Tarzan is probably best known for marking the end of the Disney Renaissance Era but this film tends to fly under the radar. I actually quite enjoy it and had forgotten how funny this film was until I rewatched it for this blog post. I love Jane Porter! Can we please make her an official Disney Princess?
Premiered on: June 12, 1999 at the El Capitan Theater in Hollywood
Directed by:
Kevin Lima
Chris Buck
Produced by: Bonnie Arnold
Based on: Tarzan of the Apes written by Edgar Rice Burroughs
Sequels:
Tarzan & Jane (2002)
Tarzan II: The Legend Begins (2005)
Cast:
Tony Goldwyn – Tarzan
Alex Linz – Young Tarzan
Minnie Driver – Jane Porter
Glenn Close – Kala
Lance Henriksen – Kerchak
Brian Blessed – Clayton
Nigel Hawthorne – Professor Archimedes Q. Porter
Wayne Knight – Tantor
Taylor Dempsey – Young Tantor
Rosie O’ Donnell – Terk
Patti Deutsch – Tantor’s Mother
Frank Welker – Sabor
Supervising Animators:
Dave Burgess
Ken Duncan
Russ Edmonds
Randy Haycock
T. Daniel Hofstedt
Jay Jackson
Glen Keane
Dominique Monfery
Sergio Pablos
John Ripa
Bruce W. Smith
Michael Surrey
Chris Wahl
Music by:
Phil Collins
Mark Mancina
Songs:
“Two Worlds”
“You’ll Be in My Heart”
“Son of Man”
“Trashin’ the Camp”
“Strangers Like Me”
Academy Awards: Best Song – “You’ll Be in My Heart”
The Story:
Tarzan begins with a scene panning through a jungle at night. It is storming and a drum beat plays. The title card appears.
A ship off the shore is on fire. A man lowers a lifeboat from the ship down into the water and inside is a woman holding a baby. The rope snaps and the lifeboat falls into the water. The man then dives into the storming sea and the woman helps pull him into the lifeboat. They hug and the song “Two Worlds” plays as the boat floats towards the land.
A gorilla troop is nearby and parents Kala and Kerchak are playing with their new baby.
Footprints are seen in the sand along the shore the next morning. The man and woman are climbing up a mountain with the baby. They see a large tree.
Kala and Kerchak are still playing with their baby gorilla. Kerchak tosses the baby up in the air.
The scene cuts to the baby human being tossed in the air. His parents are hauling up what they have salvaged from the ship wreck and they build a treehouse.
Sabor the leopard appears.
A frog jumps by the sleeping gorillas. The baby gorilla follows and Sabor stalks him. Kala and Kerchak hear a growl and race after their baby. But they don’t make it in time and Sabor kills the baby gorilla.
During the day, the gorillas are moving on to a new nest. Kala is lagging behind and she hears a baby crying. She runs across the jungle and follows the sound. She comes to the treehouse and starts to climb up. Inside, she sees that the treehouse has been completely destroyed. Kala cautiously enters and she finds the dead man and woman. There are bloody paw prints around them. She is scared and starts to run back. She steps on a glass frame and sees a picture of the human family. Suddenly, she hears the baby cry again and finds the baby under a blanket. The baby and Kala look at each other with confusion and then the baby sneezes on Kala. He thinks it was hilarious. Kala then picks up the baby by the foot and she sniffs his stinky diaper and makes a face. The baby is then blowing spit bubbles and she pops them. The baby responses by poking her in the nose but then they touch hands. Kala cuddles the baby and he falls asleep.
Sabor’s tail suddenly dangles down near Kala and the leopard jumps at Kala and the baby. The gorilla tries to escape and she falls out of the treehouse. She fights off the leopard and the baby gets away from Kala. He falls down a net and Sabor chases after him. Kala then tries to grab him through a crack in the wooden platform above the net. She is able to drag him by the diaper through the crack and away from Sabor. Sabor then starts to rip through the wooden platform and Kala jumps down into the hanging lifeboat to escape. The ropes tangle up Sabor. “Two Worlds” continues to play.
