The Hunchback Of Notre Dame (1996)

In 15th century Paris, the minister of justice (Tony Jay) kills a Gypsy woman (Mary Kay Bergman) on the steps of the Notre Dame cathedral. He also attempts to kill the woman's deformed infant before he is stopped by the Notre Dame's Archdeacon (David Ogden Stiers). To atone for his sin, he agrees to raise the child as his own but confined to the towers of Notre Dame. The child is given the name Quasimodo and grows up to be the Notre Dame's bell ringer (Tom Hulce). Based on the classic novel by Victor Hugo and directed by Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise. This animated Disney musical doesn't get much love but I adore it. The songs are terrific and as good as anything you'll find on Broadway. The film is much darker than usual for a Disney animated film. Tony Jay's aria of repressed sexual longing sizzles with lust and horror. This being a Disney film however, there are singing and dancing stone gargoyles (Jason Alexander, Mary Wickes, Charles Kimbrough) and a cute goat for the kiddies. Also being Disney, we're given a more uplifting ending than the original novel (the 1939 adaptation did the same thing) but it's still a thrilling piece of animated musical cinema. With Demi Moore as Esmeralda (the only cast member whose singing voice is dubbed), Kevin Kline and Paul Kandel.