MovieChat Forums > Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes (1984) Discussion > What exactly killed Tarzan's Father?

What exactly killed Tarzan's Father?

posted 15 years ago by mrjohndoe_1
8 replies | jump to latest

Was he killed by the charging ape, or was he just knocked out by the ape and then later killed by the snake that the viewer sees crawling over him while the father is down on the floor of his little tree house? Later in the movie doesn't the viewer see the skeleton of the father in the tree house, and have a vague recollection that the skeleton has a cracked skull.

In the book he is clearly killed by the charging ape--also they are marooned on the island by mutineers, not by a shipwreck.

[–] HermioneO 15 years ago

They changed things for the movie. A mutiny would have required a whole subcast and story and at least a couple more scenes. And it wasn't important.

As for the cracked skull. who's to say he didn't. Again, not important. He's dead.

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[–] mrjohndoe_1 15 years ago

So how do think Tarzan's father died in the movie--apes or the snake?

[–] HermioneO 15 years ago

I think the ape killed him. He was already weak and getting slammed about like that was just the final bit.

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[–] ryan_kidd 15 years ago

if u actually watch it carefully, he dies just after the ape throws him against the container

[–] demonflower_honeythorn 14 years ago

A beating from an ape is enough to kill a person.

[–] garybatmanbusey 14 years ago

the ape killed him pretty obvious, do you realise how strong an adult chimp is?? very dangerous.

"she's the tear that hangs inside my soul forever."

[–] Etherdave 10 years ago

He's thrown against a sea-chest during the ape-mauling, and seems to suffer a fatal head/neck injury.

[–] millsey72 (10383) 2 years ago

He should have been able to put up a better fight. He was smarter and taller than the ape but didn't use any of this to his advantage