Review of The Valley of Gwangi (1969) by Nick H — 02 Mar 2011

The idea of cowboys facing off against dinosaurs sounds like an idea that only the most sugared-up kid could imagine and that many would enjoy. Yes, this movie was made in the 1960's, but it could have done so much more with its material. The beginning part is very slow to get into and ends off slightly faster, but overall the plot is simple: find dinosaurs to make money in circus. The acting was either really plain or over-the-top, YES YOU, professor who spoke into the camera twice!! There were no relations at all between the love interest and protagonist. It was "I hate you," BULL ATTACK "I love you!" You didn't care about anything that would happen to the people because they were either dicks or talking people who were just there. At least the dinosaurs were amazingly real for the time (props Ray Harryhausen!). The ending was an original idea with the cathedral burning Gwangi to death, but those shrieks of terror and death were just to hard to bear. I wouldn't feel as bad for the damn thing if they didn't just say "THE END" as he is still dying. I know this is a sixties movie and I shouldn't be too harsh, but I have one word to say to that... Spartacus.

Things I thought were weird were: How come Gwangi (the allosaurus) did not bite free from the ropes when he was captured? He did it with ease two minutes earlier. How was the blind lady able to point at the cowboys if she's BLIND?

The title shouldn't be called "Valley of Gwangi." "Cowboys F**king with Animals Again, and Oh! There are Four Dinosaurs in Here, Too" 5/10.