Tarzan
Director: Chris Buck, Kevin Lima
Cast: Tony Goldwyn, Glenn Close, Minnie Driver, Lance Henriksen, Rosie O’Donnell, Alex D. Linz, Brian Blessed, Nigel Hawthorne, Wayne Knight
At long last, we come to Tarzan, the final jewel in the Disney Renaissance. The story follows the journey of Tarzan, an orphan growing up in the jungle of Africa who must ultimately face a difficult choice between joining the human world and finding his identity as a man or remaining with the family of gorillas who have adopted him as their own.
There is an intimate and powerful theme in “Tarzan” that illustrates the connection of hands with Tarzan’s understanding of his identity.
When a beautiful gorilla, named Kala (Glenn Close), finds Tarzan as an infant, their hands touch as she is holding him. When Kala sees the likeness in their hands, her mother-heart accepts the child, whom she later names Tarzan, and adopts him as her own son. When Tarzan and Kala are at the river and she is comforting him, she puts her hand against his again. This time, she is illustrating the similarities between them and showing him that they are the same, despite their appearances being different. When Tarzan meets Jane for the first time, he presses his hand to hers. When their hands entwine together, Tarzan realizes he is truly human and not a gorilla. This moment is significant because it marks the breaking of Tarzan’s established identity and renders him confused and desperate to learn the truth about his character. When Jane and her father are leaving, her glove flies off in the wind and returns to Tarzan on the beach. When Jane chooses to return to Tarzan, she and Tarzan share a tender moment and their hands entwined again. When Jane meets Kala, she places her hand in Kala’s, thus illustrating that Jane is accepted into Tarzan’s gorilla clan and they are truly one family.
One of the strongest themes in Tarzan is acceptance. The struggle for acceptance is shown when Kerchak, the leader of the gorilla family, first encounters Tarzan as a baby when Kala rescues the child from Sabor, the leopardess. The devastating loss of his own child to this same deadly foe makes Kerchak reluctant to accept Tarzan as his son because the pain in his own heart as he mourns his lost son is still too new. As Tarzan grows up, his repeated attempts to win his adopted father’s respect and affection are met only with failure, as Kerchak remains resolute that Tarzan would never be accepted into his clan. When Tarzan rises to protect Kerchak from an attack by Sabor and defeats the enemy that brought them both so much pain, the ice around Kerchak’s heart begins to melt. When Tarzan saves Kerchak’s life a second time, Kerchak is finally able to acknowledge that Tarzan is truly his son.
Another form of acceptance which is illustrated in the movie is Tarzan’s own struggle to accept his identity as a person of both worlds and not just one. As a child, Tarzan struggles to establish his identity as a gorilla and find acceptance with his family. While this proves to be impossible with his father and the other gorillas, Tarzan’s acceptance from his wise and caring mother, Kala, and his sassy cousin, Terk, gives him the identity that he so desperately yearns for. When Tarzan encounters Jane, the integrity of his identity is shattered, and he struggles to understand who is truly is. His heart belongs with his gorilla family, but his curiosity draws him closer to the strange world of humans. Ultimately, Tarzan realizes that his identity is that of a man living in two very different worlds, and at the end of his journey, he finds the acceptance he has been searching for.
Following in the path of other extraordinary Renaissance films, Tarzan was recognized by the world as being a truly exceptional animated masterpiece. The film won an Oscar at the 2000 Academy Awards for Best Music – Original Song for Phil Collins (You will Be in My Heart) and went on to win a Golden Globe for Best Original Song – Motion Picture for Phil Collins (also for You will Be in My Heart). This song is significant because it illustrates the love that entwines Tarzan and his mother, Kala. When Kala is comforting her new son at the beginning of their journey, she sings him a lullaby, and the lyrics promise that Kala will always be there to love and protect Tarzan and their bond will remain, because he will be in her heart for always. When Tarzan chooses to go with Jane and her father to the civilized world of England, rather than remaining in the jungle, he tells his mother that no matter where he goes, she will always be his mother. As the two share a hug, Kala promises her son that he will always be in her heart.
Finally, the journey I have taken with the Disney Renaissance series has come full circle and the chain which began with The Little Mermaid has been made whole by Tarzan. It began and ended with a woman running out of the ocean and into the arms of the man she loves, and I find myself becoming emotional as I write the final words of a truly extraordinary series. While the unique quality of the story makes Tarzan unique from other Disney animated films, the stunning animation, exceptional casting, and truly profound message make this film extraordinary.
Thank you, dear readers, for following me on this journey.
© 2023 Keriane Kellogg. All rights reserved.
