Gwangi

Creator: Ray Harryhausen

Film: The Valley of Gwangi 1969

Gwangi Video Clip

 

As the crew searches for the Eohippus they stumble upon a Ornithomimus and long thought to be extinct species of Dinosaurs. In true cowboy fashion they try to capture the creature and use it for the show, but before they can capture it Gwangi appears out of nowhere and snatches the Ornithimimus in its jaws and kills it. Tuck and the rest run for their lives as Gwangi chases after them. They try to escape but a Styrathosaur blocks their way out! soon they find themselves trapped between Gwangi and the Styrathosaur as both of the Dinosaurs fight to the death. Gwangi kills his opponent and continues chase after Tuck and the rest. They finally manage to escape using the cave they entered, Gwangi tries to follow them but the cave entrance is too small for him at it collapses on top of him, temporarily putting him down.

In the end Gwangi is taken to the town as part of the show, but his act is sabotaged by one of Tia Zorina's followers and he escapes his cell and attacks the city and causes complete chaos. When he reaches the town church Gwangi blindly enters the building only to be burned alive by Tuck, saving the town and its people.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Question:

What does Gwangi mean???

Answer: Its an American Indian word meaning "Lizard"

 

Gwangi Facts

 

• For the roping scene of Gwangi a jeep was used with a 15-foot pole where the cowboys would lasso the top of the rope giving the impression of straining ropes.

 

• Gwangi's roar was actually a camel slobbering recorded and slowed and altered electronically. The snapping of the jaw sound was created by the Shepperton sound effects dept, a set of metal teeth on two pieces of wood clashed together like a clapperboard.

 

• The long shots of Gwangi in the cart were of a full-sized cart with a cut-out of Gwangi inside, the medium shots were of the actual model in a miniature cart.

 

Credit: An Animated Life

By Tony Dalton