An Overview of Western Dinosaur Films 

Quick Correction: I was completely unaware that the word "gyp*y" is considered to be offensive, so very sorry about that. Obviously, it wasn't my intention to offend anyone, I just didn't know that's what they meant in the context of the movie. This was definitely an interesting topic to cover! I definitely want to do more videos like this to cover more ground on different areas of paleomedia. Let me know if you want to see more of this kind of style and/or if you have any ideas you want to suggest. Thank you all for watching and thank you all so much for 40k subs!

oh my god im running a western DnD campaign rn and wanted to introduce dinosaurs (because i just like dinosaurs) and i never expected to find SUCH a perfect video for this topic

I unironically love old depictions of theropods in stop motion like the ones in King Kong

To give The Beast of Hollow Mountain some credit, that run cycle for the Allosaurus is surprisingly convincing. It’s not a realistic motion but it’s surprisingly smooth and actually makes the animal look alive.

Combining Westerns and Dinosaurs feels like a no-brainer just from a thematic point of view and I've certainly run across numerous non-film media that really runs with the idea such as the Son of Stone comics, the Broncosaurus Rex TTRPG setting, Shaun Keenan's art for 'Dinosaurs of the Wild West', a random novel I found in an Ollie's that I forget the name of and should have grabbed but didn't, etc. Westerns and 'Lost World'-style dinosaur stories are both firmly rooted in Colonialism, with Westerns being about "taming the wild" and Lost World-stories being about exploration and "discovery". You'd think an easy next step is just having Cowboys trying to "tame" a Lost World. Alternatively just make a good Western, but just set it in a world where dinosaurs are already established as a normal thing in the world.

There was a line of Choose your Own Adventure style books called “Fighting Fantasy” back in the 80’s. One of my favourites was “Robot Cowboy” which was a Western/Dinosaur/Giant Robot Sci-Fi story. As the story’s protagonist, you had to battle and round up wild dinosaurs in your giant robot. Let me tell you, it was just as epic as it sounds!

Dinosaurs and cowboys really go well together. If I may add, there's Dino Ranch, a kids show on cowboys living with dinosaurs. Then there's the Dinosaur Cowboy World featured in Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero. Sure, neither of them are movies, but they still have the "dinosaurs and cowboys" idea.

I think it's absolutely CRIMINAL that this subgenre of western isn't as prolific than others, it's been by far one of my most favorite settings for any story to take place and I'm so glad you took the time to chronicle and archive it's history!!!

People are going to call me crazy for saying this, but I really want a REMAKE of Valley Of Gwangi. Modern-day CGI effects, but same plot line, same characters, and same character arcs. But with one tiny change to the ending: Gwangi manages to survive the ending, and the humans decide the right thing to do is return him to the Forbidden Valley.

Man, I wish just for shits and giggles there was like, Theropod footprints somewhere in RDR2, if not give us a living dinosaur easter egg somewhere, in dialogue or being able to see it run off in the distance or something, would be fun.

Not a fan of cowboys but by goodness ray harryhausen did an awesome job with the dinosaurs and the tiny horses

I grew up reading comics such as "Turok: Son of Stone," which was about 2 American Indians who ventured into a lost valley inhabited by dinosaurs. I also read, "Star-Spangled War Stories," which featured US military personnel fighting dinosaurs on "lost" islands in the Pacific during the Second World War. As a kid in the 1950s, I was a big fan of "westerns" and dinosaur movies, in particular, "The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms" and "Godzilla." Thanks, Dino Diego, for this look back to some of my favorite cowboy vs dino movies.

Cowboys and Dinosaurs was filmed in my hometown in Montana. Super surreal to see shitty cgi dinosaurs taking people out in front of the local movie theater lol.

Funny how after I just finished watching The Good, The Bad and The Ugly for the 1st time, you happen to immidiatelly post this video. One thing brought my attention to the topic, I'd say except movies there are western games that include dinosaurs as well, one of them being _Dinostorm_ . I used to play it a lot back in 2014, and got it again a few months ago

Disney’s The Three Caballeros (1945) and Disney’s Chicken Little (2005) are technically dinosaur films as the protags are birds, which are dinosaurs.

