The Beast of Hollow Mountain
          
Director: Edward Nassour
Year: 1956
Rating: 5.0
Who would have thought it, but there was actually a Western dinosaur film before The Valley of the Gwangi and this is it. It is kind of a middling slow-draw Western but the dinosaur part is fun because dinosaurs are always fun. Especially those done with stop-motion. The idea for this film actually came from one of the major pioneers of stop-motion, Mr. King Kong himself, Willis H. O'Brien. He had wanted to do the special effects, but the production company decided to give it to others. And it shows in the film - the stop-motion isn't as smooth or as imaginative as what O'Brien or his disciple, Harryhausen would have done. The dinosaur isn't even introduced into the story until about the 50-minute mark which seems odd (budget I expect). Until then it is a standard rather dull Western - but shot beautifully in Mexico in brightly colored Cinemascope or as the film calls it, Regiscope.  After having watched a bunch of black and white low-grade films lately, it was like winning Jeopardy.



Jimmy Ryan (Guy Madison) is the Gringo in Mexico after he bought a ranch with his partner Felipe. The richest landowner Enrique in the county wants him gone. Especially when he sees him with his fiancé Sarita (Patricia Medina). This leads to a nice slugfest that wrecks much of the town center. About the only thing that happens pre-dinosaur. Cows have gone missing from his herd and Ryan is sure that Enrique is driving them into the swamps at the foot of Hollow Mountain - a place the Mexicans are afraid to go because of tales from the past. The swamp is one big quicksand trap. Finally, the viewer says to himself when the dinosaur shows up. Well actually, only his feet. But it is something. Later on, a young boy goes into the swamp to look for his missing father - and the dinosaur sees him and thinks, snack time. At this point, I am rooting for the dinosaur over this annoying child. Of course, Ryan comes to save the boy and so does Sarita and then Enrique comes to the party to kill Ryan and the poor dinosaur doesn't know who to eat next.