Tarzan

After viewing Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Edgar Rice Burroughs wrote to Walt Disney about adapting his novel of an ape-man into a feature animated cartoon. Sixtysome years later, the tale is finally told with brilliant design work that looks unlike any previous animated film. The story is a natural for Disney since the themes of misunderstood central figures have been at the heart of its recent hits. Disney's Tarzan doesn't wander far from the familiar story of a shipwrecked baby who is brought up by apes in Africa. What gives the film its zing is its clever use of music (the songs are sung by Phil Collins himself rather than onscreen characters) and the remarkable animation. Deep Canvas, a 3-D technology, was developed for the film, creating a jungle that comes alive as Tarzan swings through the trees, often looking like a modern skateboarder racing down giant tree limbs. The usual foray of sidekicks, including a rambunctious ape voiced by Rosie O'Donnell, should keep the little ones aptly entertained. The two lead voices, Tony Goldwyn as Tarzan and Minnie Driver as Jane, are inspired choices. Their chemistry helps the story through the weakest points (the last third) and makes Tarzan's initial connection with all things human (including Jane) delicious entertainment. Disney still is not taking risks in its animated films, but as cookie-cutter entertainment, Tarzan makes a pretty good treat. (Ages 5 and up) --Doug Thomas

1 Brilliant!
This was actually much better than the books. Of course, because it's quite difficult to make it seem believable or take it seriously as a novel. And it's almost impossible to make a good live action movie about it too.
But this version is perfect! And the classic scene up in the tree when Tarzan meets his mate, "Me Tarzan, you Jane", is the best of the best!

What else can I say? My favourite story comes to life the whole new way. The only right way! I love you Disney people!

2 Loin cloth?
Disney has made the story of Tarzan a classic cartoon. I LOVE this movie.
The previews at the beginning of the DVD "CAN" be fast forwarded,(Dont know what type of DVD player other reviewers have)I am able to skip over them and get to the movie-but all in all that is what is called ADVERTISING people!!! Movie previews are also on any VCR tapes you buy/have bought-why give a GREAT movie a bad review just because you have a cheezy dvd player and you can't get the dvd to fast forward???? GIMMIE A BREAK PEOPLE!!!!
This movie was packed full of action, tenderness, compassion and fun. The music is OUTRAGEOUS and makes you want to get up and dance along. I recommend it highly!!!!

3 Funny as ever
Minnie Driver's performance of Jane in Disney's 1999 hit Tarzan made the movie hilarious! Great film, great animation and great music = Great film!

4 *****Wow!******
This is a great movie but its the kind that you can get a little tired of after a while. I didn't really care for Minnie Driver's voice for Jane Porter; it didn't fit somehow. And while the music in Trashin' the camp was differant from the rest of the soundtrack,it was refreshing and I thought it fit perfectly with the destruction of the camp.
Phil Collins did a superb job with the music. I got goosebumps on several parts,he's that good. His singing voice just seems to fit with the wild jungle setting. All in all,a good movie.

5 AWESOME MOVIE!!!!!!!!!!
i am a disney movie collector and tarzan is one of my favorites among the disney collection.great animation great story.this movie is a must to get!!!!

6 Anyone else notice....
....the shadow of the dead body hanging in the noose?! Probably not....most folks set their kiddos in front of a Disney movie hoping for some quiet time. Do the world a favor: toss the movies, better yet, toss the TV and read a book with your children!

7 good movie, great music, lame dvd treatment
I suppose we are meant to wait for Disney to give this a decent two-disc treatment. Right now there are few extras on the dvd (though the languages are rather amazing).

The movie, the well-known tale from Edgar Rice Burroughs, is very well done, with terrific songs from Phil Collins, very nice voice work and delightful animation. There is some violence and four deaths, though they aren't bloody.

Extras include a trivia game, a storybook version of the film with optional read-along, a Collins music video and a behind-the-scenes studio session with Collins. The film can be heard in English, Cantonese or Mandarin; and subtitles are available in English, Mandalay, Bahasa, Thai or Korean!

8 Not bad
it's just one of those Disney movies. Nothing bad, nothing really good.
Pluspoints are in the music and the animation, which is Disney's best so far.

9 Characters die in this movie!!!
This movie is really about the laws of the jungle. Animals and humans get killed by other animals and humans.

I like this movie even more than the first Lion King. Yes, you heard me right, I said better that the Lion King. The story, songs, and animation are suberb. The ending will make to think about what true love really is.

10 Great Fun - Kids and Adults Will Both Enjoy This
We own a lot (a LOT) of Disney animated DVDs, and our kids watch them often. Some (like Pocahontas and Hunchback of Notre Dame) get viewed once and then shelved because the music's crummy, the story's slow or dumb, and the kids just don't want to see them again. Tarzan, though, gets viewed again and again. Thank goodness it's a great, watchable story. Lots of action, wonderful job by Minnie Driver voicing Jane, pretty good Phil Collins music, all combine to make this an enjoyable watch. I'd recommend it to anybody looking for a good gift for young kids.

11 Tarzan
I found this on line for 18.00 -- thought i would look here and see if I could find it and you have it for 29.99 not a good thing

12 Where's the Greystoke DVD?
This Disney version is good in it's own right but WHEN IS GREYSTOKE COMING OUT ON DVD?? Now that film is an amazing version of Burroughs' novel!

13 Wonderful Viewing
He replied to my e-mail within the hours! However, the DVD I got did not have the same cover as advertised and the special features listed on the back of the case were not displayed when I activated the bonus features. But, all I really wanted was the movie, which was in excellent shape, although I would have liked to have seen the special features. I would definately do business with this seller again!

14 Tarzan
This is a good animated feature from Disney. The animation is quite good especially the scenes of Tarzan swining through the trees. Like many of Disney's recent animation it combines some element of drama. The score features great music from Phil Collins especially the Oscar wining "You'll be in my heart". The opening sequence may be disturbing for small children especially the scene were a jaguar kills a baby gorilla. In general it it a good family film.

15 Best use of CG to date, visually rich and lush, great music!
This movie comes alive combining well inked and colored panels and excellent CG, that is an improvement over techniques used in Mulan made the prior year. This is a strong story with great characters and we rank it 8th of the now 50 Disney animated films that we own. This is also some of the best music we have seen since Lion king and Beauty and the Beast. The bad guy is very bad without being darkly so as in Hunchback of ND. This may not end up as one of the new classics that, say Aladdin or Lion King have become, but this is one of Disneys best effort.

16 Excellent modern Disney animated movie!
This is such an amazing re-telling of Edgar Rice Burrough's popular story about an abandoned human child who was raised by Gorillas in Africa now is grown up and discovers others that like his his kind including a beautiful young professor's daughter named "Jane" ( Minnie Driver), and is being taught to be like a human then stop a evil poacher named "Clayton".

Brilliant animation with excellent visuals and backgrounds, good voice acting with Rosie O'Donnel, Minnie Driver, Tony Goldwyn, Wayne Knight, and Niegel Hawthrone with a stunning soundtrack by Phil Collins makes this a movie you must see.

17 One of the best recent Disney movies,
This movie is probably one of the best recent Disney movies, as well as of all times. It's got humorous and serious moments both, and always makes me really emotional. Plus, there are some songs but it's not the corny musical style numbers that Disney had been making a lot of in the 90's.

The animation also is amazing, and this film featured well-blended cg in the scene where Tarzan slides down the trees, showing that Disney is still a pioneer in animation techniques. You will not lose with this movie.

18 True to the Original!!
In terms of animation, this has to be one of the most recent best which Disney has produced. From the beginning segments to the end, it is a whirlwind adventure.

