**This is a user-submitted post by Sebastian**
Back in the 90s, Disney created many great movies such as The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin and many more. Some people believed that no Disney movie could ever be as good as The Lion King when it comes to being a masterpiece. However in 1999, Disney released another masterpiece called Tarzan.
Tarzan was met with very positive reviews and was a box-office hit, which later would win three big awards: an Oscar and Golden Globe for best original song “You’ll Be in My Heart” and an Annie Award for Technical Achievement in the Field of Animation. The film also got two direct-to-video releases and a TV series. So after all that, why isn’t Tarzan included in the Disney Diamond Edition club? How come it’s been almost disregarded and pushed out by the Mouse House? Why is it such an underrated Disney movie nowadays when it’s so remarkable?
I’m not so sure why Disney largely ignores this film nowadays, but I still think the film’s worth highlighting. Without further adieu, here follows my five reasons why I love Tarzan.
1. The Story
Disney’s Tarzan has some of the most breathtaking, sad, romantic and hilarious moments in any Disney movie. It’s indeed one of the studio’s darker movies, but it’s not as dark as The Black Cauldron or even The Princess and the Frog. The movie starts off with a epic opening, which gets the audience really excited to see what’s going to happen next. The story is never slow and is always in action without being to rushed. It knows when to surprise it’s viewers and when to go in to emotions. Of any Disney movie Tarzan really has a story that doesn’t feel like a ripoff of other Disney movies and of it being loosely based on Edgar Burroughs books it really serves a original story that inspires people.
2. The Characters
The characters are without a doubt what makes this movie memorable as they are all very well developed in regards to personality and facial expression. First of all, Tarzan is one of the best Disney males ever created. His personality is very strong he can be shown as a jungle hero, but also a real softie with a strong heart. Jane is not a Mulan, but not a princess either. Jane is very relatable to other girls and show that you don’t have to be a princess to be an interesting and strong heroine. Tantor and Terk are among the funniest sidekicks that Disney has ever created and are absolutely as special as Timon and Pumbaa and the perfect comic reliefs with Mr Porter. Clayton may not be the best Disney villain, but at least he’s one that seems the realistic and someone who you could possibly run into. Kala and Kerchak are also beautiful characters. These parents really show emotions and depth after losing baby and the way Kerchak looks at Tarzan is so moving when we know his sad story.
3. The Score
Marc Mancina’s score in this film is one of the most epic scores Disney has ever produced and is still what makes Tarzan popular today. No matter how many times I listen to the music, it always feels new and fresh. The score has a distinctive African feel to it–not as much as The Lion King but just enough of a an African touch. Phil Collins wrote and performed absolutely beautiful songs for this movie; I don’t know about you, but for me, every time I listen to these songs I get goosebumps.
4. The Relationship of Tarzan and Kala
Kala’s scenes with Tarzan are just beautiful and very true to how a real mother cares for her child. Disney has created several poignant Disney mothers such as those of Bambi and Dumbo, but if there is one of the best moms they ever created it’s definitely Kala. Glenn Close did a great job as the voice for Kala. From the scene where she finds Tarzan in the tree house to the one where Tarzan decides to leave for London, her performance is both emotional and heartbreaking. The relationship these characters share are made with heart and is what makes Kala such a strong character.
5. The Animation
And last but not least, we can’t talk about Tarzan without discussing the beauty of its animation. It is amazing and really fits to the story. Disney made leaps and bounds regarding its animation technology and it definitely shows itself in this film. From Glen Keane’s strong character animation to the thrilling action sequences, the animation really sucks you into the story in a way that had never been done before. As an audience, we feel like we are the ones fighting a leopard or surfing in the trees along with Tarzan.
Overall Tarzan is for me the best Disney movies (along with The Lion King) ever created. There is no plot holes in the story and it’s not to rushed. I enjoy the characters and can relate to them. It has a beautiful score and is a breathtaking journey that I could watch over and over again.
