Thread:AustinDR/@comment-1672596-20140901135950

Look, as pointed out before, he really lacks the qualifications of being a Complete Monster. Is he one of Disney's darkest villains? Yes. However, he misses the mark on at least two of the five categories that would require him to be one:


 * Lacking of remorse: When he specifically took care of Quasimodo specifically to soothe his soul, fearing eternal damnation for his actions, it's already clear that he has remorse for his actions. There have been plenty of Complete Monsters who generally don't even care at all if their actions will result in them going to hell when they die (for example: Eric Cartman when he was tricked into becoming a ghost, did "redemptive" acts only to become human again, and considered them a waste of his time when he realized he was tricked. The thought never crossed his mind that he'd go to Hell if he didn't do those redemptive acts. Also the Joker from the Arkham series, specifically in the comic-based conclusion story for Arkham City, specifically told Batman when about to blow up the intensive isolation ward cell that he was locked up at earlier for the fourth of july massacre that he intended to take Batman to Hell with him, and considering the message was made before his death in Arkham City, it's especially telling that he freely acknowledged he was effectively going to hell for his actions).
 * Not played sympathetically: Even TVTropes specifically listed him under Cry For the Devil, which is a sympathy-enducing trope. And before you ask, NO, it was not listed under Alternate Character Interpretation. I'll even prove it by copy-pasting the section leading up to that entry and quoting it:

"This section refers to the Disney version.

• Alternative Character Interpretation: ◦ Judge Claude Frollo gets this too. Do we see flashes of guilt and torment in him that make him more sympathetic? Did he really feel nothing for killing Quasi Modo's mother or did he take seriously the Archdeacon's plea to adopt Quasi Modo out of guilt and a genuine fear of God. Do we see signs of him suffering and desiring to become a better person in his villain song, or is it more important that the experience makes him act even more evil than before? ◦ Clopin—he seems very happy and nice, but he does call Quasi the ugliest person in Paris in a way that even the context can't completely excuse, doesn't let him hide in the "Feast Of Fools" sequence, apparently bugs out the second everything goes pear-shaped (as Frollo would likely want to arrest him for the confusion), and then expresses complete delight in hanging Quasi and Phoebus. Without giving them the chance to defend themselves in any way. He's also protecting his home, friends, and family from the most monstrous person in the country by silencing what he believes to be the man's most loyal subordinates... In fairness to Clopin, the only time he vanishes is during the "Feast of Fools" when the crowd turns on Quasimodo, but when the fighting outside Notre Dame happens he's shown jumping into the fray with the other gypsies. He's their leader, so getting himself arrested at the FOF would have been bad for the Gypsies.

• Award Snub: None of the songs received Oscar nominations. Among all the movies Alan Menken composed for the Disney Animated Canon during the 1990s, this is the only one that happened to. • Awesome Music: ◦ It's a great score, but "Hellfire" and the instrumental track "Sanctuary" take the cake. "Made of Stone" from the stage version certainly counts as well. ◦ "Out There". The combination of the gorgeous music, beautiful lyrics and Tom Hulce's spectacular performance makes it one of the most magnificent songs of the Disney Animated Canon. (Or any Disney film, for that matter.) ◦ Sing the bells, bells, bells, bells, bells, bells, bells, bells, BELLS OF NOTRE DAME!!! ◾ Pay attention, dear listener, to Clopin's voice toward the end of that song (particularly in its first iteration). God knows why they decided to practically drown it out with the chorus, but actor/singer Paul Kandel holds an absurdly high note (a high D, a very impressive note for a male singer to hit) perfectly for an absurdly long time.

◦ While "Sanctuary" is about four different kinds of incredible (it's a four part piece), and Hellfire is without a doubt, the best villain song ever included in a Disney movie (if not any film), the real crowner here is without a doubt, "God Help The Outcasts." The music is incredible, but the lyrics deserve special mention, as they are a deconstruction of the typical Disney "I Want" Song, in that a Gypsy who doesn't even believe, or doubts, in God ("I don't know if you can hear me, or if you're even there") is offering to God a more humble prayer than the Catholics there who are asking for money, fame, and glory, whereas Esmeralda simply says "I ask for nothing; I can get by. But I know so many less lucky than I." ◾ Equally heartwarming in the original movie the animated film was based on when Esmeralda gives the same prayer when she is introduced to Mary and Jesus.