When you look at it I guess Dinosaurs and cowboys can never truly be separated. Looking at things like Dominion and the parts you pointed out in other movies like lost world and the good dinosaur.

I was having a really bad day so i’m really happy you uploaded!! I love your content sm

18:39 wait, this *wasn’t* an Asylum Studios movie?!

I wish allosaurus was an antagonist again

Kinda surprised you didn't talk about Rex Riders. I know it's a book and not a movie, but I think a reference to it would've been nice.

This is a fantastic channel.

It's ironic how Cowboys vs. Dinosaurs was released around the same date that Disney's Dinosaur was released on. Though wasn't the other reason that Gwanji flopped was mostly due to a shift in pop culture around that year? Since it's was released around 1969, and obviously you can guess what major event happened in history during that year.

Valley of gwangi, the movie I love so much I named my lizard after it

Honestly suprised there isnt any media (at least that I know of) regarding dinosaurs in medieval times and knights calling them “dragons” since theres a whole lot of talk current day of medieval/ancient depictions of dragons supposedly being actual dinosaurs

I got to find some of these movies, but Valley of the Gwangi is my all time favorite, because I'm still a fan of James Franciscus even though he has been passed away for a while now.

12:57 Gwangi is more correctly referred to as a Tyrannosaurus not an Allosaurus. Yes, I know Gwangi has three finger but the skull shape, body shape, and general size is more important. Ray himself has also tended to refer to Gwangi as a type of Tyrannosaurus.

This little sub-genre is certainly a fun one, it clearly seems to have inspired the Supersaurs/world of supersaurs book Series, which would definitely be a good fit for this Channel

Valley of Gwangi is pretty fun. It played a local theater years ago. The theater setting really enhances that scene at the end with the allosaurus in the cathedral.

Actually according to one's perspective with dinosaur western projects by Willis O'Brien his first idea was GWANGI (1941-1942) that was about a circus troupe going into the grand canyon discovering a forbidden valley and capturing an allosaurus which they'll name "Gwangi" who ends up going on a rampage in the town he was displayed in. Although pre-production at RKO was well funded and conceptualised, they didn't end up getting to the shooting stage (presumably due to RKO concern of public unenthusiasm). O'Brien then spent time in the mid 1940s developing more projects about cowboys and dinosaurs, his first being EMILIO AND GULOSO before further elaborating the story to EL TORO ESTRELLA. Eventually O'Brien's concept caught the attention of Paramount producer Jesse L. Lasky, O'Brien went to work on Merian C. Cooper's MIGHTY JOE YOUNG instead in 1946. After production wrapped up for Cooper's movie, O'Brien came back to Paramount with protege Ray Harryhausen to further work on his project now under the title VALLEY OF THE MISTS (1949-1950). Harryhausen stated that a script was written and storyboarded and intended to be an American-Mexican co-production but the project was dropped due to lack of funding. From then on in the 50s O'Brien worked on sci-fi projects (and attempts of his own) as he sold the rights of EL TORO ESTRELLA to Edward Nassour who made THE BEAST OF HOLLOW MOUNTAIN, OBie had only contributed the story but was not on board for the special effects. O'Brien's last film which he did stop-motion animation was on Stanley Kramer IT'S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD, to which he died during production due to difficulties obtaining a law firm against John Beck. Thank you for all your wonderful work OBie.

Have you heard of the comics called “dinosaurs and Cadillacs?

I greatly enjoyed "The Valley Of Gwangi." I didn't know it existed before seeing it on television.

I'm gonna count Jurassic World Dominion in the list of westerns with dinosaurs not only for the Scene with Owen and the Parasaurolophus, but also for the scene with the rescue of the ceratopsid. Maybe some future instalment would give us finally the propper dino western we need.

Loved your video! I have a copy of Ray Harryhausen's watercolor of a cowboy shooting at an Allosaur that was done in the late 40's. I'm not sure if it was for Willis O'Brien's project but it hangs in my studio as a source of inspiration. I saw The Beast of Hallow Mountain at a matinee in the late 50's as a kid and Gwangi in the drive-in in the late 60's. I was on a date and ignored the poor girl because I loved the movie. Your coverage of this niche genre was awesome!

