Dino Flicks: The Valley of Gwangi (1969)

As soon as you saw the title, you probably guessed that I was going to start off this review by mentioning Fantastic Dinosaurs of the Movies, meaning you're definitely a veteran of my blog. And yes, this is yet another movie I first learned of from that tape, which also introduced me to Ray Harryhausen (although I wouldn't really remember his name until I was much older), as before the trailers began, it showed a short, vintage featurette on The Golden Voyage of Sinbad. The Valley of Gwangi came near the end of the tape, starting with a Wild West rodeo show and an unveiling of something, "Never seen before by human eyes," before cutting to people panicking and running, cowboys riding on horseback, and Gwangi himself at the center of it all, an eerie voice whispering his name. It continued on with shots of him chasing after the cowboys, getting roped by them, fighting a Styracosaurus, going berserk at the rodeo and attacking a performing elephant (which always upset me), and people taking shelter in a building and attempting to close the doors on Gwangi before he could get through. Being a pretty popular dinosaur movie, I saw and heard it talked about in a number of different documentaries and other sources over the years, and I first saw some of it when I was still fairly young, either right before or during middle school. I remember seeing bits of it twice, one time being when I was on vacation with my mom and dad in Florida. Mom and I came back up to our room at the condo we were staying at and Dad, being a big western fan, was watching Gwangi. I got there just in time to see the climax, where he gets loose at the rodeo, runs amok through the town, and is finally killed in the burning cathedral, the latter I found to be really hard to watch, given Gwangi's anguished cries leading up to his death. The other time was one Friday night on AMC's EFX block, where I saw much of the beginning (the tiny horse called El Diablo that features early on in the film story always stuck in my mind). On top of that, scenes from the film were actually once used in the Newsflash game on Whose Line is it Anyway?, with Colin Mochrie even correctly guessing the movie!

However, it wasn't until I actually bought the movie, which wasn't until I was 29, going on 30, as the DVD from the early 2000's went out of print, that I finally saw it all the way through. I managed to find a copy of that DVD at an FYE in Pensacola in 2017 (damn thing went for over $30) but, unfortunately, the disc badly skipped at one point and I missed a chunk of the movie. That was remedied when I got the Blu-Ray later on that year and, in my opinion, it is a fun flick all in all. It takes a little while to finally get to the valley and for Gwangi to be introduced but, once it does, it becomes a very entertaining, fast-paced adventure, with special effects by Harryhausen when he was at the top of his game. The only real problem is that, while the cast is full of capable actors, the characters are pretty one-dimensional and the drama the filmmakers try to create for them is so threadbare and inconsequential that it makes you wonder why they even bothered.

In turn-of-the-century Mexico, Carlos, a member of gypsy tribe, retrieves a small creature in a sack from the hands of his dead brother, Miguel. Before he dies, Miguel wheezes the name, "Gwangi." Tia Zorina, a blind old gypsy woman, tries to make Carlos take the creature back to the Forbidden Valley, from where Miguel took it, fearing the wrath of the evil being known as Gwangi, but Carlos believes it to merely be superstition. Some time later, a small Mexican village is visited by a rodeo run by and starring the lovely and talented cowgirl, T.J. Breckenridge. But no sooner do they arrive than they're visited by Tuck Kirby, a former performer of theirs who's now working with Buffalo Bill on his own Wild West show. He offers T.J. a lot of money for her stunt-horse but T.J., angry about his just leaving them before, especially when the two of them were lovers, turns him down and makes him leave. He and Lope, a young Mexican boy who's in business for himself, then come across Prof. Horace Bromley, a British paleontologist searching the desert for evidence that man evolved far longer than is generally believed. To back up his theory, he shows Tuck and Lope a fossil containing the footprint of an ancient species of tiny horse called Eohippus, next to a bone from a primitive human that existed at the same time. Tuck and Lope return to the arena, the former intending to speak with T.J. again about his offer, when he has to save Lope after the boy foolishly attempts to fight a bull in the ring. This courageous act wins T.J. over and, that night, she shows Tuck a new act that Carlos, who now works with the show as a rider, brought her: a miniature horse named El Diablo. Tuck shows the creature to Bromley, who believes it's a living Eohippus, and decides to find its origin. Though they get no help from Carlos, they find their way to his former tribe and speak with Tia Zorina, who tells them of the Forbidden Valley but refuses to guide them there. Bromley takes advantage of Zorina's wish for the Eohippus to be returned by conspiring with her to steal it away, hoping to follow the gypsies to the valley to search for other prehistoric creatures. The ensuing chase lands Tuck, Lope, T.J., and every other member of the rodeo in the valley, which they find is inhabited by dinosaurs, chief among them being the legendary Gwangi, who's actually a very ferocious Allosaurus.

Although he's not credited for it in the final film, Willis O'Brien came up with the concept for Gwangi back in the 1940's and had initially intended to make it at RKO. It was eventually scrapped, either because the studio felt the public wasn't interested in dinosaur movies or because King Kong producer/director Merian C. Cooper, who was going to produce it, re-entered the Air Force as a colonel once the U.S. entered World War II. O'Brien attempted to get the film made again after the war but nothing came of it, and while the 1956 film, The Beast of Hollow Mountain, was inspired by his concept, he had no involvement with it, although he was initially meant to do the stop-motion. After O'Brien died in 1962, Ray Harryhausen, who was at the peak of his success, having just done the stop-motion effects for Jason and the Argonauts and Hammer's One Million Years B.C., decided to resurrect some of his mentor's unmade projects. Though he was particularly keen on doing War Eagles, one of O'Brien's most well-known unmade films, his longtime producer, Charles Schneer, was more enthusiastic about Gwangi. Unfortunately, it didn't pay off commercially, which Harryhausen blamed on the new regime that took over at Warner Bros. during production, who unceremoniously dumped it on a double-bill with a biker movie and gave it little publicity. Schneer himself wasn't too happy with the finished film, saying he didn't think the concept worked in feature length, and it would be the last dinosaur movie Harryhausen would work on, as he and Schneer would continue on with their successful fantasy films afterward.

According to Schneer and screenwriter William Bast, the film also suffered problems from the man hired to direct it: Jim O'Connolly, a British filmmaker who mainly worked as a producer and production manager, producing a number of the Edgar Wallace Mysteries films in the early 60's (he was also an associate producer on Konga). Leading up to The Valley of Gwangi, he'd directed some low-budget British films like The Hi-Jackers, Smokescreen, The Little Ones, and Berserk, with Joan Crawford, as well as some episodes of The Saint. In a 1990 interview with Schneer in Starlog Magazine, the producer said O'Connolly lost interest in Gwangi about halfway into shooting, saying he just didn't care, while in a 1995 interview with Imagi Movies, Bast bluntly described the director as, "Monumentally stupid." After Gwangi, O'Connolly directed three more films: Sophie's Place (with Telly Savalas, Warren Oates, and Cesar Romero), Tower of Evil, and Mistress Pamela. After the latter, in 1973, he apparently left filmmaking behind and died in 1986, at the age of 60.