Phil Collins drumbeats are an incredible addition to this film's vision to keep to the original story. And one of the most marvelous things about this story, is that there isn't any singing going on between Tarzan and Jane. They are who they are and can be appreciated outside of any singing and dancing.

If you're looking for a great couple of hours of entertainment, this is a good place to look. In fact, look no further. It is here!!!

19 Great Film
Disney brings the legendary story of the Lord of the Apes to animation with excellent results. The film follows the story of Tarzan, a young baby orphaned and alone in the jungle. After being found by a kindly gorilla named Kala, Tarzan is adopted into the gorilla family and raised as one of them. As he grows up, he attempts to prove himself to his family, most specifically the family's patriarch, Kerchak. This becomes even more difficult when more humans come into the jungle, including a spirited Englishwoman named Jane Porter. As he begins to fall in love with her, his loyalties are divided and he must choose whether to stay with his gorilla family or remain with Jane. The film is excellent, but, to me at least, doesn't seen to really take off until Jane enters the picture half way through the story. Most of Tarzan's adventures with sidekicks Terk the gorilla and Tantor the elephant near the beginning of the film are not as interesting as many of the events later on. The music by Phil Collins is great, the animation stunning, and the relationships between both Tarzan and Jane and Tarzan and his adopted-parents are also well played as well. A very well crafted film and worthy of being called one of Disney's best.

20 Excellent! :)
I was totally amazed that disney created this movie. It is absolutly spectacular. The animation will totally blow you away, and the action scenes are totaly great. The thing that really amazed me was that you actually saw Tarzan's dead parents in the corner and the bloddy footmarks from Sabor the leopord. And Clayton is also one hell of a villain.

21 great story!
I loved the story to this Tarzan version! THE SOUNDTRACK IS AMAZING! :)

22 Subtract 14 stars from my rating.
First of all, don't get me wrong here.. I've always liked Disney movies. I mean c'mon, everybody, old and young.. we all grew up watching them, but this is [bad]... Why do they continue to make the characters' eyes bigger and bigger? Walt is more than likely spinning in his grave at the moment.
Ya' know, I've always thought of Tarzan as a masculine, purely instinctive person, not a dropout Looney Tunes character with eyes that resemble pogs, sliding around on treelimbs in speeds of excess of 50mph (or so it appears about that fast, anyways).
I only saw around 30 minutes of this disappointing [movie], and decided not to torture my VCR any further...

23 A fine tuned disney masterpiece
This movie has to boast one of the best soundtracks Disney has to offer. The animation is stunning. Jane is every bit as charming as Belle, and Ariel, and has to be one of the most well drawn disney female characters put out, with her big eyes and sweet facial expressions. You could tell disney spent a lot of time studying the gorillas and their mannerisms and habits with the amount of realism that was given to them. The humor is trademark disney, charming and funny without being overly corny. Disney does recycle a lot of it's older themes, but it works this time. I recently rewatched this movie and I was stunned at how well done it is.

24 Tarzan
Great movie for both kids and adults. Kids watch movies over and over. When a movie is put together well, as this one is, it is a relief to the parents that also have to watch over and over...
Good soundtrack

25 Tarzan
Great movie for both kids and adults. Kids watch movies over and over. When a movie is put together well, as this one is, it is a relief to the parents that also have to watch over and over...
Good soundtrack

26 Funny!
This is a great movie, including the characters Tony Goldwyn, and Minnie Driver. I even liked the scene where the monkeys were playing music out of supplies. But next time you should rate it PG for Action Sequences and Brief Rude Humor.

27 Funny!
This is a great movie, including the characters Tony Goldwyn, and Minnie Driver, but next time you should rate it PG for Action Sequences and Brief Rude Humor.

28 Dude Of The Jungle
Disney's Tarzan is the coolest Tarzan ever. Where can you find a Tarzan with a deep voice, long braided hair, athletic, powerful jaw, natural imitator, with Phil Collin's soundtrack and the best of all - the greatest tree surfer ever?

The Plot(5 stars). I'm glad how this Edgar Rice Burrough's eternal adaptation was well presented. Disney's version about a wild man discovered in the midst of a remote jungle, raised and brought up by an ape was truly enjoyable. The story was executed with a heart, with some funny and playful moments for the kids (and grown ups too), not to mention how artistically this was visualized for our eyes to fathom.

Likable moments of the film were "The Sabor(leopard) - Tarzan Fight" - great angle and timing and the "The Jane-Baby Monkey Chase" - very hilarious.

This is a story about family, acceptance, leadership, betrayal, friendship and love.

The Players (5 stars). What a great voice cast. Each gave justice to their parts. Tony Goldwyn of "Ghost" as Tarzan is mysterious - like his deep voice. Minnie Driver as Jane is entertaining - like her giggle. Glenn Close as Tarzan's mother Kala is comforting. Lance Henriksen as Tarzan's father Kerchak is authoritative. Brian Blessed as Clayton is mildly sarcastic. And of course Rosie O' Donnell as Trek is a natural attention grabber.

The Production (5 stars). The water is a crystal. The sky is blue and clear. The jungle is green and luscious. Wow, what can I say? The background is realistically visualized, characters are well-animated and the soundtrack/music is fresh - loved it. Don't mind what other people say, the soundtrack is 4 ? stars beating the film (4 stars) alone, with 195 reviewers (as of this time). So I don't mind giving Phil Collins some credits.

Tarzan is a wonderful entertainment for all ages. Enjoy!

Plot (5 stars x 40%) = 2.0
Players (5 stars x 20%) = 1.0
Production (5 stars x 40%) = 2.0
----------------------------------------
Total is 5.0 or 5 stars - perfect; a must-buy.

*For the animation, I gave big emphasize on the production/visualization rather than the actors/voice.
**Check the criteria on how I decide to select stars for movies at my profile. I hope my review helps you a lot. Thanks.

29 Great Movie!!
This is the one of the best movies I have seen in years! I personally love animated films but here lately regardless of what you pick out, regular movie or animated, they all [stink]!! Its like no one has imagination anymore. well anyways, the movie starts with tarzan's parents escaping from their burning ship & end up in Africa. At the same time it shows the ape family. (Without giving any details as dont want to ruin the excitement) tarzan ends up with the ape family & grows up. He has 2 main best friends: ape named terk & elephent named tantor. while trying to get acceptance from his ape dad kercheck the humans (mr porter,jane,& clayton) show up. after learning more about the human world, everything comes to a head. tarzan disobeys kercheck & brings the humans to his ape family. he soon relizes how bad humans can be. at the end, clayton is cageing all of tarzan's ape family & plans to take them to England to sale, of course then Tarzan & his friends must save the day! I will not say how he does it, you must watch it for that but what I can say is: This movie is definity a keeper! Just to let you know there are a couple parts when animals & people end up dead but disney does a great job of letting you know exactly what happened but doesnt get graffic & discusting so even small kids can watch this. SO ENJOY!

30 That magical Disney touch
Tarzan, Disney's 1999 entry, showed Disney at the top of its game, and in many ways that was why I disliked the film for nearly three years. After watching it a second time recently, I realized that I was being overly critical, and found that now I actually really enjoyed the movie, and am very eager to add this DVD to my collection.

Why did I initially hate Tarzan? The closest comparison I can make is to the James Bond film "The Spy Who Loved Me." By that film, the producers knew what worked and what didn't, and the film was basically a recycling of the best stuff that came before it. Tarzan is in many ways the same, as it borrows heavily from the top-grossing Disney cartoons of the 90's. We have the title card flashed twice, once at the beginning and once at the very end (Lion King). We get an animal stampede (Lion King). There is the authority figure whom our hero has to win over (Mulan), and a montage showing him gradually overcoming his disadvantages (Mulan). Two cultures meet (Pocahontas), and some of the new arrivals have mercenary motivations (Pocahontas). These antagonists trick our hero into betraying his friends (Hunchback), and at the end their leader dies by falling to his death (the list is endless). I've never seen any other Tarzan movie, but on my first viewing I got the feeling that, like Hercules, Disney simply threw stuff together without paying heed to the real story.

