This film was cut down from a movie serial--in fact two films were made from this serial, "Tarzan and the Green Goddess" and "The New Adventures of Tarzan". In addition, according to IMDb, lots of portions were added and then removed haphazardly to this particular version. The result is a film print that really stinks--it's very washed out and the sound could be a lot better (it sure couldn't be a lot worse).
Oddly, much of this film is set in Guatemala--talk about being different from the Johnny Weissmuller films! Despite this, it seems that this story actually is closer to the Edgar Rice Burroughs vision of Tarzan, with the King of the Jungle being rescued, well educated and a world traveler! It sure isn't the Tarzan I've come to expect. It's a shame, really, as the idea of a story with the character being closer to the original is great--too bad the production is so cheap and the print practically unwatchable. Much of its unwatchability is due to lengthy pointless segments of stock footage being added to stretch the film out for television!! The results are lumbering and dull to say the least! Oh well, at least the idiots who did this remembered to use African footage--something that is not the case for many other Tarzan films (in which, I have seen mountain lions, Asian elephants and even black bears!!).
As a result of all the chopped footage and crappy stock footage added later, the movie naturally stinks. Too bad. But it would be interesting if they could find the original serial and restore it. Apparently, a complete copy no longer exists but I'd love to see how this was all meant to be. Like anyone else not alive in the mid-1930s, I only had a chance to see the highly bastardized version.
By the way, if you are curious, Wikipedia has some very interesting information about this particular film and the MGM series--you won't be disappointed.
Oddly, much of this film is set in Guatemala--talk about being different from the Johnny Weissmuller films! Despite this, it seems that this story actually is closer to the Edgar Rice Burroughs vision of Tarzan, with the King of the Jungle being rescued, well educated and a world traveler! It sure isn't the Tarzan I've come to expect. It's a shame, really, as the idea of a story with the character being closer to the original is great--too bad the production is so cheap and the print practically unwatchable. Much of its unwatchability is due to lengthy pointless segments of stock footage being added to stretch the film out for television!! The results are lumbering and dull to say the least! Oh well, at least the idiots who did this remembered to use African footage--something that is not the case for many other Tarzan films (in which, I have seen mountain lions, Asian elephants and even black bears!!).
As a result of all the chopped footage and crappy stock footage added later, the movie naturally stinks. Too bad. But it would be interesting if they could find the original serial and restore it. Apparently, a complete copy no longer exists but I'd love to see how this was all meant to be. Like anyone else not alive in the mid-1930s, I only had a chance to see the highly bastardized version.
By the way, if you are curious, Wikipedia has some very interesting information about this particular film and the MGM series--you won't be disappointed.