The New Adventures of Tarzan (1935/I)

Director:

Edward A. Kull

Writers:

Edgar Rice Burroughs (novel) and
Edwin Blum (writer)

Release Date:

21 May 1935 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure

Tagline:

The Greatest Tarzan of All Time!

Plot:

The Green Goddess is a totem worshiped by the primitive natives of a lost city deep in the jungles of Guatemala...

Plot Keywords:

Guatemala | Jewel | Expedition | Super Explosive | Lost Friend

Cast

Bruce Bennett	...	Tarzan (as Herman Brix)
Ula Holt	...	Ula Vale
Ashton Dearholt	...	P.B. Raglan (as Don Castello)
Frank Baker	...	Maj. Francis Martling
Lewis Sargent	...	George
Harry Ernest	...	Gordon Hamilton [Chs. 1-4, 12]
Dale Walsh	...	Alice Martling [Chs. 1-4, 12]
Jiggs	...	Nkima the Chimp
Merrill McCormick	...	Bouchart [Ch. 1] / Lopez [Ch. 10]
Jack Mower	...	Ula's Companion [Ch. 1] / Capt. Simon Blade [Ch. 11]

Also Known As:

Tarzan and the Lost Goddess
Tarzan in Guatemala

Runtime:

257 min (12 episodes) | Germany:61 min (part 1)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

West Germany:12 | USA:Approved (PCA #2095) (Chapter 12) | USA:Approved (PCA #2096) (Chapter 13) | USA:Approved (PCA #2097) (Chapter 14) | USA:Approved (PCA #2102) (Chapter 15) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review)

Filming Locations:

Antigua, Guatemala

Company:

Burroughs-Tarzan Enterprises Inc.

Trivia:

Urban legend has it that the sound quality was so poor that the actors had to be re-dubbed for theatrical release or TV. In fact, the only re-dubbing done was on the 59-minute British reissue print of the feature version, for reasons unknown. A disclaimer was inserted into the credits of this version claiming that the soundtrack had been affected by "variable atmospheric conditions" in 1935 Guatemala, where parts of the serial were shot. In fact, the bad soundtrack was the result of the cheap equipment used on the British re-dub - (see The New Adventures of Tarzan (1935/II)). No such disclaimer ever appeared on the serial release prints' original titles, and the originally-recorded 1935 soundtrack is being heard there as well as in the second feature version Tarzan and the Green Goddess (1938).

Goofs:

Continuity: D'Arnot's plane is a two-seater, but both Bouchart and David Brent are supposed to have been with him in it on the flight when it crashed.

Movie Connections:

Edited into The New Adventures of Tarzan (1935/II)

Good take on an interesting character

Herman Brix was an athlete in track and field, he won a silver medal in the Olympics and was breaking into films. This was his first real break, produced by Tarzan creator Edgar Rice Burroughs himself, this film goes to the books for inspiration. Although, to the best of my knowledge, it is an original story, the Tarzan character is clearly the intelligent aristocrat of the books, who lives at a manor in England, but returns to the jungles when needed. He speaks in complete sentences, and interacts with other characters on an intellectual level. His chimp sidekick is even named from the books, Nkima. Not short on action, this serial has suspense and drama to satisfy the serial and Tarzan fans quite well. We see that Brix is in perfect shape for the role, and we get to see enough flexed muscles and six-pack abs to prove it. Of all the early Tarzans, Brix has one of the most perfect and realistic builds. His yell is quite interesting, I can't describe it other than as a man who stubbed his toe, and is trying to stifle an obscenity. Certainly worth watching, and full of exotic scenery (shot on location in Guatemala), get this on DVD and have a good time. ***/****