Victor Hugo's 1831 novel about the misshapen but sensitive Parisian bell-ringer and the dancer he saves from a fate worse than death has been filmed nearly 20 times (including the Disney animated classic). But while the 1939 adaptation starring Charles Laughton remains the best, this silent epic from 1923 is a very close second, thanks to its astonishingly ornate production values and a remarkable performance by the legendary Lon Chaney as Quasimodo. Although the “Man of a Thousand Faces” would become better known for his turn in The Phantom of the Opera two years later, Chaney is extraordinarily eloquent here (even under heavy makeup), creating a memorable portrait of the tormented title character. The rest of the cast doesn't match the actor's masterful performance, and the direction by Wallace Worsley is unimaginative, but this version will always remain a classic for Chaney alone. Although this DVD doesn't feature a full restoration, the high-definition mastering is better than in previous releases, and the disc boasts some fine bonus features, including an informative audio commentary by Michael F. Blake (whose books on Chaney are the standard reference sources); a brief snippet of film showing Chaney, sans makeup, on the cathedral set; footage from an earlier film featuring the actor; a gallery of 3-D production stills (3-D viewing glasses are included); and—in an especially nice touch—a reproduction of the souvenir booklet that originally sold for a quarter in theatres. Highly recommended. (F. Swietek)
[Blu-ray Review—Mar. 25, 2014—Flicker Alley, 110 min., not rated, $41.98—Making its first appearance on Blu-ray, 1923's The Hunchback of Notre Dame sports a fine transfer with extras including audio commentary by Lon Chaney scholar Michael F. Blake, a digital reproduction by film archivist Jack Theakston of the original souvenir program slideshow (16 min.), an HD photo gallery montage (15 min.), the 1915 film “Alas and Alack” with Chaney (13 min.), rare behind-the-scenes footage of Chaney (2 min.), and a booklet. Bottom line: a fine silent classic makes a welcome Blu-ray debut.]
[Blu-ray Review—Sept. 2, 2021—Kino Lorber, 110 min., not rated, Blu-ray: $29.95—Making its second appearance on Blu-ray, The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923) is presented in an impressive 4K restored edition with extras including audio commentary by film critic Farran Smith Nehme, a “Life in Hollywood” newsreel, 16mm home movie footage of Lon Chaney, music by Nora Kroll-Rosenbaum & Laura Karpman, slideshows (official program book, production stills, publicity materials, and correspondence), and a booklet with an essay by film historian Michael F. Blake. Bottom line: this new 4K restoration is hands down the best-looking version of this silent classic to hit the market.]