Wolf Larson’s TARZAN-69-THE DANGEROUS COMPETITION



























































































































































































































































































































 

Wolf Larson’s TARZAN-69-THE DANGEROUS COMPETITION

 

There’s actually dialog before the Dan journal narration. Tarzan is feeding a cute baby elephant. He seems to call the elephant Bala.

 

Dan’s journal: Friday the 25: 1993 has June; 1994 has Feb, Nov, and March; 1997 has April and July; 1998 has Sept and Dec.

 

An intriguing start as Dan narrates, “Today we learned just how far Tarzan would go to protect the animals in his jungle.”  

 

Tarzan detects trouble and tells Bala to stay there. He runs past a giraffe and some other animals, the others running, to find an elephant in a trap by a hunter and his helper. NOTE: Wolf’s hair seems to change from scene to scene in this sequence. First it looks thin and straight, then fluffy and almost rock star-ish and then longer and straight again as he loads an arrow into his bow.

 

Also note: it’s very annoying having the action having the credits over them. It’s distracting from the action, which is well filmed as ever and colorful. In the past, the post theme credits were over slower moving moments. Now, the entire scene of Tarzan running, swinging, firing his bow, and more as well as the elephant (is this Tantor?) chase the two men up a tree has the credits over them. Sigh.

 

Jane is in her fringe crop top and denim shorts at the compound, unbefitting a scientist, to be honest. She has a headband on. She calls for Rog. He is in his tent, on his bunk, reading a magazine with Sharon Stone on the cover. Their chat across lab and tent reveals it was Tantor and that the men were after an elephant hair bracelet.

 

World famous archer, Robin Conway is driven up by Dan, who drives fast here. Robin has heard about Tarzan for years and came to see him for himself. He’s come all the way from London. Robin asked Dan questions at the airport about Tarzan but never revealed that he wants to see how good Tarzan is with a bow and arrow, which Jane mentioned. He seems, so far, non nefarious.

 

In a “not so great way to meet Tarzan” way, Robin shoots a gathering of fruit from a tree Tarzan was aiming at. As Tarzan meets Robin and Jane introduces him, we see what could be a boom mike above her head, swaying. Tarzan asks if he is famous and Jane acknowledges that he is. Roger jokes, “The next thing you know we’ll see you on the cover of Rod And Arrow.” This makes Jane roll her eyes.

 

When Robin wants to challenge him for a one shot competition, Roger wants to sell tickets but Tarzan says, “Tarzan does not have time for fun. Tarzan is worried about the poachers.”  Robin told Jane, already, that he was not here to hunt, that life is more important.

 

Later, at dinner, Roger and Jane wear different clothing. Dan, too.  Tarzan tells Roger, “Tarzan does not care who is best. Tarzan cares about the animals.”  Tarzan seems to be ready to eat dinner with them. Robin shows up with an idea that may interest Tarzan. He will donate 25 thousand dollars to the game preserve (or reserve) to stop poaching. With that money, Dan tells Tarzan the game commission can buy a high powered jeep and catch the poachers. They are eating fish. Tarzan does not seem happy about competing, nor about Robin reaching a fork on the fish he was about to eat. Dan calls it the game commission later on, when he is sure that Tarzan will win. Tarzan comes upon Dan defending Tarzan’s future win against Roger’s doubts that anything could happen. Roger tells Dan he was not being disloyal and Tarzan agrees. Dan says anything is likely like Robin can grow a curly tail but when Cheetah whines, Dan tells him it is okay, he is just kidding.

 

Dan scolds Roger putting pressure on Tarzan the night before a competition. Roger apologizes but Tarzan tells him not to worry, he will do his best.

 

Across a lake is a target that has a swinging fruit (a pear?) that the two have to hit. Roger tosses a coin and Robin wins to go first. I think he called heads. When Tarzan is about to take his shot, Robin taps his arrow on his leg. Roger tells them he read about this: an old archer’s trick to ruin the opponent’s concentration. Tarzan wins anyway, dead center. Roger tells him he knew all along Tarzan would win. Robin gets surprised, then mad and yells that he will not pay the money.

 

Later, Jane tells Tarzan she does not blame him for being angry. Tarzan tells her that he is not angry but she tells him that she is furious. He tells her, “Many men that come to the jungle do not keep their word.”  She says those men were after something that could make them rich: gold, ore, jewels. Tarzan understands : it is pride and like a wounded animal, Conway does not act as he should.    

 

Dan and Roger discuss Conway at dinner, which, judging from the food, looks like breakfast. Jane tells Robin off after bringing him dinner. He doesn’t get it. Roger is disappointed in Conway.

 

Dan tells Tarzan, Roger and Jane that this morning (a new day?) that two black rhinos disappeared from the Rift Valley: poachers again.

 

Before he is to leave with Dan, Robin apologizes. He gives them a check which, comically, Roger tries to grab before Robin changes his mind. Robin draws a new challenge: he will double the money if Tarzan will do another competition. If Tarzan loses, he must hand over his bow to Robin. Tarzan agrees.

 

Around a clearing, Roger and Dan have set up targets that will make themselves known. What? The first one that misses, loses.

 

The first is a drop target (how’d they set that up?) which they both hit at the same time. It looks like Robin’s is closer to center but I guess that does not count here.

 

A spotted leopard appears in a tree and Tarzan tells Robin, “That is Bengala, he is a friend.”

 

Another target flips from a tree and they shoot it at the same time.

 

A triangle target pops up from the ground and they shoot it at the same time. The same happens again.

 

Is Wolf having a wardrobe malfunction?

 

Tarzan wins on the last target but rather than celebrating, he merely tells Robin, “Tarzan keeps his bow.”

 

Robin tells them that they taught him a lesson in good sportsmanship. He gives them the checks for the animals.

 

Later, Dan in new shirt, comes to the compound. It is just in time for lunch. It is 12:15 on the clock. Dan overheard news: the games commission, with the two jeeps bought with Conway’s money, overtook a truck on the way to the animal collector. They freed the two black rhinos.

 

Cheetah comes in and fires an arrow from a bow and hits a melon while everyone ducks. This is supposed to be funny.

 

Production 319.

 

I was dreading watching this episode. Perhaps I’ve done too many of these. To be honest, this is a lame episode based on a premise that…Tarzan can’t stop poachers himself, which is the plot of many other movies and probably Ron Ely’s show at times, too.

 

So, while this is a fresh take on that, it’s really not: Tarzan seems incompetent as he stop ONE set of poachers (all two of them) but needs to rely on the game commission and money to help the animals. Given that non-action premise, I guess this makes some sense. What doesn’t make sense is the last completion. How did Dan and Roger set up those spring “trap targets” in the clearing?

 

What’s worse is that, instead of relying on Tarzan’s skills as a protector of animals, Jane, Roger, Dan, and Tarzan have to put up with the whining, prideful, sneaky, tricky, cheating and ignoble jerk Robin, who, of course is either going to turn out to be evil (that would not make sense because he’s already rich) to cover up his good name as best archer (all he seems to care about) or will learn a lesson from Tarzan (and this time the others as well). It’s the later, which is fine but it just feels wrong. Tarzan has to take part in a competition he doesn’t want to in order to…get money.

 

I’m almost over this show, though it still looks good. The plots are just sort of there. I’d rather watch 23 and change minutes of an episode about Tarzan fighting poachers than THIS.

 

 

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