Tarzan [PG]

After his parents are killed by a tiger, a baby human is adopted by a family of gorillas, raised as one of their own, and christened Tarzan. Despite the odd remarks of his being a “hairless wonder”, Tarzan lives happily in the jungle until the day when a group of English explorers arrive eager to study the apes. Amongst them is Jane, the first female of his species Tarzan has ever seen and he falls in love with her. As Jane teaches Tarzan about his species the hunter Clayton, hired to protect Jane and her father, plots to trick Tarzan into revealing where his gorilla family nests so that he can catch them and sell them back home. 

I remember seeing this with my cousin in the cinema and during a particularly emotional scene we burst out in tears. Throughout this movie the two of us were practically inconsolable and watching it again now as an adult, Tarzan has the same effect on me. I was tearing up all the way through. 

After his parents are killed by a tiger, a baby human is adopted by a family of gorillas, raised as one of their own, and christened Tarzan. Despite the odd remarks of his being a “hairless wonder”, Tarzan lives happily in the jungle until the day when a group of English explorers arrive eager to study the apes. Amongst them is Jane, the first female of his species Tarzan has ever seen and he falls in love with her. As Jane teaches Tarzan about his species the hunter Clayton, hired to protect Jane and her father, plots to trick Tarzan into revealing where his gorilla family nests so that he can catch them and sell them back home. 

Based on the novel by Edgar Rice Burroughs, Disney’s Tarzan is another memorable animation masterpiece that explores the avenues of equality, evolution, and family. It’s a beautiful story of discovery and romance as well as an emotionally dramatic and tear jerking exploration into the themes of choice and the brain versus the heart. 

The animation is breathtaking with the anatomical structures of all the characters including that of Tarzan being so akin to the real thing without caricaturing anything. I think here, more than any other Disney film, there is this remarkable intimacy. What I mean by that is that the film features a lot of extreme close ups and lingering shots that allow the audience to really explore the wonder and the beauty of the characters. 

The soundtrack by Phil Collins is also something that deserves some merit. The title track as well as ‘You’ll Be In My Heart’ are up in the company of many of Disney’s other classic tracks and the rest of the soundtrack, which mainly consists of warrior and native drum-oriented compositions, make for a soundtrack that just accompanies the film to an absolute tee. 

Featuring the voice talents of Brian Blessed, Tony Goldwyn, Nigel Hawthorn, Lance Henriksen, Wayne Knight, Rosie O’Donnell, Minnie Driver, and Glenn Close, Tarzan is a beautiful and mesmerising film in Disney’s repertoire and still causes a tear to spring to my eyes. Filled with action, adventure, drama, betrayal, family, comedy, and romance, it’s a really beautiful movie.