Wow! Right off the bat there is action and
adventure with the sinking of Tarzan’s parent’ ship and Tarzan’s father
rescuing the mother. Although the rescue in the beginning is an intelligent way
to engage the audience from the start, it is still perpetuation gendered
stereotypes within the first couple of minutes of the film. The stereotype that
women must rely on a man to save her/take care of her is archaic.
While enjoyable at any age, we must remember
Disney’s targeted audience is young children. Very early on in the movie we
also see Sabor, a cheetah, kill Kerchak and Kala’s baby. For a children's movie,
I think is may be a little inappropriate to show the baby gorilla die. It’s
Disney, not animal planet.
May I add that Tarzan is the cutest baby I
have ever seen in my entire life? Kala would be stupid to not take in such a
mushy baby. However, it crossed my mind that this scene where Kala finds,
protects, and keeps Tarzan furthers gendered stereotypes. Within the first ten
minutes of the film Kala loses a child and essentially adopts another. Such
depiction so early on portrays the stereotypical idea that women’s place is at
home as a mother.
One of the following scenes that really caught my attention was when Kala first brings back Tarzan. All the child gorillas are playing with
Tarzan, when their mothers call them to sleep. This scene interested me because
I read about Disney’s ability to make relatable characters for their audience in relation to their ability to market products.
In this scene, Terk, a child gorilla at the time, is called for “nest time”
which we can relate to “bed time” as children. Terk attempts to negotiate
with his mother, but like we have all experienced, Terk's bargaining is
futile. Such subtle details demonstrates how is able Disney to turn children into consumers.
WOAH! Tarzan backing up Kerchak against Sabor is
guaranteed to jack your heart rate up. I feel like a chugged three Redbulls. This
fight was actually better than any UFC fight I’ve bought off of Pay-Per-View in a while.
Shortly after this legendary fight between
Tarzan and Sabor, we are introduced to Jane. Jane is the daughter of a
scientist, accompanying her father to do research. Our first exposure to Jane
isn’t surprising in the slightest. She
is like every Disney princess… beautiful with an unhealthily small waste line.
She is wearing heels in the jungle and she needs saving right upon venturing
out on her own. In addition, Jane is melodramatic which as been stereotypically
labeled as a traditionally feminine characteristic.
Ultimately, Tarzan
ends like every other Disney ending, veiled in clichés. Tarzan ends up making
Kerchak proud. In addition, as Jane is leaving, wind blows Jane’s glove back to
the land as Jane leaves, symbolizing a message from g-d that this is fate and
her role is to be home with her husband. So in the end, Tarzan got everything he ever wanted.
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