“Tarzan…Jane…Tarzan….Jane”, these are the real words spoken by Johnny Weissmuller making his screen debut as Tarzan, the Ape Man to Maureen O’Sullivan as the lady Jane. And when cheetah made three, the treetop trio won over the whole country. The first of the M-G-M Tarzan adventures, Tarzan, the Ape Man remains the greatest jungle thriller of all time. Heading the cast, Olympic swimming champion Weissmuller bursts with bravery as the loin cloth-sporting, vine-swinging tough but gentle–hearted king of the wilderness and lovely O’Sullivan exudes charming grace as the young English socialite, who, though at first fearful, eventually forsakes civilization in order to remain in the wild with her primitive and enthusiastic lover. Together the young couple faces a world of barbaric danger: while searching for the “elephant burial ground” Tarzan is forced to fight a Gorilla to the death! And the famous stampede of wild elements charging in response to their friend’s call is one of the most spectacular sequences ever filmed. Through it all, Tarzan triumphs! The film was so successful in its initial release, that it was followed by five sequels made over the ensuing decade at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. More than 90 years after its initial debut, Weissmuller and O’Sullivan still light up the screen with adventure and romance in this all-time classic.

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[youtube https://youtu.be/iKQbOQ9vcfQ?si=xUQ0-Qq2h_wQB91j&t=2640]

Video Quality

Tarzan, the Ape Man makes its Blu-Ray long-awaited debut thanks to Warner Archive with a brand new 1080p master that will surely prove to be worth the wait for fans. This master is derived from 4K restoration of the best-surviving preservation elements, and the wizards at MPI have worked to ensure that you will not notice that the Original Camera Negative is no longer available. While there may be some lingering subtle softness due to the source, there is no doubt this upgrade is night and day compared to what came before. Warner Archive always takes great pains to bring the best experience for each feature.

The black-and-white photography holds up admirably in high definition with natural grain intact. The contrast is consistent with only a few fluctuations, and there is almost nothing in the way of print damage to be found. Black levels are deep with no trace of black crush or compression artifacts. This new transfer shows off a terrific amount of depth and enhanced detail within the jungle setting. New facets have been revealed with this carefully handled transfer. Warner Archive does not falter with their restorations.

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray release comes with a restored DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that brings this movie quite well. The yells and exchanges of dialogue come through favorably throughout the film without distortion. There does not appear to be significant damage or age-related wear and tear to the track outside of the occasional harsher inflection. The environmental effects never overpower the important elements of this release. The music is very sparse, but what you hear maintains its fidelity. This audio presentation holds up as well as the source will allow. There are optional English (SDH) subtitles available on the disc.

Special Features

Tarzan – Silver Screen King Of The Jungle: An 80-minute documentary from 2004 produced by TCM is provided here which takes a look at the MGM Tarzan films with fantastic insights from various film historians about the development and production of the films, the performances, the work of the animals, and more.

I Wish I Had Wings: A seven-minute black-and-white Merrie Melodies short is provided that shows the lengths a hungry baby hen must take to get food.

Moonlight For Two: A seven-minute black-and-white Merrie Melodies short is provided that shows two rural dogs attending a barn dance.

Original Theatrical Trailer: The nearly three-minute trailer is provided here.

Final Thoughts

Tarzan, the Ape Man is a memorable first outing from the iconic Johnny Weissmuller. Those who are unfamiliar with the Pre-Code era may be surprised by how visceral some of the moments can be in this one. There was obvious care put into crafting an unforgettable spectacle, and how this is accomplished will leave you breathless. There are some narrative deficiencies, but you get what you want from a Tarzan film. Warner Archive has released a Blu-Ray featuring a commendable A/V presentation and great special features. This release has been a long time coming, and it was worth the wait. Recommended

Tarzan, the Ape Man can be purchased directly through MovieZyng or various other online retailers.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Warner Archive has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.