The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923 Silent Film)

The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923). In Lon Chaney’s break-through role, he plays Quasimodo, the tragically disfigured bell ringer from Victor Hugo’s sprawling tale. A vast set of medieval Paris was constructed just for this film, and the enormous sets and scenes of vast crowds help put the film on an epic level. A fast-moving plot involves knights, street performers, revolutionaries, a stolen baby, and the culminating attack by a crazed mob on Paris’ most famous building. 

Rodney Sauer has compiled a new score for the film, including music written especially for the film in 1924, which matches the romance and action of the film. “...a great score that made more magic.” — Donna Hill’s review of the performance at the San Francisco Silent Film Festival.