Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes (1984)

User Rating:

6.0/10   

Director:

Hugh Hudson

Writers:

Edgar Rice Burroughs (novel)
Robert Towne (writer) ...
(more)

Release Date:

30 March 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | Romance

Plot:

A shipping disaster in the 19th Century has stranded a man and woman in the wilds of Africa. The lady is pregnant...

Plot Keywords:

Ape | Civilization | Pregnant | Africa | Stranded

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 10 nominations

Cast

Ralph Richardson	...	The Sixth Earl of Greystoke
Ian Holm	...	Capitaine Phillippe D'Arnot
James Fox	...	Lord Charles Esker
Christopher Lambert	...	John Clayton / Tarzan, Lord of the Apes
Andie MacDowell	...	Miss Jane Porter
Cheryl Campbell	...	Lady Alice Clayton
Ian Charleson	...	Jeffson Brown
Nigel Davenport	...	Major Jack Downing
Nicholas Farrell	...	Sir Hugh Belcher
Paul Geoffrey	...	Lord John 'Jack' Clayton
Richard Griffiths	...	Captain Billings
Hilton McRae	...	Willy
David Suchet	...	Buller
John Wells	...	Sir Evelyn Blount
Ravinder	...	Dean
Eric Langlois	...	Tarzan aged 12
Danny Potts	...	Tarzan aged 5 (as Daniel Potts)
Peter Kyriakou	...	Tarzan aged one
Tali McGregor	...	Infant Tarzan
Paul Brooke	...	The Rev. Stimson
Tristram Jellinek	...	Chalky White
Roddy Maude-Roxby	...	Olivestone
Elliot W. Cane	...	Silverbeard, Primate Father
Ailsa Berk	...	Kala, Primate Mother
John Alexander	...	White Eyes, Primate Leader
Christopher Beck	...	Droopy Ears, Tarzan's Childhood Friend
Mak Wilson	...	Figs, Tarzan's Follower
Rona Brown	...	Primate Sequences
Georgia Clarke	...	Primate Sequences
Tessa Crockett	...	Primate Sequences
Frances D'Arcy	...	Primate Sequences
David Forman	...	Primate Sequences
Toh Koksum	...	Primate Sequences
Eugene Little	...	Primate Sequences
Tina Maskell	...	Primate Sequences
Douglas Mann	...	Primate Sequences (as Dougie Mann)
Rory Mitchell	...	Primate Sequences
Martin Pallot	...	Primate Sequences
Deep Roy	...	Primate Sequences
Kiran Shah	...	Primate Sequences
Martin Scully	...	Primate Sequences
Philip Tan	...	Primate Sequences
George Yiasoumi	...	Primate Sequences
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Emile Abossolo M'bo	...	(uncredited)
Bridget Biagi	...	(uncredited)
Colin Charles	...	Olly (uncredited)
Glenn Close	...	Miss Jane Porter (voice) (uncredited)
Elaine Collins	...	Ruby (uncredited)
David Endene	...	Boat Captain (uncredited)
Sheila Latimer	...	Duchess (uncredited)
Derek Lyons	...	Footman (uncredited)
Alison Macrae	...	(uncredited)
Andrea Miller	...	Governess (uncredited)
Philemon Blake Ondoua	...	Aloo (uncredited)
Harriet Thorpe	...	Iris (uncredited)
Jacobin Yarro	...	Riverbank Chief (uncredited)

Directed by
Hugh Hudson

Writing credits
Edgar Rice Burroughs		(novel "Tarzan of the Apes")
Robert Towne		(writer) (as P.H. Vazak) and
Michael Austin		(writer)

Produced by
Stanley S. Canter	....	producer
Hugh Hudson	....	producer
Garth Thomas	....	associate producer

Original Music by
John Scott

Cinematography by
John Alcott

Film Editing by
Anne V. Coates

Casting by
Patsy Pollock

Production Design by
Stuart Craig

Art Direction by
Norman Dorme
Simon Holland		(supervising art director)

