Gwangi

Gwangi
The Gwange
Movie Information
Movie Title	The Valley of Gwangi (1969)
Monster Information
Size	6-8 meters
Type	Allosaurus
Species	Carnosaurian Theropod
Abilities	Teeth & Claws

Gwangi is the antagonist in the 1969 film, The Valley of Gwangi.

A struggling Wild West stunt show hopes to make its fortune with a miniature horse from a hidden valley but the discovery of large prehistoric beasts there leads to deadly danger.

Appearance

Gwangi is a dark purple/blue allosaurus dinosaur. Animated by Ray Harryhausen's stop-motion effects.

Powers and Abilities

Gwangis possess the following powers and abilities:

• Size advantage
• Teeth/Bite
• Claws/Rend & Tear
• Stomp
• Carnivorous/Predator

Fate

Gwangi is killed after Tuck, TJ and Lope trap it in a cathedral. Tuck distracts Gwangi with the sound of the organ and stabs the beast with a flag. With the Gwangi wailing in pain, Tuck throws a torch, catching the building ablaze and the three people run to safety, leaving a screaming ... trapped Gwangi to be crushed to death by falling debris.

Trivia

• When this film was first conceived it was supposed to have been a follow-up to King Kong (1933), but was never made.
• The roping of Gwangi was achieved by having the actors hold on to ropes tied to a "monster stick" that was in the back of a jeep. The jeep and stick when filmed with Gwangi are on a back rear projection plate and hidden by his body and the portions of rope attached to his body are painted wires that are matched with the real ropes.
• This was the last film where Ray Harryhausen's stop-motion effects technique was billed as "Dynamation".
• The sound that Gwangi makes is that of a camel and a 'raspberry' run backwards.
• "Gwangi" is a Native American word that means lizard.
• The film was known as "The Valley Where Time Stood Still" during production.
• In the artwork, the Gwangi is green, like a giant lizard aka dinosaur would be. In the movie, however, Gwangi and the other prehistoric creatures are a dark purple color.
• There was a comic book made of this movie. DELL: "Valley of Gwangi" (12/1969). The movie poster art was used for the cover.
• The plot was inspired by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's book The Lost World (1912), with added elements from King Kong.

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