The Valley of Gwangi (1969) Movie Review

[@erocrush]

My...mother...LOVED this movie! She thought that little horse was the cutest thing EVER! Back when CBS aired a late movie after the 11:00 news they would show this a couple of times a year, usually on a Friday night as a “scary movie for the kids.” My mom would make a big bowl of popcorn and sit on the edge of her seat just waiting for that little horse. It’s a fond memory of her I haven’t re-lived in a while, so thank you for bringing it back for me.

[@Mr22thou]

Mom making popcorn and making a fun night out of a fantasy family film on TV is a highlight of my childhood as well. May I ask what town you lived in and what era this was for you? Sixty-one's Mysterious Island, The Birds and The Wizard of Oz were among our favorites in the sixties and early seventies. The old Biblical epics too. My sisters and I grew up in an L.A. suburb. Great memories!

[@philarmstrong3765]

He who is tired of rewatching Harryhausen movies is tired of life. In 8th grade (50+ years ago) a casual friend even nerdier than me pointed out that the same guy was responsible for a lot of the movies i liked. Ray H. This is when I first became aware that maybe I should start reading film credits. Thanks, Richard! Great review as always, JW. Keep up the wonderful work.

[@scottanderson2458]

Another winner thank you. My daughter works in Art galleries in Edinburgh Scotland. The Harryhausen foundation had a great exhibit in Gallery of Modern Art in Edinburgh in Sep 2021 then a break for Covid19 lockdown and back on in 2022. Ray's daughter lives in Fife, just over the Forth estuary from Edinburgh and was on hand for advice. The exhibition was superb, lots of armatures and some complete models, along with drawings/paintings and storyboards too. I spent hours there and as the 2021 opening coincided with my 60th birthday she bought me some blurays - Jason and the Argonauts, First Men in the Moon and 7th Voyage of Sinbad. A decent biography with lots of great photos and illustrations was given to me too. An enjoyable day out was had then watched Jason at home and immediately after watched again with audio commentary. I like your take on this cheerful adventure, Fransiscus is a decent square jawed hero but Naismith is my favourite in this movie. I felt that the best model in this film was the Eohippus. All the best 👍

[@kirksworks]

Years ago I met Harryhausen and we both loved film music, so we had a nice conversation. Jerome Moross is one of my favorite film music composers. His score for The Big Country is a phenomenal classic. His brother was invited to the premiere, and when the music began over the credits, tears came to his eyes, it was so wonderful. Gwanji’s dinosaurs are Harryhausen’s best, but besides One Million Years B.C. He also did the dinosaur sequence for Animal World. The rest of the film is just footage of real animals. The dinosaurs are the only thing people remember about that film. I recommend watching all three of the Sinbad movies. The first, The 7th Voyage of Sinbad, is the best, and most fans consider it his best. My personal favorite of his is Jason and the Argonauts. A masterpiece in so many ways, not just the animation fx. Glad you enjoyed Gwanji. It gets criticized often, but it’s great you recognized what is fabulous about it.

[@jakespoon5549]

I have the Big Country theme on my cars usb stick, when it plays I crank up the volume.

[@willroberts336]

I love this movie! Harryhausen was never content with just doing the minimum; he was constantly challenging himself. The sequence of the cowboys attempting to lasso Gwangi is incredible. The artistry & patience to achieve it were remarkable!

[@edwardsighamony]

You should do the Sinbad trilogy. I remember watching those movies, as well as Jason and the Argonauts, as a child. They were on TV frequently and I have a great fondness for them.

[@GoGreen1977]

I watched "Jason and the Argonauts" in the movie theater many years ago. I loved it then and I still enjoy watching it. Btw, I learned that it takes place during the Bronze Age, not the era of "Classical" Greece.

[@chetthebee1322]

This movie has a wonderful musical score. I have some pleasant childhood memories associated with this movie

[@johngough2958]

I only got round to watching The Big Country a few years ago and my first thought was that the score was ripping off Valley of Gwangi - til I looked things up, of course!

[@pleasantvalleypickerca7681]

Ray Harryhausen is always great!!!!

[@mikejones2681]

What a nice review! I have fond memories of seeing this in the theater around 1970 when I was eight. My family and I always loved it and I never understood why it didn’t get the love other such films did. I found the music so compelling that whenever it came on TV I would record it with my tape recorder and play it back a lot. I was a fan of James Franciscus, because of Beneath the Planet of the Apes, and this leading lady was very pretty. My only disappointment with the film was that the ending was so abrupt. It seemed as if it needed some kind of verbal sendoff, kind of like they had in King Kong when Carl Denham said “‘Twas beauty that killed the beast”. Of course, that wouldn’t apply here, but some kind of sentiment summing it all up would have been nice. Instead, it just ends! Very appreciative of your reviews. Your knowledge is extraordinary for someone so young. You really know your stuff!

