Analysis of Disney's Tarzan

   Disney's 1999 version of Tarzan was one of my favorite movies growing up. I went through a period of two years in which I insisted everyone call me Jane of the Jungle when I was climbing trees. I was hoping that watching this movie as an adult would not ruin the nostalgia for me. As a child, all I wanted to do was travel and explore the world around me. I remember, as I watched this movie, that I wanted to see the jungles in this movie for myself. I know I thought the movie was funny and I liked the songs. Apart from that, I don't remember any specific thoughts or feelings I had while watching the movie.
 
   Tarzan follows a classic Disney plot- child is orphaned due to tragic circumstances and is ostracized as a result. Unlike other Disney movies, in which the main character is treated poorly by other people and forced to overcome the circumstances, Tarzan has no memory of other humans and is raised in the wild. The film glosses over the fact that Tarzan does not feel as if he truly belongs, though he does find solace in a few friends who don't quite fit in, as well. When he's older, Tarzan discovers Jane, Clayton and Jane's father on an expedition in the jungle. He eventually falls in love with Jane and they grow closer and they both learn many things from one another. Eventually, after a series of events, Jane decides to stay in the jungle with Tarzan and they live happily ever after.  
 

   There is no blatant racism in this film. However, there is definitely no diversity or representation of  any race other than Caucasian. Even among the voice actors, there is hardly any diversity. The only actor who is not white had a small role and played an animal, not a human. Additionally, he was a villain, which may promote the idea that people who are not white are not only unimportant, but evil as well. Arguably, a child will most likely not be able to recognize the race of a voice actor, however, it would have been beneficial to include representation of other races, cultures, and ethnicity in the film. The lack of diversity makes it difficult for children who are not white to see the value in their race, ethnicity and uniqueness. 

   There is some sexism in the film, as well. Jane was betrothed to a man she did not want to be and was discouraged from adventuring because she was perceived as weak. In the end, however, she did get to make her own decision and stay in the jungle, however, it was not without much discouragement from the people around her. Though she was portrayed as courageous and adventurous, a definite departure from the classic Disney woman, she still needs to be rescued by Tarzan often. She cannot take care of herself and needs the men in her life to keep her safe. Additionally, the way in which Tarzan was depicted only promotes the over-masculinized view of men. He grunts, and has an insane amount of muscles, and does not display a wide array of emotions. Only depicting a man in such a barbaric way as this can be just as damaging to young boys as only showing women in weak, submissive roles is to girls.

      Tarzan was an instant hit for families across the world, however, not everyone was impressed with the film. Lewis Beale, a journalist for The Spokesman-Review, noted that "movie goers won't see- even though the movie takes place in Africa- any black people (Beale, 1999). He goes on to say that this particular story of Tarzan perpetuates the idea that all of Africa's problems can be solved by a white man. Others have noted that Tarzan may not be as bad as other Disney movies have been, however, it is still far from perfect. Some argue that Tarzan preaches a story of white supremacy to children because of the absence of any other race in the film (Brockus, 2001). 

   All in all, Tarzan is lacking in several areas. There is significantly less sexism in the film, however, Jane is still a damsel in distress in multiple instances throughout the film. There does not appear to be any blatant racism in the film, however, the lack of diversity may suggest the notion that races, other than white, are simply less important. The film is much better than past Disney films, yet it is still lacking in major ways. 

Beale, Lewis. (1999, June 30). "Walt Disney's Tarzan target of many minority complaints." Retrieved from: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1314&dat=19990630&id=6LFhAAAAIBAJ&sjid=MvIDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4835,6827624&hl=en 

Brockus, Susan. (2000). "Where the Magic Lives: Disney's Cultivation, Co-Creation, and Control of America's Cultural Objects."Popular Communication. p. 191-211.

Buck, Chris (Director). Tarzan (motion picture). United States: Walt Disney Studios. 1999.