Claude Frollo is the villain of Hunchback, and his plan is probably the most violent, sadistic and evil plan of any Disney villain ever. The gypsies have started making their way into Paris, France. Frollo, the justice minister, deems them impure, sinful things and wants to wipe them out. He wants to commit genocide, and his desire to do so is what kicks the movie off. He kills Quasimodo’s mother, an innocent woman, and only raises Quasi to repent for his sins.

Eventually, Frollo’s desire for genocide takes on a more personal twist. He meets Esmeralda, a kind-hearted gypsie who helps Quasimodo out early on, and everything changes. He starts to lust for her and this comes to a head in the song “Hellfire.”

Hellfire is actually supposed to be contrasted with Heaven’s Lights, Quasimodo’s song about his love for Esmeralda. The songs are about the same thing, but come at it from different perspectives. Quasimodo is talking about how his life has changed since meeting Esmeralda, while Frollo’s song is all about the internal conflict he’s going through.

We start out with Frollo praying to Mary, wondering why he has these lustful feelings for Esmeralda. Why does he keep thinking about her and thinking about her in these ways? Eventually, he realizes these feelings are sinful and his desire turns to guilt. Even though it is his fault he wants to take no blame, saying this is all God’s plan and that the devil is stronger than man.

Soon, Frollo goes insane. Instead of casting her off and going “you know, I shouldn’t have these feelings” he kind of goes overboard, saying “let her taste the fires of hell” and offering an ultimatum. “She will be mine or she will burn.” Calm down, dude. Well, that’s the simple explanation.

The real explanation is that Frollo feels the guilt, he can’t understand why he — a man he considers pure — has these sinful feelings. He can’t handle any of this, so he turns to blaming everyone else. It’s God, it’s the devil, it’s Esmeralda and her sinful ways. It’s possible he just doesn’t understand these feelings at a more basic level, kind of like how we see politicians who are against gay marriage and claim to be all about family having affairs with men and sexting their assistants.

The animation in this song is pretty spectacular, too. You see the cloaked figures yelling mea culpa, turning into hellfire and wrapping around Frollo. There’s the wonderful animation on the scarf and rope, and the shadow figures near the end of the song. Hellfire is a triumph in every possible way, and it’s one you can only fully appreciate as an adult.

disney songs week, the hunchback of notre dame, walt disney animation

Originally published at www.swiftfilm.com.