The gorillas are looking for Kala when Terk calls out that she sees her. Everyone is relieved that she is found and Kala assures them that she is fine. She says that she got a little sidetracked and shows them the baby. The gorillas all gasp and don’t really know what to say. Terk then calls the baby freaky-looking and asks what it is anyway. Kala responds that he is a baby and hands him to Terk. Terk wonders where his mama is and Kala declares that she is going to be his mother now. Kerchak approaches and Terk quickly hands the baby back to Kala and says that Kala is going to be his mother now. Kerchak sniffs the baby and is not impressed. Kala explains that she saved him from Sabor and Kerchak says that the baby won’t replace the one they lost. Kala says that she knows but the baby needs her. Kerchak wants her to take him back because he is not their kind; he doesn’t want to put their family in danger. Kala holds up the baby and asks if he looks dangerous to Kerchak, who growls loudly in response. But then he calms down and asks if the baby was alone and Kala says that he was because Sabor killed his family. Kerchak then reluctantly agrees and Kala thinks that he will be a good son. Kerchak corrects her in that the baby can stay but he will not be his son. Kerchak then tells everyone that they will rest there for the night.
Terk comes up to Kala again and asks what she is going to call it. Kala responds that she is going to call him Tarzan and Terk thinks that it is a funny name. Terk’s mom then picks up Terk to put her to bed.
Kala tries to put Tarzan on her back but he slips off because he can’t grip on like a gorilla. He starts to cry and Kala sings “You’ll Be In My Heart” to calm him down and it works. Kala cuddles up with Tarzan in a tree for the night as other gorillas and their babies do the same.
It is daytime and flowers are opening up. Kala wakes up and can’t find Tarzan anywhere. She starts to panic. Tarzan is now a child and he sneaks up behind her and trumpets like an elephant. Tarzan is proud of himself for scaring his mom and she teases him that he should imitate a quieter animal. He doesn’t think that is any fun. Tarzan then scrambles off and he gets the other gorilla children all relied up who are getting groomed. The moms are all annoyed and they blame Kala. Tarzan runs right into Kerchak, who just glares at him and Tarzan slowly backs away. Terk appears and makes a big deal about Kerchak finding Tarzan because she was so worried about him. Terk flatters Kerchak and then she and Tarzan run off. Terk reminds Tarzan that if he wants Kerchak to like him, he needs to stay away.
Terk’s friends run by and they tell Terk that the last one there is a dung beetle. Tarzan asks if he can come as well and Terk says that he could if he could keep up but he can’t; Terk takes off. Tarzan looks sad and then very determined.
Terk catches up with her friends who are near an elephant pool. She says that she took care of the pest but then Tarzan jumps out at them. Her friends are not happy. Tarzan protests that Terk said that he could come along if he could keep up. Her friends groan and Terk says to them that she will handle Tarzan. Terk pulls him aside and says that she wants to hang out with him but her friends need some convincing. Tarzan asks what he needs to do and Terk makes up on the spot that he needs to go get an elephant hair.
The elephants are fighting down in the pool. Tarzan is scared and so Terk thinks that he will go home. But suddenly Tarzan goes running and jumps off the cliff. He belly flops into the pool and sinks down. Terk is very happy when Tarzan floats to the top because she wasn’t sure if he was alive. Terk shouts at him to come back. Her friends laugh and say that if Tarzan lives, Terk should bring him around more often.
Tarzan swims up to the elephants.
Tantor the baby elephant is scared of the water and his mother is getting annoyed with him and keeps saying that it is fine. Tantor spies Tarzan swimming towards the elephants and he tries to warn them but no one believes him. His mother says that she is losing her patience. Tantor thinks that Tarzan is a piranha. The other elephants argue about whether or not there are piranhas in Africa as Tarzan is trying to get an elephant hair. He grabs onto the tail of one of the elephants and they all start to panic and freak out. They all think he is a piranha and they stampede out of the water.
The gorillas think that Tarzan is dead but before they can do anything, the elephant stampede heads right to the gorilla nests. The other gorillas scramble to get out of the way and Kerchak has to rescue a baby who almost gets trampled.
