Reflection on Tarzan (1999)

Tarzan has got to be one of my favorite non-Pixar Disney films. Phil Collins' and Mark Mancina's music really seals its position high up. It is hard not to enjoy such fun music that works so well with the film. Even with the music aside, the film is very fun. Watching Tarzan glide down the trees or swing from the branches just makes me smile. 

One aspect I did not like of the film was the lack of backstory of Jane, Professor Porter, and Clayton. I do not understand why that group travelled together. Jane's and Professor Porter's research seemed innocent. They appeared to want to leave little trace there and not disturb the gorillas. In fact, their research could have had a net positive. Clayton, however, seemed to only want to kill the gorillas. He is described by wikipedia as their hunter-guide. Why would Jane and Professor Porter want to take a hunter-guide with them. If they wanted to protect the animals, shouldn't they have chosen just a guide? I suppose this is done for the story of it all, but it feels silly.

I thought it was very funny when Tarzan found the bullet shell and proceeded to instinctually smell and lick it. Of course he would not know what that is. He has no experience with anything similar to it, and I suppose that is what many people (maybe just the smelling) and animals would do in that situation. That scene really solidified his upbringing that is foreign to the viewers.

The scene where Tarzan asked Kerchak why he is scared of anyone who is different from him was interesting. Generally when people consider close-mindedness in this film, it is targeting Clayton. However, this line targeted Kerchak as the close-minded one. His close-mindedness is not unreasonable. Hunters like Clayton pose a direct threat to his tribe of monkeys, but he would not know that immediately. I would even expect him to be more open-minded as his son is a human.

The ends of Disney films are often the most objectionable for me. For example, in The Little Mermaid, I find Ariel's departure from her family and life into the human world to be ridiculous. I am conflicted over Tarzan's initial decision to go back to England with Jane. While I understand his desire to experience his and others' humanity, he would be leaving behind his life and family. Then, I was puzzled by Jane's decision to stay in the jungle. While she would get to learn more about the gorillas that she was studying, she was leaving her life behind solely for the sake of Tarzan. This, like Ariel, seems quite rash. Her father's encouragement and consequent following made it happier and less objectionable.

The villain, Clayton, does not seem as pure evil as many of the other Disney villains. He is a hunter. Hunters kill animals. While I haven't heard of monkey hunting (maybe because I don't live near monkeys), hunting is a somewhat decent thing. However, his treatment of Tarzan is very wrong. Tarzan (along with the gorillas) does not deserve the inhumane treatment.

Overall Tarzan is a great film, with very few aspects that I do not like.