In contrast to Schneer and Bast, leading man James Franciscus liked O'Connolly as a director, saying the two of them worked to make his character, Tuck Kirby, more likable and charming than the rather flat character he was originally. It did work, as Tuck does have quite a swagger to him when he arrives in town, looking real handsome, dressed nice and fancy, and with a very inviting smile. However, some at the traveling rodeo he used to work at aren't that happy to see him, particularly T.J. Breckenridge, whom he walked out on when the two of them were close to being married. He just brushes off all their admonishments and confidently walks into T.J.'s dressing room after her, saying they're going to have a nice talk or, "I might just decide to put you across my knee." Despite her anger over his audacity and smug attitude about how his new job is so much better than being a stunt rider, she still listens to him, as he, knowing the rodeo isn't doing so good, offers to buy "Omar the Wonder Horse" off of her for Buffalo Bill's own show. He gets turned down flat and is thrown out, shortly after which he meets Prof. Bromley in the desert and learns of the discovery he's made concerning the prehistoric tiny horse, the Eohippus. Tuck then returns to the rodeo to talk with T.J. again, but just as she's about to send him packing once more, he ends up saving the boy, Lope, from being killed by a bull in the ring. This act of heroism wins T.J. back over to Tuck, and as she's tending his wounds, he admits that he left her because he didn't like the idea of being tied down. Much to his surprise, she then agrees to sell him Omar, saying that Carlos brought her a new act that's guaranteed to bring the rodeo lots of business. With Tuck's insistence, she shows him what it is: the miniature horse named El Diablo, which Tuck recognizes as a possible Eohippus due to the shape of its feet. When he shows it to Bromley, who is almost positive that it could be, both of them have fantasies about it could mean to them and opt to learn more about it. They learn from the gypsies that the creature came from the Forbidden Valley, but when Tia Zorina refuses to have them guided there for fear of the place's supposed curse, Tuck doesn't press the issue. He then wrestles with the dilemma of telling T.J. of just how valuable El Diablo is but realizes he may not make anything himself if he does. He also learns that Bromley may be up to something concerning the horse, and sure enough, he arrives back at the rodeo to see the gypsies make off with El Diablo. He chases after them as they rush to the Forbidden Valley, unaware that he's been blamed for the theft by the jealous Carlos. But, once they're all stuck in the valley and are pursued by Gwangi, any personal squabbles they have become irrelevant.

At first, T.J. Breckenridge (Gila Golan) seems like an atypically strong, independent, and courageous woman for this kind of genre, as she operates the rodeo herself and performs a very risky stunt of jumping down into a fire-lined tank of water on horseback. And while the sight of Tuck watching her causes her to hesitate, she not only goes through with the stunt but proves to have no intention of letting Tuck waltz back into her life after he left her. She does hear him out about the offer for Omar the Wonder Horse, but tells him she's not getting anything out of her or her rodeo and throws him out. She's also not ready to abandon the rodeo and go off with Carlos, like he wants, and comes close to making Tuck leave again when he shows up to continue their discussion about Omar. But all that independence goes out the window when, after Tuck saves Lope from being killed by the bull, T.J. instantly falls for him again; she also shows him El Diablo, whom she's confident will bring customers back to the show. After the gypsies steal El Diablo to take him back to the Forbidden Valley, T.J. believes Carlos when he lies and says Tuck stole the horse for himself, but eventually learns in the midst of the craziness that goes on in the valley that he didn't. She even agrees to sell the whole show and retire with him to his ranch in Wyoming... that is, until they manage to capture Gwangi and bring him back to town for their show. Now that she has a show worth keeping, she intends to take it on a world tour, and is very flippant about Tuck's disappointment in her, prompting him to leave in disgust. It doesn't last long, though, as, with some prodding from Lope, T.J. runs after Tuck and they reconcile. But then, Gwangi gets loose, rampages through the town, and Tuck has to save T.J. and Lope when they become trapped in a cathedral with the dinosaur.

This was the penultimate film appearance for Richard Carlson, who starred in 50's sci-fi favorites like The Magnetic Monster, It Came from Outer Space, and Creature from the Black Lagoon, as I've heard his health around this time wasn't very good. As Champ, he doesn't have much to do except act as a father figure to T.J., having been a friend of her real father, and he's none too pleased when Tuck shows up, as he never really liked him and hates how much he hurt T.J. by leaving. Not much is made of it, though, once Tuck is able to get on T.J.'s good side again, and while Champ is quick to believe Carlos when he accuses Tuck of having stolen El Diablo, he doesn't spend much time holding it against Tuck when they find themselves in the Forbidden Valley. Moreover, when the truth comes out, he's ready to fight Carlos, saying he's brought them nothing but trouble, and T.J. has to hold him back. Shortly after they first enter the valley, Champ attempts to capture an Ornithomimus for their show, and so, when Gwangi is knocked unconscious in a rock-slide while trying to chase them out of the valley, Champ's decides to take the opportunity to do the same with him, which goes about as well as expected.

Prof. Bromley (Laurence Naismith), for the most part, is the typical old scientist archetype, in this case a paleontologist working to disprove age-old theories about human evolution. Having found some evidence that he's on the right track in the form of a fossilized Eohippus track next to an ancient human bone, he soon learns he's on the verge of making the scientific find of the century when Tuck shows him El Diablo. Wanting to study the creature's origins, he and Tuck learn of the Forbidden Valley from the gypsy tribe but Bromley is frustrated with Tia Zorina's refusal to have them taken there, as she goes on about the supposed curse that hangs over the place and the horrible things that will happen if El Diablo isn't returned there. Although Tuck then gives up, Bromley cunningly finds his own way to the valley by telling Zorina of El Diablo's whereabouts and following them when she and the other gypsies steal the little horse in order to return him. When Tuck catches up to Bromley on the way, the professor tells him that there are likely other such creatures in the valley, getting him to work with him by noting how that would really pay off well for him and T.J. Eventually, when they find their way into the valley, Bromley finds a paleontologist's dream, as they encounter other prehistoric creatures, including a Pterodactyl. He's so taken with the find and other such possibilities that he refuses to join Tuck and the others when they attempt to escape, only to then see that Gwangi is after them and is forced to take cover. Eventually, he reunites with the others, but only after falling into a covered pit they'd set near their camp. When Gwangi is knocked unconscious and taken back to town, Bromley looks forward to the possibilities of scientific research on the dinosaur, only to be outraged at Tuck and T.J.'s intention to put him in their show. He's similarly disgusted when the show is about to begin, only to become horrified when Gwangi manages to break out of his cage. He tries to stop him but is killed when Gwangi knocks a big section of his cage on top of him.