Set Decoration by
Ann Mollo

Costume Design by
John Mollo

Makeup Department
Rick Baker	....	special makeup effects
Paul Engelen	....	key makeup artist
Peter Frampton	....	makeup artist
Tom Hester	....	special makeup effects crew
Steve Johnson	....	special makeup effects crew
Shawn McEnroe	....	special makeup effects crew
Joan Mills	....	hair stylist
Barry Richardson	....	key hair stylist
Joseph Ross	....	special makeup effects crew

Production Management
Simon Bosanquet	....	production manager
Frank Ernst	....	unit production manager: Cameroon
Paul Hitchcock	....	executive in charge of production

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Simon Channing Williams	....	first assistant director
Lee Cleary	....	second assistant director: second unit
Ray Corbett	....	first assistant director
Kieron Phipps	....	second assistant director
Paul Tivers	....	second assistant director
Michael Zimbrich	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Terry Apsey	....	construction manager
Martin Asbury	....	storyboard artist
Gordon Billings	....	stand-by props
Jack Carter	....	construction manager: Cameroon
Ian Giladjian	....	production buyer
Martin Hitchcock	....	art department associate
Arthur Max	....	art department associate
Mickey Pugh	....	stand-by props (as Michael Pugh)
Cliff Robinson	....	assistant art director (as Clifford Robinson)
Keith Short	....	sculptor
Steve Short	....	stand-by props (as Steven Short)
Charles Torbett	....	property master
Andy Aitken	....	scenic plasterer/mould maker (uncredited)

Sound Department
Robert Auger	....	mobile recording engineer (as Bob Auger)
Roy Baker	....	dubbing editor
Don Banks	....	boom operator
Terry Busby	....	sound effects editor
Graham V. Hartstone	....	dubbing mixer
Jack T. Knight	....	sound effects editor (as Jack Knight)
Nicolas Le Messurier	....	dubbing mixer
Archie Ludski	....	dialogue editor
Gordon K. McCallum	....	chief dubbing mixer
Ivan Sharrock	....	production sound mixer
Lionel Strutt	....	adr mixer
Ken Weston	....	boom operator
Les Wiggins	....	dubbing editor
Jonathan Andrews	....	sound (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Valerie Charlton	....	modeller
John Coppinger	....	sculptor
Peter Hutchinson	....	special effects supervisor

Visual Effects by
Albert Whitlock	....	special visual effects (as Albert J. Whitlock)

Stunts
Terry Forestal	....	riding stunts (as Terry Forrestal)
Roy Scammell	....	stunt arranger

Camera and Electrical Department
Ronald Anscombe	....	focus puller
Lou Bogue	....	chief electrician
Don Brown	....	video operator
Murray Close	....	still photographer
John Flemming	....	camera grip: second unit
Maurice Gillett	....	gaffer
Norman Godden	....	camera maintenance
Ray Hall	....	camera grip
Jeremy Jones	....	clapper loader
Paul Kenward	....	clapper loader
Michael O'Connor	....	focus puller
Douglas F. O'Neons	....	camera operator
Kenneth J. Withers	....	camera operator: second unit (as Ken Withers)
Egil S. Woxholt	....	camera operator: second unit
Garrett Brown	....	Steadicam operator (uncredited)
Carlos Melville	....	electrician (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Rick Baker	....	primate costume designer and creator
Ken Crouch	....	wardrobe supervisor
Kenny Crough	....	wardrobe assistant
Nic Ede	....	wardrobe supervisor (as Nicolas Ede)
David Garrett	....	costume maker
Catherine Halloran	....	wardrobe assistant
Nazhat Hester	....	specialty costumes
Michael Jeffrey	....	wardrobe assistant
Diana Moseley	....	primate wardrobe supervisor
Shirley Russell	....	costumes: Ms. MacDowell and Ms. Campbell

Editorial Department
Tim Arrowsmith	....	assistant editor
Alan Corder	....	assistant editor
Pat Gilbert	....	assistant editor
Robert Hambling	....	assistant editor
James D.R. Hickox	....	apprentice editor
Patrick Moore	....	assistant editor
William Parnell	....	assistant editor (as Bill Parnell)
Jean Sheffield	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Robin Clarke	....	music editor
Brian Culverhouse	....	music recording producer
John Scott	....	conductor
John Warrack	....	musical director