Terk drags Tarzan out of the water and Tantor runs by and tells her to leave the piranha alone. Terk insists that Tarzan is not a piranha! Tarzan then wakes up and Terk is very happy he is alive. She then yells at Tarzan for nearly giving her a heart attack but then Tarzan shows Terk that he did get an elephant hair. Tantor is surprised that is what this was all about because he has a whole tail of hair!
Then the gorilla moms appear and Kala asks what happened. Terk stumbles over her worlds as Kerchak appears and demands to know what happened. Tarzan goes up to him and says that it was his fault and that they were just playing. Kerchak says that he almost killed someone and Tarzan protests that it was an accident. Kerchak pulls away from Tarzan’s attempt to touch hands.
Kala and Kerchak argue about Tarzan learning to be one of them. Kala says that Kerchak won’t give him a chance and Kerchak says that she keeps defending him and that Tarzan will never learn to be one of them. Tarzan overhears and runs away.
It is nighttime and Tarzan is looking at his reflection in a stream. What he sees angers him and he splashes the water. Some mud comes up on his face and he gets an idea to cover himself in it. He then sees Kala’s reflection in the water. Tarzan is upset that Kerchak says that he doesn’t belong in the family and he starts to believe it. He tells Kala to look at him! She says that she is and she sees that he has two eyes, a nose, and two ears all like hers. She asks what else is the same and Tarzan excitedly says that they both have two hands. They put their hands together but the difference in them makes Tarzan said again. Kala tells him to close his eyes and forget what he sees and concentrate on what he feels. She puts his fist on his chest and he feels his heartbeat. Then he feels her heartbeat and knows that they feel excitedly the same. They hug. She says that Kerchak just can’t see that they are the same and Tarzan is determined to make Kerchak see. He wants to be the best ape ever.
The gorillas are on the move one day and the song “Son of Man” plays. Tarzan tries his best to keep up and impress Kerchak but he keeps messing up and making everyone annoyed with him. Terk tries to help him out. Overtime, he learns his own way and grows up. He ends up being very smart and resourceful at solving problems.
Tarzan tries to sneak up on Kala but she tells him not to even thing about it. Tarzan is confused how she knew that he was about to do and she responds that she is his mother and knows everything. Kala then asks where he was and he teases her that she said that she knew everything. Suddenly Terk appears and tackles Tarzan. They play fight and Tantor thinks that one of them is going to get hurt. Tarzan gets distracted by sensing something in the jungle.
Suddenly Sabor appears and jumps out at the gorillas. Kerchak fights the leopard. Kerchak gets hurt and Sabor is going in for the kill when Tarzan jumps down with a spear and fights the leopard. The gorillas cheer him on but Kala looks very worried. Tarzan scratches Sabor and Sabor scratches Tarzan. The spear breaks and falls down a hole. Tarzan goes after it and Sabor follows. The fighting stops and the gorillas think that Tarzan has died. But then he grabs the spear head and kills Sabor. He grabs Sabor’s body above his head and hollers. The gorillas cheer widely for him. But Kerchak is not impressed and he glares at Tarzan from above and then leaves. Tarzan follows with Sabor’s body and offers it to Kerchak.
Suddenly they hear a gunshot in the distance but no one knows what it is. Kerchak tells everyone to move and they hurry away. There is another shot and Tarzan leaves the group to go find out what it is. He explores the jungle and finds lots of destruction. He also finds a bullet shell and then hears another shot and takes off in that direction.
Tarzan sees a group of explorers through the trees. He gets closer to try and get a better look and a shot comes right at him but misses.
