Tonight with the family: We always quote Aladdin or The Lion King, but we often forget about this masterpiece that came out 28 years ago.

In 1482, in the heart of the city of Paris and at the foot of the monumental walls of Notre-Dame Cathedral, a gypsy doll named Clopin asked some children to tell them the story of the mysterious bell-ringer who stays there. And what no one has seen.

He then explains to them that some twenty years ago, a group of bohemians found themselves face to face with the dreaded judge Claude Frollo when they landed on the banks of the Seine. Accidentally killing one of the gypsies while chasing him, the despicable character was forced to raise his own child, who had a defect. In order not to catch any eye on him, the magistrate forced the child to remain on top of the temple and never come down.

As the years passed, Quasimodo always obeyed his master’s instructions, but as he watched from afar the happy existence of the people below, his heart often moved him to leave his sanctuary.

In the middle of the golden age…

We can never say it enough: The ’90s are undoubtedly one of the most prosperous and prosperous periods in Disney history. Between The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin and The Lion King, enchanted studios, driven by new inspiration, managed to produce a series of commercial triumphs, but also major films.

Adapted from Victor Hugo’s famous novel set in 15th century medieval France, The Hunchback of Notre Dame definitely falls into both categories. The studio’s 34th animated classic, with an ambitious plot and strong characters, may be one of the richest, most mature and most successful films in Disney history.

… stick!

Entrusted to the directors of Beauty and the Beast, the film does not hesitate to seriously address its young audience and explore sensitive topics such as ostracization, disability, jealousy or persecution. But without falling into the macabre.

Even better, The Hunchback of Notre Dame uses each of these seemingly risky elements as a springboard to climb to the top. In this, it manages to retain (and at times even sublimate) the traditional magic of the Disney studios to become one of the studio’s most glorious feature films, with its masterful intro sequence.

Of course, it’s impossible not to mention the extraordinary soundtrack by the always inspired Alan Menken and the quality of the animation, which perfectly combines the digital skill of Pixar artists with the renowned sensibility of Disney craftsmen. The result: one of the most beautiful feature films from an enchanted studio, quite simply.

What will you like…

• Unforgettable songs from the movie. Special mention for strength One day onlyAbsolute Outcasts have a right to love and for the trainer intervention.

• secondary characters and especially the friendly gargoyles who keep Quasimodo company atop his tower.

What could be bothering them…

• The film’s villain, Claude Frollo, is masterfully played by Jean Piatt (who also voiced Scar) in the French version, and whose motivations may raise some difficult questions in the youngest, his hatred of Esmeralda competing with his desire for her. Gypsy.

• A moving sequence in which Quasimodo finds himself tied up in a public square and humiliated by the citizens of Paris.

(Re)discover all the hidden details of ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame’…