The New Adventures of Tarzan

The New Adventures of Tarzan (1935)

** (out of 4)

THE NEW ADVENTURES OF TARZAN originally was a 12-chapter serial but the producers wanted to make extra cash so they cut it down into two different features with this here being the first. Herman Brix plays Tarzan who is just swinging around in the jungle when a group of people show up looking for the "Green Goddess" and the riches that come with it. At just under an hour there's no telling what all was cut out of the serial in order to reach this running time but this thing is nearly impossible to follow. The obvious thing you can gather is that the producers were wanting to stay closer to the Edgar Rice Burroughs character because Tarzan is smart, well educated and he's got manors. This different approach from the Johnny Weissmuller films should have been a good thing and perhaps in the serial it is but all of that is lost here. The majority of the running time the viewer is just sitting there trying to figure out what is going on. Just when you think you've got it figured out things switch up and you're lost all over again. As with many films, this one here features a large bit of stock footage, which is mainly the wildlife in the jungles. Brix really doesn't look or act the part of Tarzan too well but the supporting players aren't much better. This is a pretty bad, cut down version but at the same time the thing is so short that it really goes by rather quickly and without any drag time. I'd also say that there's some cheap fun to be had by those, like myself, who simply enjoy bad movies.

This film was cut down from a movie serial--in fact two films were made from this serial, "Tarzan and the Green Goddess" and "The New Adventures of Tarzan". In addition, according to IMDb, lots of portions were added and then removed haphazardly to this particular version. The result is a film print that really stinks--it's very washed out and the sound could be a lot better (it sure couldn't be a lot worse).

Oddly, much of this film is set in Guatemala--talk about being different from the Johnny Weissmuller films! Despite this, it seems that this story actually is closer to the Edgar Rice Burroughs vision of Tarzan, with the King of the Jungle being rescued, well educated and a world traveler! It sure isn't the Tarzan I've come to expect. It's a shame, really, as the idea of a story with the character being closer to the original is great--too bad the production is so cheap and the print practically unwatchable. Much of its unwatchability is due to lengthy pointless segments of stock footage being added to stretch the film out for television!! The results are lumbering and dull to say the least! Oh well, at least the idiots who did this remembered to use African footage--something that is not the case for many other Tarzan films (in which, I have seen mountain lions, Asian elephants and even black bears!!).

As a result of all the chopped footage and crappy stock footage added later, the movie naturally stinks. Too bad. But it would be interesting if they could find the original serial and restore it. Apparently, a complete copy no longer exists but I'd love to see how this was all meant to be. Like anyone else not alive in the mid-1930s, I only had a chance to see the highly bastardized version.

By the way, if you are curious, Wikipedia has some very interesting information about this particular film and the MGM series--you won't be disappointed.

This is the first of two feature-length films re-edited from the original 12-chapter serial (also titled) "The New Adventures of Tarzan" (1935). The main storyline involves the search for an ancient relic known as "The Green Goddess". As is common with most serial-to-feature works, something is lost in the translation. In the early running, the film spends an inordinate amount of time on its new jungle location footage. "Rough cut" scenes are not edited properly. And, there is juxtaposition of scenes that don't make sense.

"Tarzan" goes from cultured "Lord Greystoke" to swinging in the jungle and back again, with no transitional information.

Muscularly handsome Herman Brix, later known professionally as Bruce Bennett, is fine in the role; but, his Tarzan yell sounds partially wounded. The character is much truer to the original Edgar Rice Burroughs' novels. The chimpanzee "Cheeta" is "Nkima". Those watching the MGM Johnny Weissmuller films should see this Tarzan as fast-forwarded to the near future; our hero has discovered his noble British identity, but occasionally returns to the jungle for new adventures. The ending picks up the pace.

**** The New Adventures of Tarzan (1936) Edward Kull ~ Bruce Bennett, Ula Holt, Ashton Dearholt, Lewis Sargent

How do you say slow in chimpanzee? Now consider this: this is the condensed (70 minutes) version of a 12 episode serial, a total of 257 minutes. If you remove the long jungle pans and the many shots of the jungle fauna, this movie is maybe 40 minutes long. The plot is pretty thin and confusing until the end. One tends to lose sight of the fact that Tarzan is on this journey to find a lost friend. There is also another person, a Ula Vale, who's motives are never made clear. If you are going to watch this movie on tape, I would suggest you keep your finger on the fast forward button and use it liberally. If you do like jungle shots, you will love this movie.

Forget about this feature version of 'The New adventures of Tarzan', and get the complete serial! Too many sequences showing Brix in action are missing from this feature version. Inspite of the long jungle shots and poor sound track- and slow-editing of the material you will come to the the conclusion that Herman Brix is the best movie Tarzan ever.His action scenes will thrill all Tarzan fans. He worked under harsh conditions in the deepest jungle's of Guatamala. doing his own stunts (unlike Weissmuller)

He completed the serial even when he got very ill,lost a lot of weight, was down with jungle fever etc. And all this without even getting paid for the job! Now there's a real Tarzan for you! No wonder Edgar Rice Burroughs (writer-and creator of Tarzan)pointed Brix out as the best film-Tarzan ever...