Tarzan, the Ape Man (1981 film)
| Tarzan, the Ape Man | |
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| Directed by | John Derek |
| Produced by | Bo Derek |
| Written by | Tom Rowe Gary Goddard |
| Based on | Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs |
| Starring | Bo Derek Miles O'Keeffe Richard Harris John Phillip Law |
| Music by | Perry Botkin Jr. |
| Cinematography | John Derek Wolfgang Dickmann |
| Editing by | Jimmy Ling |
| Distributed by | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
| Release date(s) |
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| Running time | 107 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $6.5 million |
| Box office | $36,565,280 |
Tarzan, the Ape Man is a 1981 adventure film directed by John Derek and starring Bo Derek, Miles O'Keeffe, Richard Harris, and John Phillip Law. The screenplay by Tom Rowe and Gary Goddard[1] is loosely based on the novel Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs, but from the point of view of Jane Parker.
The original music score is composed by Perry Botkin Jr.. Former Tarzan actor Jock Mahoney, billed as Jack O'Mahoney, was the film's stunt coordinator. The film is marketed with the tagline Unlike any other "Tarzan" you've ever seen! The original actor cast in the "Tarzan" role was fired [or quit] early in production, resulting in the sudden casting of his stunt double, Miles O'Keeffe, in the title role.
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Plot [edit]
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This section requires expansion. (March 2011) |
James Parker is a hunter in Africa, searching for a mythical "white ape." He is joined by his estranged daughter, Jane, after her mother's death. They discover the "white ape" is actually Tarzan, an uncivilized white man raised by apes living in the jungle. James continues to pursue Tarzan with the purpose of capturing him, dead or alive, and bringing him back to England.
Realizing that James is on his trail, Tarzan kidnaps Jane. Jane and Tarzan become fascinated by each other. Jane is then kidnapped by natives who intend to make her a wife of the tribe leader, forcing Tarzan into action.
Main cast [edit]
- Bo Derek – Jane Parker
- Richard Harris – James Parker
- John Phillip Law – Harry Holt
- Miles O'Keeffe – Tarzan
Production [edit]
In a 2012 interview with the film history magazine Filmfax, co-writer Gary Goddard revealed that he had originally been commissioned to write a screenplay for Bo Derek based upon the Marvel Comics superheroine, Dazzler; a 30-page treatment was completed before the project was cancelled and work instead proceeded on Tarzan, The Ape Man which initially carried the working title Me, Jane reflecting its focus on Jane Porter as a showcase for Derek.[2]
Reception [edit]
The film was widely panned upon its release. Film critic and historian Leonard Maltin considers this one of the worst films ever to appear in his popular "TV, Movie and Video Guide" (now simply "Movie Guide"): "Deranged 'remake' lacks action, humor and charm; Forget about comparisons to Johnny Weismuller; O'Keefe makes Elmo Lincoln seem like Edwin Booth."
Awards and nominations [edit]
- Won: Worst Actress (Bo Derek)
- Nominated: Worst Picture
- Nominated: Worst Screenplay
- Nominated: Worst Actor (Richard Harris)
- Nominated: Worst Director (John Derek)
- Nominated: Worst New Star (Miles O'Keeffe)
Box office [edit]
Despite the negative reviews it received, the film was a success at the box office, grossing more than US$ 36,565,280 in the United States.[3]
References [edit]
- ^ Moore, David J. (Summer 2012), "Me, Jane!", Filmfax (131): 63–64
- ^ Moore, David J. (Summer 2012), "Me, Jane!", Filmfax (131): 63–64
- ^ http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=tarzantheapeman.htm
External links [edit]
- Tarzan, the Ape Man at the Internet Movie Database
- Tarzan, the Ape Man at AllRovi
- Tarzan, the Ape Man at Rotten Tomatoes
- Tarzan, the Ape Man at Box Office Mojo
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