24 replies to this topic

[deuce]

One hundred years ago this month, Edgar Rice Burroughs' Tarzan of the Apes saw print in All-Story Magazine. We don't have a general thread on Tarzan. We need one.

Why? Firstly,we know Robert E. Howard owned Tarzan of the Apes and five other Tarzan novels. When REH died, there had been nineteen published. In the opinion of several Howard scholars, REH very likely read plenty more Tarzans than we know from his bookshelf.

Secondly, Tarzan is/was, without a doubt, an inspiration for many of the other authors we celebrate on this fine forum. Leiber? Yeah. Moorcock? Oh yeah. Brackett? Definitely. Vance, Stirling, Farmer and Crichton? "Yes" to all of them as well.

In my honest opinion, neither Kull nor Conan would exist (as we know them) without there first being Tarzan (the topic of another thread).

When all is said and done, though, "influence" is secondary. The Tarzan novels (on the whole) are great reads. Vivid, exciting cultures. Rampant violence. Beautiful women. Often, sly social commentary (something REH did as well) that never slows down the head-long narrative.

Tarzan (even moreso than Conan) is the ULTIMATE "Outsider". Never totally part of any culture (or species, for that matter), the Lord of the Jungle dominates wherever he strides. Utterly self-sufficient, Tarzan goes where he wills, like the beast of prey that he is.

I was laid up early last summer. A flood wiped out 80% of my books. My ERB hardcovers (including Tarzan of the Apes) were wiped out, but all the paperbacks survived. I reread sixteen Tarzans (it'd been a LONG time). Still kick-a$$.

There's plenty of cool stuff going on in connection with Tarzan's Centennial. For one thing, a US postage stamp. A new comic strip. A huge commemorative coffee-table tome. A special Library of America edition of Tarzan of the Apes with intro by esteemed author/critic, Thomas Mallon.

So, I hope to see other Tarzan fans posting on this thread about the tales, the art (and even the TV shows and movies).

[Michael Miko]

I don't have time right now to really make a comment due to working on a pre-production project for a proposal for a possible TV series. But I can say Tarzan was a huge part of my childhood since I was old enough to watch TV back in the very early 70's. My Dad has always loved watching those old Tarzan movies and at that time we were lucky to get two to three channels if the antenna was in just the right position. I remember before I started Kindergarten I would put on shorts with nothing else on and a play rubber knife and go outside to "play" Tarzan. I used to "play" being the Lone Ranger, Batman, Robin Hood and even Conan as well.

Lots of great memories. Then as I got older my Dad had all the Tarzan books up to that time and I read them hungrily.

Tarzan rocks, period. He set the standard.

[johnnypt]

Like most people, my first exposure to Tarzan was the Johnny Weissmuller films. In NY, for some reason, Channel 2 had the later films, Channel 5 had the MGM ones except for Tarzan the Ape Man, which was on Channel 9 (and rarely shown). Where we were in NJ, we also got the Philly stations, so by turning the antenna just right, I could also watch the Ron Ely series on Channel 17. I thought it was strange to have Tarzan talking normally.

I had to do a book report in seventh grade and while in a bookstore, they had all the Ballantines set up in one of the wire endcaps. So I gravitated to the first one, though the fourth one looked really cool. Both had the Neal Adams covers, those helped complete the sale. After reading Tarzan of the Apes, it took another year or so before I went on a tear hunting down the other 23. The toughest one to get a hold of was Tarzan At The Earth's Core. I did have the Ace version in my hands at one point but didn't like the cover (didn't know it was Frazetta at the time). The first ten are the class of the series. The ones from the mid 20s to mid 30s do get a little repetitive plotwise, but as you go through one by one, there's at least something to recommend each of them, a little twist or take on a subject.

Tarzan was definitely one of my gateways to Conan. I'd love for someone to really do a somewhat faithful adaptation of at least the first two books. The early Tarzans did at least try to stick to them, though we can't see how well for some of them considering how many are lost. I haven't been able to find out much about the approach the one due in 2014 or so is taking. I hope the try to stick to the roots of the character, though you wonder if John Carter would scare people off from doing that. I still think there's a way to do it, a character is not going to stick around for 100 years unless it transcends the era when it was created.

[Ironhand]

Back when I was in 3rd or 4th grade, I gave book report after book report on Tarzan books until my teacher asked me to stop. Then I had to start reading boring stuff, as I had not yet discovered Conan.

Edited by Ironhand, 24 October 2012 - 04:23 AM.

