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When will they make a Tarzan movie based on the original story?

posted 8 years ago by RynoII
18 replies | jump to latest

The original story of Tarzan of the Apes, is about a boy who's parents are killed, and is stranded in the jungle, raised by apes his whole life, and then a violent tribe comes, and hunts and kills all of Tarzan's ape family.

Tarzan then plots revenge against the tribe and kills them all. I think that is the probably the best Tarzan story, and they should make that one into a movie. Perhaps Jane could come into the plot too, as long as they could work her in, naturally. What do you think?

[–] Dark_Sithlord 8 years ago

It's a classic, but I'm not sure if such a movie can be made in this ultra-PC world. A story about a white man slaughtering a tribe of black people? Which studio would want to touch that? There would be a lot of backlash against this movie, especially in regions that have people who have been affected by racial issues in recent years.

[–] RynoII 8 years ago

Well I never thought of race being an issue in the story. I mean the reason why Tarzan kills them is because they slaughtered his family, not because of race. I never even thought of race, till it was brought up now.

Couldn't maybe they just make the black villains so brutal, that maybe they will loose empathy with audiences, to the point where audiences will not bring race into it, and feel that the black character's sinister acts supersede race?

[–] Dark_Sithlord 8 years ago

Yes, I agree that Tarzan's reason for revenge is not racially motivated. It could have been a tribe of Whites, Asians, or whatever and Tarzan would have still slaughtered them. Racial motivation was not what I was implying. I was refering to the depiction of a white man killing a tribe of blacks. In the wake of recent events, such a depiction may offend some people, especially those who live in an emotionally charged climate. Maybe I'm wrong and people will be able to transcend race and enjoy the movie for what it is, as you suggested.

[–] Maggiesview 8 years ago

People probably could but the critics couldn't. As it is ,critics launched charges of " whit savior" against LOT although the filmakers tried as hard as they could to deal effectively with this issue. The critics acted as if Tarzan had been portrayed as a flagrant " white savior' and clammred for his demise as a big screen hero.

[–] RynoII 8 years ago

Well I guess I haven't read those critics reviews, but most moviegoers I know don't even like listening to critics, so I wonder if the majority of moviegoers do not.

Plus Tarzan is the only white man in the story, if we are excluding Jane from the original story. Therefore, Tarzan's motivations cannot be racially implied, since he doesn't know what race is. He is not even aware of the concept because of how he grew up.

When you say the wake of recent of events may racially effect an audience, what recent events are we talking about here?

[–] Maggiesview 8 years ago

It's not Tarzan the character who is being accuse of the white savior trope but the filmmaker and his create or Edgar Rice Buroughs. The critics see no way around it and their solution is to bury Tarzan and never resurrect him. Likewise racism. Any racism real or apparent is lodged at the door of Buroughs and the filmakers.

[–] 8 years ago

[deleted]

[–] RynoII 8 years ago

Which critics are these? I have read reviews of the movie, but cannot find these critics who think that.

[–] katb324 8 years ago

Read "Tarzan of the Apes" several times, there was no tribe that killed Tarzan's ape family. Chief Mbongo's son killed Kala, Tarzan's ape Mother and Tarzan killed Chief Mbongo's son for revenge. But no one killed the other apes.

[–] nikkiten1979 8 years ago

I was going to say that. The writer of the original Tarzan was probably racist or had a strong sense of white superiority there a movie such as that might be off-putting to some and has nothing to do with being PC instead just to be a little sensitive. But the book was good and those were the times, and today we can use the character and pick parts of the story and premise and make it fit in today's world so that we can all enjoy it. At least the character and story lives.

[–] childers-3 8 years ago

There was a movie that came out in 1984 called "Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes" that starred Christopher Lambert and Andie Macdowell. It was very long but pretty good. I think they tried to do justice to the Edgar Rice Burroughs book.

"We're werewolves...not SWEARwolves"

[–] LeMarchand 8 years ago

I was severely disappointed by Greystoke and really don't get the love for it. It started off OK, but then went off piste once Tarzan reached "civilization".

I personally think Legend of Tarzan feels more like an adaptation of ERB's work than Greystoke.

No tears please, it's a waste of good suffering.

[–] Trax-3 8 years ago

I was severely disappointed by Greystoke and really don't get the love for it. It started off OK, but then went off piste once Tarzan reached "civilization".

Because Greystoke, while imperfect, is a real film made by real artists and it shows.
There are several moments of truly inspired filmmaking in there.

I mean, this scene alone is worth more than 10 LoTs put together.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCN-beeZSKk

Legend of Tarzan is a true modern blockbuster abomination with almost no redeeming value.

[–] LeMarchand 8 years ago

I mean, this scene alone is worth more than 10 LoTs put together.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCN-beeZSKk

Sorry; still disagree. That scene seems to carry on some of the theme's from Hugh Hudson's "Chariots of Fire" more than adapt ERB's book.

I remember being quite excited when Greystoke was announced, but started to worry when a lot of the production stills seemed to be set in an aristocratic England that did not feature in the book. The finished film had it's moments, but "the real Tarzan" it was hyped as - no way.

In my mind, the scene near the beginning of "Legend" when Tarzan remembers that he should be sticking his little finger out when drinking tea is a more effective (and subtle) contrast between the worlds of Earl Greystoke and Tarzan than Ralph Richardson being dreadfully and eccentrically British.

No tears please, it's a waste of good suffering.

[–] HorrorFanatic24 8 years ago

Agreed. Like the jungle book too. Kill the people in the village!

[–] liscarkat (18410) 6 years ago

They've been making Tarzan movies for more than a century and haven't got it right yet. "Greystoke" was the closest, but still far from pure Burroughs. I don't think it will ever happen.

[–] TimMC (9143) 5 years ago

Who wouldn't plot revenge if a group and mad crazed people killed your ape family. I'm seriously gonna look this up. Thanks.

[–] HarlemEagle42 (17745) 2 years ago

Sony just got the rights back. And they are planning a film reboot.

https://deadline.com/2022/09/sony-acquires-rights-to-tarzan-will-take-swing-at-reinventing-movie-franchise-1235132556/