The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996 film) the film – stemmed from the company's domestic partnership policy and gay and lesbian theme days at Walt Disney World. Gary Trousdale also claimed that Southern Baptists were outraged over the casting of Demi Moore as Esmeralda, as she had just come off of the controversial "Striptease", in which she played an exotic dancer. Disney officials would not comment on the motivation for the religious content displayed in the film beyond comments on the subject included in the film's press kit with Disney vice president John Dreyer commenting, "The film speaks for itself." Nevertheless, there was praise from religious organizations
The Bells of Notre Dame Morality: The Rhetoric of Disney Animated Film" says it is a "dark, emotional scene". "Disney Voice Actors: A Biographical Dictionary" describes the number as "one of the most potent musical openings of any Disney film". "The Oxford Companion to the American Musical: Theatre, Film, and Television" says the song "combines character and narrative beautifully". The Bells of Notre Dame "The Bells of Notre Dame" is a song from the 1996 Disney film, "The Hunchback of Notre Dame", composed by Alan Menken, with lyrics by Stephen Schwartz. It is sung at the beginning of the film by the clown-like gypsy, Clopin.