Not faring quite as well as the leading couple, the supporting characters of Terk and Tantor are left as tired retreads of their comic relief personas from the film, which was merely a poor man’s version of Timon and Pumbaa to begin with. Jane’s father, Professor Porter (Jeff Bennett), is allowed more screen time and does manage a few laughs despite being saddled with typical ‘absent-minded professor’ bumblings. Tarzan’s simian mother Kala and the other apes are relegated to brief cameos in the final scene.

Rumor has it that the ‘official’ direct-to-video sequel (which actually may premiere theatrical, ala Return to Neverland) will actually be a ‘midquel’ (ala Beauty and the Beast: An Enchanted Christmas), detailing the boyhood Tarzan’s growing up, as seen in the “Son of Man” sequence of the original film. Also, Disney Theatricals recently announced that Phil Collins, who won an Oscar for his songwriting for Tarzan and was (some say, prematurely) named a Disney Legend earlier this year, is currently working on the seemingly impossible task of adapting the movie to the Broadway stage. And the live stage show, Tarzan Rocks!, is still playing to packed houses daily at Disney’s Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World.

Which all goes to show that it may not have been a bad idea for Disney, with this somewhat standard video release, to cash in a little early on the popularity of its latest cash cow. Cue Tarzan yell …

Strictly for the younger monkeys in the house, the bonuses include:

• Build Your Own Tree-House: Professor Porter narrates this DVD game as you help Terk and Tantor build and decorate your own version of Tarzan’s house in the trees.  (Sorry, no options available to decorate it like the Swiss Family Treehouse.)
• Tarzan and Jane’s Adventure Builder: Narrated by Tantor, in this variation of the standard DVD storybook, you choose the outcome of each scene.
• “Singing to the Song of Life”: A psuedo-music video of pop songstress Mandy Moore’s end-title song (the sole new song in this feature; Moore duets with Collins in the opening title version of “Two Worlds”) is actually just a thinly-veiled promo for Radio Disney.

Toon Talk Trivia:

• Jeff Bennett most recently was heard as Mr. Smee in Return to Neverland, Tramp, Jock and Trusty in Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp’s Adventure and Mr. Toad, the Reluctant Dragon and Figment on House of Mouse.
• Jim Cummings is the current voice of Winnie the Pooh, Tigger and Pete, in addition to his many other credits, including the features Who Framed Roger Rabbit, The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, The Lion King, A Goofy Movie, Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Hercules, Tarzan, The Tigger Movie, Atlantis: The Lost Empire, Return to Neverland and the upcoming Piglet’s Big Movie.
• Kevin Michael Richardson (diamond-hungry Merkus) has had a busy summer: he voiced Captain Gantu in Lilo and Stitch and Henry in The Country Bears.
• April Winchell, who bares a striking resemblance to the original Terk, Rosie O'Donnell, includes in her repertoire Mother Herman in Who Framed Roger Rabbit and the three Roger Rabbit shorts (as well as young Baby Herman in the shorts) Daisy Duck in Quack Pack, Cruella de Vil in 101 Dalmatians: The Animated Series and Clarabelle Cow in Mickey Mouse Works and House of Mouse.

Coming Soon in Toon Talk:

• Basil of Baker Street makes his DVD debut in the special edition of The Great Mouse Detective, now available.
• The family that spies together, stays together: the Cortez’ return in Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams, opening August 7^th.
• Finally coming down from the shelf, The Adventures of Tom Thumb and Thumbelina goes on sale August 6^th.