The Ceratosaurus

Creator: Ray Harryhausen

Film: One Million Years B.C 1966

Ceratosaurus Video Clip

 

When Tumak and Luana decide to leave the Shell Tribe, they wander in the desert together in search of Tumak's home, by accident they stumble upon a Triceratops which gives chase to them, on the other side of the hill the Ceratosaurus appears out of nowhere to challenge the Triceratops. Tumak and Luana are caught in the middle of this massive fight between the two creatures, using a small rock formation they try to hide and avoid being crushed by the fighting beasts. Tumak starts to dig a whole thru the small rock formation trying to get to other side to avoid the creatures, he manages to make a path and Luana is able to get thru it.

 

Tumak tries but the rock collapses and he is trapped, in the mean time the two Dinosaurs keep fighting each other to the death, its not until the Triceratops gains the upper hand and impales the Ceratosaurus in its gut with his two frontal horns. The Ceratosaurus withers in pain and finally dies as the Triceratops retreats, Tumak slowly exits the small cave and continues to search for Luana who escaped during the fight.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Ceratosaurus Facts

 

•  The model of the ceratosaurus was suspended on an aerial wire during the process of the stop-motion animation of the leap.

 

• On a recce in Lanzarote Ray spotted the location for the fight where the rock formations and the cleft in the rocks were perfect for the battle of the Dinosaurs. He made a photographic storyboard, sketching the action that would appear in the scene over some of the shots.

Credit: An Animated Life

By Tony Dalton