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""Realistic" Pteranodon scene. Valley of Gwangi." Topic


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590 hits since 13 Jan 2024
©1994-2024 Bill Armintrout
Comments or corrections?

rvandusen Supporting Member of TMP13 Jan 2024 11:12 a.m. PST

YouTube link
This scene animated by Harryhausen happens to be accurate as far as a fantasy film goes. Pteranodons are estimated to have weighed around 110 lbs. If the kid weighs more than 55 lbsthen the pierosaur would have to lift over half its weight. Being a 110 lb weakling, Pteranodon hs its neck broken before it can struggle free from the vaquero. In the similar scene from Hammer's 1 Million Years BC, YouTube link The pteranodon is shown as larger, while the "rhamphorynchus" has been vastly exaggerated in size to match pteranodon. The real Jurassic pterosaur was close n size to an albatross. Of course these are fantasy films in which humans encounter mesozoic creatures thus have no need to be accurat.

gavandjosh0213 Jan 2024 5:03 p.m. PST

interesting – thanks

Richard Brooks Sponsoring Member of TMP13 Jan 2024 9:56 p.m. PST

Actually, there are two species of Pterosaur with wing spans of at least 10 meters/32 feet.

rvandusen Supporting Member of TMP14 Jan 2024 1:25 p.m. PST

Correct, but those Pterosaurs had not been discovered yet. Pteranodon was the largest known until 1975 with the discovery of Quetzalcoatlus. Its cousin Hatzegopteryx was named in 2005. These airplane-sized animals were unknown when Harryhausen was working.

Shagnasty Supporting Member of TMP15 Jan 2024 10:14 a.m. PST

Harryhausen, whom I had the honor to meet, was obviously prescient.

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