However, like The Spy Who Loved Me, none of that matters. If Tarzan had been produced by Warner Bros. or anyone else, it would have been condemmed for all its cliches, recycled material, and plot devices. However, this is Disney, and Disney has a way of sugarcoating its offerings so that even though you know you've seen this before somewhere, you don't really care. All the borrowed material, even the cliches, feel slick and polished, and some work better in Tarzan. Tarzan and Jane are loveable characters with great voice work, and their inital meeting has more meaning than the one between John Smith and Pocahontas.

It also helps that this is, hands down, the best animation I have ever seen. Everything feels three dimensional, especially the tree-surfing scenes. The backgrounds are simply mind-boggling, and the characters all move fluidly and subtlely. It has to be seen to be believed.

Tarzan is a fun movie, and this 2-disc edition is worth the money if you can find it. Yes, I still think the movie is blatently recycling, and Disney must have thought so too, because its latest offerings have all been extremely offbeat (Emperor's New Groove, Atlantis, Lilo and Stich). But really, I don't care anymore! Disney magic rocks, and your kids will be watching this one for a long time to come.

31 Tarzan!
Not only did I love this movie I absolutly adored the animation. The water looked so real and same with the jungle. Very cool. The story begins when Tarzans parents escape from a burning ship and end up in africa. They build a tree house in a huge tree. While they are building two gorilla's Kala and Kerchak also ahve a baby and they seem to love it very much. Then (this is the part where it gets a bit gory) a leopard called Sapour kills Kala's baby and then climes into Tarzan's tree house and kills his parents. When Kala hears a cry and she climbs into the tree house and see's tarzan's parents lying dead in the corner with sapours footprints covered with blood. Well anyway now let's fast forward. Tarzan finds two friends Terk (a gorilla) and
tantor (an elephant).
When Tarzan becomes part of the ape family he kills sapour and tries to convince his stepfather kerchak to like him. That's when human's arivve in the seen. They are a small group with a clumsy professor, a hunter named Clayton and the professor's daughter Jane. When they meet Kerchak is not to happy about their arrival and scares them off. Then at the end of the movie Clayton kills Kerchack and fights with Tarzan in the trees. Eventually Clayton gets tangled up in vines and suffocates. The end.

32 Great movie
I loved the animation, the musical score and mostly Tarzan. Tarzan can tree surf and almost fly through the air. This is what Burroughs imagined when he wrote Tarzan, but this could never be accomplished in real life. In the animated world, Tarzan almost flies.

I loved his strained relationship with his ape-father Kurchak. The scene where Tarzan hands the dead leopard to Kurchak and 2 stare into each others' eyes is almost mesmerizing. Unfortunately we never get to see if Kurchak would've accepted him because that's when the humans enter the scene.

I also loved the scene where Tarzan and Jane were sitting in the tree and Tarzan touched his hand to hers. For the first time he saw that there were others like him. This led to a lot of confusion for Tarzan.

He wanted to protect his ape family, but at the same time, wanted Jane to stay in Africa. This leads him to endanger his ape family.

The DVD is THX certified and the picture and sound definetely live up to it. It uses Dolby Digital 5.0 (minus the LFE, but if you have a subwoofer you'll get plenty of bass). The picture is done in deep canvas animation and looks as close to 3D as a non computer animation can.

The only thing I hate about the DVD is you have to fast forward thru ads to get even get to the menu.

33 Disney's TARZAN
Let me start by saying anyone who would've seen this movie already has by the time I write this review. Anyway, here it comes. I actually avoided this movie for two years because I'd had a few negative notions about it: 1....it's a musical Tarzan so it's dumb, 2.....it's probably too PC as I saw no knife on this Tarzan's hip, 3....I assumed it was mostly for women and young children. I WAS WRONG! THIS Tarzan representation is as rip snortin great as the best live actor Tarzans. He DOES have a major fight sequence with an animal. This jungle is presented as the most awsome jungle I'd ever seen, magnificent and spectacular! NO natives but the movie hardly suffers for it. Enough action to satisfy any adventure fan. Any of the few songs are mostly as background so this is NOT a musical in the classic sense. After Weissmuller, Scott, Henry and other screen Tarzans are forgotten ( assuming that is'nt already the case), THIS Tarzan and his movie will live on as a truelly great film, deserving to be called a MASTERPIECE. DON'T consider it the Disney kids TV series version ever! I hav'nt seen a lot of those but they're likely mediocre by comparison. Anyone who likes Tarzan in any form must see this movie.

34 Swinging Strong on DVD
I must say, this DVD is quite impressive. It's almost inspirational. The concept art, story telling all the interviews were phenominal.

The features on Phil Collins and his work is amazing. This one is worth the price.

Kids will enjoy the movie, the adults who like the technical of film making will love the extra features. They go on forever!

Very impressive Disney!

35 Disneyfication of Tarzan
Disney gives _Tarzan_ the usual treatment. The result is for fans of the Disney formula only.

Though touted as a faithful adaption of Burrough's novel this film bears little resemblence to that book. (Though it is perhaps slightly closer to the source material than the similarly touted _Greystoke_).

Instead, Disney places the familiar character through the typical Disney paces: teaching lessons of tolerence and envornmentalism that sophisticated 9 year olds will find trite.

The generic formula films that Disney produces work best when the music, comedy, and animation offer something for adults as well as children. In this case Disney is 1 out of 3. The animation is specacular. But the humor is generally weak--there are a few genuine laughs, most curtesy of Rosie O'Donnell as Tarzan's childhood ape friend--and the music by ex-Genesis lead singer/drummer Phil Collins is sleep inducingly dull.

Still, kids seemed to like it so as a children's movie score this one as a success. But it's only recommended for adults who liked _Pocahontas_, _Mulan_, or _The Hunchback of Notre Dame_. If you were hoping for another _Little Mermaid_ or _Beauty and the Beasts_ or even _Aladin_, skip this one.

36 Disneyfication of Tarzan
Disney gives _Tarzan_ the usual treatment. The result is for fans of the Disney formula only.

Instead, Disney places the familiar character through the typical Disney paces: teaching lessons of tolerence and envornmentalism that sophisticated 9 year olds will find trite.

37 Witness the Disneyfication of a Legend
I doubt this retelling of the Tarzan tale will cut much ice with devotees of Edgar Rice Burrough's original creation. I could be wrong, since I have never read the book, but I get the feeling that all the cutesy animals and their adorable antics might just annoy the purists. On its own terms, however, this is a joy. It is slick, action-packed, funny and touching. As one would expect from a Disneyfication, it is frequently sentimental, but never nauseating, its saccharine moments managing to retain a semblance of believability.

There is not much in the way of a plot, but this is no great shame. The narrative is held together by the tried and trusted themes of the antitheses of civilization/innocence, man/nature, movingly weaved into an exhilarating adventure/romance that represents Disney at its best. The landscapes are stunning, and the animation whirls around the jungle scenery at a breathtaking pace. Particularly outstanding are some of the chase sequences.

Other delights include a relatively low-key (for Disney) score by Phil Collins, and a great cast including Brian Blessed (deep-voiced Englishman, doing a dastardly turn as the villain of the piece), Nigel Hawthorne, Minnie Driver (quite sexy for a cartoon character) and Rosie O'Donnell.