Director: Chris Buck, Kevin Lima
Cast: Tony Goldwyn, Glenn Close, Minnie Driver, Lance Henriksen, Rosie O’Donnell, Alex D. Linz, Brian Blessed, Nigel Hawthorne, Wayne Knight
At long last, we come to Tarzan, the final jewel in the Disney Renaissance. The story follows the journey of Tarzan, an orphan growing up in the jungle of Africa who must ultimately face a difficult choice between joining the human world and finding his identity as a man or remaining with the family of gorillas who have adopted him as their own.
There is an intimate and powerful theme in “Tarzan” that illustrates the connection of hands with Tarzan’s understanding of his identity.
When a beautiful gorilla, named Kala (Glenn Close), finds Tarzan as an infant, their hands touch as she is holding him. When Kala sees the likeness in their hands, her mother-heart accepts the child, whom she later names Tarzan, and adopts him as her own son. When Tarzan and Kala are at the river and she is comforting him, she puts her hand against his again. This time, she is illustrating the similarities between them and showing him that they are the same, despite their appearances being different. When Tarzan meets Jane for the first time, he presses his hand to hers. When their hands entwine together, Tarzan realizes he is truly human and not a gorilla. This moment is significant because it marks the breaking of Tarzan’s established identity and renders him confused and desperate to learn the truth about his character. When Jane and her father are leaving, her glove flies off in the wind and returns to Tarzan on the beach. When Jane chooses to return to Tarzan, she and Tarzan share a tender moment and their hands entwined again. When Jane meets Kala, she places her hand in Kala’s, thus illustrating that Jane is accepted into Tarzan’s gorilla clan and they are truly one family.
One of the strongest themes in Tarzan is acceptance. The struggle for acceptance is shown when Kerchak, the leader of the gorilla family, first encounters Tarzan as a baby when Kala rescues the child from Sabor, the leopardess. The devastating loss of his own child to this same deadly foe makes Kerchak reluctant to accept Tarzan as his son because the pain in his own heart as he mourns his lost son is still too new. As Tarzan grows up, his repeated attempts to win his adopted father’s respect and affection are met only with failure, as Kerchak remains resolute that Tarzan would never be accepted into his clan. When Tarzan rises to protect Kerchak from an attack by Sabor and defeats the enemy that brought them both so much pain, the ice around Kerchak’s heart begins to melt. When Tarzan saves Kerchak’s life a second time, Kerchak is finally able to acknowledge that Tarzan is truly his son.
Another form of acceptance which is illustrated in the movie is Tarzan’s own struggle to accept his identity as a person of both worlds and not just one. As a child, Tarzan struggles to establish his identity as a gorilla and find acceptance with his family. While this proves to be impossible with his father and the other gorillas, Tarzan’s acceptance from his wise and caring mother, Kala, and his sassy cousin, Terk, gives him the identity that he so desperately yearns for. When Tarzan encounters Jane, the integrity of his identity is shattered, and he struggles to understand who is truly is. His heart belongs with his gorilla family, but his curiosity draws him closer to the strange world of humans. Ultimately, Tarzan realizes that his identity is that of a man living in two very different worlds, and at the end of his journey, he finds the acceptance he has been searching for.
Following in the path of other extraordinary Renaissance films, Tarzan was recognized by the world as being a truly exceptional animated masterpiece. The film won an Oscar at the 2000 Academy Awards for Best Music – Original Song for Phil Collins (You will Be in My Heart) and went on to win a Golden Globe for Best Original Song – Motion Picture for Phil Collins (also for You will Be in My Heart). This song is significant because it illustrates the love that entwines Tarzan and his mother, Kala. When Kala is comforting her new son at the beginning of their journey, she sings him a lullaby, and the lyrics promise that Kala will always be there to love and protect Tarzan and their bond will remain, because he will be in her heart for always. When Tarzan chooses to go with Jane and her father to the civilized world of England, rather than remaining in the jungle, he tells his mother that no matter where he goes, she will always be his mother. As the two share a hug, Kala promises her son that he will always be in her heart.
Finally, the journey I have taken with the Disney Renaissance series has come full circle and the chain which began with The Little Mermaid has been made whole by Tarzan. It began and ended with a woman running out of the ocean and into the arms of the man she loves, and I find myself becoming emotional as I write the final words of a truly extraordinary series. While the unique quality of the story makes Tarzan unique from other Disney animated films, the stunning animation, exceptional casting, and truly profound message make this film extraordinary.
Thank you, dear readers, for following me on this journey.
© 2023 Keriane Kellogg. All rights reserved.