Animated Film Talkback Thread #1: "The Land Before Time"

[HayesAJones]

Decided to start another one of these, this time focusing on my other favorite type of movies- animated films. Once again, I's start on a beloved movie from my childhood:



The subject of the first Animated Film Talkback Thread is the 1988 Don Bluth film The land Before Time that spawned twelve direct-to-video sequels and a TV series. Now, this is a true animated classic. The whole thing's just great. The characters, the music, the villain... And the subtle anti-racist theme is much more powerful and deep than that of many acclaimed Disney movies. And the killing of Littlefoot's mother onscreen (albeit in shadow form) is pretty intense too. In fact, Sharptooth himself is terrifying, to a child at least. Overall, one of my favorite films ever.

So whatcha think?

[Zillaowner]

That was my fab movie as it got me into the series.

4/5

[XxComablack1937xX]

The T-Rex in the movie was one bad-ass Mother-F**ker.

Good movie though, I loved it when i was younger... I only saw this one an it's sequel after that they really just became excuses for sing-a-long-songs which isn't my cup of tea.

The battle between T-Rex an Little Foots Mother was also longer an much more graphic but due to it aiming at a younger audience a lot was removed but still you see the Rex take a huge chunk out of her back. I always wanted to see the extended footage of that fight. Still it was right up there with the Lion King as the child seeing the death of a parent.

One of Disneys best films no doubt. Should have stopped with this one an not gone to the land before time 13 Lol

**EDIT** Thanks for the correction, i dunno why i thought it was a Disney film

[zilla103192]

^ its not a disney film... its from universal

[HayesAJones]

The T-Rex in the movie was one bad-ass Mother-F**ker.

Agreed- Sharptooth rocks.

The battle between T-Rex an Little Foots Mother was also longer an much more graphic but due to it aiming at a younger audience a lot was removed but still you see the Rex take a huge chunk out of her back. I always wanted to see the extended footage of that fight. Still it was right up there with the Lion King as the child seeing the death of a parent.

I'd also like to see the extended version of the film. It was aired in Finland in 1995 and 1998, so it must still exist somewhere. I've also heard that the originally planned ending was to have Sharptooth eat the kids just before they reached the great valley... yeah... If that's true, that's one change that I'm glad they made.

One of Disneys best films no doubt. Should have stopped with this one an not gone to the land before time 13 Lol

As pointed out, this isn't a Disney film. It's Don Bluth.

And I actually enjoy the sequels, although they can't compare to the original.

[The_Olden_Thing]

A definite animated classic, IMO. Along with "An American Tail" and "The Secret of NIHM," constitutes the trinity of Don Bluth's best works.

[Hellspawn28]

Great movie. I still remember watching it for the first time when I was three years old back in 1993, and I remember being scared by the T-Rex in the movie. The animation is great, and the characters is nicely done as well. Overall it's a great animation classic.

4/5

[Zillaowner]

Movies like these makes me love the T-Rex than any oher dinosaur. I'm glad they changed the ending if that was true, but I wouldn't mind seeing it if they put it in DVD

[Hellspawn28]

I like the first two sequels, but they made so many that I care less about the series. I remember I had a video game for the PC which was awesome at the time.

[G-Matt]

The Land Before Time is one of the best animated movies ever made in my opinion. And of course, it's definitely the best in the series. The character development is well handled, there's a lot of action, and the fantastically beautiful music by James Horner is the icing on the cake. I'd say it's one of the best movie scores I've ever heard.

[Terrier]

I've also heard that the originally planned ending was to have Sharptooth eat the kids just before they reached the great valley... yeah... If that's true, that's one change that I'm glad they made.

And the great valley turns out to be heaven? Yeah, sure... Don't even believe that, it's just a rumor that started from obscure places like forums or wikis and go from mouth to mouth (Or post to post) until is actually belived as posible and wondered... people tend to feel atracted to "the original ideas" and ends giving they power and relevancy... it's sad when they aren't true or canon...

...

