Clayton (Tarzan)
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Clayton is the hunter and villain from the Disney film Tarzan. He is voiced by Brian Blessed.
There is no direct model for Clayton in the Tarzan series of books by Edgar Rice Burroughs on which the movie is based. In the novels, Clayton is the surname of Tarzan's family, his own true name being John Clayton. The movie's Clayton appears to combine elements of Tarzan's cousin William Cecil Clayton, a rival for the love of Jane Porter in the first two novels, and Nikolas Rokoff, the series' first true villain, who appears in the second book, The Return of Tarzan. Neither, however, is much of a hunter.
Randy Haycock, the superivising animator for Clayton said in an interview for the special edition 2 disk DVD said "We tried to come up with one word to describe the character and the word we came up with was charismatic. He really brutal, he's malicious and the part of him that’s charismatic and charming is simply there to hide his true nature, that's brutal and malicious".
In the film, Clayton serves as guide for Jane and her father Professor Porter on an expedition to Africa in search for gorillas, but his secret agenda is to use the trip as a means to hunt gorillas to sell on the black market. Arrogant and totaly convinced in his own abilities and his invulnerability "Clayton's life is all about romance, a life long romance with himself. Clayton's an absolute, total, egomaniace". - Brian Blessed, the voice of Clayton.
With the introduction of Tarzan to the expedition, Clayton makes several attempts, all unsuccessful, to get the location of the gorillas from Tarzan.
With both his and his employers' goals thwarted, Clayton prepares to leave Africa with Jane and the professor. Manipulating Tarzan's feelings for Jane, he convinces the ape man they will stay if he takes them to the gorillas, which he does. Kerchak, the head gorilla, is angered by the trespass and attacks Clayton for brandishing a gun against the band.
Luckily for Clayton, Tarzan manages to calm down the frenzied ape. Disowned by Kerchak, he agrees to return to England with Jane and the professor, only to be surprised and imprisoned with them when they board the ship by Clayton. Now that the villain no longer needs them he wants them all out of the way so that he and his cronies can capture the gorillas.
The heroes manage to escape and free the gorillas. Clayton confronts Tarzan and takes the battle to the treetops. Becoming tangled in a mass of vines, Clayton, in a blind fury, cuts his way through, unwittingly causing his own end by hanging from an uncut vine wrapped around his own neck. He soon falls to his death.
[edit] Alternate Ending
There was an alternate ending to the original movie where Clayton and Tarzan fight on a boat where Clayton has some gorrilas in cages and is trying to make an escape along with his henchmen.
In this version Clayton battles Tarzan with a machine gun and a dagger while making references to Tarzan being a savage and not a real man, which is reminiscent of the statement made in the actual ending. In this version, he dies when some barrels of oil catch on fire during their struggle and he is pinned down and unable to jump overboard along with Tarzan before the boat explodes.
This ending was dropped because it was felt that it was more appropriate to have the final fight in the jungle and allow the jungle to play a part in Clayton’s downfall (the vine around his neck). They also wanted Clayton to appear more animalistic and rely more on brute force in his battle with Tarzan. Hence he has a lot less dialogue in the final version, except for his xenophobic remark, and is a lot more violent in his attacks. This alternate ending can be found on the special edition 2 disk DVD.
[edit] The Legend of Tarzan
While Clayton, for better or for worse, does not make an appearance in the TV series The Legend of Tarzan his sister, Lady Waltham (voiced by Amanda Donohoe) does. She (or rather her valet, Hobson) kidnaps Jane, Tantor, Terk, and the Professor, placing each in a separate, deadly peril. She then injects Tarzan with a fatal poison (via blowdart) and informs him that the antidote lies far away on a distant mountain she's dubbed "Clayton's Peak". He, therefore, has a choice, to suffer as she had (and lose those he loves) or as Clayton had (and lose his own life). Lady Waltham ultimetly has a change of heart and saves Tarzan when he was on the brink of death. This episode also shows a scene of the movie the series is based on. Namely, the scene where Clayton accidentally hangs himself. Clayton also "appears" when Tarzan gets bitten by a spider that causes him to hallucinate; because of this, he mistakes Professor Porter, who is holding a bamboo cane for Clayton and his gun.
[edit] Kingdom Hearts
Clayton appears in the video game Kingdom Hearts, accompanying Jane in the jungle. He seeks to hunt gorillas, under the pretense of researching them with Jane. Desperate to find the gorillas, he asks Tarzan to direct him and Jane to the gorillas, but Tarzan refuses.
Clayton then goes to the old treehouse and sees Terk. He aims with his rifle, but before he can shoot her, Sora and company interuppt him. Clayton claims he was aiming at a snake, but the others don't belive him. They go back to the camp and tell Jane what happened. Jane berates Clayton for his actions and tells him he is forbidden from going near the gorillas again. Furious, Clayton storms out and vows to get to the gorillas if its the last thing he ever does.
However, the darkness in Clayton's heart brings the Heartless to his world, his heart is taken, and he becomes an emotionless killer. Using the Heartless, he rounds up the gorillas and captures Jane.
In the final confrontation with Clayton, Clayton gets help from an invisible Heartless named Stealth Sneak. After both are defeated, Stealth Sneak stumbles and accidentally, yet still fatally, crushes Clayton with its dying breath.
Blessed reprises his role as Clayton for the English version, and Banjō Ginga does his Japanese voice.
