User reviews

Like other 80s babies, so to speak, if you were born in that era before the Disney movies of the 90s- which did almost reach a mini-renaissance before plummeting towards the end of the decade- you first saw the animated films of Don Bluth more than Disney. This was one of them, and it is a film that, for a certain sort of kid (such as myself) can be watched countless times. It's short, maybe too short as one of its flaws (Bluth didn't retain final cut with Spielberg and Lucas in the background), as it only develops this epic tale of kiddie dinosaurs going through a harsh, dangerous journey to reach the oasis, the Great Valley. There aren't any time for songs, which is a plus, as Bluth gets in more time for some very realistic- for what is available at the time- animation of the environment. The kiddie dinosaurs themselves, Littlefoot the main protagonist (who also loses his mother, in the Bambi and Lion King vein though here even more of a shock to kids as its from nature and not from some other being to grasp), Cera, Petrie, Ducky and Spike, each have their own personalities ranging from heroic to goofy to scared and even stuck-up. This gives something that kids can hang on to, very simple characterizations that change only through the often used but not too tiresome ideal of friendship and group-work, etc etc.

Some of these scenes, the sillier ones, do end up making it more of a movie that holds more for the kids than the adults. That years later it doesn't lose much of its power visually, however, is a real credit to Bluth and his team, who along with An American Tail here make children's movies that know what they are, but make them in brilliant uses of the medium. The Tyrannasorus Rex- Sharptooth- is an immensely imposing presence with it saying never a word, as if it was pulled right out of the sequence from Fantasia. The design of the film is also extremely well laid, in a kind of dying world that like all fairy tales becomes all the more compelling in relation to what is the final paradise-type goal. It could almost be said that it might be much for wee little ones (younger than 5) could take, but it really wasn't as I remember it from first seeing it. It balances its look with its characters, making it a near-classic film of its time. Alternately cute and violent, poetic and kitschy.

Now, having been such a raging fan of this movie when I was a kid (I still like it as an adult, just not nearly as much), I don't really know if I've got the right to write a review of it.

About the only thing I have to say, really, is that there's more personality in that one little Pterodactyl who offers Littlefoot his cherry than in the entire cast of "Disney's Dinosaur".

Other than that, I only have to offer up the following bit of trivia that fellow "L.B.T." fans should go nuts over. It turns out that shortly before "Land Before Time" was officially released, about one million dollars worth of footage was cut from the film. Think about that the next time you watch it. You'll notice things like how suddenly we cut from Sharptooth and Littlefoot's mom's battle to the earthquake sequence. If Universal *really* loved us (ahem, Money To Be Made here), they'd give us a director's cut or something. Just a thought.

There are some beautiful colors in this animated film, nice golden hues mixed with purples that are very pleasing to see. The lead character is likable little guy called "Littlefoot." Most of the scenes with the T-Rex might be a little scary for the little kids. The little dinosaurs are all ones you laugh with and enjoy.

There are touches of New Age and secular humanism in here, which is no surprise, that being especially expected with a Steven Spielberg film, even an innocent cartoon adventure.

However, all in all, pretty good and a decent hour-and-a-half of animated entertainment that adults should enjoy, too.

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.

I have always loved Don Bluth's animated films, but by the time this one came out, I was 20 years old and pretty much beyond seeing films about dinosaur children. The existence of 14 (!) direct-to-video sequels pushed me away from this one even after I got over my young man reticence about watching children's films. Since I've been actively trying to close up some gaps in my film viewing, I finally watched this.

Yeah ... okay. I'm not surprised that this has Spielberg/Lucas credentials because it's really a very typical, but well-done children's film. What really stands out for me is the animation. Not the characters (which are fine, if very typical Disney-style designs), but the environments which are lovely, bleak apocalyptic landscapes. I also liked that they were not afraid to let the tyrannosaurus rex be really frightening.

I think I can skip the 14 sequels.

What do you get when you cross a bunch of dinosurs and Don Bluth?? Answer: this memorable classic!!!

My mum bought me this film when I was 5 or 6 years and I loved it. 13 years on and my mind hasnt changed. I was watching it this morning and there was still that Bluth magic.

In case you dont know, the film is about 5 dinosaurs- a "long neck", a "three horn", a "big mouth", a "flyer" and a "spike tail". Theyre travelling to the Great Valley whilst trying to fight off Sharp tooth.

What makes this film a classic is the way things are named. Its educational to kids on dinosaurs and is done in a childish way. Its brilliant!!!! There are lessons to be learn with friendships.

The sequels dont match up to it but what do you expect?? They werent done by Bluth!!!!

Bluth may not have done as many animation as Disney but each of his films have shown something that Disney cannot do.

Definelty one to own and keep on watching until the end of time!!!!

