The very first Tarzan movie, the 1918 silent film classic , was primarily filmed on location in the lush swamps and bayous of Morgan City, Louisiana . Long before Hollywood established itself as the undisputed capital of global cinema, this groundbreaking production headed to the Deep South, making it the first feature-length American motion picture shot on location outside of California or New York . The moss-draped cypress trees of Louisiana’s Atchafalaya Basin served as the cinematic stand-in for the untamed African jungle.
Located just outside the city, this island was used for various jungle sequences.
Another local swamp site used for location shooting . where was the first tarzan movie filmed top
The absolute epicenter of the film's outdoor production was Lake End Park , a waterfront area nestled along the shores of .
The production spent about five weeks on location in 1917, utilizing several specific areas in and around the city: Atchafalaya Basin Swamps The very first Tarzan movie, the 1918 silent
Today, Morgan City is incredibly proud of its unique cinematic history. The filming of Tarzan of the Apes was one of the earliest instances of a major Hollywood production moving on-location outside of California or New York. It proved to the film industry that regional landscapes could successfully double for exotic locales around the world.
The first Tarzan film, directed by William A. Seiter, was released in 1918, just six years after the character's literary debut. The movie, titled "Tarzan of Hobbingen," was a silent film that starred Elmo Lincoln as Tarzan. The film was produced by the Great Gulf Pictures Corporation, a short-lived film production company. Located just outside the city, this island was
Tarzan of the Apes was a landmark film in many ways. It was a trailblazer as the first major feature film to be shot entirely on location outside of California or New York. It was also a resounding box office success, earning over in its initial release—a staggering sum for the era. The film proved that audiences were hungry for authentic, location-based adventure, paving the way for countless jungle epics to come.
While the vast majority of the outdoor jungle footage was captured in the Louisiana wilderness, a small portion of the movie was completed back in California.
The iconic character of Tarzan, created by Edgar Rice Burroughs, has been a staple of popular culture for over a century. The first Tarzan movie, released in 1918, marked the beginning of a cinematic journey that would captivate audiences worldwide. But have you ever wondered ? Let's embark on a journey to uncover the origins of this cinematic phenomenon.
Film crews constructed primitive palmetto huts directly under the towering, moss-covered cypress trees to replicate a native African coastal village.