[@rickpalacio7]

I'm a sucker for this kind of movie and I really enjoy this one, too! Ray Harryhausen's work has a hand-crafted, magical quality to it that never gets old for me, even after all the advancements in digital and practical effects over the years. You can just feel the love and dedication in it. The Sinbad Trilogy is a blast as well. I hope you get to check those movies out soon!

[@blockmasterscott]

As a little boy in the late 60s, cowboys fighting dinosaurs was a dream come true for me. I drove my mom crazy every week when I took her copy of TV Guide to see if this movie was coming on late night TV. I LIVED for this movie. As an adult pushing 60, I have the soundtrack on my phone! 🤣🤣🤣👍 And speaking of soundtracks, the soundtrack for this movie was nothing short of epic.

[@philipgior3312]

Call me a dino nerd, or even a Harryhausen nerd, but I just love this film. You gave a lot of insight into aspects of the movie of which I was not aware. Definitely starts off slow, but picks up about 1/3rrd the way through. BTW, though I don't believe they identify the species of dinosaur that Gwangi is supposed to be in the movie, I believe this is an Allosaurus, judging by the 3 fingers and shape of the creature's head.... just saying. Loved this review!

[@jamespaton6047]

You are correct sir. For years when I was a kid I thought it was a T-Rex but found out I was wrong years later.

[@spencerbookman2523]

Considering the recent paradigm shift regarding the lips of therapod dinosaurs, it's somewhat surprising to notice that the model maker made a dinosaur with lips that covered its teeth decades before it was thing.

[@gerardsaretsky5630]

Harryhausen called Gwangi an “ Allosaurus Rex”

[@wmbriggz]

Some movies are made to bring tears; some screams; for me, those , like this, that bring a smile are best.

[@TheGoodTheBadandTheCheezy]

I love all Harryhausen movies. Can't go wrong with cowboys and dinosaurs.

[@Natakel]

I'd forgotten about this movie. It was a staple on Saturday night Sci-Fi/Scary movie weekly series shows in the '70's. I really wanted that little horse! The final scenes in the cathedral were epic indeed. I'll have to look this up and watch it again. I haven't seen it since my sons were little. Great review!

[@davidgreen2801]

Cowboys vs Dinosaurs..." haha... that's just awesome.🌟 Hey... thanks as ever for the time, love, great energy and research that you input, into ensuring the continuation of your most splendid channel. 😊

[@ronnieburton1312]

I've always liked this movie and I'm so glad you saw it! The music, photography, cast, and visual effects are all excellent! Harryhausen was very talented though his attitude toward the Godzilla films was off-putting. I had no idea that Gila Golan's dialogue was dubbed. Freda Jackson as the blind woman, whom I felt sorry for when she was trampled, always gave a good performance. She was in THE BRIDES OF DRACULA and DIE, MONSTER, DIE. I also felt sorry for that poor elephant. It's unfortunate that the film wasn't better marketed. I'm very glad you enjoyed it! The idea of cowboys against dinosaurs is very original, even more than the scene in ZOMBIE (1979) where a zombie fights a shark. I don't recommend that movie, however, as it has some stomach churning scenes.

[@Allan_aka_RocKITEman]

I think I saw this on TV back in the 1970s. From what I remember I enjoyed it.

[@StephenSkinner-y1c]

Thank you Miss Weiselberry, for another informative and entertaining presentation. Interesting about the poor marketing for Valley of Gwangi, here in Australia it did not get a solo release, it was screened as a double feature with a movie that has also since become a cult classic, the British science fiction Moon Zero Two. One point though, you mention that the cowboys would probably have not known what a dinosaur was. I think they probably would have, as the American West was the setting of one of the greatest rivalries in scientific history. Through the 1870's and 1880's two paleontologists, Marsh and Cope brought American competitiveness to dinosaur fossil hunting. They both played hard and fast, and both hired gangs of cowboys to help them. Cope published 1,400 articles on his discoveries, making him one of the most prolific authors in American scientific history, and Marsh was not far behind. Before them only about 20 dinosaur species were known. Between them they increased that number to more than a hundred! They also got into a bitter feud over the ownership of their fossils that was reported blow by blow in the newspapers of the day. So, an American cowboy of the late 19th century was probably more familiar with dinosaurs than the average person in Europe, or here in Australia where the first dinosaur fossil was not even found until 1903.

[@philarmstrong3765]

Wow, you really know your dino history, sir or madam! I've always thought the Cope/Marsh rivalry has feature film potential, possibly even a comedy, as I'm sure you know some of the stuff they pulled on each other.

[@Weiselberry]

Wow, I was not aware of that! Thanks for the information.