Perhaps an analogy can be drawn between dinosaurs and cowboys, once wild ideas that flooded the imaginations of youth everywhere now largely fallen out of the cultural spotlight. Hell they even made westworld which is sort of like a cowboy jurassic park

Dinosaurs and cowboys might’ve not worked out but maybe dinosaurs and knights will. The Dinosaur Knights by Victor Milán and it’s sequels have been labeled Game of Thrones with dinosaurs by Martin himself. So maybe that might tickle your fancy

Both the beast of hollow mountain and Valley of Gwangi has good animation in terms of the animals IMO. Although I've never seen both I never knew Gwangi had a predecessor. Would you recommend a watch for both or just Gwangi?

I have been loving all these explorations of older dinosaur media, including the books. Keep it up man!

Beast of Hollow Mountain does have certain elements that, in my opinion, would actually work if you'd switch them around a bit. Given the chance, I'd pitch a modern remake where our Mexican hero is trying to navigate rising tensions between migrant workers and American townsfolk, when the titular Hollow Mountain is opened and a horde of subterranean-adapted dinosaurs is unleashed onto both groups.

I just love the way you say Gwangi.

cowboys vs dinosaurs but never cowboy dinosaurs 😥

I think this movie sub-genera is an example of "Too much of a good thing".

Ah yes! My favourite western!!! Steel Ball Run.

I wish there were more western dinosaur-themed media because I feel the two mix quite well together

î love how they have gwangi in a flimsy wodden cage.

Absolutely would be a good time to make a modern remake of Gwangi

I would recommend checking out the movie dinosaurus! I would argue it has western elements in it.

It's an intriguing concept but I have to admit I'm having difficulty imagining a compelling story. Which is odd because usually that just comes naturally

Gosh is this video a coincidence. I've been trying to write a cowboy-dinosaur story for a few months now.

Cowgirls vs. Pterodactyls is AMAZING. I think it's more enjoyable than Beast of Hollow Mountain

I actually consider Gwangi a Tyrannosaurus.

Actually, THE VALLEY OF GWANGI was based on a 1942 O'Brien project titled GWANGI.

Fascinating video! Thank you!

I really like this video and these are one my favorites of the paleo media movies so that's nice Also hope y'all had a nice day

Cowboy are cool...Dinosaurs are cool...so just...yknow. 🤜🤛

I want a Cadillacs & Dinosaurs / XenozoicTales movie. Why haven't they made that already? It would be amazing!

I've said this many times on RU-vid. The Valley of Gwangi needs to be remade. It still has to be set in the same era with cowboys in Mexico. The basis of the story is sound. It just needs to have a big budget and needs to be expanded to include more of the hidden valley and thus more dinosaurs, but Gwangi must still be an Allosaurus and not become another T-Rex ! Surely there has to be a way that people can let the film companies know what they want.

Seems a bit redundant to call it "Lost Atlantis", like, being lost it Atlantis' whole shtick, if it wasn't lost it'd just be a plain old island. Now, "FOUND Atlantis", that'd be something.

nows the time to make a full fledged dino western. imagine christopher nolan directing it.

The last movie that had stop motion movement that worked on with Ray Harryhausen did was the Clash of the Titans 1981 with Sir Lawrence Oliver and Harry Hamlin

Montana is part of the American west hell creek formation along with the Morrison formation

Makes me want to see Turok adapted into some kind of movie, which was western adjacent before it went more scifi later. Im aware of the animated film which is fun, but i just think it'd be cool to have something live action or maybe make a new game that has more western influences

One of my planned future projects is a trilogy of novels called Titan ranch which are neo westerns taking place in a universe where dinosaurs somewhat still live alongside humans

Yes, a mega tribute to Ray Harryhausen should be in order

The Valley of Gwangi it's a ADVENTURE movie in a Western scenario, i remember reading a Robert E Howard 's short story , Valley of The Lost, two ranchers with a feud ended in a cavern inhabitted ni humanoid reptilians From a secret civilization

MENTIONS DINOSAUR WESTERN* ME: you mean ark survival evolved scorched earth

I hope one of the Nassour brothers called their offspring Dino.

