Tarzan, the Ape Man (1981 film)
Tarzan, the Ape Man is a 1981 American adventure film directed by John Derek and starring Bo Derek, Miles O'Keeffe, Richard Harris, and John Phillip Law. The screenplay by Tom Rowe and Gary Goddard[3] is loosely based on the 1912 novel Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs, but from the point of view of Jane Parker.
This article is about the 1981 film. For other cinematic depictions, see Tarzan in film and other non-print media.Tarzan, the Ape Man
- Tom Rowe
- Gary Goddard
Tarzan of the Apes
1912 novel
by Edgar Rice Burroughs
- Bo Derek
- Richard Harris
- John Phillip Law
- Miles O'Keeffe
- John Derek
- Wolfgang Dickmann
Jimmy Ling
United Artists (North America)
Cinema International Corporation (international)
- August 7, 1981
115 minutes
United States
English
$36.5 million[1]
The original music score is composed by Perry Botkin Jr. Former Tarzan actor Jock Mahoney (billed as Jack O'Mahoney) was the film's stunt coordinator. The film is marketed with the tagline Unlike any other "Tarzan" you've ever seen! The original actor cast in the Tarzan role was fired (or quit) early in production, resulting in the sudden casting of his stunt double, Miles O'Keeffe, in the title role. The film was panned by critics and fans of the books for its storyline, acting and R-rating, and in some circles has been considered to be one of the worst films ever made. Despite this, it was a box-office success, grossing $36.5 against a $6.5 million budget.
DVD[edit]
Tarzan, the Ape Man was released to DVD by Warner Home Video on June 8, 2004, as a Region 1 widescreen DVD.
In popular media[edit]
The Japanese manga series JoJo's Bizarre Adventure references this movie in chapter 265, the final chapter of the manga's third part, Stardust Crusaders. Jōtarō Kūjō tests his grandfather Joseph Joestar with trivia questions, including "Who's the female lead in the 1981 film, Tarzan, the Ape Man?", which Joseph correctly answers with "Bo Derek". This scene is also featured in the last episode of the second season of the manga's 2012 anime adaptation.