Land Before Time forevah!! (Well... for a franchise about extinct creatures, seems to actually never end).

[zilla103192]

what were people saying was the original ending?

[vaporchu]

So, you are asking me if a giant freaking part of my childhood is fantastic or not....

I say Yep Yep Yep!

This movie is just wonderful. I mean...I was able to pick it up and rewatch it recently, and it was still just as great as it was before. I was also a fan of the first few musical films that came afterwords.

It's a shame what happened to Judith Barsi(Ducky's original voice) shortly before the film's release. D:

[Arrow]

While I'm glad to see so much love for the film in this thread, and I agree that it's one of the finer animated movies out there, I must say that I'm rather disappointed that - in all the praise for the movie - one of the film's strongest assests is ignored: James Horner's fantastic muscial score. This really makes the film. It's so grand. My personal favorite is the theme known as "Sharptooth and the Earthquake", which gives us a piece that starts slow and builds up to an amazing frantic sound once Sharptooth gets going. Another great one is "The Great Migration" which is the beginning tune. It sets up this vast world that the dinosaurs live in. Amazing. Sure, it may get repetitious at times but, hey, we're Godzilla fans - what's a little repetition in music to us fans of Akira Ifukube? It doesn't hurt the film in any way and the themes fit the scenes so well. From the upbeat theme that plays during Ducky's hatching, the high-pitched theme that plays when Littlefoot's mother battles Sharptooth during the Earthquake ("Earthshake"), to the meloncholy tune that plays when Littlefoot talks to his mother one last time. The choir that sounds when Littlefoot hatches. There's nothing in here to dislike. It works so well for this film. Diana Ross' final song that plays during the end credits and is the only vocal theme here (ironic, since all the sequels would become musicals) and is beautiful. An orchastral theme works so well for this movie and is several times better than all the songs used in LBT's sequels.

what were people saying was the original ending?

There's a long-standing rumor that the original ending for the film had Sharptooth kill the children and they would discover "the Great Valley" - Heaven. I don't much stock in it though. It can be heavy at times, but The Land Before Time is still a children's film. I can't see them ending on that sort of note. After all, An American Tail ended with Fivel reunited with his family.

[Showa Gyaos]

I've also heard that the originally planned ending was to have Sharptooth eat the kids just before they reached the great valley... yeah... If that's true, that's one change that I'm glad they made.

Damned straight. If such a thing did happen, I never would have watched it again, and I am almost certain that I'd be laughing my ass off if I watched it at a later age.

Regardless of such an ending, this movie always depressed the hell out of me when I was little. It saddened me to see young dinosaurs struggling to stick together during rough trials. But I have an affinity for The Land Before Time, now. I still have the VHS tape in my closet, case and all.

[Hellblaze]

Ah this movie it was my first dinosaur movie when I was little ^^ My ma bought the vhs for me and I own Cera and Littlefoot plushies and some of the puppets I really liked the Sharptooth in this he was awesome! When the other series came out I loved them as well so I own almost all of them missing one I believe. I have seen the series on tv but only a few still I like Chomper who's my fave you know me I love T.Rex

[Mini-Godzilla]

The Land Before Time is neither Bluth's best or his worst. It suffers from the efforts of Spielberg and Lucas to make the film more family-friendly in post-production. As such, it is never quite as dark as it wants to be. However, Horner's score makes up for any flaws in the movie itself. The real shame is that sequels were made.

[zilla103192]

^agreed.... the sequels went seriously downhill... each one teaching the same lesson! through music! ugh... i feel embarrased saying i own them ... even if they were a joke gift

[Mini-Godzilla]

The seventh one is almost okay...almost. It flirts with being dark and/or thought-provoking.

[Arrow]

^ I'll admit that I actually do like the third Land Before Time as well. It's not great, but I always did find it to be enjoyable.

None top the original, though. Horner's musical score alone makes that movie awesome.

If there's one gripe I have with the firs LBT it's that the movie is far too short. It needed an extra 20 minutes.