TARZAN THE APEMAN (1959) at HOLLYWOOD TEEN MOVIES

This 1959 remake of "Tarzan The Apeman" was the starring debut for Denny Miller, the 6' 4" UCLA basketball star. Filmed in technicolour and featuring an up-tempo soundtrack, MGM tried to give this Tarzan a new look by casting for the first-time ever, a blonde Tarzan in the lead role. Unfortunately this film was made on a low budget and hit cinemas in the same year Gordon Scott made "Tarzan's Greatest Adventure", the Tarzan film that is considered by many to be the best one ever made. Gordon Scott was at the peak of his popularity and Denny Miller was just the new boy on the block. Although Denny Miller looked good in the role his version would inevitably suffer by comparison. Another problem for "Tarzan The Apeman" was the budget constraints that resulted in the filmmakers using stock footage to complete some of the scenes (the crocodile fight and the elephants destroying the pygmy village are just two that come to mind). It was disappointing to see a film that had potential being reduced to something mediocre because producers were foolish enough to use black and white stock footage in a technicolour movie. Despite its problems "Tarzan The Apeman" works best when Tarzan and Jane are on-screen together. This time round the attractive Joanna Barnes plays Jane and her scenes with Denny display a good on-screen chemistry. Until Bo Derek's version of "Tarzan The Apeman" in 1981, this Denny Miller entry was considered to be the worst in the genre. It is a pity however that it received so much negative criticism because despite the films inadequacies it still makes for enjoyable Tarzan entertainment. This 1959 version of "Tarzan The Apeman" is a real curiosity piece for fans and is definitely a worthy addition to any Tarzan collection. Unfortunately, to my knowledge, the film has not yet been made available on video or DVD but is does occasionally turn up on television, so if you're a Tarzan fan keep checking your local TV guide for details.