Customer Reviews

Greystoke: Legend of Tarzan [VHS]

5 star:		(43)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Although it doesn't quite live up to Robert Towne's original script, "Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan Lord of The Apes" manages to bring much of the spectacle of Edgar Rice Burroughs' original tale with a distinctive, powerful edge missing from every other version of the novel. Towne's script and the film adhere to most of the narrative about Tarzan growing up while drifting away from some of the more extreme fantasy elements present in the original novel.

When the child of a female gorilla is mercilessly beaten to death, his mother adopts an infant human whose parents were killed by the same gorilla. The couple were shipwrecked and thought dead by the man's grandfather the Earl of Greystoke. The infant continues to have conflicts with the lead gorilla of the group as he grows up and is, in fact, beaten up and left for dead at one point. As he grows into manhood, he discovers the home of his parents, his mother's locket, and his father's knife and sees his reflection for the first time. He's horrified and fascinated at the same time realizing that, while he doesn't quite look like his mother, she is still his mother. Gradually, he discovers children's blocks that show him what a human looks like for the first time.

When his mother is murdered by tribesmen hunting the gorillas for food, he fights back for the first time killing one of the tribesmen breaking the man's back. He also stands up to and kills the gorilla that tried to kill him and succeeded in killing his parents long ago. Tarzan (Christopher Lambert in his debut) is discovered by a French explorer (Ian Holm from "Chariots of Fire" and "The Lord of the Rings") who takes pity on the young man and brings him back to civilization discovering along the way that Tarzan is, indeed, the son of the missing heir to the Greystoke fortune and title.

The film moves Tarzan from the animal kingdom to the civilized world where the collision between how he was raised and who he has to become creates considerable conflict. Later, he meets and falls in love with Jane (Andie McDowell in her film debut but with her voice over dubbed by Glenn Close)but the conflicts between the civilized world and his experience continues to threaten their relationship and his inheritance.

Directed by Hugh Hudson ("Chariots of Fire", "I Dreamed of Africa"), the film generated much controversy when writer Robert Towne ("Chinatown", "Personal Best", "Tequila Sunrise" and "Shampoo") took his name off the credits substituting the name of his dog. Towne felt that Hudson (and the screenwriter Hudson brought in Michael Austin) strayed a bit from his original script which had an even more epic canvas to work from. Towne had been forced to sell off "Greystoke" which he had intended to direct due to money issues related to his directorial debut "Personal Best". While the film doesn't quite live up to Towne's vision, Hudson's film is still quite compelling and powerful capturing the sweep of the epic films made by David Lean. Although the script becomes a bit uneven when Tarzan returns to civilization, Christopher Lambert's portrayal of Tarzan along with Ian Holm, Sir Ralph Richardson, James Fox and McDowell/Close keeps the film interesting. Lambert's moody, brooding and quiet performance works well at keeping Tarzan a mysterious, sensuous figure. Lambert brings an animal physical presence to the role that quickly captures your attention. The tightly directed and edited action sequences also prevent the film from lagging.

Although the DVD doesn't have the type of extras it really deserves, Warner has lavished a considerable amount of money to bring us a very sharp, crisp and vivid anamorphic widescreen transfer. There's still a fair amount of analog blemishes in the form of hair and dirt but the bulk of this occurs during the opening titles. This version of the film never played theatrically in the U.S. Like the original videocassette, this version of "Greystoke" runs about 7 minutes longer with a prologue involving the apes and a sequence that briefly depicts Tarzan's trek to civilization. The marvelous score by John Scott has been remastered for Dolby Digital 5.1 bringing the sound up to date and we also get the beautiful Overture that greeted audiences as they walked in during the first few minutes before the movie began.

We get the marvelous original theatrical trailer as part of the extras and a commentary track by Director Hudson and Associate Producer Garth Thomas. They provide some very interesting tidbits about the shooting of the film but completely avoid discussing the decision to rewrite Towne's script and only making a passing mention of the voice recasting. The commentary would have been far more interesting had both decided to revisit their decision to bring Glenn Close to dub MacDowell's lines and the decision to pare back Towne's original, more expensive vision.

Although it might lack the epic vision that Towne had intended, Hudson's film still manages to make quite an impression. The film certainly has the epic feel of some of David Lean's epics and if the film becomes uneven during its second half, it still manages to swing to a satisfying conclusion.

I love those classic MGM Tarzan flicks with Johnny Weissmuller (classics all the way), and the 1999 animated Tarzan was IMHO the last great Disney film. But GREYSTOKE is without a doubt my favorite Tarzan film of all time. Not only is the only live-action adaptation to capture real emotion and drama, but it is also the most realistic. This is mainly due to the vastly underrated Christopher Lambert in the title role. He is absolutely amazing to watch, especially in his reactions to the new English surroundings. The supporting cast is first-rate, as well. You have Sir Ian Holm as the explorer who finds Tarzan, Andie MacDowell in her film debut as Jane, and the late, the great Ralph Richardson as Lord Greystoke. Add onto this a gorgeous musical score, stunning African jungle backgrounds, and some of Rick Baker's best make-up work ever, and you've got one helluva good motion picture.

