But even by those standards, is a head-scratcher.
Let’s be honest: this was made on a budget that might have bought a used car. The animation is stiff, with lots of panning over still images, repeated frames, and characters who move like wooden puppets. The jungle backgrounds are surprisingly lush—almost rotoscoped from stock footage—but the character designs are pure 90s adult comic: exaggerated proportions, pouty lips, and vines that conveniently wrap around everything at cinematic moments. tarzan shame of jane 1995
If you grew up in the 90s, you probably remember the golden age of direct-to-video animation. Studios like Disney were dominating the box office, and everyone else was desperately trying to catch the coattail—often with bizarre, low-budget results. But even by those standards, is a head-scratcher
Released in 1995 by a now-defunct studio (often misattributed to low-budget houses like Cal Vista or Video X Pix), Tarzan: Shame of Jane is exactly what the title implies: a tongue-in-cheek, adults-only retelling of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ classic. Released in 1995 by a now-defunct studio (often
The mid-90s were a weird time. The VHS market had exploded, and rental stores had entire back aisles dedicated to “adult animation.” Studios realized they could take public domain characters (Tarzan entered the public domain in some territories by then) and slap a risqué title on the box. Shame of Jane wasn’t trying to win Oscars. It was trying to get rented on a Friday night by someone looking for a laugh and a cheap thrill.
If you ever find a dusty VHS copy at a garage sale, grab it. Not because it’s valuable, but because you’ll never look at a loincloth the same way again.