The Valley of Gwangi (1969)

Director:

Jim O'Connolly

Writers:

William Bast (screenplay)
Julian More (additional material)
(more)

Release Date:

25 July 1969 (West Germany)

Genre:

Western | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

Cowboys Battle Monsters in the Lost World of Forbidden Valley.

Plot:

Cowboy James Franciscus seeks fame and fortune by capturing a Tyrannosaurus Rex living in the Forbidden Valley and putting it in a Mexican circus...

Plot Keywords:

Valley | Horse | Wild West Show | Tyrannosaurus | Allosaurus

Cast

James Franciscus	...	Tuck
Gila Golan	...	T.J.
Richard Carlson	...	Champ
Laurence Naismith	...	Professor Bromley
Freda Jackson	...	Tia Zorina
Gustavo Rojo	...	Carlos
Dennis Kilbane	...	Rowdy
Mario De Barros	...	Bean (as Mario de Barros also)
Curtis Arden	...	Lope
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jose Burgos	...	The Dwarf (uncredited)

Directed by
Jim O'Connolly		(as James O'Connolly)

Writing credits
William Bast		(screenplay) (as William E. Bast)
Julian More		(additional material)
Willis H. O'Brien		(earlier film project "Gwangi") uncredited

Produced by
Ray Harryhausen	....	associate producer
Charles H. Schneer	....	producer

Original Music by
Jerome Moross

Cinematography by
Erwin Hillier		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Henry Richardson

Art Direction by
Gil Parrondo

Production Management
Miguel Gil	....	production manager
Luis Roberts	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Pedro Vidal	....	assistant director
Carlos Gil	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Philip Bottomley	....	dubbing editor
Selwyn Petterson	....	dubbing editor
Malcolm Stewart	....	sound (as Malcolm Steward)
Bill Creed	....	sound (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Ray Harryhausen	....	creator of visual effects
Arthur Hayward	....	creature sculptor
Gerald Larn	....	matte painter (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Alec Mills	....	camera operator

Costume and Wardrobe Department
John Furniss	....	wardrobe designer
Tony Pueo	....	wardrobe supervisor (as Antonio Pueo)

Music Department
Jerome Moross	....	conductor
Gary Hughes	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Gladys Goldsmith	....	continuity
Juan Maján	....	horse master (as Juan Majan)
Antonio Saura	....	title designer

Production Companies

• Warner Brothers/Seven Arts (as Warner Bros.-Seven Arts)
• Morningside Productions (uncredited)

Distributors

• Warner Brothers/Seven Arts (1969) (USA) (theatrical) (as Warner Bros. - Seven Arts)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1972) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Warner Home Video (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Australia:PG | USA:G | UK:U (video re-rating) (2003) | UK:12 (video rating) (1995) | UK:A (original rating) (passed with cuts)

Filming Locations:

Almería, Andalucía, Spain

Company:

Warner Brothers/Seven Arts

Trivia:

Gwangi is a native American word that means lizard.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Lope's shirt is torn, the rip changes sides several times.

Quotes:

Professor Bromley:This circle of mountains, jagged peaks, steep cliffs, could be the perfect barrier against man and the elements.
Tuck:No wonder they call it the forbidden valley.
Professor Bromley:Yes, it might be the answer to many things. We shall soon see, Mr Kirby.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Argo (2012)

Soundtrack:

Gypsy Flamenco

Best dinosaur and cowboy movie ever

Okay, so it's the only dinosaur and cowboy movie (that I know of). The acting isn't much, but seeing three cowboys rope a T Rex -- and then seeing the T Rex fight an elephant -- that is cool.

And "El Diablo," the little eohippus, is just too cute.

Harryhausen's stop-motion animation is wonderful. Get the DVD with an interview in which he talks about how he did the cowboy-roping scene, and current animators/fx artists talk about he inspired them -- pretty fun. In a geeky kind of way.