Luana, the Girl Tarzan (1968)

AKA: Luana - Der Fluch des weißen Goldes (Austria / West Germany), Luana - der Fluch (West Germany), Luana, fille de la jungle (France), Luana (USA alternate title), Luana, to koritsi tis zouglas (Greece (reissue title)), Luana, to koritsi tou parthenou dasous (Greece), Luana la figlia delle foresta vergine (Italy)

Director: Roberto Infascelli

Starring: Mei Chen, Glenn Saxson, Evi Marandi, Alfred Thomas

More info: IMDb

Plot: Isabel's (Marandi) father disappeared deep in the African jungle 15 years ago with her Chinese half-sister. She's enlisted the help of known African adventurer, George (Saxson), to guide her through the jungle with her father's friend, Norman, who made it out alive all those years ago. What she doesn't know is that her half-sister has been roaming the jungles, ala Tarzan, ever since and seems to be their guardian angel at every turn as there are bad guys afoot. It turns out that Norman and her father had stumbled upon a plant that produces a much sought after drug that Norman's been cultivated ever since, having killed his friend to protect his interests.

My rating: 4/10

Will I watch it again? NooooOooooOoOoOo-oooooo

#38 on Dusk to Dawn Drive-In Trash-o-Rama Show Vol. 1 (part of the TRAILER TRASH PROJECT)


It's a Tarzan picture but with a chick that doesn't speak. She doesn't have to...she's practically naked the entire picture. That says it all. Too bad we don't really see anything due to the tried-and-true long hair covering up the girls. I realize there are no barbers in the jungle but a ponytail would have been adequate...but I digress...

These guys look about as excited as you'll feel.

The titular character isn't much of a character. It's not about her at all. She has no arc and doesn't even speak...not that it matters any...


Being an Italian production dubbed in English, the dub is adequate although anything better would have elevated the film a bit - especially with George's voice. The action is as you would expect - not enough and OK at best. Stelvio Cipriani's score is uneven, sounding like a spaghetti western at times and early 60s lounge at others. I dug the former themes the best.


LUANA is a standard matinee jungle adventure with a scantily clad vine-swingin' broad that serves no purpose except to help the good guys every once in a while and to provide some eye candy for the audience. Despite seeing a decent widescreen print, I'm happy to put this one behind me.