38 Neither one nor the other.
This movie tries to be a serious Tarzan movie and a typical cutesy Disney cartoon at the same time, and it just doesn't work. The juxtaposition of wisecracking animal pals and a would-be adult adventure story is jarring at best. Phil Collins music, though good, is misplaced. Is there anyone who can ruin a scene better than Rosie O'Donnel? If this movie had focused on Tarzan trying to find acceptance among the apes and finally confronting the leopard that killed his parents, it might have had something. If it had simply gone with the adult Tarzan learning to relate to Jane (and cut the silliness WAY down) it might have had something. You want some advice? If you want to see an animated adventure about a boy growing up in the jungle with good music, plot and voice acting, go see Disney's 1967 Jungle Book. Walt did it first and best. And if you want to see a Tarzan movie, go see the 1930's versions. No one has ever topped them. Disney should stick to childrens fairy tales (they never miss with those) and the PC idiots of the world should stop trying to make Tarzan into something he's not.

39 AWESOME ANIMATION!!
One of the best ever Disney Animated movies. The picturisation and the Sound track are too good to be true....this is not just kids stuff!! The DVD also has some nice additional features, including an informal recording session with N'Sync & Phil Collins.

40 Some good old jungle magic
I'm one of those people who hate it when characters in Disney cartoons suddenly burst into song for no reason at all. My wife on the other hand loves all Disney cartoons.

So you can imagine my surprise when I first saw this version of Tarzan. No unnecessary songs and those that do feature in the movie are by Phil Collins whose music has always been a personal favourite.

What about the movie itself? Well, I've seen many cinematic retellings of the Tarzan legend, including the camp Johnny Weismuller serials of the 1940s and the serious version made in the 1980s with Christopher Lambert, but this one ranks right up there with the best.

The animation is superb and so is the production design. The Deep Canvas process (explained in detail in the special features) is a great breakthrough is adding detail to complex backgrounds.

The soundtrack and the effects are great too. Kudos to the producers for using lesser known actors to provide voices for the characters, unlike other animated Disney ventures.

If the movie is so great, why does this two-disc collector's edition get only four stars from me?

Well, for one, the movie is edgy unlike other Disney cartoons but not edgy enough. The abandoned ending, included in the special features, is much better than the actual ending. Other big letdowns are the special features, which are too short and not in anamorphic widescreen.

In this section, Phil Collins stands out again, with his demos and music videos.

41 a great disney flim
this was a pretty good one for disney. it had heart and good entertainment. however i felt the for young kids this would not be the best because the movie stars with so much vilonece with taraza parents and the baby goriila getting kiiled.

42 Shame about Phil Collins' Soundtrack
I'll get my only serious gripe out the way first. Phil Collins' singing is a distraction in the movie but is mercifully restricted to the beginning and end of the film. Please, Phil, you don't have to literally sing what is happening on-screen. Otherwise, Tarzan is a complete triumph.

I've been buying Disney DVDs right and left for my daughter and have become used to the trappings and visuals. For the first time, I was caught unawares.

The visual depth and quality on this film are simply amazing. The film also makes terrific use of CGI. Reviewing Beauty and the Beast afterwards shows just how far the marriage of computer graphics with traditional animation has come.

The story here is solid and faithful to the general idea we have of Tarzan. Disney almost blows it by augmenting Tarzan's vine-swinging with something that looks suspiciously like skating or snowboarding, but considering the primary audience, this is forgiveable.

Characterization is second to none in this movie and I have to hand it to Disney, I don't think Jane has ever seen a more interesting iteration. Mini Driver is infectious as the vocal talent and I found myself attracted to a drawing in a way I haven't since The Little Mermaid first came out when I was 17 (ahem).

Compared to recent releases from Disney's animation unit (not including Pixar productions), this is the finest work I've seen from the company in a long while.

43 Great New School Disney Film!
First off this is one of Disney's best DVD's the Tarzan 2 Disc set. This also is a very enjoyable fun moive. The movie has a nice message to it also. It stresses the importance of family which is a good thing. Also the film is humerous and not in a crude way. The only thing that I don't like in this film is Rosie O'Donnell, well at least I don't have to look at her which is a film, who cares 5 star film and DVD!

44 There's some good work here.
In a bit of a turnabout for Disney, the main characters have some depth and complexity, while the sidekicks get the stock, throwaway personalities. Minnie Driver brings Jane to life as a believable person: talented, sincere, pensive, and self-conscious. It's a good match for Tarzan, who displays the same traits in a person with a completely different background.

The exploration of the theme of identity is woven through the story without being distracting. The only weaknesses are the tendencies to overdo a few segments: heartstring-tugging throughout the infant sequence, the baboon chase, and the various fight sequences rocketing around the treetops. The ending screamed "kids' movie", but was cute enough to forgive.

The animation is Disney's usual high quality. Characters all move so naturally that you hardly question even supernatural acts. There are some really beautiful I-want-to-live-there jungle scenes, as well as some unfortunately obvious CGI elements.

45 Benchmark
A great story with accurate caracters and the right balance of in-your-face fun and subtle humor. Add one of the best movie soundtracks ever in a Disney movie and you will be sitting with the kids every time it goes on...

46 Disappointing
Tarzan didn't at all reflect how Edgar Rice Burroughs wrote him.
He wasn't a knuckle walker, tree surfer. I found it childish that
a character who has been around since l9l2 had touches of a musical. I love the fact that Tarzan resembled in the face and hair my favorite actor who played the character himself. I'm a sucker for a handsome ape man.

47 Way to Violent for Younger Kids
I don't let my four-year old watch this movie because of the violence at the beginning and end of the movie. It opens with Tarzan's parents being killed, and closes with a shooting and the (off camera) death of Clayton. When he tried to watch it, he was so scared by the opening few minutes that he left the room.

48 Pretty good for a cartoon
I have to admit, I love this movie. Maybe we originally rented it for the kids, but I was the one that watched it over and over. My kids surprised me with the DVD version for Christmas and I have watched it over and over-again!
First of all, I love the believability of it, being that it's a cartoon. Tarzan is loveable and his personality is darling. His development, at the hands of his gorilla family, is touching. His mother struck a familiar cord with me as a mother. His struggle to be accepted by his "father", Kerchak, is absorbing, you feel his pain.
Rosie O'Donnell as Tarzan's childhood buddy and Minnie Driver, as Jane, add comedy and sweetness.
This is not your ordinary cartoon. It has depth. The drama and humor are accented by the soundtrack of Phil Collins. Add romance and this movie has everything.
My daughters have commented that Tarzan is pretty cute. Maybe not cute, but there is something in his eyes, as Jane discovers. They're "intense".
Like I said, pretty good for a cartoon. Actually, pretty good anyway. Oh yeah, did I forget to say, I LOVE this movie!

49 Way to go
This movie was truly wonderful. The beginning is so unbelievably sad... I cry every time, and I'm twenty-three years old! I totally recommend this to everyone.. It only lost one star because it was so sad. The songs are WONDERFUL!

50 Excellent
This is one of my favorite movies, and I do not think it is just for the elementary school aged child. With a touching story and cool music, this is quite the family movie.

51 The Lord of the Apes
Edgar Rice Burroughs' Tarzan character has made hundreds of book, movie and comic book appearances. He has been seen onscreen with Bo Derek and Maureen O'Sullivan... He's been portrayed by Christopher Lambert, Ron Ely and Johnny Weismuller. He's been directed by John Derek and even the high brow Hugh Hudson (Chariots of fire). So, its rather ironic that the absolute best Tarzan film would not come out until 1999, and it would burst through the trees as one of Disney's animated Classics. Animation allowed for Burroughs character and animal studies to be easily portaryed on-screen where in live action, those same studies could only be suggested. This is apparent from the absolutely stunning opening sequence, an montage showcasing Tarzan's shipwreck and the destruction of his family while in counterpoint we see a Gorilla family losing their only child. Typical Disney themes are explored, like 'fitting in','finding oneself isolated','falling in love at first sight' and 'watching out for that mean guy.' the film has stunning animation with tremendous depth of field... that works in tandem with Tarzan's physicality, he is able to perform most of the film hunched in a very apelike manner, and able to seemingly defy gravity as he controls the forest... Filled with great character voices and musical score by Mark Mancina, TARZAN is good for anyone over 5 year old. Scattered throughout are amazing montages, a wonderful story-telling technique usually tied to one of Phil Collins' servicable songs. The loaded DVD offer a great audio and video transfer. Not to mention the plethora of extra goodies scattered onto the second disc. It's enough to go ape.

