Tarzan

From 1989 to 1999, Walt Disney studios created some of the most amazing, mind-blowing animated movies of all time. From the little mermaid to beauty and the beast, from Aladdin to the lion king, from Pocahontas to Hercules, and finally, Mulan to Tarzan, these movies still hold their staying power to today. However, Tarzan was the last of these films, from the period known as the Disney Renaissance. Disney remains a popular animation studio in the public eye, but no one could deny how popular they were throughout the 1990s.

Tarzan itself is based upon the novels by Edgar Rice Burroughs and the movies from the 1930s. Tarzan is a baby who loses his parents, and is adopted by a family of gorillas, who raise him up as their own.

For a Disney film, this one is one of the best. For a renaissance film, It's not the best of them. I still like to say that the first 2 (The Little Mermaid & Beauty and the Beast) were the best. I know that some Disney fans would chew on me for not saying The Lion King, but that's just my personal preference.

I still think it's a great movie, worthy of being part of the collection of Disney's best.

9/10

Well, being the big animation fan that I am, I went to see Tarzan this afternoon. Wow.

When I first heard that Disney was doing a version of the Tarzan story, I was hesitant. I mean who wants to hear an ape man spouting out show tunes? Hakuna Matata! The only songs are some of the best work Phil Collins has done in many years. He ventures into the Peter Gabriel territory, but does a great job especially with the rhythms since he IS a drummer. The open number (and sequence) is best albeit Lion King-esque. It seems he was very inspired by the material and has rediscovered his love of music. It's very uplifting. Don't misunderstand me, the characters do sing, but it's more Rosie O'Donnell doing scat with the other apes as they destroy a camp and a very welcome singing cameo by Glenn Close doing the beginning of a lullaby that Phil takes over.

As for the picture itself: wow! This is the most beautiful Disney animation ever: lush, detailed, quick and smooth. Tarzan moves like liquid, filling the screen with gymnastic ease especially the scene where he fights a leopard to save his ape family.

And family is what this film is all about. Disney's Tarzan makes a different decision that Edgar Rice Burroughs' and I think it works better, but it's the decision I would make in the same situation. Some of the situations are a little contrived, but it is mostly Disney sticking with a winning formula. (Tarzan does have nipples unlike Aladdin). :-) What surprised me was the dramatic tilt of the film. Rosie O'Donnell's ape and the elephant are the only comic relief and don't have much of it. The film is very skewed towards adults; HOWEVER, as I was surrounded by a mob of kids there was dead silence right after the main gorillas lose their baby and Tarzan loses his parents to the leopard at the beginning. All the questioning ceased and I got to enjoy the film in complete "adult-like" silence. The kids were just as wrapped up in the movie as the adults.

The voice talent was well cast, too. Minnie Driver is great as the strong, yet proper British lady of the time. Her father is a stereotypical egghead professor who is as clumsy as he is smart. And then there is Brian Blessed as the villain, Clayton. Man, do I love his voice! It's the Voice of God! The deep, rich tones always give me a chill. I wish he worked in more films other then Kenneth Kenneth Branagh's Shakespeare films, but alas.... (well, I guess he WAS in The Phantom Menace)

This truly is one of Disney's classics. I felt the same way walking out of this one as I did from Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King.

Oh, look for a cameo from Mrs. Potts and Chip from Beauty and the Beast! I thought it was funny, but I don't think anyone else in the theater got it since I seemed to be the only one laughing. I always embarrass myself at the movies it seems.

This is a great film, it moves right along fast, has great characters, action, voice, music is just right, great animation, you name it. Lives up to the Tarzan heritage and then some. I highly recommend this one.

Definitely something to jump up and down about.

The true measure of a family film is to watch a child's reaction. My (normally jumpy) three-year-old sat with enraptured glee through this movie and was able to articulate the plot back to me with amazing detail. That's not a parent's rambling, its a credit to a brilliant movie. Tarzan ranks just below Beauty and the Beast and Little Mermaid in the list of the best of Disney's new films.

Disney formula (rogue orphan, evil villain pretending to be a friend, whacky sidekick, neurotic friend and lots a snappy tunes) has never been more apparent, but it works perfectly. But the real joy of this movie is its breathtaking beauty and the message of living without prejudice.

Don't expect anything new from Disney, and do not expect a detailed retelling of the original novel. But do expect to see their product refined even further and at its best since Beauty and the Beast. This is a kid's movie, but any grown-up can like it. Minnie Driver and Wayne Knight provide the best voice overs.

As my six-year-old daughter told me once, "I like movies with scary beginnings, silly middles and happy endings." Needless to say, she loved Tarzan. **** out of ****.

I found this surprisingly good because not only was animation well done - which they all seem to be in the past decade - but an involving, action-packed story that was interesting start-to-finish. The action is not overdone, however. The color in here is magnificent and it looks spectacular on DVD.

The film turned out to be a good combination of drama, action, comedy and romance. I would think this would be a little too frightening, however, for little kids, for those wondering about that. The only negative I had was listening to the grating voice of Rose O'Donnell. That, and her New York City, accent, is definitely not appealing. Otherwise, I have nothing but good things to say about this film.