Kevin B
So bad but would watch again only for Bo Derek 🤣
Rated 1.5/5 Stars •
Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars
02/02/23
Full Review
Audience Member
Oh no, more Bo.
Marketed with the tagline "Unlike any other Tarzan you've ever seen!," this was written by Tom Rowe and Gary Goddard, who would go on to direct Masters of the Universe. Goddard had originally been hired to write a screenplay based upon the Marvel Comics character Dazzler for Bo.
And of course, this being a John and Bo Derek movie, there were issues.
As soon as MGM announced the studio was making a Tarzan film with them, Warner Bros. complained, as they were developing a Tarzan film with Robert Towne called Greystoke. Maybe they had a point, as they had the rights to the character from the Burroughs estate. MGM argued that the Dereks would be remaking 1932's Tarzan the Ape Man, which they had the right to do, as they had released another remake in 1959. The Burroughs estate responde by suing MGM before a single frame was shot.
The original actor cast in the Tarzan role, Lee Canalito, had injured his knee, making him need a stuntman. That stuntman had to undergo an emergency appendectomy, so Canalito quit or was fired five weeks into shooting and the second stunt double, Miles O'Keeffe, debuted in the title role. You may know him as Ator or the Green Knight in Cannon's astounding Sword of the Valiant.
Somehow, Richard Harris was in this, playing James Parker, the hunter father of Jane (Bo), who gets lost in Africa searching for a mythical white ape. James wants to capture this ape — who is Tarzan — dead or alive. Hey look! John Phillip Law is in this!
Anyways…
The natives, led by Ivory King (Steve Strong, the former tag team partner of Jesse "The Body" Ventura), kidnap Jane and tie her up nude, which is pretty much John Derek's id on full display. They also kill her dad.
So Tarzan saves her then they make sweet, sweet jungle love. And a chimpanzee — played by CJ, who was Clyde in Any Which Way You Can — sucks on Jane's nipple because hey, John Derek.
The most beautiful woman of our time in the most erotic adventure of all time.
See why Playboy calls Bo Derek the sexiest Jane in Tarzan history!
The Lord of the Apes goes ape for Bo Derek!
Yeah, OK.
Anyways, here's the William Castle-level BS. Maybe.
During a scene involving Jane attempting to get away from Tarzan, Miles O'Keeffe found himself face-to-face with Neal, a full grown African lion, who protected Derek. In fact, Nea was a method actor and nearly went after O'Keeffe for real.
Now, I am not sure I believe this, except that Neal was also in Roar and everyone involved is lucky that they weren't mauled.
Rated 0.5/5 Stars •
Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars
02/06/23
Full Review
Matthew D
Gotta hand it to John Derek; it does take a special talent to make a Tarzan movie boring.
Rated 1.5/5 Stars •
Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars
08/10/21
Full Review
Audience Member
The greatest story about Tarzan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
01/28/23
Full Review
william k
Abysmally awful Tarzan movie abusing the classic adventure novel as an excuse to expose Bo Derek in various stages of undress to the degree that you never want to see her ever again.
Rated 0.5/5 Stars •
Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars
03/31/23
Full Review
Audience Member
when i first saw this movie on vhs back in the 1990s when it was rented through my local library,
i thought the film was decent about to the same standards as the brooke shields shipwreck film, the blue lagoon
while it does have about the same fair amount of mild nudity as the blue lagoon does, the rest of the movie is fairly innocent cause of the many animal sidekicks that add to the thoughtfulness of the story
the Only bit in the film that could have been changed, was richard harris as jim parker, sure harris is a softy in later movies like harry potter, But in this movie, he's Not as big of a softy when it comes to having morals for making sure that if you want to make sure that jane is ok with meeting tarzan, than she should , so i kinda disagree with how james parker acted toward jane, that is the Only flaw in this movie
the animal interaction is fun, the friendship bond between jane and tarzan is fun, But having richard harris's james parker act completely irresponsible is Not
the rest of the Movie gets an A
While richard harris's disrespectful performance as james parker sadly gets a D-
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
01/28/23
Full Review
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