The Valley of the Dragons (1961)

[mudxdresser]

I came upon a scene in a Valley of the Dragons trailer where it looks like a cavewoman is engulfed by what is probably supposed to be lava but actually looks a lot like mud. Before wasting money on the full movie, was curious if anyone has seen the whole movie and whether this scene is any longer in the full movie? Also, since this movie was notorious from being assembled from at least three other movies with a prehistoric theme, whether anyone knows if any of those other movies also contain additional footage of the same scene?

The scene begins at about 44 seconds in.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvyzTcGmMxs

[Fred588]

I came upon a scene in a Valley of the Dragons trailer where it looks like a cavewoman is engulfed by what is probably supposed to be lava but actually looks a lot like mud. Before wasting money on the full movie, was curious if anyone has seen the whole movie and whether this scene is any longer in the full movie? Also, since this movie was notorious from being assembled from at least three other movies with a prehistoric theme, whether anyone knows if any of those other movies also contain additional footage of the same scene?

The scene begins at about 44 seconds in.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvyzTcGmMxs

Its definitely lava

[bogbud]

I doubt that this is REALLY lava

[Fred588]

I doubt that this is REALLY lava

Nothing in the movies is real. Even the movie stars in the movies do not look like the actresses and actors who play them.

[Mynock]

Never seen a movie that new how to quicksand or lava correctly. Especially lava. Hollywood does not understand radiant heat.
The practical part of me is wondering how that was done....? If that was a dummy it was very well edited. If it wasn't a dummy.....damn poor stunt double.

[Fred588]

Only way to know for sure is to ask the director or someone who was there. My best guess, however, is simply two different shots cut together, one of the performer calling down and one of a miniature set with a slurry of something, probably just mud, being pushed down a ramp.

Remember that Hollywood is not interested in realism and has no reason to be interested - they are telling stories not making documentaries.

Never seen a movie that new how to quicksand or lava correctly. Especially lava. Hollywood does not understand radiant heat.
The practical part of me is wondering how that was done....? If that was a dummy it was very well edited. If it wasn't a dummy.....damn poor stunt double.

[Duncan Edwards]

Can't recall what age I was but this was the movie where I discovered boobs. It's an awful movie loosely based on a Jules Verne story that takes a lot of stock footage from the original One Million B.C. (1940). That is the movie where the scene in question originates it just got used again for this low budget mess. I've mentioned this scene before to others because event though it's over in an instant I was thrilled with the suddenness and the scream.It's just a cool shot. I always imagined it was mud blown from the volcano since all hell is breaking loose anyway.

The only redeeming feature of this movie is Joan Staley. She was a former Playboy Playmate who changed her hair and her name and did pretty good playing attractive side-kick kind of girls in Hollywood. She was actually funny and could act. Ever seen The Ghost and Mr. Chicken with Don Knotts? Yeah, that's her, the virginal small town girlfriend. Saw her on Perry Mason just a couple of nights ago. In this movie she plays Deena the prehistoric cave chick. Anyhow this movie Valley of the Dragons was on local television when I was very young and I loved it. There's a swimming scene that probably had a lot to do with my underwater fetish in which any observant male can see Miss Staley's cleavage is being held in place only by her top. I always waited for this movie to show up. Loved every bad moment in it.

Director Joe Dante shows the scene we're talking about and even includes a mention of my special interest -
https://youtu.be/ZUojOpAIDtg

And somebody has my other favorite scene -
https://youtu.be/9d1rium8JjI

It's a great awful movie.

Joan Staley in Playboy - November 1959 I think -

[Qsvgitguy]

I doubt that this is REALLY lava

Either way, that's a really effective shot. Surprising considering the time and the chepo way they had to do must special effects back then.

[Fred588]

I doubt that this is REALLY lava

Either way, that's a really effective shot. Surprising considering the time and the chepo way they had to do must special effects back then.

I think that for certain special effects it was an advanatge to be shooting in black and white, which I think was the case here even though color film had been available for 20 years. The lava flow could have been simple mud made lumpy with styrofoam pellets or something similar. The white pellets would be obvious in color but not so in b&w. The bevity of he scene also helps with the illusion as there is not much time for the brain to notice too many details. I remember a Tarzan flick in which someone is chased by a lion or lions. In that, if you watch it repeatedly you ae more likely to notice a crossfade effect that moves across the screen as a shot of the person fleeing and a shot of the lions is spliced together.

[Duncan Edwards]

I doubt that this is REALLY lava

Either way, that's a really effective shot. Surprising considering the time and the chepo way they had to do must special effects back then.

I think that for certain special effects it was an advanatge to be shooting in black and white, which I think was the case here even though color film had been available for 20 years. The lava flow could have been simple mud made lumpy with styrofoam pellets or something similar. The white pellets would be obvious in color but not so in b&w. The bevity of he scene also helps with the illusion as there is not much time for the brain to notice too many details. I remember a Tarzan flick in which someone is chased by a lion or lions. In that, if you watch it repeatedly you ae more likely to notice a crossfade effect that moves across the screen as a shot of the person fleeing and a shot of the lions is spliced together.

This particular moment was created in 1940 for One Million B.C. and borrowed for this movie. It's actually very old. I'm pretty sure it was created by the actress laying down in front of a mirror as the miniature effect was projected over her. Beautiful job.