52 The names are riduculous too
Kerchak sounds more like a russian spy than the name of a gorilla. Terk, isnt that an antennae manufacturer? Hokey! But enjoyable especailly the animation of him sliding around the trees.

53 Not quite as good as it could have been
The animation in this film is better than the film itself, the story is unfortunately lacking. The problem, I think, is perhaps the script writers felt the need to make parts of the script a didactic and it doesn't work. Just give us action and adventure and great dialogue, if you want to make a point, do it through the characters and with dialogue that comes across as natural. While I don't feel this movie was a waste of time, I'd watch 'Jungle Book' and 'Bambi' several times over before going back to this. Only a very mild recommendation.

54 Disney's Tarzan is an awesome viewing experience...
I think that "Tarzan" is one of the strongest films in the Disney library. It has all of the elements of a classic Disney film: rich animation, good story, and (as always) supporting characters that steal the show. This movie reminded me a lot of "The Jungle Book". Aside from the obvious reason that both films take place in the Jungle with a boy being raised by animals, the movie seems to borrow many of the character's traits. You will notice this with the baby elephants in both films, and the cheetah (comparible to Shere Khan). If this was intentional or coincidental, I do not know.

There really isn't anything to complain about in this movie. The story never begins to slow down, the comedic reliefs are always well timed, and there is actually an excuse for Disney to make "Tarzan II" (which I've read is already in the works), by using more of Burroughs' Tarzan tales.

The DVD pales in comparison to "Snow White", but it does offer a good deal of supplements that left me satisfied with the 2 Disc Set. However, the awesome transfer of the movie and the terrific surround effects are reason alone to get it.

"Tarzan" was an exellent way for Disney to close the 90's. Completley reccomend it.

55 Enjoyable Disney animated movie for young and old.
This is an excellent DVD for both young viewers, and us older fans of the Disney animation studios. The characters are well rounded, and given excellent voice by Tony Goldwyn and Minnie Driver. The part of Kerchak is lent it's gravely tone by Lance Henriksen of Terminator, and Aliens. Don't miss Rosie O'Donnell either as Terk.

On the technical side the transfer to DVD is flawless. Video and audio are well synched with no drop outs or jumps. One small annoyance. The DVD forces you to sit through untold previews of up and coming Disney attractions, web sites, advertising, etc. You can only keep pressing your fast forward button to get to the end of them. Thankfully they seemed to have gotten away from that in later releases (Emporers New Groove)

56 More Than A Swinger
I was not expecting much from this film...everyone knows the story of Tarzan & I didn't think much could be done to make it fresh & new. But I was wrong. The music & songs are fantastic & so catchy & are a vital part of the film as they help to carry the themes & story line. My 21/2 year old LOVED this film & insisted that we buy the CD which he listens to in the car, at home, in the bath...He now goes around singing all the tunes (I find myself doing the same). The songs are up & funky so you just can't help but sing along. The characters have spunk which appealed to my sons sense of the ridiculous. Jane is not a helpless female waiting to be rescued. The film adds more to the standard story of Tarzan by introducing other strong characters. It is a film about them as much as it is about Tarzan & Jane. The animation & colour is beautiful. You would swear it was real jungle footage rather than animation. The familiar Tarzan call is interestingly threaded into the film. I can't say enough of how impressed I am with this adaptation. You won't be disappointed.

57 One of the best Disney films!
I have my list of favorite Disney films, and this one is in my top five, along with Lion King, Mulan, and Beauty and the Beast. Everything about this film is great!

58 Spectacular animation - Great transfer to DVD
This is without question the best animation Disney has ever done. Many of the scenes look almost as if they somehow blended live action video as background art. After viewing the horrible grainy video transfer to DVD Disney did with Pocahontas, you will definately appreciate the fantastic job Disney did on this DVD. The sound quality is also great, with THX no less. The story is wondefully written, although it may be a bit too intense for a child under the age of 5 or 6. Tarzan is a wonderful DVD that is well worth the investment.

59 Wonderful movie!
My 3 yr. old son and I watch this over and over. This is one of his favorite movies. (It takes alot to top Toy Story on his list, but this one comes close.)

60 Ten stars
First I should tell you I am 54 and have been and continue to be an animation freak. This is the best that Disney has done in at least 40 years. I would say it is one of the top three they have ever done. The story sticks closely to the book. The animation style is a throwback to the days of Peter Pan which is a big plus. I love the look of the drawings. On top of that they use some very advanced techniques for motion that give the vine swinging scenes a roller coaster feel. Well done. The characters and scripting are great. The voices fabulous and the music outstanding.

61 Absolutely Magical
This is a wonderful movie, and what's even better is that the spanish version is just as great. Often, dubbing is not done well, which is a shame, but you needn't worry about that with this movie, or most Disney movies (at least those that I have seen in Spanish).

62 Disney at their Best
This movie reminds of Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and the Lion King. It truely is amazing and the story line is very good. It is fast paced and comical at the same time. This is one of Disney's new style DVDs with multiple audio tracks including DTS and loads of extras. Any fan of Disney will appreciate this DVD. One word of caution, this is not for the very young to view. My three year old was frightened by it early on and we did not allow her to see any more of it after the first ten minutes. I would suggest that no child under the age of 5 or 6 view this movie.

63 Wonderful Entertainment
"Tarzan" is a beautifully drawn, amazingly animated film with catchy, "Can't stop humming it" tunes that the entire family will want to watch again and again.

Straying slightly from Disney's usual formula, the songs in this movie are not sung by any of the characters. Performed instead by the talented Phil Collins, the tunes are used more to enhance pivotal scenes.

Some intense fight scenes may make "Tarzan" off-limits for very impressionable younger children, but most kids seem to be able to take it in stride. After all, didn't we all see "Bambi" and live to tell about it? ;-)

One possible note of caution -- there are movie viewers out there who might not care for Rosie O'Donnell. If you are one, you may find her character quite annoying. However, if you can grit your teeth and get past it, the rest of the movie is well worth your time.

All in all, a terrific film to watch. Enjoy!

64 The Ultimate Disney DVD!
First, let me start by saying that this review is not based strictly on the Disney Tarzan film itself, but rather on the whole of this "Collector's Edition". The film is just the beginning of why I consider this among the elite of Disney DVDs, and one of my personal favorites within my own DVD library.

If you love animation, study it, strive to work in the industry, or all of the above, this DVD is worth the money! The collection of items on Disc 2 is very impressive. It is not every day that you get the opportunity to peek into the minds Disney animators and see their development process. From early character sketches to conceptual paintings used to pitch the film, the Disney archives have produced a plethora of quality examples. Just flipping through the character development sketches for the adult Tarzan really shows the evolution of thought, and you can instantly see the first moment when a Disney animator captured the essence of Edgar Rice Burroughs creation and its eventual evolution to the final design by Glen Keane - priceless!

In addition, there are a host of features on production, actors, and the music. I got a big kick out of hearing Phil Collins "demo" takes, music not used within the film, and (of course) the various renditions of a selected song in the various languages necessary to release the film (Phil did a fine job of singing in languages he doesn't even speak!).

