# Tarzan (1999)

### reviewed by
David N. Butterworth

    TARZAN (1999)
    A film review by David N. Butterworth
    Copyright 1999 David N. Butterworth

    **1/2 (out of ****)

He moves with the grace, swiftness, and agility of a mountain lion stalking its prey. He delivers a blood-curdling cry that carries for miles. He looks like Christopher Lambert. And every time he pauses for thought among the lush green vegetation of his jungle home, he's backed by Phil Collins getting all earnest on us.

Phil Collins? After Elton John's contributions to "The Lion King," the conspiracy becomes clear: short, paunchy, balding, soft-pop superstars living out their golden years on Disney royalty checks.

            Me Tarzan.  You Jane.  Him Phil.

Collins' occasional caterwauling aside (mercifully he performs only five new songs), Disney's animated version of the Edgar Rice Burroughs classic tale about the man raised by apes is not without its engaging moments. In fact, it sticks closer to Burroughs' novel than any of the previous 47 screen variants (with perhaps the exception of "Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes" which starred, coincidentally, Christopher Lambert). But, animation-wise, it's not the most impressive of summer releases from the Disney studios. If nothing else, Tarzan made me realize that my first impressions of last year's "Mulan" were perhaps a little harsh.

Tarzan himself, voiced by Tony Goldwyn (Tony who?), is nevertheless wonderful in all three presented life stages--infant, juvenile, and fully-formed, loincloth-sporting muscle man, who whips from tree to tree faster than a Jedi speeder or "The Little Mermaid."

As an infant, he's featured in the film's scariest scene (according to my ten year old), when he tangles with a particularly nasty leopard (nasty in both senses of the word; this animal has a particularly badly-drawn head, and it makes one eagerly recall the lithe, sensuous lines of "The Jungle Book"'s big cats--Bagheera and Shere Khan). This is where the soon-to-be-called Tarzan is rescued by a nurturing gorilla called Kala (voiced by Glenn Close), much to the disapproval of the group's domineering leader, Kerchak (Lance Henriksen).

As a juvenile, Tarzan provides the film's funniest scene (according to my eight year old) when, on a dare, he attempts to retrieve a hair from the tail of an elephant and is mistaken for a piranha, causing much consternation and trampling of plant life.

But there's nothing really new here. No ballroom scene ("Beauty and the Beast"), no zebra stampede ("The Lion King"), no charge down a snowy mountain pass ("Mulan"). Disney's animators appear to have spent most of their energies devising how fast Tarzan can get around the jungle. The supporting characters are flimsy at best: the big game hunter; the bumbling, mustached scientist; and Jane herself (voiced by Minnie Driver in her best role to date), who single-handedly drags Disney's feminist advances back a good ten years.

The obligatory wisecracking sidekicks are replaced here by a cockatoo-coifed gorilla called Terk (Rosie O'Donnell--say no more) and a dim-witted baby elephant. The obligatory pink polka dotted underwear are also in evidence.

Unfortunately the best part of Disney's "Tarzan" (according to the 38 year old me) was when the whole disappointing affair came to an end. If Disney didn't set such high standards the potential for disappointment would be undeniably less.

    --
    David N. Butterworth
    dnb@dca.net

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