[@duleybraza4558]

Ray Harryhausen movies were required viewing as a child. 60 years later, I still enjoy them. The 3 Worlds of Gulliver and the 7th Voyage would be shown at our elementary school during the summer break on a reel to reel projector. Wonderful memories. JW, great observation of the last scenes in Gwangi as well as the background info on the film.

[@jezzalexander]

I saw this movie as a kid, and cried like a baby when old Gwangi was killed. I cried like a baby when Kong died - very much a monster sympathiser. But yeah, the Gwangi movie is King Kong - and I still don't care :) Really like your channel, quite refreshing - watched a few now (your bloopers vid is a hoot by the way) it's you, a camera, some clips and good blethering about movies.

[@8762able]

This movie is one of my all-time favorites. The Western musical score in the intro of the film was brilliant, and the fiery ending with Gwangi reminds me of the ending of another Ray Harryhausen movie: The Beast of 20,000 Fathoms.

[@dinojoe8069]

I saw this at the movie theater when I was a kid. It's nice to see that new generations still enjoy Harryhausen's fantastic works. 😊

[@dennisswaim8210]

I was about 8 years old when I 1st saw this one. Deeply into my cowboy phase, wore my six guns everywhere. You said it in your 1st sentence. Dinosaurs and Cowboys! O! I was in to this one. Loved it loved it! Like you I hated to see the tyrannosaur die in the church fire. It had killed several people and the elephant by then. His rampage had to end and the cowboys were the perfect ones to take it out before it could kill more villagers. Great movie for a kid that liked Dinosaurs. Fascinating and scary and the wild west show tie in, perfect.

[@johnpjones182]

"Outlander" with Jim Caviezel & Ron Perlman is a mashup of Vikings vs. Alien/Predator. Worth checking out.

[@dragon-ly2xf]

I'm a big Ray Harryhausen fan, so pardon me while I geek-out again with this reply. I enjoyed Jerome's excellent review. I think THE VALLEY OF GWANGI is another example of Harryhausen's creatures and special effects being better than the screenplay. The scene where the cowboys on horseback are chasing the small dinosaur and Gwangi suddenly makes its first appearance by gulping up the small dinosaur was the inspiration for the JURASSIC PARK scene where Sam Neill and the kids are hiding from the fleeing small dinosaurs when T Rex suddenly makes its first appearance by gulping up a small dinosaur. Also, Freda Jackson plays the blind gypsy woman in GWANGI who later returned as one of the blind Stygian Witches in Harryhausen's CLASH OF THE TITANS. Someone asked if Gwangi is an Allosaurus or a Tyrannosaurus---in the bluray special features, Harryhausen says it's a Tyrannosaurus, but he added they also referred to it as an Allosaurus. In the Star Ace Gwangi figure which was developed with the Ray and Diana Harryhausen Foundation, Gwangi is stated as being an Allosaurus. My suggestions for more of Jerome's Harryhausen reviews: 1. THE BEAST FROM 20,000 FATHOMS---pay close attention to the NYPD policemen. Also ,this movie is full of early character actors before they became established. 2. 20 MILLION MILES TO EARTH---look for Harryhausen's cameo, Harryhausen recycled the Ymir's cat face for the Kraken in CLASH OF THE TITANS and his Martian in his proposed THE WAR OF THE WORLDS movie, check out co-star Joan Taylor's real husband and the boy who discovered the Ymir egg. 3. MYSTERIOUS ISLAND---check out the movie's real crab and co-star Beth Rogan's bio. Also, you mentioned William Schallert in your reviews of THEM! and MATINEE. Schallert played the evil scientist in the 1951 movie THE MAN FROM PLANET X which co-starred Margaret Field, Sally Field's mother. I saw this movie a long time ago and didn't like it, but most critics like it. Again, pardon my long geek-out reply.

[@postercereal3654]

Thanks for the review, JW!

[@WillieZurcher]

i watched this so many times back in the 70's. loved it.

[@LilMissSmartyPants.922]

i seen this movie when i was a kid, i think it was an Allosaurus not a T-Rex though. i loved the Beast from 20,000 fathoms and 20 million miles to earth by Harryhousen. back when movies were more fun and magical

[@jaygee6738]

I woke up to this review!! Thanks for a great Harryhausen film. You have made my day for the better! Love all your reviews! If you want some great Harryhausen, try Clash of the Titans. that is a great one and I believe it is the last film he did before retiring.

[@josephmayo3253]

Good review Jerome. While this is lower on my Harryhaussen list, i still like it once it gets going Definitely check out the Sinbad trilogy. They are all fun. 7th Voyage is the best story. But Golden Voyage and Eye of the Tiger are both good too. Id love to see you review the other Harryhaussen movies. My favorites are Jason, Mysterious Island, First Men on the Moon, Clash of the Titans, and 7th Voyage. But everything he did was fantastic. I've been known to start Mighty Joe Young on a Friday night, and just keep watching in order until Clash of the Titans.

