Released in 1999, Disney’sTarzanis one of the more underrated films in the animated movie franchise.Tarzanwas directed by Kevin Lima and Chris Buck, and follows the story of an orphan raised by gorillas in Africa after his parents were killed by a leopard, only to meet real humans for the first time as a young man. The Walt Disney Feature Animation film is based on the 1912 storyTarzan of the Apesby Edgar Rice Burroughs, and was actually the first animated major motion pictureTarzanmovie, as previous adaptations of the story were all live-action films.
Tarzanwas produced on a budget of $130 million, the most expensive traditionally animated movie ever until 2002’sTreasure Planet, and grossed $448.2 million at the box office worldwide. As a result of its critical and commercial success, theanimated Disney movieearned a bit of a legacy, spawning a franchise with two movie sequels, a television series, and a Broadway adaptation. Furthermore, 1999’sTarzanalso marked the end of theDisney Renaissance era. Yet,despite its classic status,Tarzanis an underrated movie that certainly deserves more attention, especially with these five surprising behind-the-scenes facts about the film.
Clayton’s Voice Actor Actually Voiced The Iconic Tarzan Yell
Brian Blessed Wasn’t Impressed With Goldwyn’s Attempt
Considering Tony Goldwyn voiced Tarzan in 1999’s animated movie, it might be surprising to learn that Tarzan’s iconic yell was not performed by him at all.Instead, the honor fell to Brian Blessed, the voice of Clayton in the film, a villainous hunter contracted to escort Archimedes Q. Porter and his daughter Jane in Africa while they study gorillas. During a panel at SFX Weekender 3, Blessed recounted the story, stating that Goldwyn “couldn’t do the bloody yodel,” but “when I was a kid, we went to the Johnny Weissmuller films, and we all did the yodel as little boys.”
According to Brian Blessed, when they heard his Tarzan yell, despite being finished with his part inTarzan’sproduction and scheduled to go home, “they got solicitors down, and I had a bloody contract for the yodel.”Blessed’s booming voice was iconic in voicing Tarzan’s yell, as it naturally echoes. For that same reason, Blessed was perfect asTarzan’sClayton, as his voice lent the character a certain gravitas befitting of the secret villain. Unfortunately, Brian Blessed’s role inTarzanwas memorable for other reasons, as Clayton’s grisly death was aDisney animated movie moment that haunted us as kids.
Phil Collins Sang The Soundtrack In Multiple Languages
1999’s Tarzan Was Dubbed In 35 Languages
There is a reason whyTarzanis considered to have one of thebest animated Disney movie soundtracks, and it is all due to Phil Collins. The English musician is known for being the lead singer of the rock band Genesis, as well as for his own successful solo career. When Disney decided to do an animatedTarzanfilm, despite other films in Disney’s Renaissance era following the same musical trend, the idea of Tarzan singing was somewhat ridiculous to directors Lima and Buck. Instead,Collins wroteTarzan’ssoundtrack, with his songs providing a sort of narrator to the film.
According to Phil Collins, most ofTarzan’ssongs were written during improvisation sessions and in reaction to the film’s treatment.
Phil Collins' involvement inTarzan’ssongs elevated the film, withTarzan: An Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrackwinning a Grammy Award for Best Soundtrack Album, and Collins’ “You’ll Be in My Heart” earning him an Academy Award for Best Original Song. However, Collins didn’t stop there. AsTarzanwas dubbed in 35 languages, which was the most for any Disney movie at the time,Phil Collins actually recorded his songs in French, Italian, German, and Spanish for the dubbed versions. WhilePhil Collins has become a bit of aTarzanmeme, his dedication to the movie’s soundtrack is shocking.
Tarzan’s Tree-Gliding Was Inspired By Skateboarding
Animators Were Inspired By Professional Skateboarder Tony Hawk
Disney pulled out all the stops for producingTarzanin 1999, from visiting Africa to get the jungle environment just right, to studying gorillas and their behaviors for added authenticity.As a result, it’s not surprising that someexperts have rated Disney’sTarzanquite high for accuracy. However, while it is fairly obvious that the animators studied anatomy quite intensely to get Tarzan’s physique right in the film, it might be surprising to learn that animators also took inspiration for Tarzan’s acrobatic movements through the jungle from extreme sports people, including the famous American professional skateboarder, Tony Hawk.
What if he’s a tree surfer instead of swinging on the vines?
Tarzan’ssupervising animator, Glen Keane, recalls viaD23, “The Tarzan described in Burroughs’ book was incredible and nothing like the one I’ve seen in the Hollywood films.” Keane states that Burroughs’ description of Tarzan made him think, “he’s an extreme sports guy. What if he’s a tree surfer instead of swinging on the vines?” Despite initial concerns, the test footage incorporating this movement wonTarzan’sdirectors over, with Tarzan tree-gliding as well as using vines in the final version of the film. In fact,Tarzan’s movements in the “Son of Man” sequence were even inspired by renowned skateboarder Tony Hawk.
There Are Hidden Disney Easter Eggs In Tarzan
Tarzan References Beauty & The Beast And Mulan
Disney popularized Easter eggs in its animated movies, with references and details included across films as a nod to previous works in the franchise. There are not many Easter eggs inTarzan, as the film is relatively far removed from Disney’s other works in terms of concept and tone, but there are a few, as the 1999 animated movie is no exception to this treatment. To begin with,a hidden Mickey - a deliberate or sometimes accidental Mickey Mouse icon made of three circles - can be seen at the start ofTarzan, when a baby Tarzan blows spit bubbles.
When an ape turns Professor Porter upside down, a plush toy resemblingMulan’sdog, Little Brother, falls out of his pocket
After the chase between Jane and the baboons, a monkey uses Jane’s umbrella to float safely to the ground. While the reference is not obvious, the umbrella’s design makes the scene reminiscent ofMary Poppins. However, the most obvious references come later in the film. When Terk trashes the Porters’ camp, she reassures the group that the items aren’t alive, anda teapot and cup resembling Mrs. Potts and Chip fromBeauty and the Beastcan be seen. Furthermore, when an ape turns Professor Porter upside down, a plush toy resemblingMulan’sdog, Little Brother, falls out of his pocket.
Tarzan Revolutionized Disney Animation
The Production Team Developed Deep Canvas Software
The most surprising fact aboutTarzanis actually about the impact it had on other animations.During production, a new 3D painting and rendering technique was developed byTarzan’sproduction team called Deep Canvas. In an interview withEntertainment Weeklyin 1999, co-director Lima said, “This finally lets us do what live-action can do with a Steadicam.For the first time, we can move our camera in and around a background, instead of just over flat layers of two-dimensional backdrops.” Essentially, the software keeps track of brushstrokes in a 3D space. Creator Eric Daniels explains further about Deep Canvas below:
Deep Canvas is something like a player piano, except it goes further and learns how the painter paints. Then it replicates one or two paintings, or fragments of paintings, into dozens or hundreds of paintings, all from slightly different angles. It can do in hours what would take a painter months to execute by hand.
While the Deep Canvas sequences only make up 10 minutes of the 88-minute total runtime,Tarzanuses this new technique well to provide unique and rather impressive-looking action sequences in a 3D space. In fact, the software goes beyond the 1999 movie, as it was also used in 2001’sAtlantis: The Lost Empireand theunderrated box office success that wasTreasure Planet. As a result,Tarzanhas left its mark on cinema in many ways, and that was all possible due to a few surprising developments that happened during the production of the animated Disney classic movie.
