Recently, I revisited the Disney version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame and I was reintroduced to this song: Hellfire. In this scene, the villain, Judge Claude Frollo, is suffering from an inner conflict between his beliefs and his lust for the heroine Esmeralda. Throughout the song, he pleads the Virgin Mary for salvation yet cannot let go of his desire for Esmeralda or his hatred towards gypsies. I found the Latin chanting and haunting choir music in the background to be chillingly exhilarating. Overall, Hellfire is a song of lust, sin, and damnation. It is by far the best villain song Disney ever produced because the evil and villainy Judge Frollo represents actually exists in the real world: a madman and zealot in a position of power who is willing to abuse his authority to achieve his own ends and unlike other Disney villains he does not require dark magic or monsters to pursue his goals. Still, the haunting music, atmosphere, and religious elements of this scene gave me much to think about for the religious scene I mentioned in my previous posts for my second fantasy book. Just as Judge Frollo was conflicted by his beliefs, hatred for gypsies, and lust for Esmeralda, my main character will suffer an inner conflict that puts him at odds with his beliefs and uncompromising hatred towards his father. My main character’s inner struggle will revolve around wrath, sin, and damnation like the backstory of a Shakespeare play.
Grady P Brown - Author 