[@mr.danandhorror4230]

A must watch whenever it came on TV many moons ago! I bought a projector with the idea of showing this and Mysterious Island to kids at some point.

[@NiallBoyle-r4d]

Cowboys versus a dinosaur in a cathedral? I wish the recent Jurassic Park movies had shown as much imagination!

[@tonydeluna8095]

Love your old movie reviews Jerome! The clay animatronics were great for its time. Reminds me a lot of the old version of Clash of the Titans. Keep it up!

[@davidschecter5247]

These were not clay animatronics. These were fully articulated stop-motion models with metal skeletons.

[@Enriqueguiones]

You know? I interviewed Ray Harryhausen back in 2012, shortly before he died. I always though the FX on this movie are one of the highlights of his career and he agreed!

[@russellfarina9099]

Saw this years ago and actually saw the guy Madison hollow mountain movie too. I like your movie reviews and i like your taste in movies you do such a great job!

[@JohnMartin-ys1kn]

This is a true classic. Thanks for the review.

[@PaintDryPictures]

This was really good, Jerome. These reviews for movies like this encourage me to watch them. This one especially reminded me of King Kong and Ray Harryhausen’s work is always impressive to watch. Take care of yourself, J!

[@alandhopewell]

Howdy, Sis! I never miss a Harryhausen film, and I definitely need to watch this again. This basically snuck through the theaters, got seen a lot on tv, and was a lot better than BEAST OF HOLLOW MOUNTAIN. Your enthusiasm took me back to 1974, when I saw GWANGI for the first time on THE CBS LATE MOVIE. Thank you for brightening my post-church afternoon.

[@nickmitsialis]

Hah! I saw it in the theater way back when...Jerome was right, it had absolutely NO promotion, but one day, I walked by my neighborhood cinema and there was the infamous poster promoting it as a future attraction=which, needless to say, I saw along with my neighborhood buddies.

[@Stathis_Borans]

Little Weiselberry having a monster smash it's way into her room and her reaction "that's a dinosaur" is so in character and made me chuckle 😁

[@Tatkirbologna]

My two favorite Ray Harryhausen movies are Gwangi and the beast from 20,000 fathoms!

[@LilMissSmartyPants.922]

20 million miles to earth was good to

[@tonymart105]

These reviews always feel like a walk down memory lane. And I love it!

[@morlockmeat]

Believe it or not, I saw this movie in the theater when it was released. Of course I loved it!😄

[@redpillnibbler4423]

There’s a magic in stop motion animation that’s difficult to explain,It has a strange contradiction of real solid objects yet moving in an unrealistic manner - it’s both real and unreal at the same time. To me it creates an effect that’s both timeless and charming.

[@darrenhood4033]

My dad loves Harryhausen. I must have seen each film at least 3 times during my childhood. This one is a personal favorite of mine and his, because its cowboys vs dinosaurs! What is not to like or love here! Also because my dad never saw this one as a child because as you said here, no one was able to properly see it in first run distribution. Why? Warner Bros. had just been bought by Seven Arts and the management shuffle meant no proper care or attention was given to Gwangi. They didn't care for it as much as Jack Warner may have. A shame because it is a fantastic yarn.

[@sethbane9861]

I actually just watched this for the first time about a month ago! I’m writing a Cowboys & Dinosaurs story in my free time and heard about this gem of a movie, so had to check it out lol

[@bladestar2322]

We had Sci Fi theater in the early 1970s so I saw Valley of Gwangi, 7 Faces of Dr. Lao, Green Slime, Lost Continent, and the Blob a lot!

[@lbbotpn5429]

Enjoyed your review, JW! It's been a couple of years since I've seen it, and I mostly remember enjoying the dino wranglin' and cathedral scenes (where Harryhausen's prowess was on full display), but largely being meh on everything in between. Sometimes you *really* feel a runtime being padded. Definitely worth a re-watch to see if would experience it the same way now.

[@vicman3122]

I think that Gwangi is a cool name for a cat

[@justinplayfair4638]

Thank you for the Gwangi review! Yes, please, PLEASE, do the Sinbad films!

[@donkelley7407]

Nice review, J. I do want to see this one, for the music, the stop-motion, and to solve the mystery of the tiny horse. I have some theories about that horse, will ruminate on those. Funny how there's always a valley, or ocean trench, where remnant creatures of past worlds not only survive but pop up to scare us silly. Looking forward to this one. Thanks, and enjoy your week.

