Customer Reviews

Tarzan, The Legendary King Of The Jungle (Special Edition) [VHS]

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

This disk contains two features, "Tarzan and the Trappers" (1958) with Gordon Scott and "Tarzan the Fearless" (1933) with Buster Crabbe. While both are reasonably entertaining films, there is absolutely nothing positive to say regarding the video quality. On the disk I viewed, the Gordon Scott feature (which is letterboxed) is noticeably compressed in such a way that the images are grossly out of proportion. Truck tires and the ends of sawed-off pieces of bamboo are both oval rather than round, and characters appear shorter and wider than should be the case. The Scott film is no cinematic masterpiece anyway, but seems to consist of two separated unrelated features thrown together. (Note the radical change in the "Boy"-type character's hair style from the first half of the film to the last.) The Buster Crabbe film is clearly a more ambitious project, and of historical note for Tarzan fans if only for the opportunity to hear Crabbe's ludicrous attempt at a Tarzan yell. The picture quality of the Crabbe feature is, however, mediocre at best - grainy, with no hint of the clarity one would expect from DVD. In fact, there are VHS copies of both the Crabbe film and the Gordon Scott feature with much better video quality.

This disk contains two features, "Tarzan and the Trappers" (1958) with Gordon Scott and "Tarzan the Fearless" (1933) with Buster Crabbe. While both are reasonably entertaining films, there is absolutely nothing positive to say regarding the video quality. On the disk I viewed, the Gordon Scott feature (which is letterboxed) is noticeably compressed in such a way that the images are grossly out of proportion. Truck tires and the ends of sawed-off pieces of bamboo are both oval rather than round, and characters appear shorter and wider than should be the case. The Scott film is no cinematic masterpiece anyway, but seems to consist of two separated unrelated features thrown together. (Note the radical change in the "Boy"-type character's hair style from the first half of the film to the last.) The Buster Crabbe film is clearly a more ambitious project, and of historical note for Tarzan fans if only for the opportunity to hear Crabbe's ludicrous attempt at a Tarzan yell. The picture quality of the Crabbe feature is, however, mediocre at best - grainy, with no hint of the clarity one would expect from DVD. In fact, there are VHS copies of both the Crabbe film and the Gordon Scott feature with much better video quality.

This disk contains two features, "Tarzan and the Trappers" (1958) with Gordon Scott and "Tarzan the Fearless" (1933) with Buster Crabbe. While both are reasonably entertaining films, there is absolutely nothing positive to say regarding the video quality. On the disk I viewed, the Gordon Scott feature (which is letterboxed) is noticeably compressed in such a way that the images are grossly out of proportion. Truck tires and the ends of sawed-off pieces of bamboo are both oval rather than round, and characters appear shorter and wider than should be the case. The Scott film is no cinematic masterpiece anyway, but seems to consist of two separated unrelated features thrown together. (Note the radical change in the "Boy"-type character's hair style from the first half of the film to the last.) The Buster Crabbe film is clearly a more ambitious project, and of historical note for Tarzan fans if only for the opportunity to hear Crabbe's ludicrous attempt at a Tarzan yell. The picture quality of the Crabbe feature is, however, mediocre at best - grainy, with no hint of the clarity one would expect from DVD. In fact, there are VHS copies of both the Crabbe film and the Gordon Scott feature with much better video quality.

"Tarzan and the Trappers" was a film re-edited from three 1958 pilot television shows for NBC produced by Sol Lesser. The pilots never sold NBC on the profitability for such a series. They starred Tarzan, Gordon Scott. The re-edited episodes followed conventional jungle drama concerning the whereabouts of "lost treasure." It is just average. "Tarzan the Fearless" has never been a faforite of mine so what else can I say. Buster was OK but just not one of my favorites in the role. I do like Gordon Scott and he saves this DVD. His performance as Tarzan was sincere and very effective. He was dedicated to the ideals of what Tarzan is all about.

This DVD features two Tarzan films:

1.) TARZAN AND THE TRAPPERS (1958 B&W). Gordon Scott stars as Tarzan in this one. This is a mediocre jungle adventure edited together from two or three episodes of a TV series that never surfaced. Gordon Scott plays a great muscular Tarzan but, as another Amazon reviewer noted, the film is compressed in such a way that the images are out of proportion. For example, Gordon Scott appears almost short and stout, albeit muscular. I know this isn't true because I just saw another Scott Tarzan film ("Tarzan and the Lost Safari" from 1957) wherein Scott is tall (6'3") and his waist is incredibly lean. In any event, although this is far from the best Gordon Scott Tarzan picture (his "Tarzan's Greatest Adventure" from 1959 is one of the best films in the entire series), "Tarzan and the Trappers" is well worth watching if for no other reason than to feast your eyes on the awe-inspiring voluptuousness of Eve Brent, who plays "Jane."

2.) TAZAN THE FEARLESS (1933 B&W). This one features Olympic medal winner Buster Crabbe as Tarzan. On the plus side, Crabbe has the requisite physique for the role and his expressions are more developed than Johnny Weissmuller's blank look; in addition Crabbe has one of the best Tazan yells that I've heard (this is in contrast to another Amazon reviewer who panned it). After slaying a lion he lets out a near-bloodcurdling victory cry that well captures the scream as depicted by Burroughs in his books. On the down side, Crabbe wears a loincloth that is ridiculously skimpy on the backside, almost like the costumer was gay and wanted to flagrantly show-off Crabbe's buns. Another negative aspect is that this is a second-rate production compared to the Weissmuller films of the same era, no doubt the result of rival producers wanting to cash-in on the huge success of the Weismuller films.

BOTTOM LINE: I wouldn't blow too much money on these films (I only paid a buck for my DVD). They're only necessary for Tarzan fans and those who want to witness Eve Brent's incredible loveliness, as well as Buster Crabbe's nigh spine-tingling victory cry. Not to mention, "Brokeback Mountain" fans will likely appreciate Crabbe's ultra-skimpy loincloth. My official rating is 2.5 Stars.

I have to agree with the comments on video quality of these two features.
I was able to display the image without the compression by setting my DVD player for a 16 x 9 aspect ratio on my standard 3 x 4 TV. Of course you will have to return the settings to their correct value before watching any other DVD.