- Actors: Christopher Lambert, Andie MacDowell, Ralph Richardson, Ian Holm, James Fox
- Directors: Hugh Hudson
- Writers: Edgar Rice Burroughs, Michael Austin, Robert Towne
- Producers: Hugh Hudson, Garth Thomas, Stanley S. Canter
- Language English
- Classification: PG
- Studio: Warner
- VHS Release Date: 16 Aug 1993
- Run Time: 135 minutes
- Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
- ASIN: B00004CJ67
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 2,346 in Video (See Top 100 in Video)
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
For me this is the definitive Tarzan film, no other adaptation of the Edgar Rice Burrows books comes anywhere near and for pure authenticity reasons alone this film is a superb version.
What, I think, makes the film so good is its very subtle, almost subdued angle on the Tarzan legend. There's no beating of the chest and vine swinging acrobatics. There's no wrestling with crocodiles or "Me Tarzan, You Jane!" dialogue. Instead it takes a very realistic approach, giving real thought to how a human raised by apes might behave. It is also a very obvious forerunner of the some of ecological thoughts that we now take as part of everyday life. Who is the savage in the film? The Apes or the Victorian population? Is our society really any advanced from the wild in terms of respect for others or in terms of cruelty?
The performances of the various actors are with one exception, superb. Christopher Lambert was perfectly cast as the taciturn, sad eyed Tarzan. He brings gentle steel to the role and he virtual "unknown-ness" at this point in his career was a boon. Ian Holm is likewise excellent as the explorer who finds Tarzan, Phillippe D'Arnot. Ralph Richardson quite possibly steals the show with such a tenderhearted performance as the Earl of Greystoke and fully deserved his posthumous nomination for an Oscar. As I say the one blimp on the landscape is that of Andie MacDowell. I scratch my head every time I see her in any lead role and still cannot for the life of me figure out why she has had such a successful career, even though nowadays we mostly see her in the advert breaks! It's not surprising her voice was dubbed over by Glenn Close, it's just a shame she wasn't replaced totally.
One final plaudit for the film is the superb costumes and actions of the apes. Obviously if the film were remade today these whole sequences would be film with CGI brilliance, but never the less the most incredible life like suits and the brilliant mimicking of primate actions has stood the test of time fantastically well.
10 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
One of the most popular figures of (pulp)fiction and the movies was finally taken seriously in 1984's epic Greystoke. Having read all 24 books- more than once- and grown up on the B-movie Tarzans fron Johnny Weissmuller to Mike Henry, and not forgetting the 6os TV Tarzan Ron Ely, I remember how excited I was when the Greystoke project was announced. Was I happy with the result? Well yes and no. The film looks fantastic - the jungle scenes are atmospheric and beautifully filmed. The apes were a revelation and still look good today despite the onset of CGI effects. Christopher Lambert was supremely well cast in the title role, a good decision to move away from the muscle-bound image of the character, and he brilliantly portrays the central dilemna of a man caught between two very different worlds. Best of all is Sir Ralph Richardson, in his last screen role, as Lord Greystoke - Tarzan's grandfather. My only reservation really was the overriding bleakness of the film. Tarzan is orphaned early on,loses his ape mother to hunters' arrows, his grandfather and his ape father. Apart from Tarzan, Jane, D'Arnot and Lord Greystoke everyone seems particularly dislikeable, selfish and seedy as "civilisation" is found wanting alongside the lore of the wild. It all becomes rather over-wrought and melodramatic. That said, I would heartily recommend the film as it raises the story to a higher level and tackles some weighty ideas. Having waited so long for its tranfer to DVD it is a pity that so few extras are included. The film is the same as the theatrical cut, and that which was available on video, despite extra scenes being available including an alternative ending. The audio commentary is amiable enough, if rather self-congratulatory, but rather technical - more anecdotal stuff would have been good. No mention of Andi McDowell's voice being dubbed by Glenn Close - is this just a malicious rumour? No booklet, no history of Tarzan in the movies, No "making of" - a wasted opportunity. I'd give the film 4 stars, but the DVD only 3.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
A GREAT CLASSIC VERSION OF THE TARZAN STORY.
