The Valley of Gwangi

It's cowboys vs. dinosaurs in this entertaining 1969 adventure tale from producer and special effects legend Ray Harryhausen. The basic premise here combines elements of The Lost World and King Kong, with a prehistoric realm preserved in a hidden valley in the American southwest desert at the turn of the 20th century. James Franciscus stars as a charismatic entrepreneur who comes to a failing Wild West show with the intent to poach talent and is accused of stealing their new attraction—a tiny prehistoric horse thought long extinct—which was actually abducted by gypsies who wanted to return it to a secret region. The missing horse is tracked back to this land that time forgot, and a fierce allosaurus (called a Gwangi by the gypsies) is captured as the new star attraction. Harryhausen's creature animation is blended beautifully with the live-action cowboys on horseback as they try to lasso the titular lizard in an impressive sequence, topped only by the inevitable escape from its cage during the big show. It's a simple story that features typical Hollywood degrading clichés of gypsy characters. But the visuals dazzle, Franciscus is a magnetic leading man, the score by Jerome Moross is grand, and the sight of cowboys battling a dinosaur is irresistible. Although not one of Harryhausen's most famous films, it is a fun minor cult classic. Bowing on Blu-ray with extras including a behind-the-scenes featurette, this is a strong optional purchase. (S. Axmaker)