The Valley of Gwangi

Ray Harryhausen's best work

Forget the patches of swinging sixties dialogue and the questionable acting prowess of Gila Golan and let us instead consider Harryhausen's superb animation, the beauty of Erwin Hillier's Technicolor photography and Jerome Moross' unbeatable western musical score - definitely the best soundtrack for a western ever recorded. Yes, indeed, even better than his score for The Big Country.

James Franciscus (star of Beneath the Planet of the Apes) is the hero here and although two dimensional - the old Franciscus charm saves the day. Franciscus gives us a likeable hero to root for here. Able support comes in the form of Richard Carlson ( Creature from the Black Lagoon) and Laurence Naismith as a wily profess...

The Western fantasy film boosted by some Harryhausen genius.

Shot in Technicolor by Erwin Hillier and in Dynamation, The Valley Of Gwangi sees Tuck Kirby (James Franciscus) and a team of cowboys get more than they bargained for when they enter a hidden valley in Mexico. For here, prehistoric creatures reside and the cowboys come up with the idea of capturing a Tyrannosaurus Rex to become the chief attraction in the circus they work at.

The makers of Gwangi never hid their motivations or homages, from the off they wanted to nod towards King Kong whilst pairing the Western and Fantasy genres in the process. The result of which is an enjoyable if unfulfilled movie that again sees Ray Harryhausen's stop-motion creations save the day. Dire...