196
De fato, Essoe (1968, p. 203-208) cita alguns dos inúmeros exemplos possíveis que é
interessante levar em conta para pensar o que está em jogo nas restrições corporativas da ERB
Inc. sobre o nome de 'Tarzan': o que é reprimido e o que é promovido pelo copyright?
The earliest known unauthorized Tarzan movie was The Adventures of Chinese
Tarzan. Produced by the Hsin Hwa Motion Picture Company of Singapore in 1940,
it was to have been the first of a series. The Apeman was incredibly portrayed by
one Peng Fei, and Lee Cha Cha appeared as Jane Porter. Although the picture played
to long lines in Shanghai, no sequels materialized.
Alongside unauthorized productions were pirated films. While in New York on
business in 1944, Sol Lesser was called by a Turkish film distributor who told him
that he had a Turkish Tarzan film for sale. Intrigued by the idea, Lesser set up a
screening of the film, after which he confiscated it legally.
[...]
Ralph Rotmund, long-time general manager of ERB, Inc., in 1954 stopped
production of a series of Tarzan films in India after three had been made.
Apparently, the Berar Region-based operation had ground out quick films for
distribution in Nigeria.
In 1963, unauthorized activity increased horrendously, due to the erroneous idea that
certain Tarzan properties were in the public domain. [...]
Cosmopolis Films, a French distributor now reportedly in bankruptcy, was
prevented by ERB, Inc., and Banner Productions from handling an Italian-made
Tarzan film called Tarzan, Roi de la Force Brutale. The film, which was made by
Italia Produzione and Coronet Produzioni, starred Joe Robinson as the Apeman. It
was seized and released only when the producers agreed to change the lead
character's name to Thaur before showing it anywhere.
In another suit, Weintraub's lawyers confiscated the negative to Tarzan chez les
Coupers de Têtes, a French film made by an Italian company.
While in Paris for the above case, counsel for Burroughs and Banner also kept
Liberal Films from distributing a Russian-made picture called Tarzan des Mers,
which dealt with an amphibious man, Iktiandre [...]. The film was eventually
exhibited under the title of The Amphibious Man.
A fourth picture, Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar, was stopped after three days of
production in Jamaica. Robert Hodes, then legal counsel and now general manager
of ERB, Inc., won an injunction against Jamaica Pictures Ltd., headed by Sherman
S. Krellberg and Sandy Howard, and filming was permanently suspended in
November 18, 1964.
[...]
Things were not over by any means. A quick trip to Czechoslovakia prevented
distribution of a movie called The Death of Tarzan. And when a new U.S. company
headed by director Ray Denis and scripter Ron Haydock announced plans to shoot
Jungle Tales of Tarzan in Thousand Oaks, California, Hodes informed them of
ERB, Inc.'s legal position. [...]
Hodes then learned that Sargaam Chittra, Ltd., an Indian movie company, had
cranked out ten Tarzan films between 1963 and 1965. An Indian wrestler named
Darasingh played the Jungle Lord in the first four: Rocket Tarzan, Tarzan and
Delilah, Tarzan and King Kong and Tarzan Comes to Delhi. The role then went to a
younger fellow called Azad, who completed six films co-starred with “the beautiful
Chitra as his mate.” Their pictures were: Tarzan and Cleopatra, Tarzan and the
Gorilla, Tarzan's Beloved, Tarzan and Magician, Tarzan and Captain Kishore, and
Tarzan and Circus. [...]
As with the Indian films made in the early fifties, these “quickie” productions were
exclusively for distribution in Nigeria. And as before, further activity was stopped
and existing negatives seized.
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