[@Mary...22-u9j]

would of been fun to be a kid in the 60s and going to drive ins to watch movies. before dvds and netfix people knew how to make good fun movies and have a good time going to see them. you deserve more subs very informative and your so pretty

[@THEPETERC1]

I like the film. Harryhausen and Jerome Moross were giants in their fields. Franciscus and Golan were not, and it shows. Bonus points to you for the Hollow Mountain reference--I met Guy Madison in 1970 when he was scouting locations in and around my hometown of Fort Worth for a western that failed to find completion funding. He was impressive in person: about 6'3", broad-shouldered, very fit, and in general a handsome man of 50 who would have been a perfect fit for a role in the tv series Dallas. .Unfortunately he was in a suit and tie, so I can't tell you how he looked with his sleeves rolled up.

[@tim2269]

Saw this when I was 6 years old.Its stuck in my imagination for 50 years.Love it.

[@stevestewart9941]

Ray Harryhausen was my go to growing up. The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad and Jason and the Argonauts were and still are my favorite. Highly recommended for view and review. Did I never grow up?!

[@seththewelsh1055]

One of my favorites growing up. I even have the Dell comic! Once again you do an awesome job on your video reviews.

[@DadManHiking]

Great review! I remember seeing this when I was a kid back in the 70s (yes, I’m that old 😁). Appreciate all the comparisons with other Harryhausen films; noted the pterodactyl here looked a lot like the harpies from “Jason and the Argonauts”. Wanted to ask if you might do a review of “Earth vs the Flying Saucers”.

[@Jimvanhise]

I watched this recently on TCM. Noticed that the voice of the young Mexican boy is obviously dubbed. Also wondered why Gwangi kept changing color in the film, literally from one scene to the next.

[@romeoblue768]

This video reminds me of youtube when i was a kid, makes me happy

[@Jsyz99]

This Harryhausen fan enjoyed your insightful review. You are knowledgeable about the film and production. I will check out your other reviews.

[@Weiselberry]

Thanks!

[@admiralhowdy]

On my VHS shelf. Glad to have found your channel. Yay, algorithms.

[@Ned_of_the_Hill]

Ms. Weiselberry, As one who has asked for a review of a Harryhausen movie, thank you very much!

[@cobracommander8133]

Love Valley of Gwangi. Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter Is another mash-up that I really liked a lot, but most people don’t seem to like it that much so I’m in the minority.

[@codyb5327]

I’m 34 and I still have my original VHS copy, I got rid of all my VHS except for one and it’s GWANGI also had to buy it again on dvd lol love this movie.

[@sumo0172]

Thank you for sharing this video. Valley Of The Gwangi has never been one of my favorite movies. But I'm always intrigued by it. I mean cowboys vs dinosaurs how can that be bad.

[@winterburden]

Whoa! Thanks for this super neat review!

[@reneescala7526]

Gwangi and Clash of the Titans was the heroic last gasp of Harryhausen's stop-motion animation. Fortunately for devotees of the process, Wes Anderson has taken up stop-motion in Isle of Dogs and The Fantastic Mr Fox. I love Isle of Dogs and Mr Fox plays host to Meryl Streep. Great stuff. Mighty Joe Young pits Cowboys against a mighty gorilla -- certainly part of the genre.

[@stevendunn264]

Great review for one of my favorite movies. You inspired me to watch it again.

[@alexdarko80]

I really like this movie when I was a child…I hope I can watch it again one of these days.

[@rjwalker4153]

Great review. I always liked dinosaur and monster movies. This lady is very knowledgeable. She even knew about Harryhausen. I didn't think any woman knew about him or cared for these movies !

[@prodprod]

I've always found this movie to be a frustrating experience. On the one hand, it has probably the greatest dinosaur animation that Harryhausen ever did. The trouble is -- everything else ranges from "eh" to even more "eh" -- I mean, Richard Carlson is fine but -- it is "Cowboys vs. Dinosaurs" -- but the cowboys aren't even really cowboys -- they're guys from a wild west show. The Paleontogist with his "theory of the humanoid" adds nothing to the story except explanations that we don't need. Remember King Kong? Jack Driscoll asks Carl Denham -- "What is this thing? "Something from the dinosaur family, Jack. A prehistoric beast." To which Jack replies, "Dinosaur, eh?" That was all the explanation they needed. And frankly, what more do you need? You don't need a whole character who just keeps saying things like, "A styracosaurus!" I just keep imagining how much better this would be if you just had a bunch of real cowboys stumbling on this place and how the story might unfold if that had happened. And also -- what in the world are bands of gypsies doing in the old west? This is a very strange "old west" that has bands of gypsies (okay, Roma) who seem to have lived there long enough to have developed myths about lost valleys -- but somehow or other there doesn't seem to be a trace of any native Americans -- who would most logically have served that purpose in the story. I have the feeling that maybe it started out with those characters being Native American but, because it was shot in Spain there might have been challenges with casting and so somebody -- what the heck, let's just make it a band of gypsies. But there really is just a level of goofiness to the movie that sort of drags it down -- when the dinosaurs are on screen, it's great. When they're not -- it's really slow going. And monster movies don't have to be that way. "Them!" is a movie that was probably even better when the monsters aren't on screen. It can be done. But, alas, it never really was done with any of Harryhausen's movies. His effects were always the best thing in all of his movies.

