Tarzan 1999 Archive [2021] -

The "archive" of Disney's 1999 encompasses a rich collection of production history, rare concept art, and digital preservation of the media that defined the film's release. As the 37th Disney animated feature, it marked a significant technological leap for the studio through the introduction of "Deep Canvas" software, which allowed for 3D-painted jungle environments. Digital & Media Archives Internet Archive

hosts several preserved files from the film's original release cycle: Tarzan Action Game (1999)

: An ISO image of the PC action game that let players "surf" trees like the movie character. Activity Center & Mini-Games : Digital copies of the Tarzan Activity Center Jungle Tumble used for early home computer entertainment. Video Game Promo VHS

: A digitized version of the original 1999 promotional video sent to retailers. International VHS Versions : Archives of specific regional releases, such as the Hong Kong Cantonese dub Production & Artistic Archives The visual development of

is documented through extensive sketchbooks and concept pieces by legendary animators like Glen Keane Concept Art & Sketches : Repositories like Character Design References ArtInsights

preserve original visual development drawings by artists like Paul Felix and John Watkiss. Retro Reprints Retro Reprints Archive

preserves the covers and contents of the 1999 Golden Books and coloring books, such as Growing Up in the Jungle Always In My Heart Promotional Gallery

Tarzan (1999) Original Movie Posters - Posteritati Movie Poster Gallery Posteritati Tarzan - 1999 - Original Movie Poster – Art of the Movies Art of the Movies Art of Tarzan Character Design References

1999 Disney "Tarzan" archive consists of various digital and physical media preserved on the Internet Archive

. Most of these entries are related to the animated film's original release cycle, including software, soundtracks, and promotional material. Software & Games

Several interactive titles released alongside the film are archived and often available for download or browser-based emulation: Disney's Tarzan Action Game (1999)

: The full PC action-platformer where players control Tarzan as he grows from a child to an adult. Tarzan Activity Center (1999)

: A collection of mini-games and creative activities for children. Tarzan Print Studio

: A tool for creating Tarzan-themed cards, posters, and calendars. Video Game Promo VHS

: A digitized version of the original promotional tape used to market the game in retail stores. Internet Archive Music & Video

The archive includes high-fidelity preservation of the film’s iconic music and behind-the-scenes content: Original Soundtrack (CD)

: Digitized tracks from the Walt Disney Records release, featuring the Academy Award-winning music by Phil Collins. Tarzan in Concert with Phil Collins

: A rare ABC television special featuring live performances, cast interviews (Rosie O'Donnell, Glenn Close), and *NSYNC in the studio. VHS and DVD Captures

: Historical captures of the original home video releases, preserving the initial commercial trailers and quality of the late 90s media. Internet Archive Literature & Comics Disney's Tarzan (Book)

: A 48-page illustrated adaptation of the film published in 1999. Tarzan Comic Strips (1994–1999)

: A collection of serialized Tarzan comic strips that were active during the film's production and release. Production History & Development : Archived documents and books like Disney's Tarzan

by Russell Schroeder that detail the animation process and voice acting. Internet Archive playable version of one of the games, or are you looking for a specific behind-the-scenes clip tarzan 1999 archive

Here’s a concise draft review for a hypothetical “Tarzan 1999 Archive” release (e.g., a Blu-ray, DVD box set, or digital restoration of Disney’s Tarzan from 1999).

Tarzan: 1999 Archive Collection – Draft Review

Overall Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.5/5)

The Good:

Stunning restoration – The 1999 hand-drawn animation and pioneering Deep Canvas 3D backgrounds have never looked sharper. Colors pop, from the deep jungle greens to the golden sunset over the waterfall.
Audio that swings – Phil Collins’ Oscar-winning soundtrack is remastered in lossless 5.1. “You’ll Be in My Heart” and “Son of Man” hit just as hard emotionally.
Extras worth digging into – Includes rare deleted scenes (storyboard form), a fascinating 45-min making-of focusing on Glen Keane’s character design and the blending of CGI/traditional animation, and an isolated score track.
Original aspect ratio preserved – 1.66:1, as intended for theatrical release.

The Not-So-Good:

No new retrospective interviews – The archive relies on 1999–2000 featurettes. Would have loved a 25th-anniversary cast/crew catch-up.
Missing the “Trashin’ the Camp” music video – A notable omission from the special features.
Menus are functional but dated – Feels like a DVD-era port rather than a fresh interactive design.

Verdict:
For fans who grew up swinging with Tarzan, this archive release is a treasure. It treats the film with respect, even if the bonus content leans heavily on legacy materials. Essential for Disney animation collectors; a solid upgrade for casual viewers.

Best for: Nostalgists, animation students, Phil Collins completists.

