Movie Guys: Animated ‘Tarzan’ vigorously swings onto the screen

Friday, June 18, 1999 | 9:30 a.m.

The Movie Guys, starring Jeff Howard and Dave Neil, appears Fridays in the Sun (additional material provided by Thomas Feeney). You can also read their capsule reviews of movies in Las Vegas Weekly magazine. Plus, check them out online at lasvegassun.com/sun/sunlife/movies and themovieguys.com.

Grades: Jeff, B; Dave, B.

Starring: The voices of Tony Goldwyn, Minnie Driver, Glenn Close, Rosie O'Donnell, Brian Blessed, Nigel Hawthorne, Lance Hendriksen, Wayne Knight and Alex D. Linz.

Directed by: Kevin Lima and Chris Buck.

Screenplay by: Tab Murphy, Bob Tzudiker and Noni White.

Rated: G (but featuring adult themes).

Running time: 85 minutes.

Playing at: Regal Cinemas Texas Station, Regal Cinemas Boulder Station, Regal Cinemas Village Square, Las Vegas Drive-In, Century Desert, Cinedome 12 Henderson, Century Orleans 12, UA Rainbow Promenade, UA Showcase mall.

Synopsis: "Tarzan" is the classic tale by Edgar Rice Burroughs that traces the story of a baby who is orphaned in the African jungle and lovingly raised by a family of apes. Tarzan's peaceful and sheltered life is turned upside-down by the arrival of a human expedition and the revelation that he is one of them.

Jeff: We must admit that we saw Disney's "Tarzan" months ago at ShoWest, a trade show for theater owners held in Las Vegas. We were attending the last studio function of the convention (hosted by the Walt Disney Co.) and we were to see a reel of coming attractions for the year.

We were all huddled inside MGM's Grand Garden ready to see the reel when, to our surprise, out stepped Disney Chairman Michael Eisner. A hush fell over the crowd. Something big must have been up for the head of the Mouse House to be there. "We're going to do something a little different tonight," he said, "something we've never done before. Instead of showing you clips of films, we thought we should show you a whole movie -- a movie we are really proud of." We all held our breath. I turned to Dave and I whispered, " 'Tarzan'! It has to be 'Tarzan'!" Sure enough, Eisner muttered, "Ladies and gentlemen, I give you 'Tarzan.' " This was too cool!

The moment the film was finished, the curtain rose and out stepped Phil Collins (who had composed songs for the film), who gave an hourlong private concert. Now, with "Tarzan" finally hitting theaters, we can speak about this new Disney classic. Where to begin? Dave?

Dave: As the film opens with heavy rhythmic drum beats, complemented by the soothing, familiar voice of Grammy-winning singer Collins, your imagination is already inspired. The film's premise is set up within the outstanding opening musical sequence, revealing how an orphaned infant comes to be raised by a family of jungle gorillas. After establishing the usual round of supporting characters -- which include a distinctive mohawk-sporting gorilla named Terk and the antsy elephant Tantor (voices of the comic relievers Rosie O'Donnell and Wayne Knight) -- we learn that Tarzan (perfectly voiced by Tony Goldwyn) must prove his worth to his stubborn father figure, Kerchek (Lance Henrikson).

Jeff: "Tarzan" has definitely been given the Disney treatment, and the differences between the classic story and this version are obvious. In this version Tarzan never moves out of the jungle after achieving adulthood and never makes the fateful trip to England to become civilized. Instead the conflict comes to him in the form of hunters. This is where we size up the quintessential Disney villain, Clayton (voiced charmingly by Brian Blessed), the crucial character needed to make any Disney animated feature work. Clayton is a larger-than-life character with a handsome smile and outgoing personality of total pomposity and confidence. Clayton is your textbook villain who is totally sold on himself and his capabilities -- just the right ingredients for the audience to cheer and boo him at the proper times.

Dave: On that note, let us not forget Tarzan's one and only mate, Jane. Minnie Driver's voice provides the perfect tone for the daring young woman who discovers Tarzan after he rescues her from a band of vicious hyenas. Her energetic performance guides the romance between her and a curious Tarzan, who only remembers flashes from his infancy with other humans.

