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Post by Lokifan on Apr 4, 2014 4:47:12 GMT
On another thread, I suggested testing if you can really swing through a jungle on a vine or vines ala Tarzan. I thought it might merit a thread of its own. Are there any vines that are that strong, or would you not so much swing as plummet?  If they exist, do they grow naturally in a configuration for swinging? This could be expanded into an entire episode if you consider other jungle/desert island myths. Gilligan's Island has quite a few. I'd like to see them create a bamboo pedal car, for example. Any views/suggestions? |
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Post by the light works on Apr 4, 2014 5:30:48 GMT
On another thread, I suggested testing if you can really swing through a jungle on a vine or vines ala Tarzan. I thought it might merit a thread of its own. Are there any vines that are that strong, or would you not so much swing as plummet? If they exist, do they grow naturally in a configuration for swinging? This could be expanded into an entire episode if you consider other jungle/desert island myths. Gilligan's Island has quite a few. I'd like to see them create a bamboo pedal car, for example. Any views/suggestions? I see what you did there  I believe there are vines sturdy enough to swing on - but the configuration will probably be a factor. the tree surfing in the Disney version of Tarzan would be cool to see tested - but it may not be doable. I'd say stay away from the survivalism - it is being done to death. instead lets go with the going native theme. it woudl be entirely cerebral - but assuming tropical weather (including frequent rainstorms) and good fishing, how small an island could actually provide enough resources for survival? how many square feet of rain collector would it take to get enough for daily needs? |
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Post by Lokifan on Apr 4, 2014 5:59:41 GMT
Gilligan's Island was not so much survivalism as sitcom--a lot of the things were one step up from the Flintstones, the car being a prime example. It was propelled via foot pedals. Could vines make a good drive belt for such a device?
I agree; surviving on an island is definitely another option, but I think Bear Grylls has probably done that to death.
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Post by OziRiS on Apr 4, 2014 10:14:13 GMT
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Post by Cybermortis on Apr 4, 2014 10:17:37 GMT
And counter that by asking if you really want to see Adam and Jamie in loincloths?
Good luck getting that image out of your head...
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Post by OziRiS on Apr 4, 2014 10:33:56 GMT
And counter that by asking if you really want to see Adam and Jamie in loincloths? Good luck getting that image out of your head... YOU SONOFABEECH!!!  |
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Post by Lokifan on Apr 4, 2014 14:21:03 GMT
Okay, so the short answer is: No, it's not possible, according to an orinthologist. And, yes, he's probably right. The swinging thing appears to be pure Hollywood. Still, it might be good TV. Adam swinging through the trees in a loincloth just is inherently funny to me.  Where do you go to find jungle vines that you can mess about with anyhow? I can't imagine the usual botanical exhibits being too friendly to the idea... Okay, even if it's fake, how far could a human actually swing on the fake vines before tiring? Would it be faster walking/running on the ground? |
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Post by the light works on Apr 4, 2014 14:45:58 GMT
And counter that by asking if you really want to see Adam and Jamie in loincloths? Good luck getting that image out of your head... I'm roaming through the kitchen, dining room, and Mrs TLW's office today doing her business taxes, while she watched Game of Thrones. or in short - no problem. |
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Post by Lex Of Sydney Australia on Apr 5, 2014 13:10:58 GMT
And counter that by asking if you really want to see Adam and Jamie in loincloths? Good luck getting that image out of your head... Ye Gods Cyber if I wasn't already scared for life by what I've seen in here, THAT image would have done it for me!    |
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Post by mrfatso on Apr 5, 2014 13:22:21 GMT
You were not around for THAT cyber attack on the old boards from Disco where you?
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Post by silverdragon on Apr 6, 2014 10:07:40 GMT
Erm... Vines grow UP?....... As in, if you grab a vine that has grown halfway up a tree, its anchored at the roots, on the ground..... one way trip earth-wards.... face plant time..... That art of swinging through trees is to use the branches, known as Brachiation, monkeys gibbons and apes are the masters of that. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BrachiationWith Vines, by the time you have found a vine that has draped usefully over a branch, the chances of that being at any useful height and the chances of you finding one strong enough to support your weight are ever diminishing. Otherwise, what you have there, as used in the films etc, by Johnny Weissmuller, are rope swings. |
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Post by OziRiS on Apr 6, 2014 11:23:56 GMT
Okay, so the short answer is: No, it's not possible, according to an orinthologist. We've never been big on short answers in our little group, have we? And, yes, he's probably right. The swinging thing appears to be pure Hollywood. Still, it might be good TV. Adam swinging through the trees in a loincloth just is inherently funny to me. Where do you go to find jungle vines that you can mess about with anyhow? I can't imagine the usual botanical exhibits being too friendly to the idea... Okay, even if it's fake, how far could a human actually swing on the fake vines before tiring? Would it be faster walking/running on the ground? For someone who hasn't spent most of their life swinging around by their arms, I'd say it would be faster to just walk or run. After all, we haven't evolved to be a tree-swinging species, so it's not natural to us and would take training. |
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Post by Cybermortis on Apr 6, 2014 12:07:25 GMT
We should probably also consider that if you swing through a forest like Tarzan, you are probably going to end up swinging into the side of a tree. Tarzan's famous cry probably translates as 'Oh God a tree! AHHH! My testicles!'
