Claude Frollo (Disney adaptation)

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Judge Claude Frollo
First appearance	The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Created by	Walt Disney Pictures
Voiced by	Tony Jay

Judge Claude Frollo is a character from Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame, as adapted from Claude Frollo in Victor Hugo's novel Notre Dame de Paris. His voice was provided by the late Tony Jay, who had been chosen for the role based on his brief appearance in Beauty and the Beast.

Frollo is a tall, thin and middle-aged man and the Minister of Justice in Paris, holding an intense hatred towards Gypsies. He dresses in a dark robe of black, purple and red and also wears a large, purple hat, which he occasionally removes throughout the film. His evil characteristics include racism, hatred, lust, and religious bigotry, which were rather unusual and mature features for a Disney film. His wickedness is considered to be on par with Maleficent's, though he lacks her magical power.^{[citation needed]}

This version of Frollo is quite different from the original; in the novel, Frollo is a much more sympathetic character, although he still remains the villain of the story.

Contents 1 History 2 Reaction 3 Other appearances 4 External links

[edit] History

Judge Claude Frollo is the Minister of Justice in the city of Paris, France. Frollo boasts an extreme prejudice towards Gypsies, believing them to be unholy demons that pose a serious threat to society. Frollo is first seen in the film on a cold winter's night when four Gypsies attempt to enter Paris, only to be captured by Frollo and his henchmen. When the woman carrying a bundle attempts to flee, Frollo gives chase and kills her on the steps of Notre Dame. Frollo realizes she was carrying her deformed infant child and attempts to drown it, but is stopped by the Archdeacon and forced to raise the child as his own son.

Frollo names the baby Quasimodo, which means "half-formed." For the next twenty years, Quasimodo is locked within the belltower of Notre Dame, as Frollo warns that the outside world will reject him as a monster. On the day of the Feast of Fools, Frollo meets Phoebus, the new Captain of the Guard, and explains his plans to eliminate the entire gypsy race by finding their haven, the Court of Miracles. Frollo and Phoebus go to the festival, unaware that Quasimodo is within the crowds. Frollo is disturbed and enchanted by Esmeralda, a gypsy dancer, but is then outraged when Quasimodo is pulled on the stage and crowned as the King of Fools.

However, the crowd turns on Quasimodo, tying him down and throwing food at him. Frollo does nothing, wanting to teach Quasimodo a lesson, and is outraged again when Esmeralda sets him free. She then dodges Frollo's guards and escapes into Notre Dame before Frollo silently scolds the heartbroken Quasimodo, who vows never to disobey Frollo again. Inside the cathedral, Frollo lusts after Esmeralda but is unable to arrest her when she claims sanctuary. That night, Frollo has haunting visions of her within the fireplace and fears eternal damnation as a consequence.

Frollo learns that Esmeralda has escaped the cathedral and starts a city-wide manhunt for her, burning down most of Paris in the process. Realizing Frollo is a murderer, Phoebus refuses to follow his orders and flees, only to be shot by Frollo's men. (Unbeknowst to Frollo, however, Phoebus survives.) Realizing Quasimodo helped Esmeralda escape, Frollo scolds him and tricks him into believing that he will be attacking the Court of Miracles at dawn.

Just as Frollo planned, Quasimodo and Phoebus unwittingly lead Frollo and his minions to the Court of Miracles, where the Gypsies and Phoebus are arrested, Esmeralda is sentenced to death by burning and Quasimodo is chained inside the belltower. The next day, Esmeralda's burning begins but Quasimodo breaks free and swings down into the streets, rescuing her. Phoebus escapes, frees the Gypsies and leads an attack on Frollo's men while Frollo attacks Notre Dame and defies the archdeacon.

Frollo attempts to kill Quasimodo, but Quasimodo fights back, ending up suspending over a balcony with Esmeralda. Frollo follows and is about to kill them when the gargoyle he is standing on breaks, and Frollo plummets into the burning city below.

[edit] Reaction

Because of his dark, disturbing and religious personality, Frollo was not as popular among children as past Disney villains, such as Ursula, Jafar or Scar. As a result, Frollo's only involvement with the film's marketing campaign was the action figure featured in the Burger King promotional tie-in, and his signature song "Hellfire" was not featured on the film's sing-along CD.

Indeed, the other characters in the film were more popular among children, but Frollo is well-received among older viewers; like Clopin, another character in the film, Frollo has a large fan following and placed 10th on Ultimate Disney's Top 30 Villains Countdown.^[1] Frollo's biggest fans commonly refer to themselves as "Frollophiles," and several websites, music videos and artwork are dedicated to him on the internet.

[edit] Other appearances

Frollo briefly appears in the Disney-MGM Studios nighttime show Fantasmic as one of the villains called on by the Evil Queen from to fight Mickey Mouse. He is defeated along with the other villains in the show's conclusion.

[edit] External links

• Frollo in the Disney Archives-Villains.
• The Frollo Directory-fansite which includes concept art from Disney's version
• Frollo's Hellfire song