◦ "Heaven's Light" is the sweetest, most perfect love song ever written. Anyone who has ever been unpopular or different knows that feeling when someone notices you, even for a moment, and this song perfectly captures that feeling: knowing that they'll probably never love you back, but for the moment, you can hope, just a little. I dare to dream that she/Might even care for me/And as I ring these bells tonight/My cold dark tower seems so bright,/I swear it must be heaven's light! ◾ Even better is how it's a perfect counterpoint to "Hellfire", which follows immediately after. From gentle hope and love to fiery rage and passion.

◦ "Paris Burning" plays in the scene immediately following "Hellfire" and perfectly embodies the fear and terror that the citizens of Paris are forced to suffer as Frollo's madness drives him to burn the city to the ground. The last twenty-five seconds of the track are guaranteed to require the listener to bring their brown pants.

• Base Breaker: Scrappy they may be, but the gargoyles do contribute a lot of genuinely Funny Moments... • Cargo Ship: Hugo thinks Djali is pretty hot. Hugo is a gargoyle, Djali is a goat. But come on, Hugo's part goat! • Complete Monster: Judge Claude Frollo is likely one of the most evil characters Disney has ever invented. In the film's opening, he pursues a young woman on horseback, and pushes her onto steps of the church, causing her to tumble to her death. He tries to drown her infant son, Quasimodo, in the well for being ugly, but the archdeacon stops him. Solely out of fear of being punished for his crimes, Frollo takes the boy in, keeping him under strict rule, isolation, and emotional abuse. He initially seems to have fallen in love with the young gypsy girl Esmeralda, but when she rejects him, he decides she must burn in hell. Taking his anger out on all gypsies, Frollo tries to burn an innocent family alive for harboring them. After that, Frollo tries to have a massive section of the city burned so he can kill Esmerelda. Even being a classic case of Knight Templar, his actions cast his "good intentions" as being sham and hollow. • Crack Ship: As noted on the Tangled YMMV page, Frollo x Mother Gothel became one when people realized how similar they are. • Crazy Awesome: Clopin • Creepy Awesome: Frollo, according to some people's opinions. • Critical Dissonance: Despite being moderately well-received (scoring somewhere in the 70s on Rotten Tomatoes), this is the ONLY Disney Animated Canon film to EVER get nominated for a Razzie, which is ESPECIALLY baffling considering that Disney has released more deserving films. It's considered (by those who remember it, anyway) better than its direct predecessor, Pocahontas (or at least a worthy sucessor). • Crosses the Line Twice: When Frollo is reviewing the alphabet with Quasimodo, this exchange happens. The censors probably let it pass because of Tom Hulce's harmless, innocent delivery of the lines and the happy gesture Quasimodo makes when he gets it right. Frollo: D?

Quasimodo: Damnation.

Frollo: E?

Quasimodo: Eternal Damnation.

• Cry for the Devil: "Hellfire". Behind closed doors, Frollo prays to the Virgin Mary for protection from Esmeralda's "witchcraft", which he convinces himself is driving him to sin through lustful, burning desire. He begs Mary to either burn Esmeralda in Hell or deliver her to him as his love to free him from his sin. He may be a vicious Knight Templar or at best a Well-Intentioned Extremist gone too far, but he's also very human and very conflicted, two qualities that generate sympathy and may make it at least more understandable.

Frollo: God have mercy on her...God have mercy on me... "

Keep in mind, that had Cry For the Devil simply been under Alternative Character Interpretation, it would be listed directly under the trope (ie, indented twice underneat that entry), not treated as a separate entry from it.

Lastly, he was actually redeemed in the English version of the German musical. And keep in mind, both versions of the Musical were directly based on the Disney version, NOT the original book, so it still counts. 