Hellfire, dark fire... (RL)

[thistlechaser]

It's funny how your view on movies changes as you get older. When I saw Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame for the first (and only) time, it was in the theater when it was released. I had liked the bad guy's song, Hellfire, because of his obsession with the woman.

Watching that song again today, it disturbs me. That's exactly what scares me about most Western religions. The Archdeacon sings: "Destroy Esmeralda and let her taste the fires of hell, or else let her be mine and mine alone" "Choose me or your pyre, be mine or you will burn." "You will be mine or you will burn."

It's the... the willingness to let others be hurt. To be perfectly okay with someone else being hurt. "Do it my way, believe what I do, or you'll burn in hell." (I know not every religious person is like that, but a lot are.)

"If you're gay, you're going to hell!"
"If you have an abortion, you're going to hell!"
"If you don't believe as I do, you're going to hell!"

It makes me so sad. I can't even enjoy the song anymore, I'm too aware of how based in reality it is.

Comments

[tacrozar.livejournal.com]

Interesting how you say "If you don't believe as I do, you're going to hell!" today. Some guy was shouting in Whitegate to try and gather people together for a sermon in the Upper Jeuno church. I didn't mind the shout but other people told him to stop shouting etc etc. It then boiled down to a "why do you not believe in god?" type of discussion which I replied... "God does not ban gilsellers. SE does." Then after awhile, it boiled down to... "if you don't believe in god then you'll burn in hell."

A bit hilarious but the stupidity on Valefor makes me want to leave for other servers. Even my current LS makes me want to leave server

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

"God does not ban gilsellers. SE does."

*snerks*

A bit hilarious but the stupidity on Valefor makes me want to leave for other servers.

Unfortunately, all servers have that sort of thing. If you ever find one without any, let me know!

[tersa.livejournal.com]

The whole point to the song was for us, as modern 21st century people, to be shown how evil he was, that he would be willing to destroy her (who we've come to like as one of the protagonists) if he can't have her, and in an indirect way, point out that because he was a bad guy and evil, that kind of sentiment is wrong.

I like the song because I think it does do that. That there are people like that still in the world doesn't invalidate the song any, it just proves it's still relevant today.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

I like the song because I think it does do that. That there are people like that still in the world doesn't invalidate the song any, it just proves it's still relevant today.

Oh yes, I wasn't saying no one should like it, I just miss being able to enjoy it with the... innocence? I used to have about the issue.

[ani-mama.livejournal.com]

It's not just the Western religions...extremists the world over have the same view.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

True. :/

[phoenix-leandra.livejournal.com]

Honestly... the song just disturbed me because it was in a freaking kids' movie. Him going on about his "burning desire". I really hoped the kids were too young to ask what. And some of the other lewd jokes in there that I wouldn't want to be a parent and have my kid ask about.

There's always been humor for the grown ups in Disney (now more Pixar) movies, but they failed on it in Hunchback. Robots on the other hand had a fantastic one though. When the parents are assembling the Rodney out of the box and comment, "making the baby's the fun part." Adult humor perfectly hidden given the context. Brilliant!

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Honestly... the song just disturbed me because it was in a freaking kids' movie. Him going on about his "burning desire".

There's that, too. Back around that time (10? more? years ago) Disney was alternating movies. Kids movie, then aimed at adult, then kids again. This was the adult movie one. But still, I'm sure tons of kids went (and it sure was marketed at them as well).

[veloxe.livejournal.com]

Most religions say if you aren't part of their religion you're going to hell. Well, see ya at the salt-fire baths!

Also, after listening to a couple Disney clips from when I was younger I am convinced that the entire writing staff was sexual deprived.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Well, see ya at the salt-fire baths!

I'll keep you company! We can play cards!

[quasilemur.livejournal.com]

Hellfire is an excellent Villain Song in an otherwise pretty terrible Disney film. Until the Direct-to-DVD sequel, which made Hunchback 1 look like high art, the song was pretty much the movie's only redeeming quality.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Until the Direct-to-DVD sequel, which made Hunchback 1 look like high art,

Oh wow, I haven't seen the second one. Thankfully.

Agreed to the rest though, I don't recall enjoying the movie much at all.