Helen xxxxx

Yeh, I watched this movie when I was 5-6 years old. It was a very emotional movie in just that one scene when Littlefoot's mom dies. I think it's a good experience to the younger kids to get along and work together. I really didn't like Cera at all. She is such a b.... Their were some dinosaurs that I haven't even heard of. I always liked to watch the scene where Cera and Littlefoot were having a fight. I can't believe Littlefoot didn't win. I would beat the living crap out of her if she said mean things to my mom. Cera got a payback when she went the wrong way. So, it wasn't that bad of a movie. This movie is a great experience to young children.

I've adored this film ever since I first saw it at the cinema in '88. Sweet Littlefoot, Bold Cera, Chatty Ducky, Timid Petrie & Greedy Spike are the cutest dinosaurs ever. Anyone unmoved by their adventures must have a heart of stone. The animation is superb and so is the soundtrack. Each dinosaur has a distinctive personality and you laugh and cry with them throughout. I only wish the film had been longer. The sequels are cute but it is the original that has the most heart. 10/10

I just revisited this movie for the first time since my childhood. It's difficult to analyze this movie because it is the definition of a children's movie. The plot is very simple and the run time is pretty short. That being said there is a lot of emotion here and the characters learn things about themselves and each other and the world on their journey. The art and animation is great but I was always bothered by how the main child characters look very cutsey and cartooney while their parents look like someone seriously drawing a dinosaur. It is hard to criticize decisions like that because children were the target audience but as a 27 year old man I still felt emotional watching it so kudos to the creators. The theme song "if we hold on together" was the perfect song for this movie because it captures that feeling of something horribly depressing happening to somebody but their friends keeping them hopeful.

R. I. P Judith. Barsi "Ducky" nobody deserves what happened to her and she never got to see the movie released.

R. I. P. Will Ryan "Petrey" I think you played my favorite character of the bunch.....until Spike came along R. I. P. James Horner. This music is amazing and it was the icing on top.

Five adorable baby dinosaurs set out on a heartwarming adventure to find their lost families. I fell in love with this at the cinema & I feel it deserves its success in the video market. I own every one but this is by far the best. Each character, determined Littlefoot, obstinate Cera, cheerful Ducky, timid Petrie & ever hungry Spike, is a delight. The story contains laughter, tears, hope & excitement. It is beautifully scored. The end title song, If We Hold On Together, is delightful too. The artwork is cute & full of detail. Don Bluth is a master. The voice casting is perfect. An absolute treasure. 10/10 *****

Maybe "The Land Before Time" is the sort of movie that appealed more to us when we were little children. Still, as a young adult, I remember that it was an interesting idea, with dinosaur children having to rely on each other. However, I do wish to assert that some of the T-Rex scenes may have been a little too intense for really young children. I mean, some of them get really ugly.

Overall, it's a pretty interesting movie. I guess that "Jurassic Park" has made us expect a different portrayal of dinosaurs on the silver screen, but this one still passes. You probably won't have a religious experience or anything, but it's an OK way to pass time.

Don Bluth's masterpiece, The Land Before Time, is a wonderful children's feature with beautiful animation, a great story, adorable characters, and good direction.

As a director, Bluth's use of color and texture in this film is absolutely brilliant. He has this wonderful soft blending of mainly the background colors (usually most notable in the sky), which suggests use of chalk pastels to create this effect. In every film of his that I've seen, he always has great (what I like to call) atmospherics. In this film, you notice it in the blowing of dust/fog, some of the fire effects with the volcanoes (mainly the falling fire sparks), the falling black ash before the characters reach the "mountains that burn," as well as certain water effects.

The vocal cast was really well suited to all their roles. There were a few instances where some of the lines were a bit muffled and hard to understand, but for the most part, the cast did really well with their lines, made them sound natural, and child-like, and managed not to be overly cute and obnoxious as some characters made for children's films inherently are.

The score by James Horner is a wonderful addition to the film's atmosphere and really does a great job setting the mood. Horner always has a way of infusing his scores with a sense of romanticism that is often lacking in today's film composers, and this film is no exception. He makes really good use of his strings section, especially in this period of his work.

To be sure, this film is a masterpiece! All of its excellent qualities are apparent while watching the film, most notably the animation (which is excellent for a late 80s film), the voice cast, the score, the story, and the art direction. Without a doubt, it would be well-deserving of a spot in any animated feature hall of fame.

