A new state-of-the-art digital transfer and reconstruction of one of the most popular serials of all time, in 10 chapters, tinted and with sound effects as presented in the re-release, and with a new musical score. This se... more »rial, a national sensation on its original release, has not been seen in serial form for many years. Adapted from the concluding chapters of Edgar Rice Burroughs' The Return of Tarzan, the serial's major players are Tarzan (Elmo Lincoln, in his second and final appearance as Tarzan), Jane (Louise Lorraine), Tarzan's arch enemy Rokoff and Queen La of Opar. Tarzan's companions are Tantor the elephant and two ape friends: a female called Ara and a male (from Opar) named Og. Tarzan, now allied with the French Secret Service, pursues his arch enemy, international criminal and blackmailer Rokoff (Frank Whitson) and his cohort, rogue French officer Gernot (George Momberg), who have come to Africa to plunder its treasures. Rokoff also steals from Tarzan the formula for a deadly gas and lusts after Jane (16 years old at the time of filming), complicating matters a great deal when he inscribes a map to the treasure room of the lost city of Opar on her back. After many adventures in the desert, jungle, and the city of Sagarone, the entire cast has it out in Opar under the eyes of Queen La (Lilian Worth), who wants Tarzan to lead her army of wild-men. Plenty of amazing stunts, earthquakes, fires, and deathtraps in this fast-paced serial involving live lions and other wild animals, and a memorable performance by the amazing vine-swinging, villain-bashing, chest-beating Elmo Lincoln, who had so much fun doing this he was willing to wrestle real lions onstage to promote the serial in 1921. Future Tarzan Frank Merrill appears in a "chorus" role in this serial as an Arab raider.« less
Harold W. Cornelius | Arlington VA USA | 02/25/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Previously seen only in a fuzzy VHS tape with canned background music, this restoration of most of the 15-episode Adventures of Tarzan is an outstanding production. Even the background music (tailored to the action) and sound effects fit in perfectly. The video restoration is as good as available materials permit, rough in spots but clearly using the best available materials for each scene.
Missing original material cuts this restoration to ten chapters, but great care has been taken to use intertitles which bridge the missing plot points. A thoroughly enjoyable experience - and although Lincoln doesn't look like a stereotypical Tarzan, he pulls off some amazing stunts.
This release shows great care and respect for the materials, an obvious labor of love, and is well worth adopting."
A long time coming
A. Relph | Kent,England, United Kingdom | 10/11/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I've been a Tarzan fan for 0ver 50 years. The books gripped me & when I was able to start buying the films I grabbed every opportunity. To actually lay hands on copies of the filmas made before I was conceived let alone born is a great feeling.
The film itself although by todays standards is old & hackneyed in fact hold up well. OK Elmo Lincoln is a bit too beefy as Tarzan & Louise Lorraine,very pretty, doesn't do a lot but she is the heroine of the times. The villains ARE villains & our hero we know will triumph. He's TARZAN of course he'll triumph!! The chapter endings even by serial standards were obvious & the 'escapes' even more so but this takes nothing away from the entertainment value. In fact in some cases it really enhances. Some cynics would say this is Hokum, well I've got news for them, So what! It's great to go back in time & see a real HERO. Long may Tarzan continue even in the 21st Century, to rule his jungle & save the damsels, beat the living daylights out of the bad guys. He's great no matter who plays him (except maybe Travis Fimmel. What were they thinking of???... Come back Denny Miller. Even he wasn't that lousy!!
Now if only the Gene Pollar & Dempsey Tabler/Kamuel Seearles Tarzans would surface then my cup would more than runneth over."
A long lost Tarzan treasure.....
D. McAndrew | Australia | 12/23/2008
(4 out of 5 stars)
"For many years this was a much sought after Tarzan cinematic treasure. Then gradually, grainy 4th and 5th generation video copies started to surface. Gradually, condensed versions gave way to actual serial versions but the picture quality remained pretty pathetic. Finally, this vintage serial has arrived on DVD with music and sound effects for good measure. As for the picture quality - amazingly, it by far surpasses the woeful video versions I used to own many years ago. For Tarzan fans and vintage serial fans this is actually enormously entertaining and well worth adding to one's collection. Many of the wild animal scenes still induce awe in young viewers. My only gripe was that this has been released on DVD-r and not actual DVD. Given that various reports have lamented the lack of durability of DVD-r as a collectable medium, it can only be hoped that the distributors will accept that they are charging quite a high price for this title and eventually do the right thing by consumers and make it available on actual DVD instead of the inferior DVD-r format."
A great adaptation of the Edgar Rice Burroughs book
Neal C. Reynolds | Indianapolis, Indiana | 04/18/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I have long complained that the Hollywood movies just haven't captured the spirit of the author's books, but I was amazed at how this silent version does justice to Burroughs in adapting the 2nd of the Tarzan books."
Tarzan
John Blankenship | Tacoma, WA. United States | 03/12/2010
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is the best Tarzan movie that Elmo Lincoln made because it tell of Tarzan beginning."