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

Castle Thunder: The thunderclap is heard right at the beginning of the first storm, when it frightens Baby Cera.

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Goofs

On the 2003 DVD release, during Cera's conversation with Littlefoot, Ducky, and Petrie about her "brave" encounter with Sharptooth, the audio is sort of out of synchronization. However, that scene is corrected on the 2015 remastered DVD and Blu-ray releases.

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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

Featured in WatchMojo: Top 10 Terrifying Deaths in Animated Movies (2020)

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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 film for any age

As many Disney fans may know, there are two(maybe more, I'm not sure)animated movies that came out in 1988, and they are:Oliver and Company and Land Before Time. Oliver and Company was a big flop, I've heard. Land Before Time is a lot better. My point is, just because a Disney movie and a non-Disney movie come out around the same time, it doesn't mean the Disney movie will necessarily be better. We found that out with LBT. Most of the sequels sucked, but the first one will always be a classic. About the only sequels I recommend are the 2nd one, the 4th one and the sing-along. Those are the only ones I personally liked.(Well, I haven't seen the 6th one, so if it's good or not you'll just have to find out yourself.) Well, I love The Land Before Time, and I love Littlefoot. He'll always be my favorite character. Well, I guess I've talked too long. Thanks.

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:

Universal Pictures, Sullivan Bluth Studios, U-Drive Productions

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