The Land Before Time (1988)

An orphaned brontosaurus teams up with other young dinosaurs in order to reunite with their families in a valley.

Director:

Don Bluth

Writers:

Stu Krieger (screenplay), Judy Freudberg (story)

Stars:

Pat Hingle, Gabriel Damon, Judith Barsi

2 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Judith Barsi	...	Ducky (voice)
Pat Hingle	...	Narrator / Rooter (voice)
Gabriel Damon	...	Littlefoot (voice)
Helen Shaver	...	Littlefoot's Mother (voice)
Bill Erwin	...	Grandfather (voice)
Burke Byrnes	...	Daddy Topps (voice)
Candace Hutson	...	Cera (voice) (as Candy Hutson)
Will Ryan	...	Petrie (voice)

Storyline

An orphaned brontosaurus named Littlefoot sets off in search of the legendary Great Valley. A land of lush vegetation where the dinosaurs can thrive and live in peace. Along the way he meets four other young dinosaurs, each one a different species, and they encounter several obstacles and the evil predator Sharptooth as they learn to work together in order to survive.

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Plot Keywords:

anthropomorphic animal | anthropomorphic dinosaur | anthropomorphism | dinosaur | brontosaurus | 

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Taglines:

A new adventure is born.

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Genres:

Animation | Adventure | Drama | Family

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Certificate:

G

Did You Know?

Trivia

Sharptooth is the only dinosaur character that never speaks or communicates with other dinosaurs in any way.

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Goofs

Littlefoot's mouth doesn't move when he says "Cera, you're back!" while he and Spike are pushing the boulder onto Sharptooth.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Narrator: Once upon this same earth, beneath this same sun, long before you, before the ape and the elephant, as well; before the wolf, the bison, the whale, before the mammoth and the mastodon, in the time of the dinosaurs. Now the dinosaurs were of two kinds. Some had flat teeth, and ate the leaves of trees, and some had sharp teeth for eating meat, and they preyed upon the leaf-eaters. Then it happened that the trees began to die. The mighty beasts who appeared to rule the earth, were, in...

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Crazy Credits

The credits roll with several backgrounds of the Great Valley at nighttime scrolling by.

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Alternate Versions

In the 2003 DVD, 2015 DVD and Blu-ray, and digital printings, there have been a few audible edits in addition to the film's restoration.

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Connections

Referenced in The Good Dinosaur (2015)

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Soundtracks

If We Hold On Together
Music and Words by James Horner and Will Jennings
Produced by Peter Asher
Performed by Diana Ross

User Reviews

A great story which has been bastardised with pointless sequels.

I remember first seeing this movie in the theatres!!!! I loved it and I have had it on video for quite some time now. I am older and realise how good this movie is and what it truly means! It's such ashame when great movies like these get destroyed by pointless, stupid sequels which are so childish. This movie has it all! A tale about dinosaurs, friendship, love & family, adventure, hope, and a tale about life itself. You may not physically cry but your heart will.

Details

Country:

USA Ireland

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 November 1988 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Land Before Time Began

Filming Locations:

Sullivan Bluth Studios - Phoenix House, Conyngham Road, Northside, Dublin, Ireland

Box Office

Budget:

$12,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$7,526,025, 20 November 1988

Gross USA:

$48,092,846

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$84,460,846

Company Credits

Production Co:

Lucasfilm, Universal Pictures, Sullivan Bluth Studios

Technical Specs

Runtime:

69 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo DTS-Stereo (1995 Re-Release) DTS (1995 Re-Release)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1