When Tuck first arrives in town, he meets Lope (Curtis Arden), a young, orphaned Mexican boy who is intent on doing some kind of business with him, whether it be acting as a guide, an interpreter, or getting him a horse. Though initially annoyed by him, Tuck can't help but find himself taken by the kid's chutzpah, and decides to take one of his horses, for which Lope makes him pay ten pesos (as well as another five for the saddle). It turns out that Prof. Bromley is also a "client" of his, as when they find him stranded out in the desert, they learn that the mule Lope lent him, Rosita, kicked him and ran off. Later, when Tuck heads back to the rodeo, Lope, very stupidly, gets in down in the arena and attempts to fight with a bull, forcing Tuck to save him. Significantly, he helps Tuck and Bromley find the gypsy camp, and he also gives Tuck some advice on his dilemma about El Diablo and T.J. (though Tuck doesn't tell him the specifics, as he knows the kid would want a cut of it). Naturally, he helps the professor track the gypsies to the Forbidden Valley, where he gets caught up in the pandemonium when a Pterodactyl attempts to carry him off, badly scratching him up in the process and, with everyone else, attempts to survive Gwangi's repeated attacks. Once they've taken Gwangi back to town and Tuck, disgusted with T.J.'s newfound infatuation with glitz and glamor, walks out on her, Lope prompts T.J. to chase after him, telling her that Tuck won't come back due to his pride. Finally, during the climax, Lope, T.J., and Tuck find themselves stuck in the cathedral with Gwangi, though they manage to escape when the building catches on fire. Notably, as everyone watches the place burn down, killing Gwangi, Lope is actually shedding tears for the doomed dinosaur.

Carlos (Gustavo Rojo), the ex-gypsy who brings El Diablo to T.J. when he begins working for her rodeo, is little more than a rat. Not only is he eager to make lots of money using El Diablo, he also wants T.J. to leave the rodeo behind and join up with him. Thus, he's none too happy when Tuck shows up. Though he's good enough to help him and Lope by distracting the bull in the arena, he's furious when he learns that T.J. told Tuck about El Diablo, feeling she betrayed his trust and ruined everything for him. When the gypsies steal the little horse to return him to the Forbidden Valley, Carlos, out of jealousy, tells T.J. and Champ that Tuck did it and that he's no good. However, when they're stuck out in the valley, the truth comes out when Lope tells them that Bromley and the gypsies were behind it, and Champ is so mad about Carlos' deceit that he's about ready to fight him over it. T.J., however, stops it before it can start, saying that getting out of the valley is more important. In spite of his treachery, Carlos does prove to be a helpful member of the group in the valley, as he saves Lope from the Pterodactyl and also helps the others in fighting off Gwangi. At the same time, while staving off a Styracosaurus, he inadvertently starts a brush-fire that nearly gets everyone killed. Carlos gets his comeuppance shortly after when he's killed by Gwangi, who also killed his brother, Miguel, when he first stole El Diablo.

Carlos' death at Gwangi's hands was predicted by Tia Zorina (Freda Jackson), a blind gypsy who believes the valley is cursed and that Gwangi is an evil being whose wrath will never be satisfied until El Diablo is returned. Though she's unwilling to let anyone guide Tuck and Prof. Bromley to the valley, when Bromley tells her where El Diablo is, she has some of the other gypsies steal him and take him to the valley, where they set him free. Later, when the others return from the valley with Gwangi in tow, Zorina warns them that they will be doomed unless they take him back. They pay her no mind, with Bromley, like before, writing off her concerns as superstitious nonsense, but on the day of the show featuring Gwangi, she and her main crony, a gypsy dwarf (Jose Burgos), enter the stadium to ensure his freedom. The dwarf sneaks into the arena and attempts to unlock Gwangi's cage, only for Gwangi to mutilate him in his jaws, while Zorina is trampled to death in the chaos that breaks out when Gwangi escapes.

Even though the human characters are just a means to move the plot along in these types of movies, as you've seen, writer William Bast did try to put in some interpersonal drama but, in the end, it's all dwelt upon so little that it amounts to nothing. The conflict between Tuck and those who work at the rodeo, particularly T.J., is very quickly forgotten when Tuck manages to endear himself to T.J. all over again by saving Lope from the bull. The same goes for the notion of Tuck still possibly being a

swindler and conman, as he only briefly wrestles with the dilemma of whether or not he should tell T.J. about El Diablo's significance, as he doesn't see how he could make anything off it if he does tell her, before he realizes Prof. Bromley is conspiring to steal the horse away. Carlos' attempt to put the blame for the theft on Tuck is both really sudden and, while it momentarily turns T.J. and Champ against him again, it becomes a moot point when they find themselves stranded in the Forbidden Valley and is resolved in one small

scene. And finally, after they've brought Gwangi back with them to feature in their show, T.J. is now suddenly wrapped up with the idea of fame and glory and plans to embark on a world tour, while being completely dismissive of the nice life she'd wanted to have with Tuck, only for the issue to be settled immediately thanks to the advice Lope gives her.

Even though I grew up with a dad who watched them constantly, I've never been a fan of westerns. There are a small handful that I do enjoy but, for the most part, they're just not my cup of tea. That said, though, I can't deny that many of them are very nicely shot, with their cinematographers often capturing big, wide beauty shots of the landscapes they were filmed in, and they look especially nice when they're in color and watched in high-definition, which is exactly what can be said of The Valley of Gwangi. Although Jim O'Connolly's

direction is pretty standard, the movie is very nice to look at, with all the gloss and bright colors of a prestigious film of the time (the opening credits, which feature a very colorful montage of drawings of the cowboys and close-ups of the dinosaurs, like Gwangi himself, are a knockout). Having been shot in the arid provinces of Spain, the sun is always shining bright, so much so that you can almost feel the sweltering heat, and cinematographer Erwin Hillier brings out the vast, sweeping beauty of the

landscapes of the desert and the Forbidden Valley, while making the village streets look and feel quaintly rural, yet bustling with people when the rodeo comes to town, and the interior of the cathedral during the climax breathtakingly beautiful. And while most of the nighttime exteriors are done day-for-night, this is an instance where I don't really mind, as I kind of like the blue-green filter that's sometimes put over the picture (other times, though, it does come off as rather cheap-looking).

The locations used here were Almeria and Cuenca in Spain, with either of the regions' big cities likely standing in for the town which serves as the main setting. Said town, as I said, has a quaintness to it but it's also definitely not a sleepy little village, with fairly large buildings, including a Gran Hotel, and the streets are often full of people, especially when the rodeo comes to town. Speaking of which, the rodeo's main hub is a huge stadium outside of town, the center of which is where T.J. and her guys put on a show that involves chases and

shootouts between cowboys and Indians, culminating with T.J.'s stunt where she rides Omar up to the top of a large platform and jumps down with him into a tank of water whose rim has been set afire. This arena is actually the Plaza de Toros in Almeria and, fittingly, we have a little bit of bullfighting action, before Lope and Tuck get caught up in it themselves. This spot is also where T.J. has her nicely furnished dressing room and a small, secluded building where El Diablo is hidden from prying eyes. Much of the desert scenes, like

when Tuck first meets Prof. Bromley, the scene at the gypsy camp, the pursuit across the desert to the Forbidden Valley, and Gwangi being taken back to town, were shot out in Cabo de Gata, and as you've already seen, it's a very lovely place, with little settlements out there like Bromley's small camp and the gypsy's camp. The Forbidden Valley lies at the end of a gradually narrowing canyon, though initially, it can only be reached through a very narrow passage in the canyon wall. The characters

then use the horses and some ropes to yank off some loose rock, opening the passage up enough to allow everyone and their horses through. The immediate area beyond the passage was shot at a place near Cuenca called Ciudad Encantada, notable for its unusual rock formations, and other parts of the valley, like the large cavity in the side of the mountain where the characters take cover for the night, were shot at the Tabernas Desert in Almeria. Like the surrounding desert, the valley itself is very arid terrain, with just some brief bits of shrubbery here and there, and it looks the type of place you'd expect to see dinosaurs.

