George of the Jungle (film)

George of the Jungle
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Sam Weisman
Screenplay by	Dana Olsen[1] Audrey Wells[1]
Story by	Dana Olsen[1]
Based on	George of the Jungle by Jay Ward Bill Scott
Produced by	David Hoberman[1] Jordan Kerner[1] Jon Avnet[1]
Starring	Brendan Fraser Leslie Mann Thomas Haden Church Holland Taylor Richard Roundtree John Cleese
Cinematography	Thomas E. Ackerman[1]
Edited by	Stuart Pappé[1] Roger Bondelli[1]
Music by	Marc Shaiman[1]
Production company	Walt Disney Pictures[1]
Distributed by	Buena Vista Pictures Distribution[1]
Release date	July 16, 1997 (1997-07-16)
Running time	92 minutes[1]
Country	United States[1]
Language	English[1]
Budget	$55 million[2][3]
Box office	$174.4 million[3]

George of the Jungle is a 1997 American comedy film directed by Sam Weisman, based on the 1967 American animated television series of the same name created by Jay Ward and Bill Scott, which was itself a spoof of the fictional character Tarzan, created by Edgar Rice Burroughs. The screenplay was written by Dana Olsen and Audrey Wells. The film stars Brendan Fraser, Leslie Mann, Thomas Haden Church, Holland Taylor, Richard Roundtree, and John Cleese.

The story follows George, a man raised by animals in the African jungle, as he falls in love with an heiress named Ursula and must face her spoiled, narcissistic fiancé, Lyle.

Produced by Walt Disney Pictures, George of the Jungle was released in theaters across the United States and Canada on July 16, 1997. The film received mixed reviews from critics, with praise for its lighthearted humor and Fraser's titular performance; however, it was compared unfavorably to its animated source material, with some critics arguing that the slapstick comedy and simplistic plot failed to fully capture the charm and depth of the original television series. It emerged as a commercial success at the box-office, grossing approximately $174 million worldwide against a production budget of around $55 million.

A sequel, George of the Jungle 2, was released direct-to-video on October 21, 2003, but failed to capture the success of its predecessor.

While touring Burundi with her local guide Kwame and a group of porters, San Francisco heiress Ursula Stanhope encounters her spoiled fiancé, Lyle van de Groot, who is determined to bring her home. Lyle hires two poachers, Max and Thor, to track her down. Kwame shares the legend of the "White Ape", a mythical figure believed to rule the jungle. Ursula, curious to see the White Ape, ventures deeper into the jungle with Lyle. When a lion attacks, Lyle knocks himself unconscious in a panic, leaving Ursula to be saved by George, the true King of the Jungle.

George takes Ursula to his treehouse, where she meets his animal friends: Ape, a wise and talking gorilla who raised George; Shep, a playful African forest elephant who acts like a dog; and Tookie, a toco toucan that delivers jungle news. As George and Ursula spend time together, George falls in love with her, and Ursula begins to reciprocate his feelings, gradually losing her desire to return home.

Lyle eventually tracks down Ursula at the treehouse, but she is upset with him for abandoning her during the lion attack. Meanwhile, Max and Thor attempt to poach Shep for his ivory, only to be startled when Ape yells for Shep to run. The sight of a talking ape convinces the poachers to tranquilize and capture Ape for profit. In the chaos, Lyle accidentally shoots George, mistaking his gun for a lighter. With George injured, Lyle is arrested, and Max and Thor are deported. Ursula takes George to San Francisco for medical care and to show him the human world, which he hasn't seen since childhood.

While in San Francisco, George explores the city, showcasing his jungle skills by rescuing a man stranded on the Bay Bridge. Meanwhile, Ursula admits to her parents that she met George in Africa and is considering ending her engagement to Lyle. Her mother, Beatrice, disapproves and demands that Ursula proceed with the marriage, warning George to stay away.

Back in Burundi, Max and Thor return to capture Ape, but Ape sends Tookie to warn George. Upon hearing the news, George leaves Ursula to return to Africa and rescue Ape. Realizing she loves George, Ursula defies her mother and follows him to Africa.

George confronts the poachers, but they overpower him. With help from Ursula and the jungle animals, George regains his strength and defeats Max and Thor, saving Ape in the process. Lyle reappears, having escaped prison and joined a cult, and forces Ursula into a marriage ceremony. However, the ceremony is interrupted by dangerous rapids, putting both Lyle and Ursula in peril. George, with help from Shep and the gorillas, rescues Ursula, while Lyle, unaware, ends up marrying a gorilla in the chaos.

George and Ursula declare their love for each other and marry, with friends from both San Francisco and the jungle attending. They eventually settle into their treehouse, raising their son, George Jr. Meanwhile, in a mid-credits scene, Ape moves to Las Vegas, where he becomes a famous performer, with Max and Thor humiliated as part of his act.