Professor Porter catches up with Clayton, who is firing the gun. He asks if there is danger and Clayton says that he thought he saw something. Jane then catches up as well and asks what all the hullabaloo is about. Professor Porter isn’t moving because Clayton said to keep still but Jane goes up to Clayton. She tells him that she and her father came to study gorillas and she thinks that all of Clayton’s shooting might be scaring them off. He argues that they hired him for protection. Suddenly Professor Porter is very excited because they are standing in a gorilla’s nest. Clayton is excited as well and wonders if the beasts are nearby. Tarzan swings down behind him but when Clayton turns, Tarzan is gone. Jane sees many more nests and the Porters are excited that their theory of gorillas living in family groups is true. Clayton thinks that is ridiculous and gorillas are animals that will tear their heads off. Jane disagrees and says that they are social creatures. Clayton suddenly starts shooting again and he almost hits Tarzan.
Jane asks him again not to shoot in case it is a gorilla and Clayton says that it is no gorilla. Clayton suggests that they should press on and he and Professor Porter go ahead. Jane starts to follow but then a baby monkey drops some fruit on her head. She asks the monkey if he is what all the fuss is about and then she quickly sketches him. He is suddenly on her back, looking at the drawing of himself. He then steals her sketchbook. Jane is annoyed with him and tries to follow him. The monkey completely tears the book apart. Tarzan follows them. Jane catches up with the monkey and says that she wants the paper back on the count of 3. She starts to count but then shouts “oh look, bananas!” and points behind the monkey. The baby monkey falls for it and looks behind him. Jane uses this chance to snatch the paper back and she laughs at the monkey for falling for her trick. The monkey starts crying and then Jane hears a growl behind her. She turns to see a tree filled with angry baboons. They start to chase Jane and she runs away.
Tarzan swings after Jane and swoops her up. She starts to panic but then a baboon eats her boot. She hits the monkey with an umbrella. Jane yells at Tarzan to put her down and he does but then the baboons appear again and she yells for him to pick her up. They slide and swing through the trees to get away. Finally they escape when all of the baboons fall to the ground as one big bunch. The baby monkey and their parent float down with Jane’s umbrella and Tarzan speaks to them. He figures out that this is all about Jane’s sketch of the baby and gives the page back to them.
Jane is trying to get away and is freaking out that she is in a tree with a man who talks to monkeys. She has a hard time climbing down the tree and thinks that the situation can’t possibly get any worse when it starts to rain. She then yells and freaks out when Tarzan appears again. He is very curious about her and starts to tickle her foot. She kicks him in the face and tells him to stay away from her like a good wild man. Tarzan grabs her face and she is about to slap him but he then catches her hand and takes off her glove. He puts his hand against hers and sees that they are the same. He then leans in and listens to her heartbeat. Tarzan grabs her head so that she can listen to his heartbeat. She is still very frightened about all of this and nervous tells Tarzan that he has a very nice heartbeat. Tarzan copies what she says and she is very surprised that he can talk. Tarzan introduces himself and thinks her name is “oh I see.” Jane corrects him and introduces herself.
They then hear a gunshot and Jane yells “Clayton.” They hear another and Tarzan yells “Clayton,” thinking that is what the sound of a gunshot is called. She asks him to take her back to her camp and they swing off.
Some of the gorillas and Tantor are out looking for Tarzan. They come across the Porter’s camp and have no idea what it is. Tantor starts to freak out and thinks that it is something horrible. But the gorillas make fun of him for thinking that the objects are all alive. They start to play with everything and sing “Trashin’ the Camp.”
The rest of the gorillas and Clayton and Professor Porter hear the music. Tarzan and Jane swing into the camp as the song ends. She is very excited to see gorillas! Terk and Tarzan are very excited to see each other and Jane then understands that Tarzan is one of them. The gorillas are very cautious about Jane. Kerchak appears and growls loudly at her! Jane panics and Kerchak smells her and realizes that Tarzan has been near her. Kerchak then leaves and all of the gorillas follow. Tarzan doesn’t know what to do. Kala then takes his arm and he goes with them as Clayton and Professor Porter call for Jane and arrive at the camp.
Jane excitedly tells her father about her adventure with the little baby monkey and then a whole fleet of monkeys! She says that they took her boot. Then she tells Professor Porter about the flying, wild man in a loincloth who saved her. Clayton and Professor Porter have no idea what she is talking about. Then she mentions the gorillas and Clayton demands to know where they are. Jane says that Tarzan the ape man left with them and she is very dreamy while talking about him.