[@erwanticheler]

This film was pretty fun, although far from being my Harryhausen favourite. That title is probably The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad and since you have yet to watch that one, I would highly recommend it! And of you haven't seen it yet, I would also very much recommend Prey from 2022 which really plays with a monster set in older times: a really cool concept worked out very well!

[@Percevaus_Li_Galois]

A Valley of Gwangi review! You don't find many of those on here! I love this movie, ever since my grandpa showed it to me as a kid. It's cowboys vs dinosaurs! What else could a little boy ask for? It's really nice to see someone else who's on the younger end be so genuinely into these kinds of movies instead of just enjoying riffing them at best, I'm in my twenties so it's been pretty much impossible to find anyone else who's not old enough to be my mom, dad, or grandparent who likes these kinds of movies let alone talks about them. I've seen a few of your other vids just now but this is the first one I found earlier today because I was wondering if anyone out there had anything to say on this movie in recent times and there you were, so I figured it would be best to leave this comment here! I love your reviews, you seem like a very genuine person and your enthusiasm for what you like is uniquely enthralling. Somehow, your vids remind me of conversations with dear old friends about just random things we like; albeit rather one sided one haha. Ngl, at first the 480p quality and 4:3 aspect ratio had me thinking I was watching a reupload of some obscure 2008 Gwangi KZbin review and I was surprised to realize this is a rather recent video and that this is just how you roll, and I don't mean that as a diss, I actually really like that! Pretty much everything about your videos, from the production to your demeanor and how you run things takes me back to my own personal good ol' days. You respect the movies for what they are and meet them on their own terms, you're not trying to sell me a VPN or some mobile game or anything, and you're not trying to be an "influencer" or some such thing, you're just here to talk about what you like. While I don't really begrudge people who do all that other stuff; I understand, and people gotta do what they gotta do to pay the bills, it's still really refreshing to find a channel like this that's, unintentionally or not, a great throwback to classic KZbin when it was just about posting cool videos. Things could be better for me personally right now so stumbling upon this channel has been really nice, your videos are a respite from it all so I'd just like to say thank you! Needless to say, you've earned yourself a subscriber, and I hope you earn even more! Keep up the good work!

[@Weiselberry]

Thank you for the lovely comment, and thanks for subscribing! I'm so happy you've enjoyed finding my videos and that you weren't put off by their old-school appearance. Haha, don't worry, you'll never have to suffer through a Raid: Shadow Legends sponsorship here! I'm glad my videos can give you a little break from the rest of the world for a while. I'm sorry to hear you're going through a rough patch, and I hope things look up for you soon!

[@rsacchi100]

I think you're right about mashups. Granted they can turn into a big mess but nothing is guaranteed in the movie business. The Valley of Gwangi is a fun movie. Interesting with the horse diving into the water scene. They used to do just that stunt in Atlantic City. Wonder if stop motion was by choice or necessity?

[@seanellio]

I was a fan of this movie as a kid. It was a late night creature feature that was on a couple times a year throughout junior high. If you get a chance to watch "Dracula Vs. Billie the Kid", or "7 Brothers vs. Dracula" (A Chinese Kung Fu movie with the famous vampire.) they are both a hoot.

[@richardrobbins387]

Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger (1977) is a great one. Saw it in the theater at age 6. Lots of well-done stop motion creatures throughout, and a good predecessor to Clash of the Titans a few years later.

[@dansmith3085]

I picked up a copy of Gorgo (aka the British Godzilla movie) recently. Have you seen that one?

[@Weiselberry]

No, but it's on my review list!

[@jpnolasco5292]

I love dinosaurs 🦖🦕

[@dmcc8620]

"Where did all the tiny horses go?!?"

[@gerardsaretsky5630]

Harryhausen was a Genius!… all his movies are great and hugely influential- Spielberg, Tim Burton Peter Jackson et al … all took their influence from him…!…

[@ggrarl]

That shot where Gwangi kills the ostrich dinosaur inspired the scene in Jurassic Park where Rexy charges through the trees and eats a Gallimimus.

