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presents
Volume 7773
TARZAN, LORD OF THE JUNGLE-36
Tarzan and the Super 7 number 8—Episode 36 of the entire range
November 3, 1979 ~ Episode 8 of 4th Season
TARZAN AND THE WHITE ELEPHANT
Review by Charles Mento
“There will be no slavery in my jungle!”
“Rhino Riders! To the rear!”PLOT: Tarzan saves a young girl from Rhino Riders only to find that she is looking to capture an infant White Elephant and takes it from its mother Callow. The girl Angora is the child of the queen of Nivia who believes that White Elephants protect her city from the Rhino Riders. Tarzan takes exception and tries to dissuade Queen Toria from separating the calf from its mother, but she will not listen. Taking pity on the White Elephant calf, the girl helps the White Elephant calf escape to reunite it with its mother....only to be chased by the Rhino Riders. But the mother White Elephant with the help of Tarzan rescues her. It was at this point that the Queen realizes no one should separate a mother from her child.
OBSERVATIONS
After being roped and brought by force to the city of Nivia, Tarzan doesn’t tell the Queen that he came that way. Huh? She asks why he’s come to their city. Is she unaware that her men roped Tarzan and dragged him here?There are many white elephants in Nivia currently in a large stable. They seem happy enough.
Everyone in Nivia seems to be blond but the queen who seems to have white hair.
Tarzan saves Angora from the Rhino Riders again. How did these innocent cute white elephants hold off the riders in the past when now they just flee and run away? The Tarzan call is a bit…awkward here, shall we say? It doesn’t sound like Johnny’s but maybe? Or maybe a facsimile?
This cartoon seems to be set in a total realm of fantasy. I know Nakima is from the novels but not sure how many other names, places, and characters are. I will say that an army of Rhino Riders, a huge city of white elephants and warriors, and warriors on elephants is an ambitious undertaking, even for an animated cartoon, especially in 1979.
Tarzan uses the word UNC to Callow a bit. Callow saves Angora, too.
While not totally clear, the calf is either wounded in saving Angora or just tired? The Queen tends to the calf. The soldier that reports that the white elephants are weak seems to grow his hair from over his ears to shoulder length in the span of a frame!?
Just as The Queen seems about to bring bad news regarding the calf, the calf comes out and is well? Or is that another calf? All well it ends well, it’s the calf. I guess.
In what seems to be a tired series, this is the last episode and Tarzan does call upon the elephants to scare the riders away. He also knocked one down and used a tree to knock others away. Tarzan, Angora and Callow seemed to forget and leave the calf during the rescue of Angora. What?
In any case, despite doing a lot, Tarzan seems…not to fight at all here. After seeing the full ELY run and starting on the Wolf Larson run (in just two episodes viewed, he’s kicked butt), this is jarring to say the least. I’m also sure a lot of animated stock footage is used in this Filmation episode. Even so, for 1979 it’s not terrible and has moments of imagination above and beyond. Yet it feels stilted in comparison to today’s animation, especially AVATAR THE LAST AIRBENDER and quite a few anime releases and other CGI motion movies. It hasn’t really dated all that well but one can see where Filmation was coming from and what they were trying to do. And there is a message here so we can give it a pass.
Charles Mento's Reviews of ALL the Tarzan TV Series
https://www.ERBzine.com/mento
ERBzine List of the Tarzan Filmation Animated Series
Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle Tarzan Episode Titles
https://www.erbzine.com/mag27/2799.htmlOff-Site References
Show Screen Captures by Charles Mento
White Elephant Video 1: Daily Motion.com
White Elephant Video 2: Daily Motion.com
Tantor the Elephant in Wikipedia
Tarzan and the White Elephant in IMDB