The gorillas have gathered and Kerchak tells them all to avoid the strangers. Tarzan insists that the strangers mean them no harm and Kerchak says that they don’t know them. Tarzan says that he does and he has spent time with them. Kerchak won’t risk their safety and Tarzan wants to know why he is so threated by anyone who is different than him. Kerchak demands that he protect their family and stay away from the strangers. Tarzan the leaves and Kala tells him to listen to Kerchak. Tarzan demands to know why she didn’t tell him that there where others like him. He then goes and leaves a sad Kala behind.
Back at the camp, Jane is describing Tarzan to Professor Porter and drawing him on a chalkboard. She says that he was hunched over and supported his weight on his knuckles, just like a gorilla. Both Jane and Professor Porter walk around like that. Clayton is shaving with his knife and rolls his eyes at them. Jane then says that Tarzan seemed confused at first as if he had never seen another human before. She draws his eyes and says that she has never seen such eyes. Professor Porter teases her that he should leave her and the chalkboard alone for a moment. Jane says that the point is that they need to find him so they can learn from him.
Clayton is mad and says that they are there to find the gorillas and not to indulge some girlish fantasy. Jane is upset at that and protests that she did not imagine Tarzan. Right then Tarzan drops in. Clayton goes to shoot him and Jane pushes his gun aside. The gun goes off and Tarzan calls it “Clayton.” Professor Porter is excited that he can talk and Clayton is confused how Tarzan knows his name. Jane says that he thinks the gunshot is called “Clayton.” Tarzan copies how Clayton is standing and Professor Porter thinks that he could be the missing link. He moves like a gorilla but looks like a man. Clayton thinks that he might then be their link to finding the gorillas.
Clayton starts to shout at Tarzan and asks where the gorillas are but Tarzan just repeats him and shouts back. Jane explains that Tarzan doesn’t understand and Clayton is going to make him understand. He goes to the chalkboard and erases Jane’s sketch of Tarzan. In the place, he draws a terrible drawing of a gorilla. Clayton proudly states “gorilla” and hands Tarzan the chalk. Tarzan then thinks that the piece of chalk is called a gorilla and scribbles all over the chalkboard. Clayton and Tarzan fight over the chalk until Jane grabs it and says that she will take it from there.
The song “Strangers like Me” plays as Jane and Professor Porter set up a projector and shows slides of gorillas and men. There are other pictures of jungles, cities, and places all around the world. They also show Tarzan the stars through a telescope and Jane teaches him how to read. They ride penny-farthings around the trees and Tarzan teaches Jane how to swing from vines.
Clayton is mad at Jane and Professor Porter because they are wasting so much time on what Tarzan wants and says that they need to ask him straight out where the gorillas are because the boat could arrive any day. Jane does ask Tarzan if he will take them to the gorillas and asks if he understands. Tarzan does and the others get very excited but then Tarzan says that he can’t. Jane asks why not and Tarzan just answers “Kerchak.” The song then continues and Clayton is still mad that Tarzan won’t take them to see the gorillas. Tarzan is very interested in the human world and keeps looking at the slides. He sees a slide of a man giving a woman a bouquet of flowers and looks at Jane.
Tarzan then goes out to the jungle to pick flowers. Tantor comments that he has never seen Tarzan so happy but Terk says to give it a week. Tarzan then arrives at the Porter’s camp and bunch of sailors are taking down the camp and bringing all of their stuff to the boat. Poor Professor Porter is begging them not to because he has waited 30 years for this and doesn’t want to leave without seeing a gorilla. Clayton is yelling at the captain to say that he has engine trouble and give them a few more days. The captain refuses.
Tarzan finds Jane and she says that she was so worried that he wouldn’t come in time. She explains that the boat to take them home has arrived and she wonders if he wanted to come with them. Tarzan thinks that they will go to England today and come home tomorrow. Jane explains that it would be difficult to do that and it would probably be forever. She says that he belongs with them. Tarzan asks if she would stay with him instead but she cries that she can’t and runs off.