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Post by Lokifan on Apr 6, 2014 14:36:46 GMT
So, less like Tarzan, more like George? |
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Post by silverdragon on Apr 7, 2014 9:03:56 GMT
First define your forest.....
You hear words like "Impenetrable jungle" when David Attenborough does his wonders of life type programs, and some of them are.
This is WHY the monkey (NOT him) and Orang-utans (him) use the trees...
Sometimes it is easier to walk from branch to branch that hack a path through at ground level?...
As for Humans, we evolved as a Monkey that came down and walked across savannah's.
If we went back, like Tarzan, and lived in the jungle all our life, I am thinking we would quickly get adapted to using trees again?...
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Post by OziRiS on Apr 7, 2014 20:54:52 GMT
First define your forest..... You hear words like "Impenetrable jungle" when David Attenborough does his wonders of life type programs, and some of them are. This is WHY the monkey (NOT him) and Orang-utans (him) use the trees... Sometimes it is easier to walk from branch to branch that hack a path through at ground level?... As for Humans, we evolved as a Monkey that came down and walked across savannah's. If we went back, like Tarzan, and lived in the jungle all our life, I am thinking we would quickly get adapted to using trees again?... As I said - and I meant that in regards to testing the myth - for someone who HASN'T spent most of their life swinging around by their arms, it would be faster to just walk or run. I don't suppose any of our intrepid hosts grew up in a circus and have trapezes hanging from their ceilings at home that they use to play 'the floor is made of lava' whenever they go to the bathroom or want to get a drink from the fridge |
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Post by the light works on Apr 8, 2014 0:13:23 GMT
First define your forest..... You hear words like "Impenetrable jungle" when David Attenborough does his wonders of life type programs, and some of them are. This is WHY the monkey (NOT him) and Orang-utans (him) use the trees... Sometimes it is easier to walk from branch to branch that hack a path through at ground level?... As for Humans, we evolved as a Monkey that came down and walked across savannah's. If we went back, like Tarzan, and lived in the jungle all our life, I am thinking we would quickly get adapted to using trees again?... As I said - and I meant that in regards to testing the myth - for someone who HASN'T spent most of their life swinging around by their arms, it would be faster to just walk or run. I don't suppose any of our intrepid hosts grew up in a circus and have trapezes hanging from their ceilings at home that they use to play 'the floor is made of lava' whenever they go to the bathroom or want to get a drink from the fridge They would need to hire someone who HAD spent much of their adult life swinging from things. As for swinging from rope to rope - they do things like that in the Japanese game show, Ninja Warrior. it doesn't usually go very smoothly. |
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Post by silverdragon on Apr 8, 2014 8:02:57 GMT
I would also like to point out when I say impenetrable forest, it could be a barrier to walking about, the jungle floor is not always the easiest path.
Even for people who have no swinging experience.
I suppose this is a separate test, what would be quicker, walk along branches and "swing" or try hacking through a thick undergrowth.....
And for that, dont find the actual forest they filed Tarzan in, 'cos we all know the cameraman and crew had to walk around that one.
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Post by Cybermortis on Apr 8, 2014 8:41:36 GMT
I would also like to point out when I say impenetrable forest, it could be a barrier to walking about, the jungle floor is not always the easiest path. Even for people who have no swinging experience. I suppose this is a separate test, what would be quicker, walk along branches and "swing" or try hacking through a thick undergrowth..... And for that, dont find the actual forest they filed Tarzan in, 'cos we all know the cameraman and crew had to walk around that one. And the MB film crew is meant to take pictures how? More seriously. Forests of the type needed do not, as far as I'm aware, exist in the USA. So they'd have to travel elsewhere, most likely South America, to find the kind of forest needed. This would be too expensive (in regards both time and money) to be practical for what is a fairly minor idea. It is also rather likely that they would not want to place the cast in danger by getting them to do something that dangerous in the middle of no where where medical assistance might be problematical. If they were going to test this it would have to be under controlled conditions in the US, which would also most likely mean stand in's for both the trees and the vines. Possible, but I suspect that as is they would consider this to be far too much trouble that it is worth. Someone has to play devils advocate in regards the production aspects of ideas, and the concerns/objections that would come from that side. And since I have a fair idea what many of those objections are likely to be (and in some cases have been told about them by my Bothan in relation to other things) I get to play that role. Nothing wrong with the idea, just obvious problems with cost and 'spectacle'. Maybe make this part of a larger group of ideas, a 'King of the Swingers' series of myths relating to things heroes have swung on in film and TV or unusual things used as ropes? That would allow the use of such things as using a fire hose as a bungee cord/rope (Die Hard) or swinging through a city (Spider man). They have covered some strange ropes in the Jail Escape episode, including human hair, so maybe this could be a sort of follow on from that? |
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Post by Lokifan on Apr 8, 2014 13:56:15 GMT
There are jungles in Hawaii. I don't know how dense they are; I've only been there once.
Florida and Louisiana might also be possible.
I like the King of Swingers idea.
Remember the first Die Hard film? The hero jumps off a building with a fire hose wrapped around him. It jerks him to a stop, and the momentum slams him through a window a few stories down, if I remember right. Would that actually happen, or would he end up dangling outside?
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