Wednesday, October 19, 2011

THE VALLEY OF GWANGI Conclusion

Art by Frank McCarthy from the American release poster.
It's 1910, and a palentologist, along with members of a traveling rodeo, have stumbled on a lost valley in the American Southwest that harbors presumed-extinct prehistoric creatures who do not take kindly to strangers!
(You want more? Go reread the previous chapters!)
Let the mayhem ensue...
Though the comic adaptation writer is unknown, the art is by Jack Sparling, who handled everything from Westerns to romance to sci-fi/fantasy, so he was well suited to a movie adaptation with all three elements!
The last half of the movie is a real showcase for Ray Harryhausen's classic stop-motion animation techniques as he handles both real and imaginary creatures with equal aplomb, making them really come alive!
There's a kool site HERE by Jim Rodkey, a serious Ray Harryhausen aficionado, giving all sorts of fascinating background info and pix about the movie!
Oddly enough, the movie is not currently available on DVD, except as an expensive OOP disc from 2003.
With literally everything else by Harryhausen currently out in both solo releases and themed collections, why isn't this flick included?

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