Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes
Short description
A shipwreck in the nineteenth century leaves a couple stranded in the African jungle. The woman gives birth in a tree house, and when a group of apes comes upon the dwelling, the parents die in the confusion. A female ape who has lost her own infant takes the baby and raises him among her kind. Twenty years later, a naval officer named Philippe D'Arnot encounters the grown man, who behaves as an ape and believes himself to be one. Objects found in the tree house suggest the man is heir to the Greystoke title, so D'Arnot sets out to bring him back to England and to his family. There the man, John Clayton, must find his place in a society whose rules he has never learned, and the contrast between the world of the jungle and that of civilization becomes the film's central concern.
Hugh Hudson directed, after Chariots of Fire and before Revolution, from a screenplay by Robert Towne and Michael Austin, with Hudson and Stanley S. Canter producing. Christophe Lambert plays the title role, alongside Andie MacDowell, Ralph Richardson, Ian Holm, James Fox and Cheryl Campbell. Made on a budget of around 30 million dollars, the film took about 46 million worldwide.
Audience ratings sit at 6.4 out of 10 on IMDb from some 22,000 votes and 6.4 out of 10 on TMDB from a smaller number. A critics' rating of 6.1 out of 10 from 14 reviews places it broadly level with those audience scores.
What's left behind the scenes
- All of Andy McDowell's (Jane) dialogue was redubbed by Glenn Close during post-production due to the actress’s strong Southern accent, which was deemed unsuitable for her character.
- The following English landmarks were used to depict the luxurious interiors of the Greystoke family estate. The exterior of the mansion is Floors Castle in Kelso, Scotland. The interior scenes were filmed at Hatfield House in Hertfordshire.
- Although the name 'Tarzan' appears in the title ('Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes'), it is never mentioned in the film itself. The main character is addressed as either John or Lord Greystoke in all instances.
- The first film shot in Super 35 format.
- Screenwriter Robert Towne was initially supposed to direct the film as well, but was removed from the project after the complete failure of his directorial debut, the sports drama 'Personal Best' (1982). Incensed by this and also disappointed with the finished film, Robert Towne demanded that his dog, P.H. Vazak, be credited as the screenwriter. Ironically, P.H. Vazak received an American Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay of the year.
- John Clayton (Tarzan's name is never mentioned in the film) opens the 'Greystoke Exhibition' at the Natural History Museum in London, in the main dinosaur hall.
- Danny Potts (Tarzan at age 5) and Eric Langlois (Tarzan at age 12) filmed all of their scenes completely nude.
- As this was Christophe Lambert’s first English-language role, he adopted the pseudonym Christopher Lambert for English-speaking countries.
- British actor Ralph Richardson, who played the role of the old Lord Greystoke, died shortly after filming ended on October 10, 1983. He was subsequently nominated posthumously for the American Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, and the film was dedicated to his memory.
- Filming took place in Korut National Park in Cameroon, England (counties of Oxfordshire and Hertfordshire), and Floors Castle in Scotland.
- 400 applicants auditioned for the role of Tarzan. The director chose young, unknown French actor Christophe Lambert, whose appearance combined the features of a free-spirited savage Tarzan and the innate aristocracy of Lord Greystoke. Hudson set strict conditions for the actor – to build muscle in six months, learn to climb vines, and lose his French accent.
- David Puttnam was supposed to be one of the producers of the film, but he withdrew from the project due to serious creative differences with Hugh Hudson.
- Christopher Lambert's first English-language role, having grown up in Switzerland and France in the family of an American diplomat.
- Some of the African scenes were filmed in Korup National Park in southwestern Cameroon, amidst lush tropical forests. The graceful two-tiered Ekom waterfall, with a height difference of 100 meters, appears in many shots of the film, including the finale.
- The acting debut of American actress Andie MacDowell.
- Brigitte Nielsen was at one point considered for the role of Jane Porter.
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