Why the Archive Matters

In an era of algorithmic streaming and asset-flattening, the Tarzan 1999 archive represents the final gasp of a specific kind of artistic struggle. It was the last Disney film to use a full orchestral score recorded with live musicians before final animation was locked. It was the first to use a non-linear, extreme vertical sense of space. And it was the only Disney Renaissance film to end not with a wedding or a coronation, but with a man choosing his family over his species.

The archive—scattered, incomplete, and often ignored by the studio itself—is a reminder that Tarzan was an anomaly. It didn’t get a Broadway adaptation that ran for a decade (though it tried). It didn’t spawn a successful sequel (2002’s direct-to-video Tarzan & Jane is best left in the vines). But the raw material of its making—the Deep Canvas experiments, the Collins demos, the Keane anatomy studies—forms a treasure trove of late-20th-century animation genius.

To open the Tarzan 1999 archive is to hear Phil Collins scat-singing over a pencil test of a gorilla swinging through a painted forest that only exists as code. It is to see Glen Keane’s hand draw a line, then a muscle, then a soul. And it is to realize that some of the best archives are not in vaults, but in the scattered passions of those who refuse to let the jungle fade.

This article is based on publicly available archival materials, documentary extras, and preservation efforts as of 2026. For access to official archives, visit the Walt Disney Family Museum or the Animation Research Library (by appointment only).

Disney’s 1999 animated masterpiece represented the peak of the "Disney Renaissance," blending cutting-edge technology with a classic jungle adventure. Today, digital repositories like the Internet Archive and various fandom wikis serve as a vital Tarzan 1999 archive, preserving the film's production history and cultural impact. Production & Technical Innovation

The archive of Tarzan highlights the film's status as a technical marvel:

Deep Canvas Technology: Developed specifically for the film, this software allowed animators to create 3D environments that looked like 2D paintings. This enabled the camera to follow Tarzan dynamically as he "surfed" through the trees.

Keane’s Animation: Legendary animator Glen Keane supervised Tarzan’s character design. He drew inspiration from his son’s skateboarding and professional surfing to define Tarzan's unique "tree-surfing" movement.

Screenplay Evolution: Early drafts were refined by writers like Bob Tzudiker, Noni White, and Dave Reynolds to balance the emotional weight of the adoption storyline with humor. Archival Media on the Internet Archive

The Internet Archive hosts a wealth of primary materials from the 1999 release:

Disney's Tarzan : Terk's tale : Suben, Eric - Internet Archive

10 Feb 2010 — Disney's Tarzan : Terk's tale : Suben, Eric : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive. Internet Archive Disney's Tarzan Print Studio - Internet Archive

24 Feb 2023 — Disney's Tarzan Print Studio : Disney Interactive : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive. Internet Archive

Tarzan 1999 Archive " is a collection of the groundbreaking technological leaps, discarded dark sequences, and cross-continental collaborations that defined Disney's 37th animated feature. Released on June 18, 1999, it was the most expensive animated film ever made at the time ($130 million) and represented the peak of the Disney Renaissance era. The Technology of "Deep Canvas" The "archive" of Disney's 1999 encompasses a rich

The most significant piece of the archive is the development of Deep Canvas.

The Innovation: This software allowed traditionally trained artists to paint 3D environments. The program interpreted brushstrokes based on a 3D database, repainting scenes frame-by-frame to allow a camera to move freely through a lush, 3D jungle.

Tree Surfing: This tech enabled the "tree surfing" movement. Animators, inspired by snowboarding and skateboarding, wanted Tarzan to move with an agility impossible for human actors—using his feet to grip vines and branches like sidewalks. The Lost & Altered Sequences

Archived story reels and early drafts reveal a much darker and more action-oriented vision than the final cut:

Sabor’s Original Kill: The leopard Sabor was originally shown killing Tarzan's father on screen. The scene was deemed too graphic and was moved to the special features of the 2-disc DVD.

Alternative Climax: A deleted ending featured a high-stakes battle on a riverboat involving gunfire and explosions. Filmmakers cut it because they wanted the jungle itself, rather than human machinery, to be the cause of the villain Clayton’s demise.

The "Two Continents" Production: The archive highlights a unique split-studio approach; Tarzan was animated by classically trained anatomy experts in Paris, while Jane was animated in California. The two teams collaborated via early teleconferencing technology. Philosophical Foundations

The production archives note major shifts from the original 1912 Edgar Rice Burroughs novel to make the story more "Disney-friendly":

Characters: Kala (the mother) survives in the film but dies in the book; the antagonist was changed from a lion to a leopard for biological accuracy.

Themes: The archive shifts the focus from "man's conquest of savagery" to a story of self-discovery and belonging, emphasized by Phil Collins’ Grammy-winning soundtrack.