Overall, the best Disney offering with "extras" since the Laserdisc version of the Lion King. Oh, and the movie is great too! Buy it, immerse yourself, and enjoy.

65 Amazing film-making
Dreamworks can spend and say whatever they care too on an animated film, this is the most beautifully rendered animated picture in history. The intense action scenes (such as the bout between Tarzan and Sabor) offer such grand-scale animation that one can only guess what Atlantis: The Lost Empire will soon have to offer. Not only does this masterpiece display the technology that Disney has found themselves wrapped up in, but it also shows that the Disney company has not lost its touch when it comes to storytelling and inventive portrayals of emotion. A gripping and powerful score add to the mix, along with some great tunes from pop/rock star Phil Collins. Worth every penny for the filled-to-capacity Collector's Edition, which offers everything from production sketches (which I love) to demos (unfinished songs) of Collins' rousing music. However, if you wish to save a few dollars, buy the regular DVD, it has enough special features to entertain any child (and any adult).

66 Great movie
This is a great movie. Good music, good story line. My daughter who is 2 1/2 loves this movie and has been watching it for about a year. Like VeggieTale videos, I don't mind watching this video over and over because its so good.

67 Great movie
This is a great movie. Good music, good story line. My daughter who is 2 1/2 loves this movie and has been watching it for about a year. Like VeggieTale videos, I don't mind watching this video over and over because its so good.

68 Great movie
This is a great movie. Good music, good story line. My daughter who is 2 1/2 loves this movie and has been watching it for about a year. Like VeggieTale videos, I don't mind watching this video over and over because its so good.

69 One of Disney's Best!
Tarzan opens, when English parents get off a burning boat and on to some sort of dingy. Phil Collins sings Two Worlds, One Family. When a tiger kills the baby's parents. A gorilla named Kala (voiced by Glenn Close) finds him.

She takes him back to the jungle where her another gorilla named Kerchak (voiced by Lance Henriksen) doesn't like it. At first Kerchak wants the baby taken back, but changes his mind when Kala tells him that his parents are dead.

An ape named Terk (voiced by Rosie O'Donnell) askes Kala what she will name the baby. She names him Tarzan. And Terk says "Tarzan, okay he is your baby". When the baby begins to cry, Kala gets him to stop by begining to sing You'll be in my heart.

A few years later, some other apes, call Terk, and Terk sings "The fun has arrived". Out of the blue, younger Tarzan (voiced by Alex D. Linz from Home Alone 3), catchs up with Terk. Terk comes up with the idea, that Tarzan to get an elephant's hair.

Tarzan does get the hair. And Kerchak upsets Tarzan when he tells Kala that he is like the other gorillas. In time, Tarzan changes from boy to man. He is now voiced by Tony Goldwyn.

One day, a hunter named Clayton (Brain Blessed), Professor Porter (Nigel Hawthrone) and his daughter named Jane (Minnie Driver), shows up to find gorillas.

Tarzan saves her from angry monkeys. And falls in love with her. At first Tarzan thinks her name is Oh I see. You'll be in my heart got an Academy Award for best original song.

70 Another Disney masterpiece.
I am going to tell you this straight out; America's kids aren't as innocent as they used to be. A large number of them, know more by the time they are 8 then I did by the time I was 13. Disney movies are keeping up with the times, by simply making it more intense. Now, I don't agree with showing the shadow of a body hanging from a vine, but there is virtually nothing in this movie that would cause very many of todays children much worriment. Now, there is the occasional exceptional child, who is frightened by movies that show violence of any sort (I know I would), there is an easy way to solve this. You tell the child, that they aren't allowed to see this movie until they are ________ (insert age), because they won't WANT to see what's in it. Now, other then the violence, this movie is masterfully done, almost matching the visual beauty of Sleeping Beauty. Though not my favorite Disney movie, it is far better then Hunchback of Notre Dame or Pochahontas. It doesn't have very many songs sung by the characters (a high point for many people), and Phil Collins does a superb enough job to hold people of all ages on the edge of their seat during the musical interludes. I think that it was a must see for everyone ages 5 and over, it may frighten the young folk, but the older ones will definetly appreciate it.

71 Mixed bag
For the most part, TARZAN is beautifully animated, and the abilities of the animators are very visible. The character animation, especially on the title character, is great fun to watch. The jungle is brilliantly presented. But other experiments fail, especially the use of computer-generated water effects.

Because of story similarities, TARZAN often seems like an updated version of THE JUNGLE BOOK, which is one of my least favorite Disney flicks. Clearly all comparisons are subjective, but I think JUNGLE BOOK tells a more cohesive tale, and has better songs (but I dislike Phil Collins' work, so it is a matter of taste). They are about similar in the character of the humor, so where TARZAN comes ahead is mostly in the quality of its animation.

That said, TARZAN's story is its weakest point, and it provides little advancement on Disney's very successful (commercially if not artistically) formula. If you're looking for beautiful animation, TARZAN is for you. If you're looking for a good story, this one won't impress as well.

72 The original king of swing!
I thought Tarzan was the best movie Disney had done in years, with it's last big success, to me anyway, being The Lion KIng. The animation in Tarzan was truly amazing and Phil Collins was the perfect choice to do the soundtrack. The plot was great and the characters were great. I really enjoyed this movie and I totally recommend it!

73 This movie need's some skills !
I admit the begining was ok , but in the middle ok let's just see dull diagouluge I mean you would fall asleep in the middle ! I like this movie belive me I do but lacking others Peeyou ! Bye

74 Another Disney Masterpiece
Tarzan is definitly another Disney Masterpiece. This is because of its great plot, great soundtrack, and great picture. It is one of my all time favorite Disney films. This movie is not only for kids, but adults and teens alike. It is a fine family movie.

75 Another Disney Masterpiece
Tarzan is definitly another Disney Masterpiece. This is because of its great plot, great soundtrack, and great picture. It is one of my all time favorite Disney films. This movie is not only for kids, but adults and teens alike. It is a fine family movie.

76 Why two discs?
I just bought this DVD and while I like it alot, I must ask why they put it on 2 DVDs with a heftier price.

The first DVD has the movie, which is only 88 min long, a few "games" (I doubt even kids would want to play them), and the great 5 minute Dinosaur preview trailer. This first disc is the same disc that you get when you buy the non-collector's edition of this movie. It also has an audio commentary track.

The second disc, while *seeming* to have alot of features, really does not. The many features, while they are cool, are all very SHORT, so that the total time on the disc is probably around 45 minutes or so (my estimate). The "deleted scenes" are not really accurate, because they are not animated at all, rather, they are shown in story board format. There are three of these. The "split-screen comparison" is also cool, but runs at most around 4 minutes. Basically, the features are nice, but too SHORT!!! The three trailers are cool though, and my favorite part of the second disc.

My major complaint is that the two discs could be easily fit on one disc, since single-sided, dual-layered discs can hold over 3 hours of material (of course, they can fit 6 hours on a disc now, like in Stephen King's "The Stand"). Is it worth it? I would say yes, since it is really the best Disney movie since the Lion King (and my favorite since Aladdin). The songs are great (that is, if Phil Collins' songs can ever be considered "great"), the animation is slick, and best of all, it's not BORING like many of Disney's recent movies. One thing I hate, though, is how animals in Disney movies nowadays act just like humans (e.g. calling each other "Aunt" and "Mom" and whining to stay up later to the parents). I think the animals back in the days of Bambi were a little more dignified, but oh well, kids have to relate to something I guess. Note, however, that this movie is as faithful to the original story as any Disney movie is (that is, alot of adapting has been done).