• Brendan Fraser as George, a young man who was raised in the jungle like Tarzan and frequently crashes into trees while swinging on vines.^[4] Fraser had concurrently auditioned for the title role in Disney's serious animated adaptation of Tarzan, which would be released in 1999, but lost to Tony Goldwyn^[5]
• Leslie Mann as Ursula Stanhope, a wealthy heiress and George's love interest
• Thomas Haden Church as Lyle van de Groot, Ursula's wealthy, self-absorbed, and bumbling former fiancé who serves as the main antagonist of the film
• Richard Roundtree as Kwame, the head jungle tour guide during Ursula's visit to Africa
• Greg Cruttwell and Abraham Benrubi as Max and Thor, two poachers hired as trackers by Lyle
• Holland Taylor as Beatrice Stanhope, Ursula's domineering mother, who believes that social position is more important than having a loving marriage
• Kelly Miller as Betsy, Ursula's best friend who has an instant attraction to George
• John Bennett Perry as Arthur Stanhope, Ursula's supportive father who wishes her to marry for love
• Abdoulaye N'Gom, Michael Chinyamurindi, and Lydell M. Cheshier as Kip, N'Dugo, and Baleto, respectively. They are Kwame's porters and fellow tour guides.
• Willie Brown as Mayor Willie L. Brown Jr
• Lauren Bowles, Samantha Harris, and Afton Smith as Ursula's friends
• Spencer Garrett and Jon Pennell as Male Guests at Party
• Noah John Cardoza and Benjamin John Cardoza as George Jr.
• Mr. Binx, Zakery, Emely, and Crystal as Monkey^[6]
• Tai as Shep, an African forest elephant with the personality of a dog
• Joseph, Kaleb, and Bongo as The Lion
• Tookie, Scooper, and Hopper as Tookie, a toco toucan

• John Cleese as Ape, a well-educated, talking eastern gorilla who is George's best friend and foster brother
• Keith Scott as Narrator

• Nicholas Kadi as Ape (body)
• Tom Fisher
• Jody St. Michael
• Philip Tan
• Lief Tilden
• Robert Tygner as Ape (facial puppetry)

The animal scenes in George of the Jungle were achieved through a combination of real animals, puppetry, and CGI. The lion, elephant, and bird scenes employed a blend of live animals and effects, with puppetry used for the lion in the fight against George, and CGI for Shep the elephant, portraying him as a dog-like character. The scenes involving the orangutan, chimpanzee, and capuchin monkeys were mostly filmed with live animals, though some computer effects were used, such as when a small monkey imitates George.^[7]

Four adult male African lions were used for the film, including Joseph and Kaleb, trained by Charlie Sammut from the Monterey Zoo in Salinas, California.^[8] Sammut also acted as Brendan Fraser's stunt double during the lion attack sequence.[3] Meanwhile, Bongo, a lion from Bowmanville Zoo, trained by Michael Hackenberger, was featured in scenes where the lion emerges from behind trees to "attack" Ursula. Sammut’s lions often wrestled with their trainer on set, while Fraser interacted with a stuffed toy lion for close-up shots. The lion that winks at George from behind the bushes was an animatronic puppet.

The large gorillas living with George were portrayed by costumed actors and puppeteers from Jim Henson's Creature Shop. Their facial expressions were controlled by remote animatronic technology, and the gorilla suits were made from yak fur.^[7][9] Other visual effects were created by Dream Quest Images.^[9][10]

In the iconic "Pride Rock" scene, when George presents his son to the animals, CGI was again employed to enhance the visuals.^[7]

The jungle setting itself was constructed on a massive sound stage in Playa del Rey, Los Angeles, measuring 750 feet long, 71 feet high at its peak, and 90 feet wide, providing an immersive environment for filming.^[9]

George of the Jungle debuted at #2 at the box-office, behind Men in Black, and grossed $174.4 million worldwide.^[11]

George of the Jungle received mixed reviews from critics upon release, with praise for its lighthearted humor and Fraser's titular performance; however, it was compared unfavorably to its animated source material, with some critics arguing that the slapstick comedy and simplistic plot failed to fully capture the charm and depth of the original television series.

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 55% rating based on 53 reviews, with an average score of 5.5/10. The site's consensus states: "George of the Jungle is faithful to its source material—which, unfortunately, makes it a less-than-compelling feature film."^[12] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 53% based on 18 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews."^[13] Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film a "B+" grade, showing a generally positive reception from viewers.^[14]

Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert gave the film two thumbs up on their show At The Movies. Ebert awarded the film three out of four stars, calling it "good-natured" and praising the cast for their comedic performances.^[15] Siskel noted that "what sets the film apart is a script that has the good sense to laugh at itself."^[16] Similarly, James Berardinelli remarked that "the comedy in George of the Jungle is not sophisticated, but it is frequently audacious and irreverent."^[17]

Walt Disney Home Video released George of the Jungle on VHS, DVD, and LaserDisc in the United States and Canada on December 2, 1997.

At the 24th Saturn Awards, George of the Jungle earned a nomination for Best Fantasy Film, but lost to Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery.

The film was followed by a direct-to-video sequel, George of the Jungle 2, directed by David Grossman, which takes place 5 years after the events of the original. Most of the major characters were recast with different actors, though Keith Scott, Thomas Haden Church, and John Cleese reprised their roles from the first film.

• Official website
• George of the Jungle at IMDb
• George of the Jungle at Box Office Mojo