Twenty years ago on June 18th, 1999, Tarzan,Tantor and Terk stole our hearts and made us laugh in this epic Disney film.
To celebrate two decades of this compelling, action-packed story, here are 10 interesting facts about Disney’s Tarzan:
- Tarzan or Tony Hawk?
Source: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120855/trivia
Professional skateboarder Tony Hawk served as the model for Tarzan’s log-sliding maneuvers. Somebody get Hawk in the jungle.
- "You don't have to be a guy to be a best friend” - Producer Bonnie Arnold
Source: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120855/trivia
Rosie O’Donell beat out all of the male actors who auditioned for the role of Terk, ultimately changing Terk’s gender from male to female. You go, girl.
- That tea set looks familiar!
Source: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120855/trivia
The tea set at the explorer’s camp and the discussion between Tantor and Terk about them being alive are references to Mrs. Potts and Chip from Beauty and the Beast (1991).
- Stick to what you know, Goldwyn.
Source: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120855/trivia
Tarzan was supposed to speak with both an English accent and an American accent depending on whether he was speaking to humans or gorillas but Tony Goldwyn’s English accent was so bad, he just stuck to American for the entire movie.
- Don’t take history lessons from Disney.
Source: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120855/trivia
A little history mistake was made when Jane and her father want to take Tarzan to meet Rudyard Kipling, Queen Victoria and Charles Darwin even though it’s 1911 and Darwin and Victoria would have already been dead. Oops.
- To protect the jungle or to protect Gotham?
Source: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120855/trivia
Ben Affleck and Christian Bale each had a chance to play Tarzan. They may not have suited Tarzan but both ended up being chosen for another animal-based role: Batman.
- A New Era
Source: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120855/trivia
The revolutionary “Deep Canvas” was created for this movie which lets 2-D characters move through 3-D environments.
- Phil Collins is a one-man show.
Source: https://ohmy.disney.com/movies/2016/04/11/10-things-you-didnt-know-about-tarzan/
Songwriter Phil Collins went wild in the music studio smashing, clashing and thumping things to create all of the chaotic sounds in “Thrashin’ the Camp.”
- An opening sequence you’ll always remember - for a reason.
Source: https://ohmy.disney.com/movies/2016/04/11/10-things-you-didnt-know-about-tarzan/
The opening sequence of Tarzan is so captivating because it took filmmakers three years to decide on it. It definitely paid off.
- Tarzan is realistically swole.
Source: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120855/trivia
An anatomy professor helped Disney animators draw Tarzan’s muscular physique so it would be as plausible as possible.
Twenty years later, Tarzan is still an excellent story with a killer soundtrack (thanks, Phil Collins). Which fact did you find most interesting?