The Valley of Gwangi (1969)

If you have ever dreamed of seeing the original "King Kong" done in color but accomplished with traditional special effects, "The Valley of Gwangi" is probably the closest you'll get to that. It's not a classic like "King Kong" is. The lead character (played by James Franciscus) is kind of obnoxious for quite some time, though eventually you'll warm up to him. It also takes some time for the story to really get going. But I'll admit that even when the movie takes its sweet time, I was never really bored at any moment. There are some colorful background scenery and sets (some serious money was spent on this movie), some action, but best of all the special effects by Ray Harryhausen. They are still pretty fun to observe and are still well accomplished after all of these years.One quibble that I feel I have to add: Whose idea was it to make the dinosaurs pink and purple? True, we don't know what colors real dinosaurs had. But the sight of these movie dinosaurs in non traditional colors does look somewhat silly at times.

James Franciscus plays Tuck, an amiable hustler who comes back into the life of T.J. (lovely Gila Golan). T.J. is one of the participants in a Wild West show that is not doing so well at the moment. However, one of their people, Carlos (Gustavo Rojo) has ventured into a Mexican location known as the "Forbidden Valley" and come back with a prize: an adorable "Eohippus", or miniature prehistoric horse. Circumstances lead Tuck and others to head into the valley, where they encounter other ancient animals, such as a Styracosaurus and a very aggressive Allosaurus.In the well loved tradition of "King Kong", T.J. and her friends, including Champ (Richard Carlson), get the bright idea to introduce the Allosaurus - who gets christened Gwangi - to their show. Havoc predictably ensues.There may be viewers who will grow impatient with the pacing at first. "The Valley of Gwangi" runs longer than previous Ray Harryhausen - Charles H. Schneer productions at 96 minutes, and it's not until the movies' second half that we get to see any dinosaurs. But the little Eohippus is sure to charm people, not just children, and the story is very engaging.It helps that the actors are so sincere. The handsome Franciscus is good in the starring role, with fine support from Ms. Golan and Mr. Carlson. Young Curtis Arden is appealing in the role of Lope the child, who had to fend for himself from an early age and who is clearly eager to make a buck. Freda Jackson is amusing in the somewhat annoying, clichéd role of the wise old doomsayer who rants about the consequences of individuals going into the valley and bringing back "evil" specimens.As expected, Harryhausen's special effects are excellent. They're especially impressive in the movies' major set piece, when Tuck, Champ and others work overtime to try to lasso Gwangi. And once the action kicks into gear in this thing, a real fever pitch is reached and then maintained until the absolute end, with an exciting rampage.Mostly lighthearted entertainment, but G ratings weren't always what they are now: a few people do fall victim to the jaws and teeth of Gwangi.Very well directed by Jim O'Connolly ("Crooks and Coronets", "Tower of Evil").Seven out of 10.

Ray Harryhausen has a unique place in the history of film and it's not the quality of his work. A lot of players are box office names, a few director/producers like Cecil B. DeMille, Alfred Hitchcock, Frank Capra, and Walt Disney most of all bring people in with having their names on a film. But Ray Harryhausen is the only one in his profession as a special effects man who brings folks to the theater. That's the best tribute of all for him.Late in the 19th century Gita Golan owner of a small wild west show is playing Mexico and she's got a unique attraction as she has found a small horse, an ancient eohippus which has come out of a valley said to be cursed and inhabited by fierce creatures called the Gwangi. An old flame who works for Buffalo Bill, James Franciscus and some of his wild west show cowboys show up to track down the little horse after some local gypsies under the direction of Freda Jackson set it free.But what they run into is an ancient tyrannosaurus which is called a Gwangi by the locals. It's like when Carl Dedham spotted King Kong, got to get this guy back to civilization and make a bundle off him.The plot is outrageous with some great overacting by Freda Jackson as the old gypsy crone and Laurence Naismith as a palaeontologist all in the spirit of fun. I love it when Franciscus and the cowboys discover that the reason their bullets are having no affect on the big guy is they're using blanks from the show. Does it deter them, it does not they set about to lariat T-Rex and play an interesting an deadly game of tag.When they do capture him and later destroy him, it's with a lot of luck and some natural forces in nature.Dopey plot, but that's part of the fun. And the work of Ray Harryhausen is the reason to see the film and in that you won't be disappointed.

Oddly engaging fantasy finds entrepreneur Franciscus returning to his old haunt, re-igniting his passion for former flame (Golan) and teaming up with a precocious (and loyal) youngster (Arden) and eccentric palaeontologist (Naismith) who has made a significant discovery of a fossilised footprint of an ancestor to the horse. When one of the tiny ponies is captured for Golan's circus-rodeo, Franciscus suspects there may be more dollars to be exploited if he can find other descendants. Their subsequent search leads to the discovery of a hidden valley where dinosaurs still exist, "Gwangi", the most feared of them all (a T-Rex) and potentially the most profitable, if he can be caught and circus trained. Predictably, "Gwangi" is not a performing monkey.Unusual western - sci-fi fusion for adults is a "King Kong" rendition of sorts, with capable performances and Ray Harryhausen's superb stop motion animation depicting some brutal encounters with a number of well known dinosaur species. I couldn't help but feel sympathy for Gwangi, the innocent T-Rex minding his own business, chewing up the odd pterodactyl, then abducted to be exploited by Richard Carlson's insatiable greed. An undignified treatment of an apex predator.Potentially too bloody for the kids (and given their exposure to CGI effects, probably too primitive as well), the film's climax in which Gwangi is revealed to the peanut gallery is vintage stuff - there's a savage fight to the death between Gwangi and a circus elephant, and even more spectacular, the tiny taco attempting to release the enraged Gwangi from his cage, consumed in a bone-crunching fury as horrified spectators dash for the exits. Harryhausen devotee, or just a casual monster movie goer, you won't want to miss "Valley of Gwangi".