8 Dark Origins Behind Everyone's Favourite Disney Films

Disney's musical The Hunchback of Notre Dame was released in 1996, based on the Victor Hugo gothic tragedy novel of the same name from 1831.

It follows the story of Quasimodo, a hunchbacked bell-ringer who resides in a cathedral during the French Renaissance, who learns to love himself with the help of his new-found friend Esmerelda.

In Hugo's novel, the hunchback suffers as an outcast from the people of Paris after being named the ugliest person to live there. He becomes obsessed with the young traveller and is arrested after attacking her in an alleyway.

After being tortured on the streets, stretched and publicly humiliated, Esmerelda pities him, giving him water. From this act of kindness, he falls in love with her - but so too does the Archdeacon Frollo.

In jealousy, Frollo frames Esmerelda for murder, and she is sentenced to death by hanging. Enraged, the bell-ringer throws Frollo off a roof after he laughs during Esmerelda's execution.

Later, Quasimodo visits her grave and refuses to leave her side forever. He ultimately dies of starvation next to her head stone.