While on an African expedition with her father, Jane Parker meets Tarzan, and the two become fascinated by each other.
Tarzan the Ape Man (1981) Online
The Tarzan story from Jane's point of view. Jane Parker visits her father in Africa where she joins him on an expedition. A couple of brief encounters with Tarzan establish a (sexual) bond between her and Tarzan. When the expedition is captured by savages, Tarzan comes to the rescue.
Complete credited cast: | |||
Bo Derek | - | Jane Parker | |
Richard Harris | - | James Parker | |
John Phillip Law | - | Harry Holt | |
Miles O'Keeffe | - | Tarzan | |
Akushula Selayah | - | Africa | |
Steve Strong | - | Ivory King | |
Maxime Philoe | - | Riano | |
Leonard Bailey | - | Feathers | |
Wilfrid Hyde-White | - | Club Member (voice) | |
Laurie Main | - | Club Member (voice) | |
Harold Ayer | - | Club Member (voice) |
During a scene involving Jane attempting to get away from Tarzan, Miles O'Keeffe found himself face to face with a full grown lion, who took on the part of the gallant gentleman saving the damsel in distress. The lion, escaping his holding pen, dove into the fray, apparently more intent on protecting Bo Derek than attacking Miles O'Keeffe (it was noted that the two-hundred-pound man wasn't injured by the five-hundred-pound cat). The handler was on the scene almost immediately and stopped the incident. Although neither human star was injured, rumor had it that Miles O'Keeffe thereafter made a habit of checking the security of the holding pen whenever other scenes of "violence" toward Bo Derek were done, citing a deep respect for Bo Derek's formidable self-appointed bodyguard.
When production on this movie wrapped, remaining crew members were given an "I FINISHED TARZAN" armband.
This film was controversial because of sexual content utilized in a traditional story. Bo Derek is seen having a nipple suckled by an animal, a chimpanzee. There are also a number of scenes featuring explicit topless nudity of her. It was these reasons to why the Edgar Rice Burroughs Estate allegedly sued the production of this movie. The case was lost but another litigation took place from the estate in regards to the prevention of the film being released. This case was lost too. However, apparently the estate was successful in having removed three minutes of footage deleted from the released version.
Reportedly, Producer Bo Derek fired 15 of the 23 crew members from the Sri Lankan shoot.
Reportedly, Miles O'Keeffe did all of his own stunts in this movie.
The Dereks, John and Bo, had a high level of control on this picture. Together, they acted as star, producer, director, and Cinematographer. This was a reaction to their dissatisfaction with the direction of Bo's career after Jahreszeiten einer Ehe (1980), her follow-up to 10 - Die Traumfrau (1979), in which Bo became a big star overnight.
Oliver Reed was originally cast as James Parker. He was forced to withdraw due to a strike by the Screen Actors Guild. When the production resumed, Reed had moved on to star in Die schwarze Mamba (1981).
Film critic Leonard Maltin once quipped that this movie almost forced him to create a rating lower than bomb.
The Stunt Coordinator on this film was Jock Mahoney, who played Tarzan in two early 1960s films.
This movie was Miles O'Keeffe's film debut.
This was not the first "Tarzan" movie to have the "Tarzan, The Ape Man" title. It was the third. Tarzan, der Affenmensch (1932) and Tarzan, der Herr des Urwaldes (1959) precede it.
Going against the grain in film history in this "Tarzan" movie, Jane (Bo Derek) had her name above the title and had top billing over the actor playing Tarzan (Miles O'Keeffe) who didn't even have his name appearing above the title on the movie's poster.
The only R-rated Tarzan film. The film before this, Tarzan's Deadly Silence (1970), a compilation of Ron Ely television episodes, received a G-rating. Despite the vast number of Tarzan films made over the years, most of them came out before the MPAA code was created in 1968. Later films, such as Greystoke - Die Legende von Tarzan, Herr der Affen (1984) and Tarzan und die verlorene Stadt (1998), received a PG.
This is the only major Hollywood studio production where Bo Derek receives top billing.
Final major Hollywood studio movie directed by John Derek.
This movie is a departure from preceding "Tarzan" pictures, in that the film's major subject focuses on Jane, rather than Tarzan as the central character.
Tarzan does not appear until about halfway through the movie.
Miles O'Keeffe had never been out of his home country of the U.S. when he went to Sri Lanka to play Tarzan in this movie.
Though this re-working and revisionist version of Tarzan makes Jane the central character, the movie nonetheless still retained a traditional Tarzan title and was not titled Jane (or Jane Parker). In the few years after this picture was made, a few central female character adventure movies were made with the female character's name being the title or included as part of the title. These included Sheena - Königin des Dschungels (1984); She - Eine verrückte Reise in die Zukunft (1984), Red Sonja (1985), Hundra (1983) and Gwendoline (1984). Moreover, the titles of adventure movies Die Mächte des Lichts (1982), The Warrior (1984), Barbarian Queen (1985) and Barbarian Queen II (1990) all referred to a central female character.
Lee Canalito, originally cast as Tarzan, was replaced by Miles O'Keeffe at the last minute. Reportedly, this was because Bo Derek allegedly thought that Canalito was not in the right physical shape.
Second of four films where Bo Derek was directed by her husband John. The others being Fantasies (1981), Ekstase (1984), and Mein Geist will immer nur das Eine (1989).
First movie as a producer for Bo Derek.
Reportedly, Treat Williams was once touted by the MGM studio to play Tarzan in this picture.
This movie's working title was "Tarzan, the Ape Man - Me Jane".
The movie's main posters shows Jane, and not Tarzan, swinging on a jungle vine.
This is the second film where Bo Derek and Sir Richard Harris share credits. The first one was Orca (1977).
The movie won Worst Picture at the Hastings Bad Cinema Society's 4th Stinkers Bad Movie Awards in 1981.
Five weeks filming on-location had occurred when Lee Canalito was sacked.
One of the original working titles for this film was Jane the Ape Woman.
C.J. the Orangutan fell in love with Bo Derek at first sight as they were making this movie.
This movie was released three years before Greystoke - Die Legende von Tarzan, Herr der Affen (1984).
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