I knew it!

Still expecting the Steel Ball Run anime featuring Diego Brando turning into a dinosaur

I’m in the Isle of Man today

the way he sounds so god damn tired of the 2015 movie is hilarious lol

Hear me out: Lewis and Clark Vs Dinosaurs. Thomas Jefferson was actually jealous of the megafauna of the old world so part of the Lewis and Clarke expedition's mission was trying to find zoological bragging rights for the country. Another idea: Colter's Hell, After John Colter's famous escape into the region that would be known as Yellowstone he discovers the caldera is harboring strange prehistoric beasts. Or maybe do something set during the bone wars where rival paleontologists and their hired "cowboys" are racing to catch a specimen of a rumored still living dinosaur.

just dropped in to tell you: I have never heard the word/name Lengyel said by an English speaking person this relatively clear. So no, you didn1t butcher it. Also... great video and a great topic I didn1t know about. Learned something.

Thanks you for this video ☺️

Being a huge comic book fan Im the 50s there was a comic called space western mixed western and space Sci fi together and then the modern film from not long ago Called cowboys and aliens but I really liked the valley of gwangi when I was a kid because I love dinosaurs also A lost world in Mexico Why not??

DUUUUTCH! WHY IS THERE A BIG BOAH WITH SOME BANANA TEETH

The Valley of Gwangi the best dinosaur Western of all time 🦖

That trex in cowboys vs dinosaurs is straight up from Dino Dan

I can forgive the stop-motion, considering how freaking long it takes to shoot five seconds of animation, and how expensive it it, with regards to Cowgirls and Pterodactyls. As a professional horse person I cracked up when you cut to, "There's also the western side of it as well." Ah, that's sure some... riding, all right.

Completely unsurprising that brothers named "nosaur" were interested in making paleo movies

You could have put tremors in there. They don’t know the name of the graboids but they’re basically dinos

Cowgirls vs. Pterodactyls is so horrible, I had to get it. So cheesy I found it hilarious!

My other favorite horror movie was the Black scorpion it was inB/W it was about exposed Black scorpion's from a volcano that made they're way up to the surface from Mexico towards the border town of Texas.

Turok deserves a live action version.

Valley of Gwangi is an excellent movie! Don't feel bad about using the term Gypsy. It's only been a few years since I also learned that the term Gypsy was incorrect and the proper terms are Roma or Romani. Valley of Gwangi was very popular at late night and weekend TV shows. Valley of Gwangi, 7 Faces of Dr. Lao, and Green Slime were all shown every month on TV during the 1970s!

The Cowboys vs Dinosaurs T. rex looks familiar like from dino dan and another movie from a while ago

HOLY SHIT COWBOYS VS DINOSAURS OMG

Love the spaghetti westerns

You opened a dinosaur video with clips from Red River. I love you. Do you hear me? I love you. I LOVE YOU. WHY HAVEN'T YOU MARRIED ME YET?!

You say "Harryhausen" like that's a bad thing.

Cowbows V dinos is stink but I liked how the raptors hopped out of the hole Much better acting than anyone who was shooting guns BUUUUUUT it was nice seeing a PKM in a movie

The thing is. Cowboys was never the right way. The inspiring scenario is Indians, the Turok kind of story.

Ray Harryhaussen died in 2013

waow

But the Lost Continent is a movie by the Hammer Studio in the United Kingdom it's a horror movie and I've seen it and I don't want to watch it again it's very scary even though it was made in the 70's by the censors but I still don't want to watch it also it's very sad at the end.

lopho

Steel Ball Run

Idk of u should use “indian” as a term for indigenous

Cowboys vs dinosaur is just a ripoff of Cowboys vs aliens

Please don't use the word "G*psy" It's a slur against Roma/Romani people. Even if the term is used IN the movie, then YOU should still know better. Make your channel a safe place for everyone, no matter where they come from.

despite the age of the media, I think you should at the very least hesitate before referring to a stereotyped version of a racial group with a slur