Other crew
Marie-Thérèse Boiché	....	production coordinator: Cameroon
John Brookes	....	unit nurse
Jimmy Chipperfield	....	animal consultant
Hazel Crombie	....	production accountant
Richard Daniel	....	second unit assistant
Susan d'Arcy	....	unit publicist
Peter Elliott	....	primate choreographer
Roger Fouts	....	primate consultant
John Gorham	....	title designer
Laura Grumitt	....	production assistant
Brian Harris	....	production accountant
Christopher Knowles	....	assistant location manager
Steve Long	....	production accountant
George Mossman	....	horses and carriages
Stefano Priori	....	location accountant
Andreas Reyneke	....	body development
Mary Richards	....	production secretary
Joseph Ross	....	location crew
Lawrence Schick	....	video game designer
Rodger Shaw	....	chief primate effects technician
Ron Swinburne	....	chief production accountant
Maggie Unsworth	....	continuity
Joan Washington	....	voice coach

Thanks
Ralph Richardson	....	dedicatee

Production Companies

• Warner Bros. Pictures (presents)
• Edgar Rice Burroughs Inc.
• WEA Records

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1984) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1984) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Warner-Columbia Film (1984) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1988) (USA) (TV)
• Argentina Video Home (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (Argentina) (VHS)
• Sandrews (2004) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1985) (UK) (video) (laserdisc)
• Warner Home Video (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1985) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Warner Home Video (1992) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Lee Lighting  grip and lighting equipment
• Optical Film Effects Ltd.  title photography
• Pinewood Studios  sound re-recording
• Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, The  music performed by
• Thorn EMI Elstree Studios  studio facilities

Runtime:

143 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby (35 mm prints)

Certification:

Australia:PG | Iceland:10 | Canada:A (Ontario) | Argentina:Atp | Chile:TE | Finland:K-8 | France:U | Norway:11 | Spain:T | Sweden:11 | UK:PG | USA:PG | West Germany:12 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Bimbia, Southwest Province, Cameroon

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

Glenn Close, who voiced Andie MacDowell's character of Jane, also voiced Kala, Tarzan's adoptive mother, in the 1999 Disney version.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Tarzan’s ape father is shot he lands face down. When they cut to the next shot he is face up. Then face down again. Then they roll him over on his back.

Quotes:

Sir Evelyn Blount: Although the circumstances indicate that he is your grandson, we cant prove it. Of course, we, erm, might be able to do so if we could do some tests.
Sixth Earl of Greystoke: [Looking out the window] He's here!
[turns to Sir Evelyn]
Sixth Earl of Greystoke: If he's a Greystoke, I'll know him at a glance!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "HBO First Look: I Dreamed of Africa: On Location (#7.6)" (2000)

Soundtrack:

Symphony no. 1 in Ab major, op. 55

Greystoke: The Legend Of Tarzan, Lord Of The Apes (Hugh Hudson, 1984) ***

This begins a series (which I'll hopefully keep up every week-end) of films that came out during my childhood – in this case, it's one I've only managed to catch now. It was clearly intended as the last word on the subject, which basically had been debased to the level of hokum over the years; however, in its uncompromising striving for a serious-minded approach (a sure measure of which is that the protagonist is never once referred to by the name he's been known all this time the world over!), the film-makers rather lost track of the fact that the thing was intended primarily as entertainment! Consequently, we get a decidedly staid representation of events – with more care given to meticulous period reconstruction than in providing a functional thematic environment for its mythic jungle hero! Even so, Christopher Lambert rose to stardom – as did another debutante, Andie McDowell, playing his love interest (named Jane, of course) – with the title role, which he handles creditably enough under the circumstances. However, Ralph Richardson (to whom the film is dedicated, this being his swan-song) steals every scene he's in as Tarzan's natural grandfather who, in spite of showing obvious affection for his long-lost kin, can't bring himself to forget tradition in an effort to understand his predicament; the hero, in fact, is much more comfortable interacting with primates (even contriving, after having gone back home, to save his adoptive 'dad' from captivity). The film is otherwise very good to look at (with cinematography by Stanley Kubrick regular John Alcott, no less), features an appropriately grandiose score as well as remarkable make-up effects (by Rick Baker) – and, while essentially disappointing as a Tarzan outing, retains considerable value nonetheless as a prestige picture of its day.