"Out There" is a song from the 1996

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animated film ''

The Hunchback of Notre Dame ''The Hunchback of Notre-Dame'' (french: Notre-Dame de Paris, translation=''Our Lady of Paris'', originally titled ''Notre-Dame de Paris. 1482'') is a French Gothic novel by Victor Hugo, published in 1831. It focuses on the unfortunate story ...

''. Unofficially, it consists of the two songs "Stay In Here" and "Out There". In the stage musical version, Frollo's "Stay In Here" section was expanded into its own song entitled "Sanctuary".

Production

Alan Menken's

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of the song put more emphasis on the "Stay In Here" theme of

Quasimodo Quasimodo (from Quasimodo Sunday) is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the novel '' The Hunchback of Notre-Dame'' (1831) by Victor Hugo. Quasimodo was born with a hunchback and feared by the townspeople as a sort of monster, but ...

's monstrous features and Judge Claude Frollo's manipulation to keep him inside the

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. In the stage musical version, the song is reprised at the very end, when he realizes that to a certain degree Frollo was right - that the world is cruel and wicked. But he also realizes that it is joyous and kind as well, and that it is the only world we've got so we must accept it, highs and lows included.

Synopsis

At this point in the film, Quasimodo wants to attend the

Feast of Fools Feast of Fools The Feast of Fools or Festival of Fools (Latin: ''festum fatuorum, festum stultorum'') was a feast day on January 1 celebrated by the clergy in Europe during the Middle Ages, initially in Southern France, but later more widely. Du ...

, but has never been allowed out of Notre Dame's bell tower before. His master Frollo tells him the outside world will treat him like a monster and says for his own sake he must stay where he is. After Frollo leaves, Quasimodo laments about what it would be like out in the real world, and pictures a romanticised version.

Composition

The song actually consists of two separate sections, centering upon the themes of entrapment and escape. Frollo's "Stay In Here" and Quasimodo's "Out There" juxtapose each other, and express the motivations behind both characters and their relationship to each other.

Critical reception

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'' noted "We’re already talking about just how dark the song ' Hellfire' goes, but there’s also the earlier duet in 'Out There' between Frollo and Quasimodo...It’s hardly ''

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'', is it?"

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wrote "The character song 'Out There' opens with a frighteningly sinister conversational interaction between Frollo and Quasimodo before the latter performs his compelling cry for identity with flourishing and redemptive orchestral accompaniment.

Tom Hulce Thomas Edward Hulce (; born December 6, 1953) is an American actor and theater producer. He is best known for his portrayal of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in the Academy Award-winning film '' Amadeus'' (1984), as well as the roles of Larry "Pinto" K ...

's voice, especially compared to

Tony Jay Tony Jay (2 February 1933 – 13 August 2006) was a British actor. A former member of the Royal Shakespeare Company, he was known for his voice work in radio, animation, film, and video games. Jay was particularly noted for his distinctive bari ...

, is appropriately light."

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Out There (song) 1990s ballads Pop ballads Songs from The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996 film) 1996 songs Disney Renaissance songs Songs with music by Alan Menken Songs written by Stephen Schwartz (composer) Tony Jay songs Male vocal duets Song recordings produced by Alan Menken