I just can't believe how many people regard this movie as one of those "what-could-have-been" disasters. I hadn't seen the film in years, so when I picked up the DVD, I was prepared to think the same thing do to my older age and higher expectations as a film buff. Well let me tell you, it's even better than I remembered it! If the film did indeed have a troubled production, it certainly doesn't show on-screen. It's a beautiful movie, and required viewing.

The new DVD ain't too shabby, either. The picture looks great and the sound is very clear, if a bit lacking in surround. However, being the film's 20th Anniversary, I would've expected quite a bit more extras. All we get is a director's commentary, which is incredibly boring. But for such a low price tag, it's not a bad buy.

This review refers to "Greystoke - The Legend of Tarzan - Lord of the Apes" DVD(20th anniversary transfer/Warner Bros)...

Director Hugh Hudson has done a remarkable job remaking an old favorite and classic of the silver screen. It's a breathtaking look at the story of "Tarzan" as he is plucked from his home, where he has been raised by apes since his birth, and dropped into the "civilized" world to take his rightful place in society.

The first half of the story takes place in the jungles of Africa. The Earl Of Greystoke and his wife have been shipwrecked, and soon after the birth of their son, both tragically die. The infant is raised by the apes, taken by a mother ape who has lost her own baby. We watch as Tarzan grows up in the ape community, and as he becomes a man and knows no other langauge or way of life, rises within the group to become "Lord of the Apes". When an expedition of British and French men are attacked by natives, one man, Phillipe, is rescued by Tarzan and nursed back to health. Eventually, Phillipe discovers the true identity of this "white ape" and after months of teaching him the langauge and ways of the white man, brings him back to his family and his rightful place in society.

Tarzan, or John as he is now called, must try and fit in with this new civilazation, but he soon finds he is a man with no home. Even his new found love for Jane, cannot reconcile what he percieves to be the human way of doing things. He has made remarkable accomplishments in this society, but inside him, he aches deeply for the life he knew.

This film is an exquisite remake. Filmed in Cameroon, Scotland and England, it takes in the breathtaking beauty of the jungles of Africa, and the grandeur of the "Greystoke" estate. The performances by seasoned actors such as Sir Ralph Richardson(in his final film), and Ian Holm will draw you into their every word. The film also introduces us to two newcomers at the time, Andie MacDowell as Jane and Christopher Lambert as Tarzan. And after viewing this film, you will know why they both became the stars they are today. Lambert's performance of growing up in a family of Apes and then trying to adjust to society is extraordinary.

The music composed by John Scott and performed by The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra is as beautiful as this sweeping saga. A big part of the film of course, is the Apes, and the actors who were a part of those scenes were outstanding, as was the costuming and special effects.

The DVD is gorgeous. Presented in widescreen, it takes in all the brilliant cinematography, and vivid colors. The sounds of the jungle surround you in DD 5.1. There is commentary by Director Hudson, which may be viewed during the film. Subtitles are in Eng, Fr and Sp.

The film is rated PG, which I thought was about right. There is some violence(mostly in the jungle scenes)which may scare very young children. The one love scene bewteen Tarzan and Jane, is very mild and very short.

A wonderfully touching story of two worlds colliding. A brillant, adventurous, and romantic remake, not to be missed by fans of the old Tarzan films or of the Edgar Rice Burroughs's book, "Tarzan of the Apes".

Enjoy....Laurie

also recommended for Andie MacDowell fans:
Unstrung Heroes(see my review for film details)

I really liked this film but apparently I'm in the minority. I must admit that, in general, I like Tarzan movies. I also like the original novels by Edgar Rice Burroughs (actually, I like the Pellucidar books the best, but I digress). Anyway, the great problem with Tarzan films is that since the days of silent cinema and Elmo Lincoln, a faithful adaptation of the Burroughs character has not existed. So what? By the mid-1930s, Burroughs himself was incorporating elements from the films into the Tarzan novels. Greystoke is about as close to the spirit of the Burroughs character as we can seriously expect to get. Yes, it slips to the silly side when Tarzan gets to England. Again, so what? The movie is good fun!

