Greystoke - The Legend of Tarzan

I think this has to be one of the best "retellings" of the Tarzan phenomenon. I just recently saw this movie for the first time, and I think the scenes were great, and the photography was out of this world. However, I do not think this is a film that would be great for the entire family to see.

This film was made back in 1983, then released in 1984. At that time, other movies were beginning to make their mark as going "over the line". Movies such as "Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom" and "Gremlins" were two films that caused a new MPAA rating to come along, which today we know as PG-13. This movie, I think, was another one that caused the creation of the PG-13 rating. If this movie had been made today, it definitely would have received this rating, I am sure. I found the nude scenes a little disturbing, being today, putting under age actors completely nude in a film would be unheard of. Then, watching this with the family would be a little uncomfortable as well. The scene where young Tarzan urinates on the ape was a little too much as well.

With that said, I still think the movie was great entertainment, and it's too bad this didn't rejuvenate the series into occasional movies, like the old Weissmuller films. But, I guess those days are over.

Still, a well made film, and Ralph Richardson's last screen performance is great!

As a kid, I used to read the Edgar Rice Burroughs TARZAN novels - and loved them! Of all the Tarzan movies I've seen, this one comes the closest to Burrough's vision of the character. It is tragic that so many people associate Tarzan with the much-parodied (and fabricated) "Me Tarzan, you Jane." This infamous line is not to be found in the books.

It may come as a surprise to many, but the Tarzan in the novels is HIGHLY intelligent, cunning, multi-lingual and has had much experience in what we call "civilization." He chooses to go back to the jungle, not because he is against civilization. Rather, he is simply bored with it.

In this movie, they do a good job of showing an English nobleman who was raised in the jungle attempting to adapt & fit into his "rightful place" in English / Scottish society. This sets this film apart from most any other Tarzan movie, and they give it a serious look.

The one issue I have with the film is with the casting of Christopher Lambert to play Tarzan / Lord Greystoke. Lambert is a fine actor, which is why I have mixed feelings about bringing this issue up. The problem is, in the books Tarzan is always described as being this large, hulking, very muscular guy. Lambert is simply not a big guy, and he's not particularly buffed up. On the upside, he does do a terrific job of portraying an English Lord who was raised in the jungle, and still has the jungle in his savage heart.

The lovely Andie McDowell is wonderful as a cultured, kind Jane who does her best to integrate the jungle man into his unfamiliar surroundings. Of course, Andie has always been one of my favorite actresses, so I'm pretty much a fan of anything she does!

This is a very different Tarzan movie than what most are accustomed to. If you're looking for a movie that all takes place in the jungles of Africa, this is not the one to get. It is a pyschological journey of a man who was literally raised by apes (in fact, the word Tarzan means "white ape") who is thrown into the midst of humankind & does not quite know how to respond. The film is also unique in that I don't believe "Tarzan" is ever mentioned; he is only known as John Clayton; Lord Greystoke. This is the truest form of Greystoke's story every told in cinema.

When I first viewed this film, I was taken by the fabulous performance of the Tarzan character. The first 2/3 of the film is wonderful and the viewer can identify with the "human" qualities of the apes----just like the boy Tarzan did. But the last third of the movie is a bit too much, particularly the scenes at the British Museum. At that point the movie became too contrived and unbelievable. But the scenery and the acting are wonderful.

A very well done Tarzan remake! The stars were great, locations wonderful, and the story was added to by filling in details we had never seen before.

This is the ONLY version that really gets you in touch with the human quality of Tarzan and his torture.

Christopher Lambert does an exceptionally good job in this remake. The parallel of a man raised in the wild who could adopt the manners of society but was not happy there versus the aristocracy he was born into as being the true animals was touching.

Loved it!