[deuce]

I can say Tarzan was a huge part of my childhood since I was old enough to watch TV back in the very early 70's. My Dad has always loved watching those old Tarzan movies and at that time we were lucky to get two to three channels if the antenna was in just the right position. I remember before I started Kindergarten I would put on shorts with nothing else on and a play rubber knife and go outside to "play" Tarzan. I used to "play" being the Lone Ranger, Batman, Robin Hood and even Conan as well.

Lots of great memories. Then as I got older my Dad had all the Tarzan books up to that time and I read them hungrily.

Tarzan rocks, period. He set the standard.

Agreed.

I'm not sure I ever saw a full Tarzan movie or TV show when I was a kid. I got my start at the Oswego Public Library with Jewels of Opar (Abbett cover). At the age of eight, I pretty much went straight from Curious George to Burroughs.

[cromsblood]

I saw an almost complete set of Ballantines for sale earlier this year and scooped them up. First time reading the stories, and they really are a lot of fun. Whenever the Conan vs Tarzan conversation came up, I always thought Conan hands down (with my limited and tainted knowledge of Tarzan), now I'm leaning towards Tarzan, He is one tough mutha.

[deuce]

I saw an almost complete set of Ballantines for sale earlier this year and scooped them up. First time reading the stories, and they really are a lot of fun. Whenever the Conan vs Tarzan conversation came up, I always thought Conan hands down (with my limited and tainted knowledge of Tarzan), now I'm leaning towards Tarzan, He is one tough mutha.

Welcome to the tribe, Cromsblood!

One example of the Ape-Man's toughness is the "vulture episode" from Tarzan the Untamed. I pointed out several years ago that REH recapitulated that scene in A Witch Shall Be Born (Milius did so again in CtB82). Turns out Charles Saunders wrote an article about it 30yrs ago:

http://www.reindeerm...mouthful_1.html

One tough mutha.

[Michael Miko]

I saw an almost complete set of Ballantines for sale earlier this year and scooped them up. First time reading the stories, and they really are a lot of fun. Whenever the Conan vs Tarzan conversation came up, I always thought Conan hands down (with my limited and tainted knowledge of Tarzan), now I'm leaning towards Tarzan, He is one tough mutha.

One tough mutha.

Thats why I said... Tarzan set the standard. In some ways other characters created after him are derivative. Its amazing how much Tarzan resonates even with those that are not die-hard fans but casual/passing fans. He is iconic even with those that have never read a Tarzan book. Conan is almost reaching that resonance as well.

When I have to do something that requires getting something done or wanting to fight... I say "I am going Conan on them/it" and they understand the reference.

Tarzan was a huge part of my childhood and I am grateful it was and ERB was a giant... He created an actual legend that all creators stand upon his shoulders.

[cromsblood]

Welcome to the tribe, Cromsblood!

Thanks Deuce! (and for the Saunders link, interesting read.)

I'm only a few books in, but just wanted to add one observation - I'm finding the stories much more engaging when Tarzan isn't out of his element. Sure there's plenty of action when he's among civilized folk, but it seems like ERB really cranks it up a notch when Tarzan is in the jungle.

[Arthyron]

I owe a great debt to my father for introducing me to pulp fiction through ERB's "Tarzan of the Apes." He actually had an original edition from the turn of the century that still had all the original text, the dialect segments, all the stuff that was edited out or abridged in later versions. Something about ERB's (and later Howard's, maybe because it resembled ERB's) writing struck a very deep chord with me. I think that's where the "primal man" in me first awoke.

Despite its flaws, "Tarzan of the Apes" remains one of my favorite books of all time.

[Libaax]

Im not avoiding Tarzan after i truly enjoyed John Carter books. I have always avoided Tarzan because the whole idea annoyed the hell out of me for natural post colonial reasons.

I have seen few Tarzan films and only silly kid films with him fighting gorillas or something. How is villain wise? Who does he fight in the books? Does he go back to England like in that Christopher Lambert film?

Questions i have never wondered because i avoided any live action films i saw of Tarzan. He wasnt a natural interest growing up here.

[Tex]

Thanks to Deuce for creating this topic, and to fellow "primal man" Arthyron's post above for getting me off my lazy butt and finally posting this.
******

Remember these?

Richard M. Powers


Robert Abbett


Neal Adams


Boris Vallejo




They were lovely things, weren't they? With the Powers, Abbett, Adams, and Boris covers. They took us to the jungle we always wanted to explore when we were young.

Hope you enjoyed the Ballantine Tarzan paperbacks, folks.

Allow me to ruin them for you...

We've all read them, the ones that say on the cover “Complete and Unabridged,” yah?

>Switches to Kevin Spacey 'Lex Luthor' voice<

WROOONG!

They are neither.

