Reviews of silent film releases on home video. Copyright © 1999-2024 by Carl Bennett and the Silent Era Company. All Rights Reserved.

Tarzan of the Apes (1918)

This first film adaptation of the Tarzan novels of Edgar Rice Burroughs stars Elmo Lincoln as Tarzan and Enid Markey as Jane.

This Blu-ray Disc edition has been mastered at high-resolution from a good to very-good 16mm reduction print. The natural-speed scan is pretty good but the print itself is historically incomplete, surviving only in an abridged rerelease version. As with many 16mm prints, this print is soft in image details and contrasty with plugged-up shadows and nearly detailless highlights. It does appear that some care was taken not to lose highlight detail that remains in the source material. Some persistent dust, speckling and other print flaws remain in the scan.

The film is accompanied by a soundtrack compiled from preexisting music sources. As in most cases where this is done, the music rarely fits the mood and action of the story. The varying quality of the recordings, some mildly distorted, and the Frankenstinian editing make enjoyment of the film difficult if not impossible.

Supplementary material includes audio commentary for The Adventures of Tarzan and The New Adventures of Tarzan by Ed Hulse; a featurette on the career of Herman Brix (Bruce Bennett) including a vintage video interview (28 minutes); a featurette on early Tarzan films with C. Courtney Joyner, Richard Heft and Bruce Scivally by Ballyhoo Motion Pictures (20 minutes); a featurette on Tarzan comic books with Donald Glut by Ballyhoo Motion Pictures (11 minutes); and an insert booklet with essays. it is of note that some Tarzan fans are dissatisfied with some of the misinformation in the audio commentaries.

Not a great presentation but this is the best home video edition of the films that we are aware of. It must be said that this print, with its short-comings, has not looked this clear on home video before. This edition is recommended but the soundtrack is a major detriment.

USA: Click the logomark to purchase this Region 0 Blu-ray Disc edition from Amazon.com. Your purchase supports Silent Era.

The films are accompanied by soundtracks compiled from preexisting music sources.

Supplementary material includes audio commentary for The Adventures of Tarzan and The New Adventures of Tarzan by Ed Hulse; a featurette on the career of Herman Brix (Bruce Bennett) including a vintage video interview (28 minutes); a featurette on early Tarzan films with C. Courtney Joyner, Richard Heft and Bruce Scivally by Ballyhoo Motion Pictures (20 minutes); a featurette on Tarzan comic books with Donald Glut by Ballyhoo Motion Pictures (11 minutes); and an insert booklet with essays. it is of note that some Tarzan fans are dissatisfied with some of the misinformation in the audio commentaries.

Not a great presentation but this is the best DVD home video edition of the films that we are aware of.

USA: Click the logomark to purchase this Region 0 NTSC DVD edition from Amazon.com. Your purchase supports Silent Era.

The film is accompanied by a music score composed and performed by David Knudtson.

This Region 0 NTSC DVD-R edition is available directly from . . .

This budget DVD edition has been mastered from from a 16mm reduction print produced by Hollywood Film Enterprises. The print is contrasty, with blasted-out highlights and plugged-up shadows, and flecked with dust and scratches.

The film is accompanied by a hokey music score composed and performed on synthesizer by Don Kinnier. Embarassing.

Once again collectors will make a compromise between chucking away their low-quality VHS videotape copy of Tarzan of the Apes and acquiring a high-quality digital home video edition that is really worth collecting. This cheapy edition is barely an upgrade.

USA: Click the logomark to purchase this Region 0 NTSC DVD-R edition from Amazon.com. Your purchase supports Silent Era.
Canada: Click the logomark to purchase this Region 0 NTSC DVD-R edition from Amazon.ca. Your purchase supports Silent Era.
United Kingdom: Click the logomark to purchase this Region 0 NTSC DVD-R edition from Amazon.co.uk. Support Silent Era.
This Region 0 NTSC DVD-R edition is also available directly from . . .

The film is likely accompanied by a soundtrack compiled from preexisting recordings.

USA: Click the logomark to purchase this Region 0 NTSC DVD-R edition from Amazon.com. Your purchase supports Silent Era.