Released on June 18, 1999, Disney’s Tarzan served as the high-flying grand finale of the Disney Renaissance. As the 37th animated feature in the Disney canon, it remains a landmark achievement for its technical innovation and its departure from the studio's traditional "musical" formula. Production and Development

Directed by Kevin Lima and Chris Buck, Tarzan began pre-production in 1995. The creative team sought to create an immersive jungle that felt truly three-dimensional. To achieve this, the animation team traveled to Uganda and Kenya to study gorilla behavior firsthand, leading to more authentic character movements and family dynamics.

The film's titular hero was famously reimagined with the physique and movement of an extreme sports athlete. Lead animator Glen Keane drew inspiration from professional surfers and skateboarders, giving Tarzan a unique "tree-surfing" style that allowed him to glide through the canopy. Did You Know? Seven Swinging Facts About Disney's Tarzan

Tarzan (1999) archive represents a landmark era for Disney, marking the pinnacle of their 2D animation technology. This "archive" typically refers to the extensive collection of production materials, behind-the-scenes featurettes, and the revolutionary Deep Canvas software data that brought the jungle to life. 🌳 The Deep Canvas Archive

The most significant part of the film's technical archive is the Deep Canvas technology. Developed specifically for

, this software allowed traditionally trained background artists to "paint" onto 3D wireframes. ACM SIGGRAPH HISTORY ARCHIVES Immersive 3D Space

: It allowed the camera to follow Tarzan through the jungle canopy with a freedom never before seen in 2D animation. Painterly Texture

: Unlike modern CGI, Deep Canvas recorded every brushstroke, pressure, and color, "repainting" the background for every camera angle to maintain a hand-painted aesthetic. ACM SIGGRAPH HISTORY ARCHIVES 🎞️ Lost Media and Deleted Scenes

The production archive contains several fascinating sequences that were cut to preserve the film's tone: The Original Opening

: This version focused more on how the Greystoke family arrived in the jungle, but it was cut to emphasize the emotional bond between Tarzan and Kala instead. Alternate Climax

: An action-heavy scene on a riverboat involving gunfire was replaced. Filmmakers felt Clayton’s death should be caused by the jungle itself rather than a standard action trope. The "Violent" Fall Tarzan: 1999 Archive Collection – Draft Review Overall

: A shot of Kerchak violently throwing Tarzan into a tree was trimmed because it was deemed too horrifying for children. 🎨 Character Design & Animation

The archive includes thousands of sketches from lead animators like Glen Keane

, who moved to Paris specifically to find artists with the anatomical expertise required for Tarzan’s complex physique. Character Design References

The phrase "tarzan 1999 archive" typically refers to one of two things: the production archives (concept art, storyboards) or the promotional press kit archives released by Disney in 1999.

Below is a research-style paper summarizing the archival materials available for Disney's Tarzan (1999), focusing on its historical context, production methodology, and marketing preservation.

Title: Deep Canvas and The Ape Man: An Archival Survey of Disney’s Tarzan (1999)

Abstract This paper surveys the archival materials related to Walt Disney Feature Animation’s 1999 film, Tarzan. It examines the preservation of the film’s groundbreaking "Deep Canvas" technology, the artistic estate of Glen Keane, and the structure of the 1999 Electronic Press Kit (EPK). By analyzing these artifacts, the paper highlights how Tarzan serves as a pivotal transition point between the Disney Renaissance and the Digital Age of animation.

1. Introduction Released on June 18, 1999, Tarzan was the 37th animated feature in the Disney Animated Canon. Directed by Chris Buck and Kevin Lima, it is notable for its adaptation of Edgar Rice Burroughs' character and its significant technological achievements. In archival contexts, materials related to the film are categorized into three distinct pillars: Production Art (concept and development), Technical Assets (software and data), and Promotional Ephemera (press kits and merchandise).

2. The Production Archive: The Glen Keane Collection The most sought-after components of the Tarzan archive are the physical artworks created during the production phase.

Character Design: The visual identity of Tarzan was helmed by legendary animator Glen Keane. The archive contains numerous sketches emphasizing Tarzan’s unique anatomy—inspired by surfers and skateboarders—which allowed for fluid movement through the jungle. Keane’s "Me Study" sketches are frequently cited in animation historiography as masterclasses in character construction.
Storyboard Art: The archive includes the "Pitch" storyboards, particularly the "Trashin' the Camp" sequence, which showcase the transition from 2D planning to 3D execution.

3. The Technical Archive: Deep Canvas Tarzan is historically significant for the development of "Deep Canvas," a proprietary software that allowed background artists to paint 3D objects in a 2D style.

