Today’s audience, on the other hand, doesn’t have much reasons to subject themselves to unnecessary ordeal of watching this film. In the days when home video wasn’t that widespread, lack of alternatives helped Tarzan at the box-office and it became a hit despite horrendous reviews and terrible (and mostly deserved) reputation. John Derek wasn’t such director, but he could expect to see hordes of young males coming to cinema for the single of seeing his wife naked. Any slightly more ambitious or talented film maker could have made Tarzan much better with steering it towards certain direction – either by adding even more irreverent silliness and turning into full-blown parody or wandering into somewhat darker territory like Italian cannibal films that used to be popular around that time. What is even more disappointing about this film is plenty of missed opportunities. The only things that makes this film significantly better is very good musical score by Perry Botkin Jr., which makes Tarzan, the Ape Man sound more epic than actually is. Miles O’Keefe, a stuntman who replaced the original actor, does the best acting job, mostly because the script doesn’t require him to work hard and his character doesn’t say a single word. Bo Derek is not much of an actress, but she does her job, especially in some of the more bizzare scenes, decently. The acting isn’t much better, with Harris often going over the top, unlike the subdued and almost unnoticeable John Philip Law as his Parker’s photographer. The film is overlong, confusing, poorly edited while the inept and unconvincing action scenes are made even worse by the use of slow motion. The only problem was that John Derek in this film wasn’t able to direct his way out of the paper bag. Original novel about Tarzan with its tropic setting, and its implied erotic dimension (used even in a rare nude scene in 1932 pre-Code Hollywood version) seemed like the perfect choice for such effort. Derek would appear naked, half-naked or in wet and revealing clothes as much as possible. The Dereks – John as director and cinematographer and Bo as credited producer - tried to exploit this status with the film in which Mrs.
Two years earlier Bo Derek made her iconic appearance as the object of protagonist’s desire in 10 and became global sex symbol. In the meantime, Parker’s expedition is stalked by vicious native tribe whose chief (played by Steve Strong) has some sinister plans for Jane. He releases Jane, but not before she falls in love with him. Deep in the jungle, Jane is kidnapped by Tarzan, who is revealed to be white human (played by Miles O’Keefe), apparently raised by animals. Old Parker also wants to find and capture legendary “white ape” called Tarzan. She joins him on his latest expedition, aimed to find famed elephant graveyard. Plot begins in 1910 West Africa where Jane arrives to meet her long-absent father, famed explorer James Parker (played by Richard Harris). The script by Tom Rowe and Gary Goddard is telling the familiar story from the perspective of Jane Porter, played by Bo Derek. Its director John Derek was most likely to answer that question with “Who cares, people only want to see my wife Bo naked”.Īs the title suggests, the plot is based on the eponymous novel by Edgar Rice Burroughs, which had introduced character of Tarzan to the world. It is likely that at least some people were asking that particular question at the set of 1981 adventure film Tarzan, the Ape Man. Its an exciting ride (especially if you forgive the creaky special effects and ape suits).“What is wrong with this picture” is the question that responsible people should ask as often as possible while performing complex and ambitious tasks. Along the way is carried off by Tarzan and the rest is the movie. The plot has to do with Jane arriving in the jungle to see her father and then going of to find the elephant grave yard.
Wanting to feed a public that wanted more as well as to make use of the hours of location footage shot for that film. The film was made to cash in the previous years Trader Horn, a jungle picture that MGM had produced. While on an African expedition with her father, Jane Parker meets Tarzan, and the two become fascinated by each other. With Bo Derek, Richard Harris, John Phillip Law, Miles O'Keeffe.
The first of the MGM series, though not the first Tarzan movie, nor the only Tarzan film made during the same period (Edgar Rice Burroughs had deals with several producers) this is the film that broke box office records and spawned ten million "Me Tarzan, you Jane" jokes. Tarzan the Ape Man: Directed by John Derek. All kidding aside this is a really good adventure film of the sort that they don't make any more. Jane Parker goes into the jungle and meets the man of her dreams.