The ability to create the stunning action sequences, where our Ape Man hero glides, slides and swiftly maneuvers through the thick jungle, will have little boys pretending they are doing the same on their way out the theater doors at the film's end. The animated effects allow the filmmakers to create what is impossible to capture in live action and is the film's crowning achievement. Unfortunately, as Jeff briefly pointed out, the studio has a habit of giving immortal tales "the Disney treatment." And in this contemporary version, the final act makes no literary sense other than wrapping it all up with a happy-sappy ending.

Jeff: It was a near perfect family film, if it wasn't for that dumb ending: Jane stays with Tarzan? They had no running water, refrigeration, schools, department stores, etc., and it was just too silly to accept: Jane waving goodbye to her father as he steams off to England without his daughter, who happily decided to remain in the African jungle with an ape man and a group of gorillas? Pretty lame. It's a moot point, though, as the rest of the film is simply fantastic.

Disney has, again, outdone itself with remarkable visual effects, combining computer and traditional animation. Tarzan swings from vine to vine in a fast and furious pace, and all the while, the perspective never changes. The realism is uncanny. He also uses tree trunks and limbs to body-surf the jungle tops in pursuit of danger and excitement. The colors and backgrounds are stunning. Disney has cinched up its storytelling belt this time around, put a hold on the kiddie sap and delivered a serious story with mature themes and loads of action for every 10-year-old boy who couldn't get enough out of "The Phantom Menace." "Tarzan" is a milestone of animation and a joy to behold.

Movie Buzz

New Screamwriter hired: It seems that Kevin Williamson will not be writing the script for the third "Scream" film. The Hollywood Reporter reports that the 30 pages he previously turned in were nothing more than an outline from which the script is being based -- with less than a month to go before shooting is scheduled to start. Ehren Kruger, screenwriter of the upcoming thrillers "Arlington Road" (starring Jeff Bridges) and "Reindeer Games" (with Ben Affleck), has been handed the scripting duties. Why is Williamson handing off the franchise that made him famous? Simple: He's overworked. Williamson is readying his black comedy "Teaching Mrs. Tingle" for an August release, setting up the new TV series "Wasteland" beginning in September, and continuing his regular duties as executive producer of "Dawson's Creek."

"X" marks the Scott: It's official! Fox has landed actor Dougray Scott, who portrayed the prince in "Ever After: A Cinderella Story," to play the lead role of Wolverine in the upcoming feature "X-Men," the Bryan Singer-directed adaptation of Marvel's best-selling comic book. Scott put his X on a contract -- including a sequel option -- with Fox execs who are confident the Scottish actor can become a franchise lead. Scott, now playing the villain in the "Mission: Impossible" sequel, joins Ian McKellan, as the villain Magneto, and Patrick Stewart, playing Professor X, who leads the troupe of mutant superheros.

Mouth Wide Open: The late Stanley Kubrick ("2001: A Space Odyssey," "Full Metal Jacket") trashed "Schindler's List," according to a new book about the enigmatic and reclusive director. "Eyes Wide Open: A Memoir of Stanley Kubrick," is writer Frederic Raphael's account of his strained working relationship with the brilliant New York-born director. "That was about success, wasn't it?" Kubrick reportedly said. "The Holocaust is about 6 million people who get killed. 'Schindler's List' was about 600 people who don't." Kubrick died in March at age 70. His final feature, "Eyes Wide Shut," is set to open July 16. The book is to be published June 30 by Ballantine.

Name That Flick

"I wish to conduct my life on my own terms, and in surroundings with which I can identify. That is a privilege of wealth." Our winner this week is David R. Gittings, who was the first to call and identify the quote spoken by Curt Jurgens (as the web-palmed James Bond villain, Stromberg) in "The Spy Who Loved Me." Way to go, Dave!

For this week, identify who said this and in what film: "That would be a terrible job to tackle. Just how would you start to cut up a human body?" Have you heard it before? If you think you know the answer, call the Movie Guys Hotline at 225-9026, or log onto our website at themovieguys.com. Be sure to spell your name and leave a daytime phone number and if you're the first to answer correctly, we will print your name right here in our column for the entire Las Vegas Valley to read.

Be sure to pick up this week's issue of the Las Vegas Weekly to check our shagadelic interview with Austin Powers himself, actor Mike Myers. Yeah, baby! See you next week!