[@tannerjohnson027]

The Valley of Gwangi, very interesting….this is a film that I feel like I have heard the name of in the past, at one time or another, but have never seen. It does sound like a pretty cool movie, with a unique concept, for sure! Cowboys versus Dinosaurs? I’ve got to watch this one, just to see where it goes! Ever since seeing King Kong for the first time, I’ve always found stop motion animation fascinating. It would definitely take a lot of hard work and talent to be able to put something like that together, and I can’t even imagine the amount of patience a person would need, but the end result is always a lot of fun to see! I didn’t know that Richard Carlson was in this one. The Creature From the Black Lagoon is definitely a favorite of mine, so thats cool to hear! Excellent review here, Jerome. It was very informative! Now, I just have to try and find a copy of this movie!

[@Politano1955]

I read that before he died Harryhausen was asked what he thought of the green screen and CGI. He said that when you make a fantasy look too real, you're taking away the fantasy. I think that pretty much sums up most of todays modern movies and why they're not as effective.

[@andrewpragasam]

Absolutely love Valley of Gwangi. Sure, it doesn't have Raquel Welch but the plot and action are significantly more compelling than One Million Years B.C. i.m.o. Cowboys vs. Dinosaurs is a pretty irresistible premise.

[@dunringill1747]

Nice! A Harryhausen review! Subscribed! Ray Harryhausen is a legend as the grandmaster of stop motion animation. He far exceeded his peers, his followers, and his mentor (Wilis O'Brien) in skill. It was said in his day that Harryhausen regularly chose animation challenges that the other top 10% most skilled animators would avoid doing altogether. Today's technology erases the need for the skill that stop motion animators of the past needed. It is a forgotten art form. 'The Valley of Gwangi' almost wasn't made at all. Harryhausen inherited the movie rights from Wilis O'Brien (co-writer and owner of the IP). Harryhausen wanted to pay tribute to his mentor and was determined to make the movie happen. Harryhausen was barely able to raise the money needed.

[@Keyser666]

Once the little horse led them to the valley, he was no longer needed. Gwangi probably ate him anyway.

[@timbuktu8069]

I always liked that Gwangi was a reasonable size. It COUL be defeated by cowboys with guns and an elephant could give it a fair fight.

[@justinplayfair4638]

Wanted to add about the advertising....the *only* advertising that I remember for the film was in comic books! I think Warner's must've blown what advertising budget they had just on comic book ads - they were in every comic I read back then! I guess that they reached a major portion of they're projected target audience that way...but I doubt that it sold their *parents* on it. Fortunately they sold mine, and Gwangi was pretty spectacular on the big screen!

[@kenknowlton3085]

A beautiful cheesy movie nerd? Reviewing many of my childhood favorites? Just stumbled across your channel. I'm all in: New subscriber.

[@craigsavarese8631]

Boy, this movie holds a special place in my early childhood. Perhaps more so for my brother. It took my brother over a year of constant nagging our father to convince him to take us to a drive in movie. I was maybe 4 years old. I was relegated to the back seat - where all the snacks, soda, candy, etc… was stored. Let’s just say I provided a spectacular (volcanic) plot twist. My father never took us to another drive in and my brother still holds a grudge (from 1969). 🍿🍫🍪🥤🍦😳😵‍💫🤢🤮

[@MangetsuSAMURAI]

Goddangit, I read the DVD cover was "GWANG!" I need new glasses.

[@legiontheatregroup]

Great review! But, oh Weiselberry, you must check out the Sinbad films! The dragon in 7th Voyage of Sinbad in particular is not to be missed. One of my least favorite Harryhausen films would be It Came from Beneath The Sea. The Octopus was amazing -- but when he (or she?) is not on screen, that movie is pretty dull. It is like a few 1950s sci fi films that, between effects sequences, seem to take place all inside a tiny studio, with people saying not very interesting things as we wait for the next FX sequence. Look forward to seeing more Harryhausen reviews from you! There is an almost spooky ethereal quality to stop motion animation that is hard to describe.

[@glennsmusic]

You're right, this Harryhausen enthusiast had no idea this movie existed. Imagine the movie, Dinosaurs Versus The Aliens.

[@Tcb0835]

One of my favourite films when I was young (a VERY long time ago!) Tbh, if Ray H. is involved, I'm all in. Great review 👍 New subscriber 😊

[@Weiselberry]

Thanks!

[@Antrodemus]

I loved this movie from when I was a child. I loved One Million Years BC but this was my go to dinosaur movie. I thought the animation, especially of Gwangi, was incredible. I was rooting for Gwangi all the way through, so the final scene really made me sad. I'm pretty sure Gwangi was supposed to be a really big Allosaurus rather than a Tyrannosaur. Tyrannosaurus was relatively unknown at the time this movie was made, whereas there were a lot of Allosaur discoveries. Being a dino-nerd I think if this movie had come out today they would call Gwangi a Carcharodontosaurus, Tyrannotitatn or a Saurophaganax.

[@varanid9]

This movie actually had as many stop motion models as "One Million Years B.C.". Just that, unfortunately, 3 of them were less cool than the 3 giant monsters. One thing I actually wish they'd use computer tech for on this movie is to correct that weird purple tint on Gwangi.

