IMDb RATING
3.5/10
6.3K
YOUR RATING
While on an African expedition with her father, Jane Parker meets Tarzan, and the two become fascinated by each other.While on an African expedition with her father, Jane Parker meets Tarzan, and the two become fascinated by each other.While on an African expedition with her father, Jane Parker meets Tarzan, and the two become fascinated by each other.
- Awards
- 2 wins & 10 nominations
Steve Strong
- Ivory King
- (as Steven Strong)
Laurie Main
- Club Member
- (voice)
Harold Ayer
- Club Member
- (voice)
C.J. the Orangutan
- Orangutan
- (uncredited)
Tony Longo
- Stunts
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaDuring a scene involving Jane attempting to get away from Tarzan, Miles O'Keeffe found himself face-to-face with Neal, a full grown African lion, who took on the part of the gallant gentleman saving the damsel in distress. Neal, escaping his holding pen, dived 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 interaction. 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.
- GoofsThere are no wild orangutans in Africa. They are native to Borneo and Sumatra.
- Crazy creditsOn the MGM logo, the MGM lion's roar is replaced with Tarzan's yell.
- Alternate versionsCBS edited 17 minutes from this film for its 1983 network television premiere.
- ConnectionsFeatured in The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson: Michael Landon/Bo Derek (1981)
Featured review
In 1992 Miles O'Keefe told Joe Bob Briggs on TMC's "Joe Bob Briggs' Drive-In Theatre" that the audition process for the title role in John Derek's "Tarzan the Ape Man" consisted of being dressed up in a wig and a loincloth with other Tarzan wannabes and taken to a park in LA where they were told to swing around in the trees and make noise. "...and people were throwing things at us and it was--a mess! And on the basis of that that I got the part." Originally Lee Canalito got the title role, and footage was shot of him as Tarzan, but ultimately Miles O'Keefe was brought in. The orangutan who played Cheetah got taken on the publicity tour and Miles was not taken, presumably so he would not upstage Bo Derek.
After a memorable turn in Blake Edward's "10" Bo Derek settled into a brief career of movies directed by her husband John Derek as a chance to showcase his wife's boobs. "Tarzan the Ape Man" was the first of these, with Bo getting top billing as Jane, Richard Harris as Jane's father getting second, Cheetah the orangutan getting third and Miles as the title character getting fourth. Not much happens in the movie, there's mostly a lot of walking through the jungle until Bo announces "I THINK I'LL TAKE A BATH NOW". She continuously holds her index finger up to her lips for reasons not really comprehendable. Her husband's direction, according to Miles, was "Honey, get your breasts up." Richard Harris yells every line he has, Miles O'Keefe says it was because he was bored. Tarzan finally shows up halfway through, but he has no dialogue. All action scenes are done in slow motion so it ruins the effect and makes them way too long.
Despite 38 full breast exposures "Tarzan the Ape Man" is truly one of those movies that is so bad it's bad. Even people who love bad movies don't like this movie. There is no rating in this review because there is no way on IMDb to give a movie zero stars.
After a memorable turn in Blake Edward's "10" Bo Derek settled into a brief career of movies directed by her husband John Derek as a chance to showcase his wife's boobs. "Tarzan the Ape Man" was the first of these, with Bo getting top billing as Jane, Richard Harris as Jane's father getting second, Cheetah the orangutan getting third and Miles as the title character getting fourth. Not much happens in the movie, there's mostly a lot of walking through the jungle until Bo announces "I THINK I'LL TAKE A BATH NOW". She continuously holds her index finger up to her lips for reasons not really comprehendable. Her husband's direction, according to Miles, was "Honey, get your breasts up." Richard Harris yells every line he has, Miles O'Keefe says it was because he was bored. Tarzan finally shows up halfway through, but he has no dialogue. All action scenes are done in slow motion so it ruins the effect and makes them way too long.
Despite 38 full breast exposures "Tarzan the Ape Man" is truly one of those movies that is so bad it's bad. Even people who love bad movies don't like this movie. There is no rating in this review because there is no way on IMDb to give a movie zero stars.
- skinnyjoeymerlino
- Mar 20, 2007
- Permalink
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Details
Box office
- Budget
- $6,500,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $36,565,280
- Gross worldwide
- $36,565,280
- Runtime1 hour 55 minutes
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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