Though it's mostly an outdoor movie, there is one very memorable interior setting: the large cathedral where the climax takes place. This place is the Cuenca Cathedral and, as you can see, it is huge, with enormous exterior doorways (according to the movie's filming locations page on IMDB, the scene where everyone tries to keep Gwangi from bursting in was shot at another church in Almeria, the Catedral de la Encarnacion), big pillars and arches, a huge pipe organ, a large second floor, big candelabras, burning pots, and all sorts of

memorable architecture and big windows. It's also lit to where the upper area has a cool, blue lighting to it, whereas the lower one has spots of gold here and there. Above anything else, though, I just like this Notre Dame-like setting for the finale, as it's not very often that you see a dinosaur movie where a scene occurs in a Gothic place such as this.

At its core, the film is another variation on the story of King Kong: explorers find a place filled with prehistoric creatures, they capture one, bring it back to civilization to exploit, only for it to get loose, wreak havoc, and ultimately get killed. Also like with Kong, there's a long buildup to Gwangi's first appearance, during which it's suggested that he may be an evil, possibly supernatural, entity, with Tia Zorina saying he'll seek vengeance on those who take anything from the Forbidden Valley. When he does finally appear, though, it's obvious Gwangi is just an animal, like the other prehistoric creatures in his valley, but he's definitely the most dangerous and ferocious. Not only is anything fair game for him, and he's bold enough to take on and eventually kill a Styracosaurus, but he's relentless in his pursuit of those who've entered his valley. He doesn't stop even after the cowboys have attempted to lasso him, as he chases the others back to the entrance to the valley and attempts to break out to continue the pursuit, only to cause a rock-slide that knocks himself unconscious. This allows them to capture him and take him back to town to be featured in their rodeo as "Gwangi the Great." But Gwangi's debut performance turns out to be a complete disaster, as the gypsy dwarf attempts to let him out of his cage, only for Gwangi to kill him. He then breaks loose, kills a performing elephant in the show, and rampages through the town, killing more people and chasing everyone into the cathedral. His thick hide proves to be too much for bullets to penetrate, and he's also intelligent enough to know to use his girth to force open the cathedral's doors when everyone tries to keep him out. But the cathedral is also where he meets his demise when the place is set on fire and he's trapped inside. Like Kong, the Gill-Man, and other such monsters before him, Gwangi proves to be a sympathetic and tragic creature in the end, as it's really hard to watch the climax, where he shrieks in fear and pain as he's surrounded by flames before being crushed by falling debris. As with those other monsters, you find yourself wishing they had just left him alone.

Ostensibly, Gwangi is meant to be an Allosaurus, but he looks more like an old-fashioned depiction of a Tyrannosaurus Rex, akin to the one King Kong fought in the original movie, albeit less bulky. It's not surprising, seeing as how both Willis O'Brien and Ray Harryhausen based their respective dinosaurs, including the Gwangi O'Brien himself created back in the 40's, on an old, scientifically inaccurate painting of a Tyrannosaurus by Charles R. Knight. Both of them also didn't draw much difference between the two dinosaurs, as O'Brien is

said to have sometimes called the dinosaur in King Kong an Allosaurus, whereas Harryhausen said in an interview that they "sometimes" called Gwangi an Allosaurus. Regardless of his accuracy, Gwangi's a well-designed, cool-looking, classic dinosaur, with a dragging, thrashing tail, pronounced scales on his body, and a memorable dark, bluish-purple color scheme (though, in some shots, he's brown). My only real gripe with his look is that, at fourteen feet, he's a bit too small and

never comes off as all that imposing. Regardless, Harryhausen's excellent stop-motion is not only very fluid and makes Gwangi move in a fairly realistic manner but, when combined with his constant snarling and guttural growling, it also imbues him with a lot of attitude, like in how he's constantly snapping his jaws at his potential prey, and a sense of fierce and determined hunting instincts and animal cunning, like when he pushes his way into the cathedral and tries to find a way to

get at T.J. and Lope as they hide inside. In addition to the stop-motion puppet, they also used a completely stiff model for when Gwangi accidentally knocks himself out (which looks like an inflexible, plastic toy), a full-sized, and really ugly-looking, head for when Tuck ropes his jaws up while he's out, and a full-size, complete mock-up for the long shots of him being carted back to town.

Among the other prehistoric creatures Harryhausen brings to life in the film are El Diablo, the cute little Eohippus horse who reacts to the sound of a music-box T.J. plays for him; a Pterodactyl that attacks the group when they first enter the Forbidden Valley and attempts to carry off Lope, only for him to prove to be a bit too heavy for him (they also made a full-size version for when Carlos kills the Pterodactyl by breaking his neck, but it's a completely different color from the stop-motion puppet); an Ornithomimus, which the cowboys try

to capture for the rodeo, only for him to be eaten by Gwangi when he first appears; and a Styracosaurus that proves to be a danger to both the group and Gwangi, although he eventually manages to kill him. Harryhausen also had to use his stop-motion for scenes and images that were too costly and dangerous to do any other way, such as the stunt that T.J. performs with her horse at the beginning, long distance shots of the Pterodactyl flying off with Lope, and the performing elephant that Gwangi attacks and kills when he escapes his

cage at the rodeo. The integration and compositing together of the stop-motion creatures with the live-action actors and settings is also very well-done and about as good as you could hope for during this period. A number of times, the compositing is obvious from the lighter, more washed-out look to certain elements in the frame, and you can also tell when they're combined through a rear-projection screen, but there are also instances where it's scary how seamless it is, like when Gwangi attacks the cowboys as they take shelter in the large hole in the mountain, the roping scene, the battle between him and the Styracosaurus, the sequence where he's carted back to town, and basically the entirety of the third act.

Like in Might Joe Young, a big centerpiece in The Valley of Gwangi is when the cowboys attempt to lasso Gwangi, and what makes the sequence here so impressive is that the long shots of the action were done by animating Gwangi over a jeep with a large pole in the back, which is what the cowboys' ropes were actually attached to and being pulled by. As you can see, it's amazing how seamless one element of this sequence leaves off to another, and they furthered the effect by using painted wires attached to his body and blending them with the

real ropes. However, this was, by far, the most technically complicated sequence in the film to pull off, as it was so difficult to coordinate Gwangi's movements with both the actors and the horses. There's some more impressive compositing work used in the climax, such as double-printing to put the fire inside the cathedral when Gwangi becomes trapped, and the shots outside of the burning cathedral are a well-done combination of the lower-half of the actual Cuenca Cathedral and a burning miniature for the top half.

