“We start by hooking people with classic things and then move on to satirising masculinity, communities, ecological and anti-establishment mysticism, conditioned reflexes and conditioning. Little is spared: the only one who gets away with it is Tarzoon, who remains the most sane character in the film” — Picha

Picha (whose real name is Jean-Paul Walravens, 1942-), is a Belgian satirical caricaturist and director. After two years of study at the Institut Saint-Luc, Picha starts his caricaturist career for a series of newspapers and periodicals, Belgian and international, like Hara-Kiri or Lampoon. Landing by “accident” into directing “adult” animated films, he only realises four feature films during his career and collaborates with Belgian director Benoît Lamy to make Cartoon Circus (1972), a coverage of the comic strips and caricaturists world. Picha is a frequent collaborator of Belgian filmmaker Boris Szulzinger. He also makes a few animated television series – this time for children – during the 1990’s.  

Tarzoon, shame of the jungle is Picha’s first animated feature film, co-directed and produced by Boris Szulzinger. The movie follows Tarzoon, a man from the jungle who goes looking for his wife, June, abducted by the bald queen Bazonga, who covets her for her luscious hair. Parody, satire of capitalist society, Tarzoon “destroys all the clichés: militarism, racism, virility, the spirit of rebellion, 1960 and 1968 style. Even ecology takes a hit.  

A 15-minute version is shown at the 27th Cannes Film Festival, in the hopes of finding funding. In the end, it’s Fox who will provide the necessary funds to create the film and take care of its diffusion in the United States. Globally well received by critics, the movie encounters an obstacle along the way: the heirs of Edgar Rice Burroughs, author of Tarzan. They see in Tarzoon a counterfeit, an act of competition and an infringement of moral rights, so much so that they try to forbid its diffusion, in France as well as in the United States, without success. The actor who voiced Tarzoon is none other than Johnny Weissmuller Jr., son of actor Johnny Weissmuller, who was the long-time interpreter for Tarzan on screen.

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[1] A.-C.B., « A vos vidéos. La honte de la jungle », Pourquoi Pas ?, 24 décembre 1987, p. 72.
[2] CINERGIE, « Luc Jabon – Picha envers et contre tout », Cinergie.be, www.cinergie.be (page consultée le 22 mai 2025).
[3] A.-C.B., « A vos vidéos. La honte de la jungle », Pourquoi Pas ?, 24 décembre 1987, p. 72.
[4] A.V., «Tarzoon, la honte de la jungle », La Dernière Heure, 18 septembre 1975.
[5] s.n., « ‘Tarzoon, la honte de la jungle’ : un dessin animé belge au niveau américain », Vlan, 18 septembre 1975.
[6] s.n., « Tarzan contre Tarzoon », Le Soir, 21 septembre 1978.
[7] P. THONON, « Le fils de Tarzan : la voix de Tarzoon », Pourquoi pas ?, 4 septembre 1975, p. 117.