I TOOK MY STEP SON TO VISIT GREYSTOKE HOUSE IN THE LAKE DISTRICT A FEW WEEKS AGO, I AM NOT SURE IF ITS THE RIGHT GREYSTOKE, BUT IT MADE ME TELL HIM THE LEGEND AND STORY OF TARZAN, HE IS 10 AND HAD NEVER SEEN THIS MOVIE, AND KNEW VERY LITTLE ABOUT THE STORY, SO I BOUGHT THE DVD. HE LOVED IT, JUST AS MUCH AS I DID WHEN I FIRST SAW IT. ALSO AS WE HAD VISITED THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM IN LONDON LAST SUMMER, IT WAS ALL VERY RELIVENT.
A FAB FILM, FOR ALL THE FAMILY TO ENJOY, IT HAS AGED FAIRLY WELL, AND IS A GREAT YARN TO BE ENJOYED ON A WET SUNDAY INFRONT OF THE FIRE.
I TOOK MY STEP SON TO VISIT GREYSTOKE HOUSE IN THE LAKE DISTRICT A FEW WEEKS AGO, I AM NOT SURE IF ITS THE RIGHT GREYSTOKE, BUT IT MADE ME TELL HIM THE LEGEND AND STORY OF TARZAN, HE IS 10 AND HAD NEVER SEEN THIS MOVIE, AND KNEW VERY LITTLE ABOUT THE STORY, SO I BOUGHT THE DVD. HE LOVED IT, JUST AS MUCH AS I DID WHEN I FIRST SAW IT. ALSO AS WE HAD VISITED THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM IN LONDON LAST SUMMER, IT WAS ALL VERY RELIVENT.
A FAB FILM, FOR ALL THE FAMILY TO ENJOY, IT HAS AGED FAIRLY WELL, AND IS A GREAT YARN TO BE ENJOYED ON A WET SUNDAY INFRONT OF THE FIRE.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Greystoke - The Legend of Tarzan Lord Of The Apes [1983]
I have been wanting to add this to my collection of DVDs for some time and just never got round to it - now I have and I am not disappointed. Read more
Published 1 month ago by D. McFarlane
Greystoke
i love this film ,i still get upset set when i watch it ,a good family film ,but not for to young children as might grt upset ,but a great film
Published 2 months ago by smkybo
Dated Very Badly
I went to see this when it first came out because I had grown up loving the Johnny Weissmuller films (particularly the original MGM classics) but I was ready for it to be adapted... Read more
Published 20 months ago by Numinous Ugo
Two films in One
Other reviewers have commented that this is the most faithful adaptation of the original book to have appeared on screen, and I won't argue with that, never having read it. Read more
Published 24 months ago by J. Rottweiller Swinburne
Tarzan of Greystoke, Christopher Lambert DVD
Christopher Lambert is amazing in this fantasy film, the whole film was believable and very enjoyable, I especially like his 'ape' antics.
Published on 19 Feb 2010 by H. Meacock
greystoke , the tarzan legend
I'm surprised as I've been shopping with Amazon for about two Years ( Britain and US as well ) and have NEVER had any problem . Read more
Published on 3 Jan 2010 by Winston Smith
complain
I'M SO DISAPOINTED!!
I ordered the DVD 'The Lord of Greystoke? the 2nd of NOVEMBER. I asked for it a couple of times and I haven't got it yet. Read more
I ordered the DVD 'The Lord of Greystoke? the 2nd of NOVEMBER. I asked for it a couple of times and I haven't got it yet. Read more
Published on 11 Dec 2009 by Maria Jesus Arraiza
highly under rated
this for my money is the best tarzan adaption. here treated like a literary novel source as opposed to the pulp of its origins. Read more
Published on 29 Jun 2005 by steppes
Wonderful
This is the only "true" adaptation from the book. There is no swinging between vine ropes, no arrrrrrghhhhh arrrrrrrrghhhhhhh, no "Cheater the Chimp", no "Me Tarzan you Jane" and... Read more
Published on 30 Oct 2004 by Ward-Minter
good monkey-acting by Lambert
This is one of the best Tarzan movies. Good filming with little special effects. Apes look very real. Also good monkey-acting by Lambert. Read more
Published on 28 Mar 2001
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