The movie opens right outside the Forbidden Valley at nighttime, as Carlos is introduced, calling for his brother, Miguel. After calling twice and getting no response, he walks on up the canyon leading to the valley, followed by others in the gypsy tribe. Up ahead, Miguel, fatally wounded and carrying a bag containing a small, struggling creature, staggers down the canyon. He slips and falls into a stream and collapses at the head of it, with the tiny creature lying beside him in the bag.

Carlos and the others come across him and Carlos runs to his brother, attempting to rouse him. With his last bit of strength, Miguel looks up at Carlos and mumbles, "Gwangi," before succumbing to his injuries. Carlos then takes the bag, when Tia Zorina approaches him and says, "No, no. Leave it. He who takes from Gwangi the evil one is cursed." Carlos, however, pays her no mind, telling her to keep her superstitions to herself, and shoves past her. Turning around to face where he walks, Zorina

intones, "Fool. One day, he will learn to obey the law of Gwangi. Or, like his brother, he will perish!" After the opening credits, we're introduced to the Mexican town as T.J. Breckenridge's rodeo arrives in a parade that includes someone riding on an elephant, a marching band, T.J. and Champ riding in on horses, men, one of them Carlos, riding while dressed as Indians, a bunch of cowboys and a stagecoach, atop of which is a guy twirling a lasso around himself. Tuck is then introduced as he watches from the audience and walks off, tipping

his hat to a young woman, who's admonished for looking by an older woman. In the next scene, we see the rodeo in action, as they put on a cowboys and Indians show, with a covered wagon and a stagecoach being "attacked" by Indians on horseback, throwing tomahawks and attempting to jump onto the wagons, while the cowboys fire on them, knocking them off their horses, and fight with them. The covered wagon is even set on fire at one point and the man in the back jumps out. Once it's over and everyone has cleared the arena, Champ rides into the center and announces T.J. 

After that is when Tuck arrives at the show and, after getting a very cold reception from Champ, walks out to the edge of the stadium to watch T.J. in the grand finale. T.J. rides Omar the Wonder Horse up to the top of a large platform in the middle of the stadium, overlooking a big tank of water below. Champ rides in carrying a torch, but when T.J. sees him, she also sees Tuck standing over by the gate. The sight of him does not make her happy at all, but when Champ reaches the tank,

she motions for him to light up fuel-lined rim. She then signals Carlos to raise the beam in front of the drop-off, but when she looks back at Tuck, she hesitates for a few seconds. Champ quickly picks up on what's going on, while the audience starts to get restless and the band playing the music leading up to the stunt isn't sure about what they should be doing. Regardless, she gets into position, preparing for the dive, and the band starts playing a roll on the cymbals. She and Omar jump down off the platform and land in the water with a big splash, a

stunt that's rewarded with fanfare and thunderous applause from the audience. The guys then bring in a ramp, allowing them to get Omar out of the tank, while Carlos helps T.J. out and back up onto Omar. She rides out of the stadium, waving to the clapping spectators, and passes Tuck, who chases after her, leading to the scene in her dressing room.

Out in the desert, Tuck and Lope come across Prof. Bromley, who's stranded because, as he angrily tells Lope, the mule he gave him, Rosita, kicked him and ran off. They give him a ride back to his camp, where he shows them the fossilized Eohippus footprint next to an ancient humanoid bone. Tuck and Lope then return to the arena, where someone is doing some bullfighting practice. While Tuck attempts to speak with T.J., Lope watches the fight. When the man jumps over

the barrier, Lope decides to pick up the fight himself, using a discarded shirt as the cape and yelling, "Hey, Toro!" The bull hears and then sees him, just as Tuck realizes what's happening. Lope turns and runs from the bull when he charges, but falls in the dirt. At the same time, Tuck jumps into the arena, grabs Lope, and runs with him back to the stands, with the bull right behind them. Tuck manages to get Lope over the barrier, but the bull catches and knocks him to the ground before he can climb over himself. Fortunately for him, Carlos

jumps in and distracts the bull. The bull charges at Carlos, trampling him, flinging him around as he holds onto his head, and then attempts to gore him with his horns, but Carlos manages to get up and put him in a headlock long enough for the bullfighter to run in and distract him. T.J. runs to Tuck, who was unconscious on the ground the whole time, and the two of them share a kiss.

After hinting at something new that could turn her flailing rodeo around, T.J. shows it to Tuck that night. In a small building in the back, she begins playing a music box next to a miniature corral on a tabletop and tells Tuck, "Meet El Diablo." He then hears the sound of neighing and watches as the miniature horse emerges from the small stable. As he watches, utterly amazed, T.J. gives El Diablo a sugar-cube and tells Tuck that Carlos found him. She also shows him the idea for the little guy's act,

which is to have him dance atop Omar on a small platform strapped to his back. The two of them then leave the building, but later, Tuck brings Prof. Bromley to see El Diablo for himself. Like Tuck, the professor is astounded at the sight of him, and when they both note the three toes on his front feet and four on the back, they both figure he might be a living Eohippus. Bromley suggests that the best way to prove it is to check into El Diablo's origin, and the two men begin fantasizing about what such a discovery could mean for the both of them.

Though Carlos is reluctant to help them, his alluding to Tia Zorina and the gypsy tribe point them in the right direction, with Lope helping to find them at their camp. But Zorina will not help guide them to the Forbidden Valley, warning them of a great evil that will befall everyone if El Diablo isn't returned there. Though Tuck decides it's pointless to press the issue, Bromley lingers and speaks with Zorina in private.

The following night, the gypsies, acting under Bromley's directions, find their way to the building where El Diablo is housed and attempt to break in. Nearby, Carlos hears the gypsy dwarf trying to pry open the door and, rounding the corner and seeing what's going on, runs at them. He's able to easily fight off the three big men, but the dwarf knocks him over the head from behind with the crowbar. He then breaks open the door and he and another gypsy walk in, preparing to snatch El Diablo and

shove him into a sack. As Tuck arrives on the scene, and Bromley, who's hiding nearby, spots him, the gypsies bring the sack now containing El Diablo to Tia Zorina. Hearing him neighing inside, she confirms they have the right animal and sends them off. They hide behind a wagon when Tuck rides by and head off as quick as they can. Tuck sees Carlos coming to on the ground and, realizing what's happened, rides after the gypsies, passing T.J. and Champ. Lope joins Bromley nearby and they see that the gypsies have El Diablo, as well as

that Tuck is chasing after them. Tuck ignores Bromley yelling at him to let them go and he and Lope join in the pursuit. Meanwhile, T.J. and Champ find Carlos, who lies and says Tuck was the one who took El Diablo. Though T.J. is reluctant to believe it, she tells Champ to get two of the cowboys, Bean and Rowdy, to help in the chase. At that time, Tuck heads out across the desert in his pursuit of the gypsies, with Bromley and Lope plodding along behind him.