77 wow
disney, disney, disney. i remember growing up watching disney cartoons. back then disney was the coolest. it was the best. but nowadays things are different. people dont think disneys that cool as it used to be. i dunno thats how i see it. back in the day, where animation didnt entirely rely on computers, the story lines were amazing. the animation was amazing too but is nothing comparted to that of today. the animation in tarzan is just mind boggling and keeps you at the endge of your seat. i dont really need to talk about the plot because tarzan is a classic story, so theyre isnt much to comment on about it. direction is great, music is great, animation is great. i give it only a four because the story isnt new. but i loved this movie!

78 Man - bad, apes - good.
Disney threw ERB out the window and replaced the original's conflicting, even jingoistic content with a sharply defined struggle between the idyll of the African jungle and the scourge of Man. The change works wonders. I'm surprised to find myself say that Tarzan speaks without words. It is gourgeous visually; in terms of soundtrack it has few equals; as the experience goes, it is the best piece of animated melodrama I've seen in years.

The story starts off as usual: a sinking boat deposits three survivors on the jungle shore - a married couple and their child. The two erect a loft in the treetops, but a run-in with the local fauna orphans the infant. Thus starts the story of Tarzan, the man of the apes. He grows up as an underappreciated member of a group of gorillas, surviving the usual trials and tribulations of being an outcast, picking up a few loyal friends on the way. But one day, odd animals set up camp on the edge of the forest, and Tarzan feels impelled to investigate.

Tarzan disappointed me on two levels: several of the underrunning themes are far too obvious. For example, when Tarzan complains to his adopted mother that he is "different" from the rest, Kala goes through the usual routine of "we are all equals - we all have hearts, faces, hands, etc." Appreciable, but far too obvious. Secondly, the wilderness is set up as too perfect a paradise - as far as the film shows, apes do nothing but frolic. They lead a noble, care-free existence, and their young have endless leizure time. The final scene is the most unforgivable: we find Jane swinging among trees alongside Tarzan (a lifetime of climbing is apparently unnecessary for cartoon characters), and even the aged professor can be seen deftly brachiating in the background... my suspension of disbelief snapped there and then.

On the plus side, slapstick comedy somehow seems at home with big apes and elephants. No characters come off as obnoxious sidekicks. I was thouroughly entertained throughout.

At last, Disney created something worth the while to watch for children of all ages.

79 Good film
This was a good not great film. Picture quality is not that good on my DVD. Glad there were some extras on the disc, too bad you would have to pay more to get all the extras.

80 Disney, back on track???
Deep under this thick and sarcastic shell has always been a person who would like to see a GOOD Disney movie, but has always felt (for the most part) let down. Speaking only of the NEW Disney, most of their efforts have fallen flat for me, though I'll take them over the dismal work they released at the end of their last incarnation (Ahem, Robin hood). The little mermaid was good but just didn't cut it, while the lion king in all its granduer seemed over hyped, over-produced, and simply over-saturated with what seemed a desperate attempt to make it the best possible film ever...it wasn't. With Mulan, I felt the ice of that inner sea melt a bit, but too quickly was it over, and never did I feel completely compelled by it. Disenchanted, I would not have quickly gone back toDisney films had not I heard marvelous things about the animation of Tarzan, and having found amusement in Burrough's writings, I thought I should give the big D one more chance...

And having done so I am happy to say that while Tarzan may not posess the most intriguing plot--yes, more formula from Disney), it is in many other ways the most original animated American film in years. What is done with Tarzan is nothing short than what was done with Bambi...the character has been brought to life on screen as convincingly as I believe possible. Tarzan in all ways is a man who acts like a wild beast, and one is drawn steadily into the film as though a sucker borne into the carnival tent by such cries as 'see the wild ape man!' And much in this same way, Tarzan is a visual treat which appeals far more to that part of us which enjoys watching Animal Planet than anything literary. But what could possibly be wrong with that? Burroughs never was a fine writer. His books were strong, visceral hunks of words that hungry readers wolfed down like scraps off their master's dish, hardly time to distinguish the raw from the cooked. Tarzan, the literary counterpart differs little from Burroughs other creations, and so when we look for shortcomings among Disney's film, we might stop and ponder how this less than perfect film may still be an improvement upon the book--depending on your tastes of course.

Ultimately, Tarzan the Disney creation is I think the best Tarzan yet. No longer is Tarzan flinging the corpses of poor African natives into the center of their camps to scare the bewildered people, nor are we faced with the inexplicably cheesy Tarzan that we all grew up with as a kid on the TV. Disney has made a believable Tarzan while dropping much of the stereotypes of yore, a sound improvement I think. Unfortunately with Disney comes the baggage of Terk, but hey, that's what remote controllers were invented for.

Lastly, this collector's edition is a real fine thing. Aesthetically, its vastly superior to the stripped down version, with its more somber colors and the omission of obligatory previews at the beginning. For the improved look alone, this set is a vastly better buy, but all the other stuff is great too. Features a little background on Burroughs and plenty of other goodies, but my favorite here is the concept art and the shorts regarding Glen Keane's work on Tarzan himself. I should also mention that there is a LOT here...I spent about two hours going through the material here and didn't exhaust it all (cleverly avoiding the Phil Collins segments...*ouch*)

So to sum it up in one of those soundbite thingies for those with short attention spans, this is really great stuff--but don't expect a film where you like absolutely everything about it. Has Disney ever done a film you liked every second of? Even Bambi had Flower.

So when are they making Tarzan at the Core of the world???

81 What a gem!
One of the best Disney films ever! There are a lot of great reviews, so let me just add this: For those of you with kids, this is a keeper! I have a lot of animated kid flicks to entertain my son and this one never gets old. The music is great for all ages to listen to over and over. The characters and story are first rate. The animation is wonderful. Don't rent it, own it.

82 Not Disneys best
I was really looking forward to watching this with my son, but I was really dissappointed. The story is somewhat lacking and this is a very violent film, even if it was realistic. Make sure you watch this before your child so you can explain about all the death and guns. I could see where Disney wanted to go with this film but the message never quite becomes clear, especially to children. On a brighter note, the soundtrack is FANTASTIC!

83 One of the few good, modern Disney movies
This movie is one of the few modern Disney movies that is any good. It looks fantastic on DVD and doesn't push any of Disney's usual agenda.

There are three problems with it, however.

<1> The voice acting by Rosie O'Donnel is horrible. Whatever happened to using voice actors with good voices? Get a clue Hollywood! Just because an actor is good doesn't mean he or she is a good voice actor.

<2> The hunter in movie was poorly represented. Any hunter worth his salt will not go around blasting his rifle at anything that moves. Once again Disney shows it's ignorance of hunters and is bias against gun owners.

<3> This DVD forces you to either view or skip over about 7 previews before letting you view the movie. Come on people! If you want to put the previews on a menu option, that would make sense, but forcing us to skip past your stupid previews is rude. This alone will make me avoid ever buying another Disney movie.

84 Another great movie by Disney
I don't know why I waited so long to see this movie. From the moment I put the DVD in and heard the beautiful music and saw the magnificent animation I knew I'd be hooked. I was never interested in seeing an animated flic when there had already been many hollywood versions of the story. But, this was truly a wonderful movie.

If you have little children, you might want to talk to them before seeing it. In the beginning there are 3 deaths; Tarzan's parents are killed and the gorilla parents lose their young gorilla. I would definately still highly recommend this movie.

The animation is colorful and really brings the story to life, while the soundtrack is superb. When I heard "You'll be in my Heart" by Phil Collins played in this movie, it really got me choked up.

All of the characters, including Jane and Tarzan, are wonderully portrayed and both the animation and voices are great. I would definately recommend this movie to any Disney lover, children and adults alike.

