Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes

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Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes

PG,

1984,

2h 9m,

Drama

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79%

14 Reviews

Tomatometer

60%

10,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

79%

Tomatometer

14 Reviews

60%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

Classic tale of the wild man raised by apes in the African jungle after his explorer parents are shipwrecked and then die while he is still a baby. Rediscovered by adventurers when he has grown to manhood, he is returned to the strange and unfamiliar world of the British aristocracy and discovers that, despite a doting grandfather and a female admirer, civilization can be a cruel place.

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Vincent Canby

New York Times

Jul 20, 2004

'Greystoke' is one of the most thoroughly enjoyable films of its kind I've ever seen.

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Dec 2, 2025

3/4

A visually resplendent film that, while perhaps a bit too rigid to offer the proper degree of high adventure synonymous with the Tarzan trademark, contains no small measure of compelling sequences and strong performances.

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Octavi Marti

El Pais (Spain)

Feb 19, 2020

An odd and attractive adventure, with a notable ability to to fictionalize at the same time that it's concerned with historical reconstruction. [Full Review in Spanish]

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Sergio Benítez

Espinof

Aug 27, 2019

The beauty with which John Alcott photographs the African natural landscapes and the extraordinary personality displayed by John Scott in the composition of the soundtrack that makes the film stay in the cinematic memory. [Full Review in Spanish]

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James Plath

Family Home Theater

Mar 30, 2016

B-

For all its flaws, Greystoke is still better than the romanticized live-action versions of Tarzan that Hollywood has produced.

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Rob Vaux

Mania.com

Apr 1, 2014

B+

As long as they stay in the jungle, this Tarzan may be one of the very best versions of the character you're likely to see.

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Jan 25, 2019

I saw this movie in the theater when it was first released. I had been a Tarzan fan since the early 60's. My favorite had always been Johnny Weismuller, though Ron Ely was good, even in the TV series. As much as I liked the movies. none of them ever did the books justice, in my opinion. I walked out of the theater convinced that Tarzan had finally gotten a proper treatment, and that I had seen the best Tarzan ever, both the movie, and the actor. I just watched it again tonight, and that opinion has not changed.

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Theodore W

Oct 15, 2018

Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes is a solid, but very problematic adaptation which benefits from quite strong technical aspects, very memorable and likable Ian Holm, a great beginning and ending plus it works so well as a historical picture, but it entirely failed as an adventure flick owing to its excessive realism, dull and underutilized jungle scenes and an overwhelming lack of sense of fun.

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Draco R

Jul 30, 2018

Ralph Richardson and Ian Holm do a great deal to lend credence to and carry this bit of a different take on the ape-man story. More time is spent re-socializing the brute king than the popular 1930's jungle adventure tales, basing the thing more in the civilized world of 19th century England. Lambert does well, but the initial primal draw of the savage innocent at home with Nature story is missed with the emphasis on stuffed shirt society. Ultimately this is good storytelling, but it misses the zing of the older material.

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Theodore L

Apr 18, 2017

Interesting take on the story. Lambert is fantastic in the role, I totally but him as a man raised by apes. The culture clash when he gets back to civilization is the most entertaining stuff. Great score too.

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Abraham R

Feb 27, 2017

Better movie than i thought it would be. Worth watching

George R

May 30, 2011

One of the Freakiest Love Scenes EVER!!!! The Story behind Tarzan is Great

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Hugh Hudson

Director

Christopher Lambert

John Clayton

Andie MacDowell

Miss Jane Porter

Ralph Richardson

The Sixth Earl of Greystoke

Ian Holm

Capitaine Phillippe D'Arnot

James Fox

Lord Charles Esker

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Synopsis

Classic tale of the wild man raised by apes in the African jungle after his explorer parents are shipwrecked and then die while he is still a baby. Rediscovered by adventurers when he has grown to manhood, he is returned to the strange and unfamiliar world of the British aristocracy and discovers that, despite a doting grandfather and a female admirer, civilization can be a cruel place.

Director: Hugh Hudson
Producer: Hugh Hudson, Stanley S. Canter
Screenwriter: Robert Towne, Michael Austin
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co: Warner Bros., Warner Brothers/Seven Arts
Rating: PG
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 30, 1984, Original
Release Date (Streaming): May 1, 2008
Runtime: 2h 9m
Sound Mix: Surround

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