Things slow down that morning, as Tuck beds down for a short rest, while Champ and the others find his horse's hoof-prints, along with those of the gypsies and the professor. Carlos leads them down a shortcut to the Forbidden Valley, while Tuck comes across Bromley and Lope when they stop for a rest nearby. Though initially about to beat El Diablo's current location out of him, Bromley is able to make Tuck stand down and join him and Lope when he mentions that there are likely other

Eohippus specimens in the Forbidden Valley. Meanwhile, the gypsies reach the head of the canyon leading to the valley and let El Diablo go free, before riding off themselves. That night, Tuck, Bromley, and Lope reach the area themselves and stand on a ridge, looking at the range of mountains that act as a barrier to the place. Just as they're about to camp down, they hear the sound of Rosita the mule braying, then screaming. They catch a brief glimpse of something flying away and run back to where they

left their horses. They find that Rosita has vanished, and Lope directs their attention to a nearby rock with lots of blood splatters across it, as well as blood around it. The next day, they ride down the canyon heading to the valley, and Tuck finds the spot where the gypsies let El Diablo loose. Lope then calls to Tuck and they find a campsite, with a music box in front of the tent. Tuck knows what it means, when he's suddenly lassoed by T.J., who yells to Champ that she just caught a "horse thief."

Before an argument can break out, Bromley sees El Diablo next to one of their own horses. The other men run towards him, though not so fast as to spook him, and Lope plays the music box to try to attract him. When they're close enough, Rowdy and Bean dive for him but he runs off. Champ decides they'd have better luck chasing him on horseback and they all mount their steads. They chase him across the canyon floor and T.J. manages to lasso him. She gets off her horse and

attempts to pull El Diablo in, rejecting Tuck's offer for help. That's when El Diablo yanks hard enough to make her lose her grip and fall to the ground. Tuck gets off his horse and runs and grabs El Diablo behind a bush. T.J. angrily tells him to get his hands off the little horse and Tuck does just that, allowing El Diablo to run off, infuriating T.J. Everyone else comes riding in and she tells them to keep after El Diablo, while she and Tuck get back on their own horses. They chase him to an opening in the canyon wall, which he runs through. Getting

off his horse and looking through the opening, Champ sees daylight on the other side. He squeezes his way through the very narrow passage and, walking down a small slope, smiles at what he sees offscreen. He runs back and rejoins the others, telling them there's a whole other valley on the other side. The men then tie ropes to loose stones around the opening and use the strength of their horses to pull on them until they crumble. With the opening now wide enough for the horses, Tuck mounts his and rides on through, followed by Champ and the boys, and then by T.J., Carlos, Bromley, and Lope. Getting their first look at the valley, the men ride on into the heart of the place, while T.J., Carlos, Bromley, and Lope straggle behind.

The four of them come to a clearing, when they hear a loud squawking above and look to see a Pterodactyl swooping down at them. He dives at them again and again, until he manages to swoop down and grab Lope off the back of his and Bromley's horse. The others give chase as the Pterodactyl attempts to make off with him, but apparently, the creature is quite weak, as he flies a relatively short distance before coming down to the ground and collapsing. When he does, Carlos

comes riding in and grabs him by the back of his head, twisting his neck, allowing Lope to slip away from his talons. The others ride in as Carlos continues struggling with the Pterosaur, who manages to knock him off his back and snap at him with his beak. T.J. and Bromley carry Lope to safety, while Carlos grabs the Pterodactyl from the back of his head again and manages to kill him by twisting and snapping his neck. Meanwhile, the men stop when Tuck finds a weird track on the

ground, while Rowdy spots an Ornithomimus on a nearby rock, which he describes as looking like a "plucked ostrich." He points him out to Champ and the others, with Champ deciding they should capture him for their show. He runs off and they chase after him, Champ whirling his lasso in the air as he quickly closes in on him. But, when the Ornithomimus rushes to a corner up ahead, Gwangi makes his first appearance when he comes roaring from the other side and snatches the smaller dinosaur in his jaws. The cowboys stop dead upon

seeing this and turn to run as Gwangi kills his prey. Rowdy stays behind and takes a shot at Gwangi as he starts feeding on the Ornithomimus' corpse. However, all he manages to do is get his attention, and when he shoots at Gwangi again, he comes charging at him, forcing him to flee. Back with the others, Carlos rides off to find the men, while Bromley is ecstatic over having found a genuine Pterodactyl, which he describes to T.J. and Lope.

Carlos comes across the others as they come riding through a gorge, telling him they need to get going. He then sees why, when Gwangi, whom he recognizes, appears at the back of the pass. He rejoins the others as they try to get T.J., Lope, and Bromley moving, but Tuck finds the professor is unwilling to go, as he's too excited over what they've found. Even when Tuck tells him, "There's a big lizard back there and he's headin' this way! Now, get aboard!", Bromley insists he's not leaving

and Tuck rides off with the others. Gwangi then rounds the corner in front of Bromley and, now understanding what Tuck was talking about, he runs for cover. The others don't fare any better, as they run into a Styracosaurus that sends them off in another direction; Champ only makes the situation worse by shooting at him. Meanwhile, as Gwangi spots the dead Pterodactyl and approaches it out of curiosity, Bromley attempts to take cover in a large hole in the side of the canyon wall. He trips over

some rocks while doing so, momentarily attracting Gwangi's attention. He then goes back to the Pterodactyl, when he sees Bromley attempting to slip away. He corners the professor in the shallow cave, when the Styracosaurus stomps up to the opposite side of the wall (like with the Pterodactyl, Bromley is excited at the sight of the creature). The two dinosaurs face off with each other, snarling and growling, with Gwangi snapping his jaws at his foe. Eventually, the Styracosaur manages to make Gwangi back off, as both of them back away from

each other. Once the Styracosaur has left, Gwangi does the same, taking the Pterodactyl with him. Elsewhere in the valley, the group comes across a huge opening in the cliff. Finding a path allowing them to reach it, Champ rides up and tells the others that there's room for all of them inside, including the horses.

As night approaches after they've made camp, Champ finds out their guns are loaded with the blanks they use in their Wild West shows. Also, it's revealed that Carlos lied about Tuck's involvement in El Diablo's theft, as Rowdy calls Tuck a horse thief, leading to a fistfight that Champ breaks up. When Lope vouches for Tuck, Champ confronts Carlos about his lie and prepares to fight him, when T.J. tells him they need to stick together in order to escape the valley. Come nightfall, Tuck

and Rowdy have finished covering a large pit with some branches as a makeshift trap. Once everyone's back inside the cave for the night, Tuck and T.J. talk about their future, when they hear something fall into the trap. Everyone rushes down the path to see what they've captured, only to find it's Bromley. Uncovering himself, he tells them, "I say up there, watch your step. There seems to be a bit of a drop here." Everyone then laughs as he starts climbing out of the pit.