As a Burroughs fan of more than two decades, I cannot praise this film highly enough. The only other Tarzan movie that even comes close to capturing the spirit of the character this well is the Disney animated feature (if only most of the characters in it, along with the saccharine ending and the horrendous music could be redone). Obviously, there are large portions of the film that depart greatly from the orignal novel. But, let's be realistic! There are characters and scenes in the novel that are just plain offensive by today's standards. Being the sensitive gentleman that he was, Burroughs himself would have written it differently today. If anything, the film managed to amplify the dichotomy present in the character (which, for all you non-English Majors out there, was an overriding theme of Victorian British literature). In fact, making the story more "British" than the books makes sense! After all, Tarzan is an English lord. ERB would have been very pleased with this interpretation of his most successful character. Aside from all else, it simply is an incredible work in its own right, with beautiful cinematography, extraordinarily deep emotion and content, and a solid storyline. And yes, it probably is the most underrated film of the 1980's. (Oh, to see a sequel worthy of the first, or better yet a tale of John Carter that could compare!)

I've reviewed Disney's Tarzan, the animated story recently, but looking at this film, there is, by far, no comparison between the two.

This film was produced in 1984, and with Christopher Lambert in the starring role, it is truly one of the best of the genre. The first half hour or so, we come to "discover" how he ended up in the jungle, and then as the years go by, we see "little" Tarzan (AKA: Greystoke), as he lunges through the vines and has his rapport with the animals. And this, contrary to what many feel, is one of the highlights of the movie. Not much English language, but a language only true to its form - which is animal communication, and Lambert pulls it off brilliantly.

Then the "group" come into the jungle, along with Andie MacDowell, and her father. To watch how Greystoke deals with the intruders is stunning, and the way he "rescues" the stranger from death is well worth viewing.

The saddest part of this film, I believe, is when Greystoke is brought back to "civilization," and you can just about feel his pain at the loss of what he knew. Then, of course, he has become an oddity in "proper England," only to arouse the jealousy of Ms. MacDowell's suitors, as well as uproot whatever theories the social scientists had about human nature.

This is a remarkable film, and it is, in some ways, truly a sensational and exotic adventure into the heart of the human heart. The scene between Greystoke and his newly acquired "girlfriend" (MacDowell) borders on the erotic, although this was done with great art, and it didn't plunge the viewer into a tasteless scene of sensationalism.

A brilliant movie, and like the title of this review suggests, it is like reading the original novel. Highly recommended!!

There have been many film adaptations of Edgar Rice Burrough's tales of Tarzan. Most of them were produced in the earlier days of movie making, and were filmed on back lots in Hollywood. While a number of them provided good entertainment, few of them really depicted Burrough's book, "Tarzan, Lord of the Apes." "Greystoke" is, however, different in that respect.

While there are certainly disparities between Burrough's book and this movie, "Greystoke" is the most faithful in storyline, character development, and essence of any Tarzan movie I have seen. Christopher Lambert does a great job as Tarzan. And Andie MacDowell makes an enticing Jane.

I wonder how the movie would have played though if the director/producer had decided to use Andie MacDowell's own voice instead of opting to have Glenn Close do voice overs for all of Andie's lines? Perhaps they thought that Andie's slight southern accent would detract from the atmosphere they were trying to develop?

Anyway, the visual impact of the movie is great. The scenery is awesome. The sound track is supporting and blends into the overall sensory effect that helps drive the movie forward. One down side has to be the costuming for the apes. While the costumes were adequate, they were inferior to other top-notch visual effects of the movie. To be fair to the special effects folks, there were few other options in 1983 that would allow a more realistic representation of animals like great apes and the kinds of ape-human interactions needed to make the film work.

While the intent of Burroughs, or of the movie, is not to depict true ape biology, the scenes showing apes using leaves to get water from a puddle, and twigs to get ants from an ant hill are well documented ape behaviors. Another impressive part of the movie to me was the accurate portrayal of the state of the art of Victorian English biological science -- "Bring 'em back preserved." Along those same lines, the overriding sense of human, and especially British superiority of that era also comes through in the movie.

All in all a great effort. Definitely 5 stars for setting the standard for Tarzan movies, and for being a well-done piece of film making.

Alan Holyoak

This movie tells a great story, with exceptional acting from the entire cast, believable apes, and with an important message. This is Lamberts best role.

Who is the stupid movie Exec. who hasn't released this film to DVD yet? I've been waiting years to replace my aging VHS copy, and my patience is wearing thin.

The amazon reviewer obviously never read the books. The reason why he has french accent is that is the first language Tarzan learns. His mentor was French. Tarzan learned to read english but speak french.

How about getting people who represent Amazon who know their subject.

This film was an attempt to do justice to teh original idea of Tarzan that ERB had intended. There was just too much in the orignal story that could not be done in a single film, but I think this version has been the best attempt to date.

And the comment in the official Amazon review that having a French accented actor play Tarzan was a "mistake" shows that the reviewer never read the orignal book. The first human SPOKEN language that Tarzan learned was French which he learned from a French officer whom he had rescued. The Ian Holm character was in the original book. He was not an "add on." So not only was the casting of Christopher Lambert appropriate; it was true to ERB's orignal story line.