...one of Disney's most beautiful, most spectacular visual treats, even if the story line and characters are watered-down children's fare.
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"Ah-ahyeah-ye-ah!" Or is it "Ah-a-ah-ya-ah-aha-haaa!"? Wait. Let me try that again: "Oh-ayo-eyo-eyoeyohhhh!" Whatever, you know the cry, and like most of the film, it's just about perfect, the old, reassuring Johnny Weissmuller yell we all grew up with.
The Disney folks may have felt a little badly about their first DVD release of "Tarzan" having so few extras, making up for it in the "Collector's Edition" and in small part with this new, single-disc "Special Edition" and its intermediate array of bonus items. The sound is also slightly improved, but neither the extras nor the sound is probably enough to warrant a second purchase if you already own the movie on disc. If you haven't bought it, and you've always thought about it, the new edition may be enough to persuade you.
Along with "The Emperor's New Groove" in 2000, Disney's 1999 "Tarzan" was among the studio's last critically and artistically successful animated features. As expected from a Disney animated feature, the colors are wonderfully brilliant and clearly defined in this new version of "Tarzan," but what is most surprising is that the backgrounds are so gorgeously rendered. This was the first Disney cartoon in many years that harked back to the detail and richness of the studio's classic early work, like "Snow White" and "Pinocchio." The backdrops are three dimensional in their realism and so beautiful to behold that the plot seems almost insignificant.
As it turns out, the plot is, indeed, inconsequential. It's the familiar Edgar Rice Burroughs tale of the fellow (voice by Tony Goldwyn) raised in the jungle by apes, the arrival of Jane (voice by Minnie Driver), their romance, and an adventure with greedy hunters and safari guides (Clayton voiced by Brian Blessed). Flimsy as the story is, it doesn't matter because the picture quality is so good and the artwork so glorious, we don't care. The several action sequences are pretty exciting, though. Tarzan's fight with a leopard, his rescue of Jane from a pack of baboons, and his scrap with the villainous guide keep one engaged. And the depiction of Tarzan gliding through the trees like a combination surfer and skateboard champion is a pleasure to watch. Of course, we have to endure some of Disney's close-to-terminal cuteness, too: Ever-so-sweet little monkeys and baby elephants, the hackneyed caricature of a befuddled old professor (Nigel Hawthorne), the usual stuff; keeping up with Rosie O'Donnell as Terk is a chore in itself; although, to be fair, the cutesy factor is kept to a minimum compared to some Disney releases.
One thing I did miss about this Disney project was a standout title song, something to remember, even whistle, afterwards. The closest we get is a tune called "Strangers Like Me," as unremarkable as the rest of the music. Phil Collins wrote the songs, so I guess he's the guy to blame. Along with Mark Mancina's pounding, semi-rock musical score, the combination gets tiresome fast. Maybe it will please a generation of youngsters brought up on MTV; who knows. A brief, jazzy interlude titled "Trashin' the Camp," sung by a gleeful band of gorillas, is momentary relief.
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[release]17154[/release]