Clayton sees this and approaches Tarzan. He makes Tarzan feel bad that Jane didn’t get to spend more time with the gorillas. Clayton then leaves saying that he best get Jane’s things to the ship and he picks up her suitcase. Tarzan stops him and asks if Jane sees a gorilla, would she stay? Clayton says that is why she came and Tarzan says that he will do it. Clayton then tells a nearby sailor that there is going to be a change in plans.
Tarzan is begging Terk and Tantor for help getting Kerchak out of the way. Terk refuses because Tarzan dropped them and then waltzed right back asking for a favour. Tarzan says that he is asking as a friend and Terk can’t refuse, as long as she doesn’t have to do anything embarrassing.
Terk is then dressed as Jane and is very mad. Tantor’s trunk is dressed like Professor Porter. Tantor thinks that the dress looks rather slimming on Terk. They then hear a growl and Kerchak starts chasing them.
Tarzan then brings Jane, Professor Porter, and Clayton to see the gorillas. Kala sees Tarzan returning home and is happy to see her son. But then she sees the other humans with him and is scared. Jane thinks that Kala is beautiful and Tarzan says that she is his mother. Jane is confused but the Tarzan starts to talk gorilla to her. Kala is still scared and backs away. Clayton starts to panic that Kala is getting away and begins to chase her but Jane stops him. Jane then starts speaking gorilla with Tarzan and then Professor Porter joins in as well. They walk around like gorillas. Clayton tells them to get up but then sees the rest of the gorilla troop appear. He tells them to not get up. Jane is in awe of the gorillas and Professor Porter faints in happiness.
Baby gorillas approach Jane and then the adult gorillas sniff Professor Porter. He tries to shake their hands but then start to groom him. Clayton then marks the spot where the gorillas are on his map. The gorillas grab his stuff and Clayton gets mad at them.
The babies are very happy to see Tarzan and Jane thinks that is very sweet. She asks him to teach him how to speak gorilla and he does. The babies are very excited about whatever it was she said and Jane asks Tarzan what she said. He tells her that she said “Jane stays with Tarzan.” Jane doesn’t know what to say to that.
Suddenly Terk and Tantor come running back to the gorilla nests. Jane asks if that is her dress but Kerchak appears before she can get a response. Jane is very scared of him and Clayton tries to shoot Kerchak. Kerchak attacks Clayton and Tarzan tries to stop the gorilla. Tarzan and Kerchak fight and Tarzan tells the other humans to run. Jane wants to wait for Tarzan but Professor Porter tells his daughter than they must go. After they get away, Tarzan loosens his grip on Kerchak and lets the gorilla go. The gorillas are all shocked at what has happened and Kala is very sad. Tarzan tries to apologize to Kerchak but Kerchak is so mad and thinks that Tarzan has betrayed them all. Tarzan runs away.
Tarzan is on a cliff looking out over the ship in the distance when Kala approaches him. He tells her that he is so confused and she asks him to come with her because there is something she should have showed him long ago.
She brings him to the treehouse as it becomes nighttime. Tarzan explores the things inside the treehouse and finds the photo of his family on the ground. He asks if that is him and Kala nods. He then figures out that those are his real parents and Kala says that now he knows. She just wants him to be happy, whatever he decides.
Kala leaves the treehouse as Tarzan continues to stare at the photo. She is outside on the porch when Tarzan appears dressed in his father’s suit. Kala cries and Tarzan wipes her tears. He tells her that no matter where he goes, she will always be his mother. They hug and she says that he will always be her son. Tarzan leaves and Kala says quietly goodbye after him.
Jane is so happy to see Tarzan when he meets them on the beach. They get into a rowboat that will bring them to the ship. Tantor and Terk run after to say goodbye but it is too late. They are very upset that Tarzan didn’t say goodbye and Terk starts to throw rocks into the ocean after him.
