The Valley of Gwangi is a 1969 American western adventure film directed by Jim O'Connolly and produced by Ray Harryhausen. The film follows the story of a struggling wild west show owned by T.J. Breckenridge (played by Richard Carlson), who manages to obtain a tiny prehistoric horse from a Mexican farmer. The horse is believed to have come from the Forbidden Valley, where ancient creatures are still believed to exist.
Breckenridge and his crew, including the beautiful stunt rider (Gila Golan) and the conceited star cowboy (James Franciscus), decide to embark on an expedition to the Forbidden Valley in search of more prehistoric discoveries to add to their show. Once they reach the valley, they discover that it is inhabited by various types of dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures.
During their exploration, the crew discovers a giant allosaurus named Gwangi, which they manage to capture and bring back to their show. However, Gwangi manages to escape and creates havoc throughout the town, forcing the crew and local authorities to track him down and capture him once again. In the end, Gwangi meets his demise and the crew realizes that their actions of capturing prehistoric creatures for entertainment purposes were wrong.
The Valley of Gwangi is known for its impressive stop-motion animation and special effects, which were created by Ray Harryhausen, who also worked on films such as Jason and the Argonauts and Clash of the Titans. Despite being a box office flop upon release, the film has since gained a cult following and is considered a classic of its genre.