If Disney’s Tarzan has 100 fans, I’m one of them; if it has only one fan, it's me; and if there are no fans of the animated movie on Earth, then neither am I. That’s how much I love the movie, even 25 years later.
The last in Disney’s so-called “Renaissance” era, Tarzan follows the titular character, a human orphan, as he grows up under the care of gorilla Kala. When a British expedition enters the jungle, Tarzan encounters humans for the first time and discovers that he is one of them. As he gets closer to Jane, Tarzan struggles between staying with the family he’s known his entire life or returning to the human world.
The animated movie went on to become the fifth highest-grossing movie of 1999 and domestically is the fourth most profitable of the era, which included ten original animated films. And yet, it’s hardly ever recognized by Disney fans and often gets overlooked when audiences look back on the best movies of the ‘90s. Even worse, the Mouse House rarely acknowledges its existence — going as far as retheming the Disneyland treehouse, which was the only Tarzan attraction in any of the parks.
The lack of appreciation ends now—at least, I hope it will once I outline why Tarzan is one of my favorite animated movies of all time.
It’s A Reminder That Families Come In All Shapes, Sizes, And Species
Many of the Disney Renaissance movies and animated movies, in general, focus on family in some way. For Disney, that often involves the loss of a parent, while other franchises use the family unit to build obstacles for the main characters. Both of those are evident in Tarzan, and the movie takes things a step further by really showing that a family can and should look different for everyone.
At the start of the movie, Tarzan comes from a traditional human family. He has a father and a mother, and they clearly love him, as evidenced by their willingness to sacrifice themselves to save him. After their death, he gets adopted by Kala, a grieving gorilla mother, who loves and raises him as if he is her own. Kala doesn’t let the fact that she didn’t birth him or the fact that he’s not even a gorilla get in the way of how much she loves him. Even though the gorillas around her might not say otherwise, Tarzan is her son.
On the human side of things, you have Jane and her father, Professor Archimedes Q. Porter, who appears to be the only parental figure in her life. While it’s not uncommon for a Disney character to only have a father, what was different is that Jane and her father don’t ever disagree the way other father-daughter Disney duos do.
And then theirs the platonic family unit of the film between Tarzan, Terk, and Tantor. Despite their differences in species and personalities, these three love and rely on each other just like related families do.
It’s Visually Stunning And Pushed The Boundaries Of 2D Animation
Despite being 25 years old, Tarzan is still just as visually stunning as it was when I first fell in love with the movie as a kid. The film also incorporated brand-new 3D technologies with traditional 2D animation. In this instance, the 3D elements were used to build gorgeous forest backgrounds.
Beyond that, the movie does a tremendous job playing with shadows and light. I still find myself thinking about the dark and chilling moment Clayton falls to his death and the reveal that happens in the shadows when thunder strikes.
It Takes You On A Perfect Emotional Rollercoaster
Disney movies and animated movies in general always seem to find a way to thread the needle between comedic and dramatic moments, but I’d argue Tarzan helped set the standard for the stories we are told nowadays in the genre.
The opening sequence backs an emotional punch as we watch Tarzan’s parents jump from a burning ship and begin to rebuild their lives in the jungle. And then it all comes crashing down when they are killed by Sabor. It’s impossible not to cry in the first few minutes, and it definitely deserves a spot on the most heartbreaking moments in animation history.
While there are several more gut-wrenching moments in the movie — like when Kala is captured by Clayton’s men — the movie also has several joyous and downright hilarious moments too. Minnie Driver’s delivery of “and daddy he took my boot” when she recounts being chased by monkeys to her father always makes me laugh, as does baby Tantor questioning how sanitary the water is before getting in. And then there’s the entire “Trashin’ the Camp” song and scene that captures the animals’s awestruck wonder of ordinary human items like pots and pans.
Tarzan even manages to throw a love story in its plot as we watch his relationship with Jane slowly bloom into something serious. Watching them connect for the first time when their hands touch might be one of the most romantic Disney scenes of all time.
It’s a romance, a drama, a comedy, and an adventure film all rolled into one.
Phil Collins’ Score Speaks For Itself
While the movie might not get a lot of praise for its story, Disney fans have always been adamant that it has one of the best scores and soundtracks of all time, especially of the Renaissance era. There’s no arguing that Phil Collins absolutely knocked it out of the park when he created the music for Tarzan.
Just like the plot that has something for everyone, the soundtrack is no different. There are emotional ballads that I can’t listen to without full-on sobbing — I’m Looking at you, “You’ll Be In My Heart.” And then there are empowering songs like “Son of Man” that make me feel like I can do the impossible.
Not everyone will share my passion that Disney’s Tarzan is one of the best animated movies, but they rarely ever try to argue with me over how iconic the soundtrack is. But maybe I’ve convinced a few people to come to my side after reading this. At the very least, I hope I’ve convinced you to rewatch the movie, which you can stream with an active Disney+ subscription.
