Special effects master Ray Harryhausen is at the top of his game. What sounds corny turns out to be a very interesting cult classic. Jim O'Connolly directs this western meets science fiction thriller about cowboys discovering a lost valley of prehistoric monsters/creatures. These historical finds are then suppose to be the show saving performers in a traveling circus.

This turns out to be one the best dino movies you will ever see. The stop-motion animation is blended so well, it should take top billing. So many other movies are so fake in appearance...this project sticks out like a masterpiece.

The cast includes James Franciscus, Richard Carlson, Laurence Naismith and the alluring Miss Gila Golan.

Say, have you noticed this? In practically every dinosaur movie I've ever seen, there's always a point where a Tyrannosaurus-like dino, in this case an allosaurus, matches up against a Triceratops-like animal. In this picture it was a Styracosaurus. It's probably because they were the largest of their kind and seemed like natural enemies, although I don't even know if they lived during the same paleontological age. Is that even a word?

Well this flick is entertaining enough on a number of levels. For one, I don't think I've seen dinosaurs as colorful as this before. Usually they're a dark, grayish color but someone, maybe Harryhausen himself, felt they should be various shades of purple and blue. Or was that a function of the Technicolor format? If you noticed Professor Bromley (Laurence Naismith) running around out in the desert, his face and hands were red as a lobster; I've never seen a sunburn that bright.

While watching, I was reminded of the 1949 movie "Mighty Joe Young" when the Mexican cowboys brought out their lassos and tried to hogtie the allosaurus. I'm sitting there thinking, what would possess someone to believe they could actually do that with a real live dinosaur? Sure it looks cool, but what self respecting dinosaur wouldn't just bite through the ropes and knock the pesky cowboys off of him, just like Gwangi did here.

Say, here's another thought. I've probably seen and reviewed close to a thousand Westerns by now, and you might loosely call this a Western, but I've never seen a horse dive into an oversized pool before. So there's another reason to catch this flick. Seeing Gina Golan all wet is a bonus.

So all in all, this is a fun movie if you're up for it. James Franciscus and Ms. Golan make for an attractive on screen couple, and the dynamation styled monsters looked and moved fairly realistically given the limitations of the technology back then. And who wouldn't love to see some dinosaurs at a Wild West Show?

James Franciscus plays Tuck, an amiable hustler who comes back into the life of T.J. (lovely Gila Golan). T.J. is one of the participants in a Wild West show that is not doing so well at the moment. However, one of their people, Carlos (Gustavo Rojo) has ventured into a Mexican location known as the "Forbidden Valley" and come back with a prize: an adorable "Eohippus", or miniature prehistoric horse. Circumstances lead Tuck and others to head into the valley, where they encounter other ancient animals, such as a Styracosaurus and a very aggressive Allosaurus.

In the well loved tradition of "King Kong", T.J. and her friends, including Champ (Richard Carlson), get the bright idea to introduce the Allosaurus - who gets christened Gwangi - to their show. Havoc predictably ensues.

There may be viewers who will grow impatient with the pacing at first. "The Valley of Gwangi" runs longer than previous Ray Harryhausen - Charles H. Schneer productions at 96 minutes, and it's not until the movies' second half that we get to see any dinosaurs. But the little Eohippus is sure to charm people, not just children, and the story is very engaging.

It helps that the actors are so sincere. The handsome Franciscus is good in the starring role, with fine support from Ms. Golan and Mr. Carlson. Young Curtis Arden is appealing in the role of Lope the child, who had to fend for himself from an early age and who is clearly eager to make a buck. Freda Jackson is amusing in the somewhat annoying, clichéd role of the wise old doomsayer who rants about the consequences of individuals going into the valley and bringing back "evil" specimens.

As expected, Harryhausen's special effects are excellent. They're especially impressive in the movies' major set piece, when Tuck, Champ and others work overtime to try to lasso Gwangi. And once the action kicks into gear in this thing, a real fever pitch is reached and then maintained until the absolute end, with an exciting rampage.

Mostly lighthearted entertainment, but G ratings weren't always what they are now: a few people do fall victim to the jaws and teeth of Gwangi.

Very well directed by Jim O'Connolly ("Crooks and Coronets", "Tower of Evil").

Seven out of 10.