Hischak was also negative: "Produced and directed without a shred of talent by John Derek, Tarzan, the Ape Man often ranks high in the lists of the worst movies ever made". In a discussion of Tarzan films, Thomas S.
TARZAN THE APE MAN 1981 ROTTEN TOMATOES MOVIE
Film critic and historian Leonard Maltin considers this one of the worst films ever to appear in his popular "TV, Movie and Video Guide" (now simply "Movie Guide"): "Deranged 'remake' lacks action, humor and charm Forget about comparisons to Johnny Weismuller O'Keefe makes Elmo Lincoln seem like Edwin Booth." Leslie Halliwell described Tarzan the Ape Man as "certainly the worst of the Tarzan movies and possibly the most banal film so far made even the animals give poor performances". The film was widely panned upon its release. In a 2012 interview with the film history magazine Filmfax, co-writer Gary Goddard revealed that he had originally been commissioned to write a screenplay for Bo Derek based upon the Marvel Comics superheroine, Dazzler a 30-page treatment was completed before the project was cancelled and work instead proceeded on Tarzan, The Ape Man which initially carried the working title Me, Jane reflecting its focus on Jane Porter as a showcase for Derek. Jane is then kidnapped by natives who intend to make her a wife of the tribe leader, forcing Tarzan into action. Jane and Tarzan become fascinated by each other. Realizing that James is on his trail, Tarzan kidnaps Jane. James continues to pursue Tarzan with the purpose of capturing him, dead or alive, and bringing him back to England. They discover the "white ape" is actually Tarzan, an uncivilized white man raised by apes living in the jungle.
He is joined by his estranged daughter, Jane, after her mother's death. James Parker is a hunter in Africa, searching for a mythical "white ape".