At the boat, Jane tells Tarzan that he can’t even imagine what is in store for him. Everyone will want to meet him: kings, queens, scientists, and writers. Tarzan only cares that he gets to be with Jane and she blushes. He helps her up the ladder of the ship and then takes one last look at the jungle. Tarzan climbs aboard.
He gets on deck only to realize that Jane and Professor Porter have been captured! The sailors try to capture Tarzan as well but he fights back. But he ends up falling into a pile of crates and they grab him. Clayton then shoots his gun to get everyone’s attention and asks what is going on. Tarzan asks him for help and Clayton pretends to not know him. Tarzan is furious with him and Clayton jabs him in the stomach. He tells Tarzan that he can’t have him making a scene when they are putting his furry friends in their cages. Tarzan asks why is he doing this and Clayton responds for the money and that he actually has Tarzan to thank. Clayton then tells his sailors to lock him up with the others and Tarzan screams.
From the shore, Tantor says that the scream sounded like Tarzan and thinks that he is in trouble. Terk says that Tarzan can get his new friends to help him. Tantor has had it! He says that Tarzan needs them and they are going to help him. He puts Terk on his back and charges to the sea. They jump off a cliff and start swimming towards the ship. Clayton and his crew are heading back to the shore with cages in their boats.
Tarzan, Jane, and Professor Porter are stuck in the hull of the ship. Tarzan is trying desperately to get out but Jane tells him that it is no use. She apologizes that Clayton betrayed them all and Tarzan says that he was the one who did this because he betrayed his family. Professor Porter is very upset about the gorillas shivering in cages and he hits the side of the ship, rights as the ship tilts and Professor Porter comments that he doesn’t know his own strength.
It turns out to really be Tantor climbing aboard the ship that caused it to tilt. Everyone then slides to the other side as Tantor moves. The elephant fights off the sailors and Professor Porter comments that it sounds like an elephant up there when suddenly Tantor’s foot breaks through the deck and into the hull above the professor’s head. Tarzan is very happy to see Terk and Tantor and Terk gives Tarzan a big hug. Tarzan then dives down into the sea.
It is nighttime and Kerchak hears a gunshot. A flare suddenly lights up above them and the gorillas panic. The sailors attack and shoot nets at them. They capture Kerchak. Tarzan is racing towards the gorillas and he takes off his suit as he goes. The jungle animals all follow him to help.
Kerchak escapes the net and so the sailors tie him down. Clayton comes up to him with the gun and says that he thinks Kerchak is better off stuffed. He then hears Tarzan’s holler as Tarzan flies in and knocks Clayton over. The jungle animals all stampede into the clearing.
Tarzan frees Kerchak and Kerchak comments that Tarzan came back and Tarzan corrects him in that he came home. Kerchak the fights off a sailor that is about to hit Tarzan and Tarzan gives him a big smile as a thanks. They then fight off the sailors together and lock them in the cages. Jane and Professor Porter join in the fight while riding Tantor.
Clayton tells some of the sailors to take what they can back to the ship and they pick up Kala’s cage. Clayton says that he has some hunting to do. Jane notices Kala being taken away and swings on a vine to catch her. She knocks over a sailor and the baboons appear to attack the other man. The baby gives Jane a big kiss. Kala is trying to get out and Jane tells her to not worry, but she can’t open the cage either. A sailor approaches with a crowbar to attack Jane. Tarzan then swings in and lands on the sailor and Jane grabs the crowbar to open the cage. They are able to get Kala out and then Clayton shoots Tarzan in the arm. Kerchak is very angry and attacks Clayton. Clayton shoots Kerchak which makes Tarzan very angry. He dodges shots as Clayton tries to shoot him again and Jane tries to get the gun away from Clayton. He pushes her aside. Clayton tells Tarzan that once he gets rid of him, rounding up the gorilla family will be easy. Tarzan and Clayton fight in the trees. Clayton loses his gun and Tarzan grabs it. Clayton dares Tarzan to shoot him and Tarzan points the gun at him. Clayton tells him to be a man and then Tarzan imitates the sound of a gunshot and Clayton freaks out thinking he has been shot. But then Tarzan says that he isn’t a man like Clayton and breaks the gun. Clayton then grabs a knife to attack Tarzan and chases him through the vines. He ends up getting tangled up the vines and tries to cut himself loose. Tarzan tries to warn Clayton what he is about to do but Clayton doesn’t listen. He ends up cutting all of the vines except the one around his neck and he hangs himself as it starts to rain.
