10 Scariest Movies Made By Disney
4. The Hunchback Of Notre Dame (1996)
It was a risky project for Disney to adapt Victor Hugo’s gothic novel of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, but they pulled it off as the final product is a gorgeous, rich story with some extremely hard-hitting elements.
It is true that the directors cut out some of the book’s darker content, but at the very least, it’s impressive how they weren’t afraid to include the more adult themes throughout the film.
Within the very opening, a group of Romani sneak into Paris illegally but are ambushed by Judge Claude Frollo, the minister of justice. As one Romani woman attempts to escape with her deformed baby, Frollo chases her and kills her right outside the Notre Dame, before almost drowning the baby in the well. It instantly sets the sinister tone of the movie as well as the type of man Frollo is.
Judge Claude Frollo is a tyrant who is relentless in his actions. From letting Quasimodo being humiliated at the feast of fools to burning half of Paris down in order to find Esmerelda, he is a despicable, stubborn man.
No doubt the song “Hellfire” sticks with audiences the most – with a choir of red-hooded, faceless monks and Frollo begging the Virgin Mary to save him from the “spell” of Esmerelda, this is Disney's darkest hour.