The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1956) UPDATED

[Brent_Reid]

Each DVD listing has a note, "Shot simultaneously in French and English language versions" but do we know this for sure? I've searched extensively and can't find any reliable confirmation. Two separately-submitted entries in IMDb's trivia section are contradictory, which isn't unusual with the site's sloppy standards.
The possibility of two distinct multiple-language versions is obviously completely different from a film that's been dubbed and has the odd localised insert shot.

Actual corrections:
According to its rear sleeve, the French DVD has the making-of featurette, trailer, a gallery and text notes.
The German DVD has a French mono track, not English. Also, its AR is the correct 2.35:1, not cropped to 1.78:1. The note to that effect also needs removing.

Re the runtime: the French sleeve says 118 minutes but can this be confirmed? Seems likely that's the original runtime and the PAL DVD is actually 115, like the German. Wiki and IMDb claim 115 but that's probably taken from a PAL DVD or the slightly shorter US DVD version.

Altogether, the current comparison throws up more questions than answers!

[James-Masaki_Ryan]

Updated.

[Brent_Reid]

Since my OP, I've bought and watched the French and US DVDs; it's definitely not a multiple-language version film! Here's the missing spec:

The French Studio Canal Classics DVD has the making-of featurette and trailer as on the German disc, along with a gallery and text notes.

US DVD
Runtime: 109:50
US trailer: 1:59
Bonus trailers:
- Purple Noon (1960) (1.17)
- The Young Girls of Rochefort (1967) (0:39)
- Chocolat (2000) (1:48)
- Vatel (2000) (0:58)
- Miramax Movies to Remember promo reel (1:49)
Feature audio is actually DD 2.0 mono; rear sleeve incorrectly states "Dolby Digital Surround Sound".

The English-dubbed version contains one reshot scene and has two scenes deleted. Two accurate trivia entries from IMDb:

• The scene of Quasimodo's coronation was shot twice for each version of the film. For the original French version, he is crowned 'Pope of Fools', as in the novel, and wears a mock Papal tiara. For the English-dubbed version, he is crowned 'King of Fools', and wears a royal crown. This was because the American Hays Code forbade mocking of the clergy.
  
  The original French version contains two scenes cut from the English-dubbed version. In the first, after the stabbing of Phoebus, we see Pierre Gringoire, surrounded by his friends from the Cour des Miracles, worrying about Esméralda's disappearance. In the second, after Esméralda's rescue, we see Claude, back at the scene of the crime at La Falourdel's, breaking down on the floor, and talking about guilt and the state of his soul. This then leads into his return to the cathedral.

The only other thing, which may or may not be worth noting, is that the English dub is largely rewritten from the original French version, rather than being a more or less direct translation. While the basic framework of the story remains, it's a very different film overall.

[James-Masaki_Ryan]

Could you list the specs of the French disc?

[Brent_Reid]

You already have them in the database, James. I bought the original barebones French DVD as it's the only English-friendly option for the original version.

It's the non-English-friendly Studio Canal Classics DVD that has the same extras as the also non-English -friendly German DVD.

[James-Masaki_Ryan]

Exact same specs down to runtimes, audio, subtitles?

[Brent_Reid]

If you're still referring to the Studio Canal Classics DVD, I can't elaborate on what I said in my OP as I don't own it. We can take it as read it contains the currently unlisted extras, we just don't know the exact runtimes. Obviously, they're going to be more or less the same as the German.

[James-Masaki_Ryan]

Until we can get confirmation, we'll have to leave it. I dont know who added it.

I've updated about the US version.

[Brent_Reid]