I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

If you have read the book or seen a Tarzan TV show then prepare for a disappointment; it isn't quite like them. However it is arguably better in its own right than either.I guess some folk will find the whole premise unbelievable, but suspension of disbelief is a prerequisite for a whole swathe of films (indeed whole genres) so that is nothing unusual and shouldn't be a valid criticism of this film.At its core, this is a beautifully shot, mostly very well acted, and otherwise nicely made film. Along the way the script asks a few questions about what constitutes 'civiIisation', 'humanity' and 'family'. The ape suits etc mostly work well enough and the human acting is nearly all first class, with (of course) Lambert, Richardson, and Holm giving stellar performances. McDowell is a beauty and tries well enough not to let the film down, but she wasn't a well-trained actress at the time; she had her dialogue dubbed (by Glenn Close) in post-production.Other troubles with the production included the screenwriter (Robert Townes) being piqued at being passed over for directing this film; he had his dog credited with the screenplay and an Oscar nomination (for best adapted screenplay) was even issued with his dog's name on it.... I saw this film when it first came out (when I'd seen no more than about twenty other movies ever in the cinema) and it left a distinct impression on me. I watched it again recently, and it was no less impressive and enjoyable than I remembered.

I saw this when I was 19 in the theaters when it came out in 1984, and have again many many times since. There are very few movies that are touchstones of my life and this is one of them. They gave it a realistic look with special effects unmatched at the time. This movie still holds up to this day, as all great movies do. It is the undoubted best Tarzan movie ever made. It is still strange to me why the first Tarzan book was never made except for this one. Interesting to know that this was Andie Macdowell's first film. Her beauty still holds up, 33 years later. Her daughter is an actress now. That kind of stuff freaks me out, as most of us don't want to confront age. This film is timeless though. Its a travesty that it only has 3 stars here on IMDb, considering the academy awards it was nominated for, and the great acting performances, including Sir Ralph Richardson's last performance before he passed away. It is clearly Lambert's best performance before or since. And Andie Macdowell is well, Andie Macdowell. This film evokes a sense of wonder, that very few films can. When I am feeling a little lost, I plug in and watch this film. It lifts your spirits. It makes you feel that your time hasn't passed you by, and that there is hope for the future. At least it has for me, from age 19 to 51. I have seen reviews where people have called it slow and boring. Then obviously they don't want a normal progressive story line. They should go to action and other genre, and not bother putting in their less than 2 cents worth. Tarzan decides to make a decision at the end, that few of us except the truly great ever can make. We should all be so lucky.

Sometimes movies don't work particularly well. They seem to have much of the needed components but the end result falls flat or is off-target. That fits as the description for "Greystoke, the Legend of Tarzan" an ambitious and large-budgeted production of the the earlier 80s. It's directed by Hugh Hudson and stars Christopher Lambert, Ian Holm, Ralph Richardson, and debuts a young 20-something Andie MacDowell. The story is long-winded and without spirit. For starters, The ape scenes are mixed. Sometimes the difficulties of make-believe with puppeteering and live-action are out on display, as well as some poorly designed sets/stages. In this case at times ape- actors/costumes/puppets are woefully unbelieable, and the main set with the black panther looked tacky and man-made. Worse though, Lambert seems miscast physically. He has no muscularity and we are supposed to believe he is king of the apes!? Then the filmmakers capitalize on animal-call parlor tricks which wears thin over the runtime. However, Richardson and Holm together help prop the movie up to keep it away from failure. They are excellent in most scenes, and I especially enjoyed the early scenes of discovery and learning with forsaken Holms and Lambert characters as well the old Richardson remarking of his land and legacy. MacDowell's voice was strangely dubbed reportedly, and confirmed although she has a lesser role than first billing - maybe 35 min of screen time and is quietly on display dollishly. There needed to be more excitement, vitality, and physicality in the movie, although the filmmakers did achieve the sensory/feeling/touching part of primates pretty well. The internal conflict doesn't really involve, and there's no real antagonist or something to be lost. To note, Photography and music are competently put together. A mixed bag - 6/10

I remember this movie well, though it has been a time since I have last seen it. First as a child, then as an adult, the movie stuck with me. I don't think the average person would realize just how much this movie has to offer at a glance, so hopefully someone will read some of the reviews and know just how good it is.This Tarzan is wild and savage like a beast, yet his heart is undeniably human. Is it love that makes the man or the darker side that lies just beneath the surface of the civilized man, and not quite that deep in Tarzan? Stumbling across it on IMDb, I really have the urge to watch this movie again. Let's see if NetFlix carries it!