Synopsis

Raised by gorillas in the African jungle, Tarzan grows up believing he is one of them. His world changes when a British expedition arrives and he meets Jane, a young woman who reveals the human side of his identity. Torn between two worlds, Tarzan must decide where he belongs while protecting his gorilla family from a dangerous hunter.

Factoids & Trivia

• Phil Collins wrote five songs for the film, including "You'll Be in My Heart," "Two Worlds," "Son of Man," "Strangers Like Me," and "Trashin' the Camp." He also performed the songs in several languages for international releases.

• "You'll Be in My Heart" won the Academy Award for Best Original Song. The song is mainly performed by Collins, although Kala, Tarzan's adoptive mother, sings part of the opening lullaby.

• The film's songs generally function as narration or musical montages rather than performances by the characters. This gave the movie a different structure from many earlier Disney animated musicals.

• Animator Glen Keane based aspects of Tarzan's movement on his son Max, whose interest in skateboarding and extreme sports helped inspire the character's distinctive tree-surfing style.

• Disney developed the Deep Canvas computer-assisted animation system for the film. It allowed artists to create a greater sense of depth and movement through the jungle environments.

• The production team studied African landscapes and mountain gorillas during a research trip. The film was released in the United States on June 18, 1999, and became one of Disney's major animated successes of the period.

• The story later inspired a Broadway musical, which opened in 2006 and featured additional music and songs by Phil Collins.