Jane nears Tarzan and they see all of the gorillas gathering around Kerchak. Tarzan goes to Kerchak and Kala hugs her son on the way. Tarzan asks Kerchak to forgive him and Kerchak asks Tarzan to forgive him for not understanding that Tarzan has always been one of them. He tells him that their family will now look to him. He asks Tarzan to take care of them and calls him son. Kerchak then dies and Tarzan hugs him.
The gorillas all look to Tarzan and he stands proud in front of them. Tarzan bangs his chest and then moves on; the gorillas follow.
It is daytime and the Porters are getting ready to leave the jungle again. Tarzan has a bandage around his arm. Jane says that London will seem so small compared to all of this. Tarzan says that he will miss her. The captain is yelling at Jane to hurry up and she turns to Tarzan and says that they should say goodbye. She sticks out her hand to shake his and Tarzan places their hands together like when they first met. They say goodbye and Jane cries as she leaves. They row off and Professor Porter waves goodbye to Tarzan and comments that he will miss that boy.
Jane looks at her hand that Tarzan touched and then she puts her glove on. Her father grabs her hand and says that he thinks that she should stay. Jane is distraught and thinks that she belongs in England with her father. She tries to put her other glove on but the wind blows it away and Tarzan catches in on the shore. Professor Porter says that she loves him and encourages her to go. Jane then smiles and hugs her father goodbye. She jumps into the water and wades to shore. Jane knocks over Tarzan in a hug and then kisses him. He is very surprised but then kisses her back. Jane is then embarrassed because the gorilla family is watching them.
Professor Porter is watching from the rowboat and wonders what he is doing. He tells the captain to say that they never found him; people get lost in the jungle every day! He then jumps in the water and swims to shore. Kala grabs Jane’s hand and Jane then speaks in gorilla “Jane stays with Tarzan.” All of the gorillas cheer.
Tarzan, Jane, and Professor Porter are swinging around trees in loincloths and then Terk, Tantor, and Kala join in the fun. Tarzan hollers.
Then end credits play to “You’ll be in My Heart” and “Two Worlds.”
Trivia:
- Terk’s full name is Terkina.
- Tarzan’s famous holler was actually done by Brian Blessed, voice of Clayton.
- There was a T.V. show on the Disney Channel called The Legend of Tarzan which ran from 2001 to 2003.
- Glen Keane based the way Tarzan slides along the branches of the jungle on his son who was skateboarder.
- Phil Collins recorded his songs for this film in French, Italian, German, and Spanish.
- There was a Tarzan Broadway musical that ran from 2006 – 2007.
- Tarzan is well known for the creation of Deep Canvas, a breakthrough in animation technology. This program allowed 2D characters to be placed in a 3D background.
- The Porters have a tea set that looks very similar to Mrs. Potts and Chip.
- This is the only film adaptation of the story that has a one-word title.
- It is thought that the Porter’s and Tarzan see Halley’s Comet when they are watching the stars, making the majority of the film take place in 1910.
Representation in the Disney Parks:
In both Disneyland and Hong Kong Disneyland, there is a walkthrough treehouse attraction called Tarzan’s Treehouse. Both are in Adventureland but the one in Hong Kong Disneyland is located on an island and a raft must be taken to it.
In Shanghai Disneyland in Adventure Isle, there is a 30 minute acrobatic show called Tarzan: Call of the Jungle.
At Walt Disney World in the Grand Floridian Resort, there is a men’s apparel shop called Commander Porter’s. I have no idea if this shop is named after Professor Porter or not but if Disney is going for the Victorian-era Exploration theme, they have hit it spot on. Does anyone know if this shop is actually named for Professor Porter?
Check out the other films of Disney’s Renaissance:
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