The next morning, Tuck walks his horse to a nearby stream in order to fill up his canteen before they head out. He kneels down by the stream and fills his canteen up, when his horse starts to snort and pull away. Tuck holds onto the reins and attempts to calm his horse, when Gwangi rounds the corner ahead of them. Seeing him, Tuck quickly mounts the horse and rides back to the cave, with Gwangi right behind him. He reaches the cave, but when he tries to ride up along the edge to the entrance, he falls off his horse. Gwangi

arrives and Champ yells for the others to get the spears they made the night before. Bean and Rowdy grab them and stab at Gwangi as he snaps at them, while Tuck hides in a crevice down in the rocks. Carlos attempts to fend him off by flinging a small tarp at him but Gwangi grabs it with his teeth and yanks Carlos down to the ground. He goes to chase Carlos when he runs, but then notices Tuck, who runs out of the crevice. While Carlos runs back up to the cave, Tuck grabs a torch and attempts to fend Gwangi off with it, before flinging

it at him and running for it. The others mount their horses to try and help him, as Tuck climbs up the side of the canyon wall and takes cover behind a small pillar of rock. Gwangi attempts to maneuver around the rock in order to get at him, when T.J. and Carlos ride in and distract him. Carlos manages to lasso Gwangi's snout and uses the horse's strength to pull him, as Gwangi tries to shake the rope loose. Tuck crawls out from behind the rock just as the rope snaps and Carlos falls off his horse. Tuck mounts his horse when he comes

running his way and Gwangi chases after him. He's confronted by the rest of the cowboys and attempts to chase one, when Tuck, having been given a lasso, comes charging at him and manages to snag his right foot. He then pulls his foot out from under him, causing him to fall on his back, while Bean lassos his snout again. As Gwangi struggles, Tuck tries to hold his rope taut, only for it to slip off his foot. Tuck yells for Bean to get clear and he lets go of his rope, which Gwangi removes from his snout.

Rowdy comes in behind Gwangi and lassos his neck, but he whips his tail in response, causing his horse to fall backwards with him. He slips off the horse and, having sprained his leg in the process, tries to crawl away. Gwangi approaches him and Rowdy flings dirt at him, trying to get him to back off, while Champ comes in and grabs the rope that's still tied around his neck. Rowdy runs for cover while Champ pulls in the rope, and Tuck then comes in and throws another lasso around

Gwangi's neck. Bean then comes in and throws a third one around his neck, but in Gwangi's struggling, he falls off his horse, which then runs off. T.J. runs in and grabs his rope, while Rowdy, having remounted his horse, throws yet another one onto Gwangi. Back at the camp, both Lope and Bromley become excited when they see that they've managed to snare Gwangi.

That excitement turns to panic when, as Carlos goes for his own horse, the Styracosaurus from before shows up again. He quickly mounts his horse and rides up to the cave entrance with Bromley and Lope. While helping T.J. and the boys deal with Gwangi, Tuck looks and sees the others being menaced by the Styracosaur, which tries to get at them by getting up on his hind legs. Carlos swipes at him with a torch, only to throw it into a batch of dry brush below, starting a fire. The Styracosaur then heads over towards Gwangi, who

becomes enraged upon seeing his adversary again and frees himself from the cowboys' ropes by biting through them. They then attempt to clear out, only to get caught up in the battle between the dinosaurs as they circle each other. The cowboys get trapped against the canyon wall when Gwangi charges at the Styracosaur, only to get his nose horn in his chest. Undeterred, Gwangi circles him and charges again, this time managing to get him on the side and bite into his flesh. He tears out a chunk and gets chucked off, only to then viciously

bite the Styracosaur's right hind leg. He bites one of the horns on the crest and gets chucked off, only to lunge at and bite the nose horn. He twists the Styracosaur's snout around with his jaws until he's flung off and then he goes for the crest again. The Styracosaur barrels at Gwangi and manages to push him back until he falls onto the ground. Gwangi screams in pain as the Styracosaur jabs him with his nose horn, but he's able to pin his head down with his foot and bite into his flesh. As

Carlos comes riding in, grabbing a spear, the Styracosaur manages to bulldoze Gwangi again. Carlos then jams the spear into the Styracosaur's side, before rejoining the others. Gwangi manages to overpower the Styracosaur and pins him to the ground, biting into him. Unable to get past the dinosaurs, the cowboys run back to the cave, only to be met by Bromley, who shows them that the brush-fire Carlos accidentally started has really gotten out of hand and there's no way to get around it. With no other choice, they rush back to the dinosaurs, passing by Gwangi, who's now killed the Styracosaurus and is feeding on him. However, when he sees them, he gives chase once again.

Gwangi chases them back through the passage leading to the entrance to the valley, specifically targeting Carlos, who's straggling behind the others. He manages to pluck him off his horse, grab him in his jaws, and violent shake him back and forth. Carlos' horse joins the others when they run back through the valley's entrance, with Gwangi still chasing them. Outside, many of them fall off their horses in their panic to escape, when they see Gwangi attempting to push his way through the entrance. His struggling triggers a rock-slide that

tumbles down on top of him, slamming him down to the ground and sliding him across it. At first, it seems as though Gwangi killed himself, but as he lays on the ground, breathing lowly and slightly rocking, they realize he merely knocked himself unconscious. The humans approach him cautiously, when Tuck gets rope, walks up to him, and slips and ties it around his snout, securing him. Champ laughs happily and triumphantly, declaring that they're going to take Gwangi back to town and T.J. will have the greatest main attraction any rodeo could dream of. He then notices that everyone has solemn expressions on their faces and realizes that Carlos isn't among them.

In the next scene, they're on their way back to town, carting Gwangi in a large, wooden cage on a big platform with wheels, his neck tied to the poles in the corners of the cage. He snarls and growls as he stands inside, futilely trying to get loose. At one point, his snarls become loud enough to prompt Tuck to ride in the back of the line to him, prompting Gwangi to attempt to stick his head through the cage and snap at him. The convoy stops when they come across Tia Zorina and the dwarf in the middle of the desert. As she's led up to

them, she correctly guesses that Carlos has been killed, adding, "In a dream, I saw it. The great jaws snapping, the riderless horse. He was doomed, and so will you be doomed, all of you, unless the evil one is set free." Bromley, like before, laughs off her superstitions, saying that Gwangi is no more evil than an alligator and that he can't curse anyone. The convoy heads on, passing by Zorina who, wrenching her hand from the dwarf's, points her finger at them and exclaims, "Defy the law and perish!"

On the day of Gwangi's unveiling at the arena, Zorina and the dwarf are among the throngs of people who've come to see the show. Inside, Zorina whispers something to the dwarf and he sneaks backstage, spying the big red tent of a curtain on a platform in the center of the arena, attached to a large balloon proclaiming, "GWANGI THE GREAT." After the current show concludes, the dwarf climbs up onto the platform and crawls under the edge of the curtain, catching the attention of Gwangi, who's in the center of a steel cage. As

another act, this one involving a trained elephant, goes on, the dwarf rushes to one of the locks at the base of the cage and begins loosening it, as Gwangi watches him. He pulls the bolt out once he's done, while outside, the elephant's trainer has a hard time making him go back into his corral, as he continuously lets out nervous trumpets. After telling the man to try and quiet him down, Champ tells some photographers off on the side to prepare to get a picture of Gwangi when the curtain is lifted off him. He then rides into the center of the arena,

in front of the tent, and begins announcing to the crowd through his bullhorn. In the tent, the dwarf climbs up a rope-ladder alongside the cage in order to loosen its upper section. Gwangi snaps at him and he nearly falls off, while outside, the elephant continues whining, sensing that something's wrong. Champ continues his announcement, when Gwangi approaches the side of the cage. Just before he finishes talking, Champ hears the sound of the dwarf screaming within the tent. Regardless, he

tells the men to lift up the curtain with the balloon, declaring, "Gwangi the Great, living wonder of the prehistoric era!" However, instead of amazement, everyone is horrorified when they see that Gwangi has the dwarf in his jaws and is shaking him around as he screams. Champ tells them to bring the curtain back down, but as they try, Gwangi places the now dead dwarf onto the platform and, as the elephant is thoroughly freaking out, smacks the loosened section of cage with his tail. He

smacks and bangs into it repeatedly, and the audience, upon seeing this, begin running for it out of the stadium. During this whole time, the oblivious bandleader keeps conducting the fanfare music, when the musicians panic and run. He then sees what's happening and joins them in escaping, along with everyone else, including Champ. The panicked people run out into the streets and crowd the stadium's corridors to escape, knocking down and trampling the helpless Zorina to death.