[@davidschecter5247]

It's a fun movie. It didn't do well at the box office because in the late sixties, pure escapism was not in vogue. It was a serious time what with the Vietnam war, protests, and other negative matters coloring the country.

[@MartinJones-lc4vk]

The film has a similar structure to King Kong..This film is fantastic and I prefer it to Jurassic Park..Both Gwangi and Kong turn up around the 40 minutes mark in their films .Both monsters fight other creatutes in the movies .Also Gwangi goes on a ramoage in civilization like Kong.The film does include a lot of stop motion animation.Earlier films Harryausen made had the monsters just as guest stars in the film but this has long sequences where Gwangi furthers the plot .The Valley Of The Gwangi is a bit like if Carl Denham had captured a T Rex instead of King kong .A good review Jerome anyway and I like your accent

[@dakinglives]

My favorite Harryhausen movie in a very crowded field. Hiya! New fan and new subscriber. Love the vids. Love your enthusiasm, and love the wide spectrum of films you cover. A few recs for you. If you have reviewed them already, move along, nothing to see here. Kelly's Heroes (1970). As a war movie, it's a pretty good comedy. And as a comedy, it's a pretty great war movie. Plus, a kickin' soundtrack by the Mike Curb Congretation. Hellzapoppin' (1941). Amazing 4th-wall breaking musical comedy from Olsen and Johnson, who deserve more love. The Gunfighter (1950). One of my all time favorite westerns. Gregory Peck wants to hang up his guns, only the world won't let him. Space Master X-7 (1958). Don't let the nonsensical title fool you. Tight and terse procedural about a Martian fungus taking over the world. Keep on keeping on.

[@Weiselberry]

Hello, thank you, and welcome aboard! I'm glad you're enjoying my videos. Let's see... I've watched Kelly's Heroes and The Gunfighter, and I think I might have done mini reviews for one or both. But I haven't seen the other two, so thank you for the recommendations!

[@analysisofscifi6051]

I have seen this film I didn't care for it myself when I watched it but it was when I was in high school and watching it on AMC. But you do have some good points about genre blending with historical or period pieces but on the other hand Abraham Lincoln vampire hunter didn't do well in theaters

[@bartolomeuomacduibheamhnad6855]

I’ve always really liked this film and learning that you were planning to review it gave me a great excuse to take my copy off the shelf and give it another rewatch, I still like it a lot and I as you were finishing your review I realised that I had smiled all the way through your video :) I believe I may have mentioned liking the film in past comments and probably mentioned it in a comment for your Cowboys & Aliens review. It’s far fetched but fun and the similarities to previous Harryhausen films are noticeable but it’s hard not to enjoy. The moment the cowboys were attempting to lasso Gwangi I was hooked completely, to be fair the mini horse appearance got me too lol. I liked the characters although they were standard archetypes. I thought James Franciscus was likeable, I sometimes find in these films that this type of leading male character can occasionally veer into jerk and felt Franciscus avoided it. I liked the valley itself and how it was discovered, it felt believable, well not really but kinda lol, I guess it’d be a bit more believable if the pterodactyl’s in the film have a fear of heights because why didn’t they fly out of the valley!? lol A hidden undisturbed valley with a small rock entrance where the odd mini horse found it’s way out was better than something like a wormhole to another dimension, I like the shots of the cowboys riding through it on horseback. The ending in the Cathedral was unique and memorable, I’m glad you enjoyed it. As soon as the film ends I often imagine our main characters staring at the burning Cathedral while behind the villagers are staring angrily at them, moving to surround them, it would’ve been funny to see in the film. Villagers shouting : These gringos brought a monster to our village, the monster ate my cousin pako! they led the monster into our precious Cathedral and then burned it down!!! Quickly grab some ropes and tie nooses! Our main characters : Yeah, we should be leaving, quickly get to the horses lol. I saw this trailer a few days ago and was going to share it then in the comment section of your Shakespeare Re-told review but decided not to bother you and add it to a comment on your next review, this one lol The Trouble with Jessica. It looks like a comedy and it’s got Rufus Sewell and Shirley Henderson reunited and they seem as quirky as ever, promising! I hope it doesn’t end up being terrible. kzbin.info/www/bejne/goKXY3V3j8uSnqs ~ Thank you Ms Weiselberry ~

[@Weiselberry]

I'm happy you were able to take advantage of the heads-up and revisit the film yourself before watching the video! :D So I watched the trailer; wow, that looks quirky! Kind of like Weekend at Bernie's but it's a British dinner party. Could be dark but could also be funny. As you say, I hope it's not terrible, haha.

[@Weiselberry]

Oh, and I wouldn't have been bothered. :)