As was revealed in Richard A. Lupoff's Edgar Rice Burroughs: Master of Adventure, certain “ofehhhnsive” passages, words, and phrases have been altered or removed, so as not to ofehhhnd the delicate sensibilities of certain types (i.e. - pansies.)

The extent of the desecration can be found here...

http://www.angelfire...le/censored.pdf


Read it and weep, fellow ERBophiles!

What Rusty Burke said in An REH Purists Manifesto, you can run clear across the board regarding ERB...

“Upon his death, his canon, the expression of his artistic vision, became fixed. Tampering with it now is desecration.”
******

These were the Tarzan editions I had (note the past tense--thank you, Katrina.)



Grabbed up by me with both my young barbarian hands 30 years ago this year, these books were some of the most important works I'd ever read.

Ever.

When I first learned that the books I loved had been butchered (in MoA) I was, to say the least, madder'n a wet hen. When I read Mr. Schneider's article, I wanted to clean my guns (you know, the kind that “accidentally” go off in the direction of stupids?)

Print this out and take a look through your Tarzan collection. I recommend having a bottle of Ole Doc McCoy's Tennessee Sippin' Whiskey handy (especially if you were unfortunate enough to have grabbed the overpriced Leonaur editions, which used the same censored texts.)

Tex
(Bundolo censors!)

Edited by Tex, 29 October 2012 - 12:01 AM.

[cromsblood]

Thanks for that info/link Tex!
I was somehow aware that the Tarzan stories were censored, but for some reason thought that it included all of the novels - including the ones that I had picked up recently. Now I know that that is not the case. I WAS going to read a newer edition if I had it (to keep the older one in as good of shape as possible). That plan has changed.

Edited by cromsblood, 29 October 2012 - 03:39 AM.

[Almuric]

Sigh.

http://www.variety.c...S|News|FilmNews

So, the plot of the new Tarzan movie is a Civil War vet (no, not that one) teams up with Tarzan to fight a Belgian warlord.

How could you have possibly read the works of Edgar Rice Burroughs and come up with something like . . . oh, wait. It's clear they didn't read anything by him. From John Carter to this.

[johnnypt]

Sigh.

http://www.variety.c...S|News|FilmNews

So, the plot of the new Tarzan movie is a Civil War vet (no, not that one) teams up with Tarzan to fight a Belgian warlord.

How could you have possibly read the works of Edgar Rice Burroughs and come up with something like . . . oh, wait. It's clear they didn't read anything by him. From John Carter to this.

To be a little fair, it does sound like a b*st*rdized version of Jewels of Opar, without the Opar part and the amnesia. Not that I think they've actually read it. But what the Hec Ramsey is a George Washington Williams?!? Tarzan doesn't need a hip, jive talkin' sidekick, especially in 1900s Africa. He doesn't need any sidekick other than Jad-Bal-Ja and Nkima...oh and Jane I guess.

[Ironhand]

I heard a rumor, on a TV talk show, that the new Tarzan movie will use motion capture.

[johnnypt]

I heard a rumor, on a TV talk show, that the new Tarzan movie will use motion capture.

There's test footage out on the net (I think I saw it on Daily Motion). I thought it was for a different project, though.

[PaulMc]

Good suggestions for good Tarzan movies.

http://singular--points.blogspot.com/2012/11/my-favorite-tarzan-film.html

[thedarkman]

I heard a rumor, on a TV talk show, that the new Tarzan movie will use motion capture.

There's test footage out on the net (I think I saw it on Daily Motion). I thought it was for a different project, though.

The motion capture version is a film being made in Germany, and I think there is a teaser trailer out there. Can't seem to find it just now...

[theagenes]

These were the Tarzan editions I had (note the past tense--thank you, Katrina.)



Grabbed up by me with both my young barbarian hands 30 years ago this year, these books were some of the most important works I'd ever read.

Ever.

When I first learned that the books I loved had been butchered (in MoA) I was, to say the least, madder'n a wet hen. When I read Mr. Schneider's article, I wanted to clean my guns (you know, the kind that “accidentally” go off in the direction of stupids?)

Print this out and take a look through your Tarzan collection. I recommend having a bottle of Ole Doc McCoy's Tennessee Sippin' Whiskey handy (especially if you were unfortunate enough to have grabbed the overpriced Leonaur editions, which used the same censored texts.)

Tex
(Bundolo censors!)

The black cover Ballantines are the ones I grew up with as well. I think I still have them boxed up somewhere. My first introduction to the character was probably the Filmation Saturday morning cartoon when I was 4 or 5. Read some of the comics then the books when I was about 8 or so.

This is probably one of my coolest Tarzan items from 1914 (from the Darrell Richardson collection).

Edited by theagenes, 17 November 2012 - 12:42 AM.