Champ meets up with Tuck and T.J. and tells them what's happened. As they go to fetch some rifles, and people continue running out of the stadium in a panic, Prof. Bromley, who was in the crowd, feebly attempts to stop Gwangi from escaping, only to get crushed when he finally knocks the section of cage off and it falls on him. Gwangi jumps down to the ground, just as the elephant's trainer makes a run for it. Like with the Styracosaurus, Gwangi lunges at the elephant and bites into him. The big difference, however, is that the elephant is no

challenge, and Gwangi viciously attacks him, biting into the top of his trunk. The elephant does manage to push him back, even knocking him into the ground and trying to get him with his tusks, but Gwangi bites into his neck, then pins him down and bites into his nape, before roaring with his mouth covered in blood. Gwangi rushes through one of the doorways to the stadium, pushing through the gate and making his way out into the streets, having managed to get a hold of an unlucky man. The people rush through the streets, with

many of them taking shelter in the cathedral, while Tuck, T.J., and the others arm themselves and mount their horses. Gwangi continues wreaking havoc in the streets, chasing after and snapping at people, when the cowboys come riding in. Tuck takes aim and fires with his rifle, only for his horse to panic and fling him off. He grabs his rifle and shoots again, but like with the blanks, this only gets Gwangi's attention. He chases Tuck to the steps leading up to the cathedral, with Tuck

shooting at him twice more. Rowdy rides in and tries to distract him, while Tuck shoots twice more and then, having run out of bullets, throws his rifle at Gwangi. He and T.J. help everyone else into the cathedral, saying they need to shut the doors. Everyone starts crowding through the doorway, when Lope shows up, gets off his horse, and runs to the cathedral. He's pulled in by Tuck, as everyone pushes against the doors to shut Gwangi out. However, Gwangi is smart enough to

understand what they're doing and pushes up against the door with his backside. The men struggle against the force of his large girth, while the civilians start running back out through the rear entrances. Ultimately, Gwangi pushes the doors open and the men have to join the others in running for cover. As he walks into the cathedral, Tuck tells T.J. and Lope to get out with everyone else while he tries to trap Gwangi inside. He then hides behind a pillar as Gwangi walks into the heart of the cathedral, before heading on in. Before they can escape out back, T.J. and Lope are forced to hide from Gwangi, who spots and gets after them. Meanwhile, Tuck does manage to close the front door and bolt it.

T.J. and Lope hide behind a huge church organ, as Gwangi walks by them. At first, he doesn't see them, but when Lope runs to the edge in an attempt to escape, the dinosaur spots him and T.J. and looks for a way to get at them. Outside, Champ, Rowdy, and Bean try to get into the cathedral to help, while Tuck runs back into the heart of the place and sees that Gwangi has trapped T.J. and Lope. He yells at Gwangi, trying to draw his attention, and when that doesn't work, he throws a chair at him. Gwangi does lunge for him, forcing

him to dive where T.J. and Lope are, and when he goes back to trying to get at them, Tuck runs upstairs to the upper platform behind the organ. He yells and smacks the side of the banister, then grabs one of the flags hung up on the side and jabs its tip at Gwangi. Gwangi snaps at him, at one point grabbing the flag's tip in his mouth and almost pulling him over. When Tuck falls back from this, he lands on the organ's keys and the music blares out. Gwangi is taken aback by this and Tuck takes the advantage, tossing the flag at him and sticking

him in the side of the back of his head. Gwangi screams in pain and struggles to remove it from his flesh, while Tuck, T.J., and Lope run to the front door. Gwangi manages to yank the flag out and chases after them, but Tuck grabs a flaming pot and throws it at him. It ignites the pews in front of Gwangi, creating a fire that quickly spreads. Gwangi screams again, and snaps at the fire, only to back away and start shrieking bloody murder as the fire grows around him. In his panic, he knocks

over another such pot, adding to the fire. The last few minutes are really hard to watch, as Gwangi continues screaming in fear and pain, and they become more and more anguished as it goes on. Tuck, T.J., and Lope make it out of the cathedral, while Gwangi's screams can be heard clear outside. They grow so loud and piercing that a stained glass window up near the ceiling shatters, and the roof begins to cave in from the damage caused by the fire. Gwangi falls to the floor, screaming and

kicking in sheer agony and terror, while those outside watch on, seeming to pity him. He's finally killed when the roof caves in completely and he's crushed beneath some burning rubble. The camera pans past the faces of the onlookers, with a woman crossing herself, while Lope, noticeably, has tears running down his face. The movie ends with them continuing to watch the burning church.

The Valley of Gwangi shines in its music score just as much as it does in its excitement and visual effects. Said score is the work of Jerome Moross, who was no stranger to westerns, having been nominated for an Oscar for his score to the 1958 film, The Big Country. For Gwangi, he came up with a score that's wonderfully adventurous, bigger than life, and rollicking, with a notable but not overbearing Mexican flavor to it. Memorably, he created a motif for Gwangi and the other dinosaurs that's a bit more menacing and bombastic, while still being exciting, to contrast with the purely adventurous, heroic theme for the cowboys. He also came up with a traditional gypsy dance routine, a lullaby from the music box that El Diablo responds to, and a suitably poignant, if schmaltzy, piece for Tuck and T.J. Speaking of poignancy, at the very end of the movie, when it's clear that Gwangi is doomed, Moross takes the adventure theme and creates a slower, sadder version of it, alluding to how these cowboys and their interests led to the death of a creature that, while violent, was ultimately innocent. After that, the movie closes with a role call of the actors and the characters they played, set to a more upbeat sort of piece that seems to be trying to cheer up those who may be upset about Gwangi's death, even having him appear as one of the "actors" and letting out one final roar (it doesn't really work in that regard, though).

If you want a well-done and entertaining classic dinosaur movie, you can't go wrong with The Valley of Gwangi. While the human characters and their inner conflicts don't amount to much, and it takes a bit for it to finally get going, the movie still works very well due to the likable performances the actors do give, the beautifully shot locations, the thrilling music score, the good old-fashioned sense of adventure and excitement it's filled with, and, above all else, the amazing visual effects by Ray Harryhausen, who not only creates a number of really cool stop-motion dinosaurs and creatures but also manages to make the title character both ferocious and, in the end, pitiable. Not much else to be said except that it's a must-watch for any dinosaur and Harryhausen fans.