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IMDbPro

Tarzan the Ape Man

  • 19811981
  • ApprovedApproved
  • 1h 55m
IMDb RATING
3.4/10
5.7K
YOUR RATING
Bo Derek in Tarzan the Ape Man (1981)
Theatrical Trailer from MGM
Play trailer2:31
2 Videos
27 Photos
  • Adventure
  • Drama
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.
IMDb RATING
3.4/10
5.7K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • John Derek
  • Writers
    • Tom Rowe(screenplay by)
    • Edgar Rice Burroughs(based upon the characters created by)
    • Gary Goddard(screenplay by)
  • Stars
    • Bo Derek
    • Richard Harris
    • Miles O'Keeffe
Top credits
  • Director
    • John Derek
  • Writers
    • Tom Rowe(screenplay by)
    • Edgar Rice Burroughs(based upon the characters created by)
    • Gary Goddard(screenplay by)
  • Stars
    • Bo Derek
    • Richard Harris
    • Miles O'Keeffe
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 71User reviews
    • 33Critic reviews
    • 24Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 wins & 10 nominations

    Videos2

    Tarzan, The Ape Man
    Trailer 2:31
    Tarzan, The Ape Man
    Sneak Previews Season 3 Episode 39
    Video 15:49
    Sneak Previews Season 3 Episode 39

    Photos27

    Bo Derek, Miles O'Keeffe, and C.J. the Orangutan in Tarzan the Ape Man (1981)
    Bo Derek and C.J. the Orangutan in Tarzan the Ape Man (1981)
    Bo Derek and Miles O'Keeffe in Tarzan the Ape Man (1981)
    Bo Derek and Miles O'Keeffe in Tarzan the Ape Man (1981)
    Miles O'Keeffe in Tarzan the Ape Man (1981)
    Bo Derek and John Derek in Tarzan the Ape Man (1981)
    Bo Derek, Miles O'Keeffe, and C.J. the Orangutan in Tarzan the Ape Man (1981)
    Bo Derek and Richard Harris in Tarzan the Ape Man (1981)
    Bo Derek and Miles O'Keeffe in Tarzan the Ape Man (1981)
    Bo Derek at an event for Tarzan the Ape Man (1981)
    Bo Derek at an event for Tarzan the Ape Man (1981)
    Bo Derek and Dudley Moore in 10 (1979)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Bo Derek
    Bo Derek
    • Jane Parker
    Richard Harris
    Richard Harris
    • James Parker
    Miles O'Keeffe
    Miles O'Keeffe
    • Tarzan
    John Phillip Law
    John Phillip Law
    • Harry Holt
    Akushula Selayah
    • Africa
    Steve Strong
    • Ivory King
    Maxime Philoe
    • Riano
    Leonard Bailey
    • Feathers
    Wilfrid Hyde-White
    Wilfrid Hyde-White
    • Club Member
    • (voice)
    Laurie Main
    Laurie Main
    • Club Member
    • (voice)
    Harold Ayer
    Harold Ayer
    • Club Member
    • (voice)
    C.J. the Orangutan
    • Orangutan
    • (uncredited)
    Tony Longo
    Tony Longo
    • Stunts
    • (uncredited)
    Neal
    Neal
    • Lion
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • John Derek
    • Writers
      • Tom Rowe(screenplay by)
      • Edgar Rice Burroughs(based upon the characters created by)
      • Gary Goddard(screenplay by)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      During 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.
    • Goofs
      There are no wild Orangutans in Africa. They are native to Borneo and Sumatra.
    • Quotes

      [It's night. We hear Tarzan yelling]

      Parker: Oh, shut up, you boring son of a bitch!

    • Crazy credits
      Tarzan and Jane play with an orangutan throughout the end credits.
    • Alternate versions
      CBS edited 17 minutes from this film for its 1983 network television premiere.
    • Connections
      Featured in The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson: Michael Landon/Bo Derek (1981)

    User reviews71

    Review
    Top review
    Quite possibly the worst movie ever made
    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.
    helpful•32
    8
    • skinnyjoeymerlino
    • Mar 21, 2007

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • July 24, 1981 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Tarzan, the Ape Man
    • Filming locations
      • Sri Lanka
    • Production companies
      • Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
      • Svengali Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $6,500,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $36,565,280
    • Gross worldwide
      • $36,565,280
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 55 minutes
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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