Wednesday, 3 November 2021

The Legend of Tarzan (2016)

As a lifelong fan of the character, I was excited to learn that a new Tarzan movie was in the works.  It had been over three decades since I'd seen "Greystoke" in theatre, and none of the Tarzan movies since then had been particularly good.


Movie poster for "The Legend of Tarzan" (2016)


I got back into the Tarzan novels in 2012, on the centenary of the publication of the first Tarzan story in the pulps.  I even attended the Centennial Conference at Bridgewater College in Virginia, that November.

When I learned that the Edgar Rice Burroughs Chain of Friendship would be holding their annual gathering in Los Angeles that year, with a special advance screening of "The Legend of Tarzan", I knew that I had to attend.

My wife and I took separate planes to LA, and I was ready and waiting in a rented jeep when she stepped out of the terminal.  We saw the movie on the Paramount lot with fellow Burroughs enthusiasts and members of the Burroughs family.

I think director David Yates did an admirable job of portraying a classic hero through a twenty-first century lens.  The music and cinematography were brilliant.  It's a shame the movie didn't do well enough to justify a sequel.

We saw "The Legend of Tarzan" three more times in theatre, including once with my friend Joe and his wife, Kim.  We've seen the film again on DVD and itunes, since then.  It never fails to bring back memories of a really special trip.

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