85 Tarzan move is excellent!
The colors are superb, the animation was definitely well done and the sound that will come out of your system is great. The animation is stunning; the scenes of Tarzan swinging through vines and "surfing" the twisty, moss-covered tree trunks as if they were ocean waves left me in awe. And the music by Phil Collins and Mark Mancina ties the whole film together. A movie for the whole family.

This is a fantastic movie, funny and your kids will love it! Most Disney DVD's are nothing more that Video copied on a DVD with little fanfare, or sound enhancements. However If Disney continues to produce DVD's like Tarzan you wont be disapointed.

86 Why Phil Collins
This review is for the "whiner" who has to write about having to suffer through all the previews when he could be skipping through them with the chapter forward button. That's OK though, you go on ahead suffering through your "commercials" as you call them, and I'll watch a pretty good movie. I'd give it a 5 if someone other than Phil Collins did the soundtrack. The music and scores are composed very well, but I really don't care for Phil Collins' voice too much. This movie is entertaining for children and adults. Recommended.

87 This movie is NOT for 3 and 4 year olds
The listing this movie for the 3-6 year old set is grossly misleading! My daughter saw this movie when she was 4 and was traumatized by the first 5 minutes of the movie. For weeks after she was petrified that her Dad and I would be killed. And ever since that movie she has adamantly refused to go to see any movie in a movie theater. I have tried to convince her that not all movies are as scary and reminded her that the Rugrats movie she had seen before, she liked very much, but she has been digging her heels in for over a year.

The death of Tarzan's parents is NOT something a young child can handle. There has got to be a better way of categorizing movies than just a 'G' rating.

The animation was pretty good but the story line was "Disney silly".

88 The greatest movie ever
This is the greatest Disney movie ever made! I absolutely loved it. The best part is the music. Phil Collins is an amazing singer and the songs he wrote were perfect. If you don't want the movie, get the soundtrack and it will make you change your mind. I would request this movie to anyone and everyone.

89 Disney's TARZAN Rocks the Jungle!!
I first discovered Disney was making an animated TARZAN when I saw an animation cell of the character, Tarzan, at MGM Studios. He looked so dark and dangerous, so different from the usual Disney animated movie-hero, that I was sure I wouldn't care for the movie. It was with great reluctance that I caved in to pleading and begging, and took my then four-year-old son to see TARZAN at the theatre the following year.

To say I was pleasantly surprised by what I saw is an enormous understatement. I was so awed by the incredible animation, the realistic characterizations, and the very well executed story (not to mention the discovery that Tarzan was not as dark and dangerous as he had been made to appear in that animation cell) that we went back to see the movie again, the following day. I could hardly wait for TARZAN to be released on video, and bought my copy the day it became avalible. As I didn't have a DVD player at that time, I will be buying another copy, this time of the Collectors Edition DVD.

Disney's TARZAN has something for everyone. Life, death, longing, loss, happiness, love, hate, relationships that are as complex--and rewarding--as those in real life, and awesome effects and songs! I love it, my son loves it, and my eighty-five-year-old mother loves it. I would recommend TARZAN to anyone!

90 VERY good movie, with one glaring flaw
Great animation work by Disney Studios. Visually stunning 3D representation, kids love it, great soundtrack, yadda yadda.

The DVD has some videos, and behind-the-scenes looks. There could have been more, considering the price (stores charge more than Amazon), but this is Disney, and you generally expect to pay a premium for their product.

The one flaw? Rosie O'Donnell, as Tarzan's best friend, Terk. I understand that we need to hear the gorillas speak in order to have a movie, but why have 99% of the gorillas speak "The King's English", but one gorilla (from New Yawk, ostensibly) tawks wit an accent dat bawdahs (borders) on de annoying? This is inane casting.

4 stahs wit Rosie, 5 stars without.

91 Lots of Fun
If you have a chance to see Disney's Tarzan on the big screen: do so! One of the things that makes this version of Tarzan so much fun is how Tarzan is able to "surf" the jungle trees, vines, etc. Also nice is the scenes where Jane and her father teach Tarzan how to speak English.

I'm not crazy about Rosie O'Donnell's loud-mouthed sidekick character, however. While I know there's a wiseaker in everyy Disney movie, this gorilla was grating and not clever or funny.

Kids will likely love "Tarzan." It's worth having in your collection!

92 Superb animation and storyline
This is one of our family's favorite DVDs. After originally seeing this movie in the theater, we couldn't wait for the release on DVD. The animation quality is among the best ever, as is the storyline and sound/music.

Our kids absolutely love this movie, as does the biggest kid of all - me. Highly recommended.

93 Modern Retelling in a Classic Style - Top Marks
This is one of the better movies to come out of the Disney animation studios in more recent years. Older viewers will take comfort from an artful production, which works well on all age levels, and is very enjoyable family viewing. This reminds me of the Disney movies of old, a great story, laughter, sadness, fun and adventure, and some moral values thrown in for good measure. But what makes gives this movie 5 stars is what it doesn't have - unlike the recent releases of the last few years, it is NOT a musical, with characters bursting into song every 5 minutes! It seems that Disney have gone back to the winning formula and great balance of story, music and vision, something that was reflected at the box office following it's theatrical release. This is a truly wonderful film, and even though you know the story you will want to see this movie again and again. A great buy for Christmas!

94 Learning More About Animated Features
If you're like me, then you love animation! One of the enjoyable parts of the Disney Collector's series of DVDs, is that they give you an opportunity to look behind the scenes and see how these animated features are made.

One of the most interesting aspects of this particular DVD is watching the original Story Treatment and comparing it to the final version. Disney even gives the veiwers an opportunity to see the scenes that did not make the final feature.

A highlight for any animation enthusiast will be the Production Progression Demonstration that allows viewers to move through the various stages of production to the final feature.

A must have for collectors!

95 A brilliant realization of an enduring modern myth
Tarzan is a modern fictional creation--like Superman or Ebenezer Scrooge--who has become a worldwide icon. Ever since Tarzan first appeared in a 1914 novel by his creator, Edgar Rice Burroughs, this story has been both sequelized and retold countless times, by many different authors (including Burroughs), and in virtually every conceivable medium: further novels, comic books, TV shows, movies, and more. It seems that the public never tires of the tale of an orphaned human baby raised by gorillas in Africa, and of his adventures as an adult. Out of this vast body of Tarzan material, the 1999 animated film from Walt Disney is one of the best. A blend of action, romance, and humor, all highlighted by superb music and breathtaking visuals, this film proves that even a familiar story like Tarzan's can always be retold with a fresh style and attitude.

The film starts out with the baby Tarzan, and ensuing portions of the film depict him as both a child and an adult man. His romance with Jane, a key component of past versions, is retold with flair. But the really amazing innovation that this film brings to the Tarzan mythos is its depiction of Tarzan's ape family. These apes are not just typical wisecracking cartoon animals. Instead, the filmmakers take an almost realistic approach to the issue of gorilla communication and interspecies communication--this is a Tarzan story that seems to reflect public knowledge about the work of such scientists as Dian Fossey and Jane Goodall. Tarzan's ape family members are fully developed characters who engage the viewers' emotions.

The animation is stunning; the scenes of Tarzan swinging through vines and "surfing" the twisty, moss-covered tree trunks as if they were ocean waves left me spellbound. And the music by Phil Collins and Mark Mancina brilliantly ties the whole film together. Rather than have the characters break out into Broadway-style musical numbers, the producers have wisely opted to have the gifted Collins sing the film's excellent songs as a backdrop to the action. Collins' performance, rich in emotional nuance, represents some of the best work of an amazing career.

I grew up watching (and loving) the classic Johnny Weismuller Tarzan films on Sunday morning TV matinees. And Disney's excellent "Tarzan" is both faithful to this classic character and successful in bringing new power to his story. This is a great film for both adults and children--it is exciting, emotionally rich, intelligent, and stunningly beautiful.