It’s a Jungle Out There for ‘Tarzan’s’ Debut

The Scene: Saturday’s world premiere of and jungle party for Disney’s “Tarzan” (opens Friday) at Hollywood’s El Capitan Theater. Three blocks were cordoned off for an old-fashioned premiere (think Oscar night), with more than 2,000 screaming fans (think Tarzan yell) packed onto bleachers cheering the celebrity parade along a 100-foot-long red carpet.

Parade Posers: Minnie Driver, Glenn Close, Tony Goldwyn, Lance Henriksen, Phil Collins, Andy Garcia, Cuba Gooding Jr., Diane Keaton, Marlee Matlin, Carol Kane, Antonio Sabato Jr., Lea Thompson, LL Cool J, Carrie Fisher, David Hasselhoff, Mimi Rogers, Star Jones, Meredith Vieira, Joy Behar and the girl group Nobody’s Fool, (think the next Spice Girls).

Also, “Tarzan’s” filmmakers: animator Glen Keane; directors Chris Buck and Kevin Lima; producer Bonnie Arnold; and Disney execs Roy Disney, Michael Eisner, Joe Roth, Peter Schneider, Thomas Schumacher, Richard Cook, Chuck Viane, Chris Pula and Geoffrey Ammer.

Phil Thrill: After the screening, more than 1,000 moviegoers were treated to a 40-minute concert by Collins, who wrote the movie’s songs. He then rocked the cap off El Cap with a medley of hits that got everyone on their feet.

Party Animals: Guests chowed on kiddie fare (macaroni and cheese) and grown-up grub (spicy rice and chicken Thai satay) in a jungle-adorned El Capitan Entertainment Center. They petted monkeys from Steve Martin’s Working Wildlife, made masks, played Tarzan video games and watched illusionist Nicholas Night on stage. A diaper-clad monkey handed “Tarzan” CDs to guests on their way out .

On Your Mark: “There’s this guy at work, Mark, and he came down the hallway one day, and I said ‘There he is, that’s Tarzan’s hair,’ ” said Keane, Tarzan’s animator and son of Bil Keane, creator of “The Family Circus” comic strip. “So we brought Mark into my office, took pictures”--and voila!--a long-haired, dreadlocked Tarzan was born.

Gorilla of Our Dreams: “Making this movie was totally cool,” said Close, the voice of Kala, Tarzan’s mama gorilla. “I grew up on Disney movies. As a kid, I’d dream about knocking on Mr. Disney’s door and asking, ‘Can I be in one of your movies?’ ”

Animal Instincts: “What’s a jungle if you don’t have a diva?” asked Driver, the voice of Jane, who answered the call of the wild party bunch in a cheetah-printed Dolce & Gabbana number with matching D&G; heels and Fendi bag.

Silence Is Not Goldwyn: “We worked really hard on the Tarzan yell. I wanted it to be that classic yell, and just refined it and refined it,” said Goldwyn, Tarzan’s voice, about how practice--in the shower and behind the wheel--makes for a perfect Tarzan pitch.