an argument for Poor Unfortunate Souls as being the most well rounded villain song out of Disney. Be Prepared is up there too, though, I'll admit.

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I always forget about this one for some reason. Yeah, this is #2, and then #3 is Friends on the Other Side.

Be Prepared never seemed creepy to me.

 

[Incite]

If you enjoy the more serious songs from Hunchback of Notre Dame, I cannot recommend the new musical enough. It adds songs that are just as good as Hellfire. It also replaces the gargoyles with the saint statues who are explicitly part of Quasimodo's psyche and form part of the background choir. Oh and Phoebus actually gets to sing!

Some of the other big story changes. Spoilers for the novel. :P

Spoiler

Esmeralda dies.
Quasimodo kills Frollo at the urging of the saint statues.
Quasimodo dies.

Esmeralda
The song before intermission which takes place while Frollo is burning down Paris. Really great ensemble piece.


Someday
In the movie, this is the pop song during the end credits. It was originally supposed to be Esmeralda's second song and the musical gives it back to her as a duet with Pheobus. Really beautiful, in the vein of God Help the Outcasts.


Made of Stone
Sung by Quasimodo when he's chained to the bell tower, before Esmeralda is burned at the stake.


Finale
Takes Sanctuary! from the original score and adds parts to the cast instead of just the choir. Sanctuary! is probably my favorite piece of music in a Disney movie, and the musical version does not disappoint.


Those are the main highlights, but there are other great songs as well.


They've already talked about adapting it, and unfortunately they explictly said they would not be using new music from the more recent musical. It's such a shame because the completely songs are just so good and the story changes are much more true to the story and tone of the novel.

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Where can you watch this? Sounds fun:)

 

[Z-Beat]

Didn't Scar used to have a song about trying to bang Serabi in The Lion King? That one would probably be up there too if it existed.

I saw a great comment about hellfire that said Frollo is praying to God/Mary to help him with this evil desire, and the song is literally interrupted by a soldier telling him she has escaped - like, this is god giving you the chance to just LET IT GO dude! She's gone!

But of course this isn't what he does, he's so far up his own ass he doesn't even see it.

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Frollo justifies his evil with doing it for his religion even when the dude running the church comes outside and says "Yo stop this shit!" In this song he's effectively saying "if I can't have her, no one can. I'll be cool with it if she sleeps with me, but if she doesn't she's a whore and must be punished." Like he's totally cool with abandoning his beliefs if he can tap that ass

 

[Pau]

Where can you watch this? Sounds fun:)

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It was never brought to Broadway (or the West End, I think), but it hasas been performed at some regional theaters. I have no idea where it will be played next, unfortunately.

There are some amateur production recordings on YouTube. I've only seen a couple and can't really recommend any, especially as a first introduction to the material.

I think just listening to the recording is a great experience, but as someone who didn't have access to plays for most of my life, that's just how I'm used to consuming new shows.