The Digital Archive: Unlike traditional archives that house physical cels, the Tarzan archive includes terabytes of digital data. The proprietary file formats used in 1999 present a challenge for modern digital preservationists.
Significance: Deep Canvas allowed for the signature "tree-surfing" sequences. Archival documentation from Disney’s technical notes reveals that this technology bridged the gap between the "classic" look of films like The Lion King (1994) and the fully CGI environments of later films like Frozen (2013).

4. The 1999 Press Kit Archive For researchers and media historians, the "1999 Archive" often refers to the Electronic Press Kit (EPK) and publicity materials distributed by Buena Vista Pictures.

Content: The standard 1999 EPK included B-roll footage, interview segments with the voice cast (Tony Goldwyn, Minnie Driver, Glenn Close), and featurettes on Phil Collins’ soundtrack.
The "Son of Man" Featurette: A specific artifact often found in these archives is the behind-the-scenes look at the recording of the soundtrack, which highlights the collaborative effort between Collins and the animation team—a rare look at the synchronization of music and visual development.

5. Conclusion The archival legacy of Tarzan (1999) represents a convergence of traditional artistry and digital innovation. As the final film of the Disney Renaissance era (often cited as ending in 1999 or 2002), its archives are essential for understanding the industry's shift toward 3D integration. The preservation of Glen Keane’s charcoal sketches alongside the Deep Canvas digital files offers a complete picture of animation at the turn of the millennium.

The "Deep Canvas" Revolution

The most significant entry in the Tarzan archive is the development of Deep Canvas. Before this film, computer-generated imagery (CGI) in 2D animation was often reserved for static background objects—like the ballroom floor in Beauty and the Beast or the clock gears in The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

Directors Chris Buck and Kevin Lima wanted Tarzan to surf through the jungle on branches and vines, a motion that required a camera that could swoop and dive through three-dimensional space. Traditional painted backgrounds couldn't support that movement without warping.

The solution was Deep Canvas, a proprietary software that allowed artists to paint 3D geometry with a "brush" that mimicked traditional media. The result was a lush, immersive jungle that looked like a painting but moved like a video game. It was a technical coup that won the team a Technical Achievement Academy Award. Today, it serves as a fascinating time capsule of digital innovation, showing how Disney fought to keep hand-drawn animation relevant in a rapidly digitizing world.

Part 3: The Phil Collins Tapes (Audio Archive)

The soundtrack of Tarzan is a cultural anomaly: a British pop-rock legend writing an African-influenced score for a cartoon ape-man. The audio component of the Tarzan 1999 archive is arguably the most emotionally resonant.

Warning on Fakes

Beware of "AI Upscaled" archives. Many modern fan sites run the original 480p DVD features through AI, smoothing the pencil lines. For a true archive, look for raw scans (grainy, including peg holes).

Conclusion

The Tarzan 1999 archive is not a single link or a dusty vault. It is a hybrid of hard drives, sketchbooks, film canisters, and fan uploads. It tells the story of a studio at a crossroads—one foot in hand-drawn tradition, the other in CGI—producing a film that still, 27 years later, makes you want to swing from the vines.

For those looking to explore: Start with the Disney+ "Making of" featurette, then dig into Glen Keane’s lecture at CTN Expo 2015 on YouTube. The rest of the archive waits in legal limbo—until Disney decides to open the vault again.

Do you want a more technical breakdown of the Deep Canvas software or a list of existing fan archive URLs?

The Phil Collins Tapes: Alternates, Demos, and Swahili Sessions

No discussion of the 1999 archive is complete without the music. In an audacious move, Disney hired Phil Collins—then recovering from the fatigue of Genesis and a divorce—to write the film’s score. The Tarzan soundtrack became a phenomenon: "You’ll Be in My Heart" won an Oscar, and "Son of Man" became a mid-grammy staple.

But the archive holds the demos. Bootleg recordings (some officially unearthed in Disney’s Legacy Collection release) reveal Collins humming melodies over scratch piano, lyrics still in flux. The most fascinating artifact is the "Trashing the Camp (Swahili Version)" — a full alternate take recorded with African choirs before the decision was made to stick with English scat-singing. Additionally, the archive contains storyboard-to-screen sync tests where animators used Collins’s raw guide vocals to time over 40 minutes of montage—a rhythmic feat unmatched in Western animation.

1. Official Channels (The Clean Archive)

Disney+ Extras: The streamer includes a 30-minute making-of ("The Deep Canvas Process") and deleted song "You’ll Be in My Heart" (demo).
DVD & Blu-Ray Vaults: The 2000 "Collector’s Edition" DVD and 2013 Blu-ray contain the most robust special features, including the full multi-angle "Deep Canvas exploration" and Phil Collins’ recording diary.
The Walt Disney Archives (Physical only): Researchers can request appointments to view original storyboards in Burbank, CA.