Tarzan 1966 Internet Archive Exclusive !!link!! May 2026
Fans have embraced this logic. The comment section on the Archive’s page is a treasure trove of nostalgia, with users writing things like: "I saw this at a drive-in in 1967. Thank you for letting me see the knife fight uncut." Why not just watch a low-res upload on YouTube? Let’s compare:
| Feature | YouTube Bootleg | Tarzan 1966 Internet Archive Exclusive | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Resolution | 360p - 480p (upscaled) | True 1080p (from 16mm) | | Run Time | 85 minutes (TV cut) | 88 minutes (Uncut theatrical) | | Audio | Mono, compressed | 2.0 LPCM (Lossless) | | Extras | None | Press kit, Radio interview, Alternate dubs | | Cost | Free (with ads) | Free (No ads, Public library model) | Since its upload, the Tarzan 1966 Internet Archive Exclusive has been downloaded over 120,000 times. It has spawned a subreddit dedicated to Mike Henry’s Tarzan (/r/MikeHenryTarzan) and even prompted a small festival in Austin, Texas, called "SwingCon," where the Archive scan was projected on 16mm film. tarzan 1966 internet archive exclusive
However, physical copies of Tarzan and the Valley of Gold have been notoriously difficult to find. The 35mm prints deteriorated. The VHS releases of the 1980s are out of print and trade hands for triple-digit prices. DVD releases were region-locked. For years, the only copies available were grainy, fourth-generation bootlegs recorded off late-night television. Fans have embraced this logic
Have you watched the exclusive Tarzan 1966 scan? Share your thoughts on the Archive’s comment page. Long live the Lord of the Apes. Let’s compare: | Feature | YouTube Bootleg |
For decades, 1966 was considered a somewhat forgotten year in the nearly century-long saga of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ creation. While the 1930s Johnny Weissmuller films are legendary and the 1980s Bo Derek fantasy gained camp status, the mid-1960s output—specifically the German-French co-productions starring American bodybuilder and former Mr. Universe, Mike Henry—remained elusive. That is, until the Internet Archive (Archive.org) secured what fans now reverently call the "Exclusive." To the uninitiated, "Tarzan 1966" refers specifically to the film Tarzan and the Valley of Gold (released in West Germany in 1966 and in the US in 1967). This was not just another sequel. It was a reboot. Following the departure of Gordon Scott, producer Sy Weintraub cast Mike Henry—a former NFL linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Los Angeles Rams—to bring a rougher, more intelligent, and brutally athletic Tarzan to the screen.
Film critic Leonard Maltin, in a 2023 podcast, called the Archive’s acquisition "a heroic act." He noted, "Mike Henry only played Tarzan twice (the second film was Tarzan and the Great River in 1967), but his interpretation was the bridge between the serial strongman and the serious action hero. Without that 1966 exclusive, we’d have a hole in the character's evolution." Because this is an exclusive at risk of removal (rights holders could theoretically change their minds), the Archive encourages preservation.
Enter the . Approximately three years ago, a private collector—wishing to remain anonymous—donated a pristine, telecine-scanned 16mm print to the Archive. The staff, recognizing the cultural lacuna, digitized it using a 4K scanner and uploaded it with a unique identifier: tarzan_valley_of_gold_1966 . Unlike standard uploads, the Archive declared this an "Exclusive" because they negotiated a limited, non-commercial distribution license with the rights holders (currently Warner Bros., who owns the RKO and Weintraub library). Why 1966 Matters: The Mike Henry Difference You might ask: Why obsess over the 1966 iteration? The answer lies in the transition of the character. By 1966, the "Me Tarzan, You Jane" stereotype was dead. The spy craze (James Bond) and the advent of gritty anti-heroes had reshaped action cinema.