9 Stars out of 10!

After re-watching this film 35 years later here's my spoiler-free review of The Land Before Time! As usual, I'll be talking about my thoughts, my childhood memories of watching this and my conclusion/rating! This movie was fun to watch from beginning to end, the kid actors playing the dinosaurs were excellent & even the narrator was brilliant too! I remember watching this when I was very little but I couldn't remember much about it! When I recently rode the Universal Studios studio tour I didn't realize that this film was made by Universal and Steven Spielberg executive produced it! Overall if you loved Jurassic Park then you'll like this one that's why I'm giving this a 7/10! Hopefully, you'll enjoy it just as much as I did! ;-)

A group of young dinosaurs in a world which is nearing the end of the reign of the mighty reptiles set out to find a legendary valley which is still lush and green.

This is one of the best animation films ever made, as it is moving and entertaining. Not only is it a story of friendship, courage and love, but it also demonstrates childhood friendships which are 'not allowed' due to classism or racism - "Three-horns never play with Longnecks". 'Land Before Time', with its tribe of various dinosaurs plus a pterodactyl, is a story about putting aside so-called 'differences' and striving together in 'united we stand, divided we fall' fashion in order to leave the unlovely wilderness and find a land of freedom and equality (in this case the Great Valley).

An excellent and unmissable adventure which will appeal to anybody of any age.

The sequels sadly did away with the grittyness of this first film and instead turned to TV cartoonishness and pointless songs, but most of them (the boring Part 4 aside) are still very enjoyable. But in the tradition of most series of films, the original is the best.

This is my first comment on a film actually. Why this is my first is because I never wanted to waste time telling people how good/bad a movie is when there are thousands of reviews that proves different all the time. I just came home buying this movie because it brings a lot of memories back from my childhood and when I got home I had to see the vote-number on this movie and I was shocked... This movie is beautiful especially the theme-song and the story always brings tears to my eyes. I'm not that kind of person who has to prove that someone is wrong but now I just had to do it! Maybe you think I overrated it but I do fall for this movie every single time. But... the other movies from this series never caught me.. this one is the best.

I ended up buying this series for my husband's birthday this year to share as family viewing during his celebration. He's always been huge on dinosaurs, even having wanted to be a paleontologist for a LONG time, and this had been one of his favorite series as a child. I could recall having been taken to the theater to see it when it had first debuted, but other than that, didn't really have that many memories of the movie, let alone series.

Then we watched it.

There are many, MANY things that I know I missed as a child, as well as many memories that it evoked. I can now honestly say I get the push for inclusion, even if it has gone considerably overboard. As a little girl, I did watch for characters with whom I could relate, and I did NOT want to be Ducky, with whom my only real friend at the time said I had the most in common. My favorite was Cera. She was bold, courageous, out-spoken, everything I wasn't. At the time, I didn't see how mean or prideful she was.

Of course, at the time, there were other movies that I now see SCREAMING resemblances with this one that had not yet come out. I've heard it be said that The Lion King is a Land Before Time rip-off. I have ALWAAYS LOVED The Lion King, but... having just watched this movie yesterday, I now, regrettfully, have to agree. I seriously doubt Disney created The Lion King just to be the cats of Land Before Time, BUT I do see A LOT of inspiration being pulled from Land Before Time.

There is also a definite Christian message behind this film, as the group of friends pull together in a time of darkness, sorrow, and strife and set out on their journey to the fabled safe haven (Heaven). There was another movie I saw echoed herein yesterday, but I can't quite recall what it was at the moment.

I do also see why I didn't cling to this series like some children did. Having lost my grandparents, and many other family, at a very early age, I already knew what sorrow and grief too well, and this is definitely a film filled with sorrow, grief, and loss even if there is a lot of beauty and hope along the way. I'd definitely watch it again, and probably many more times with hubby, but I can see why this hit my child self far too painfully.

This has to be my favorite animated movie of all time. It was the first movie that I remember watching. Even today, the characters are like friends to me. The movie, as well as its successors, develops them so well that you can easily become acquainted with one or more. Though many consider "The Secret of NIMH" for this title, "The Land Before Time", in my opinion, is Don Bluth's masterpiece.

In a land in the prehistoric age, a drought is occurring and several herds of dinosaurs seek an oasis known as "The Great Valley". The animation here is very dark and fluid with a nice, earthy color scheme and some amazingly skillful footage of sand wind and the moon's reflection in a lake. You can always tell something is done by Don Bluth by the animation.

The dinosaurs are only stopping on their way to the Great Valley to hatch their young. One of these newborns is an apatosaurus named Littlefoot. He immediately grows close to his mother, and as the narrator tells us, knows that they would always be together. The scene where he hatches is a piece of art.

One scene later, Littlefoot is older and is able to talk. We're not sure how long it's been, but short enough that Littlefoot's mother is just telling him about their journey as she gives a star-shaped leaf, which they call a "treestar". When Littlefoot asks her how she knows the Great Valley exists when she hasn't seen it, she replies, "Some things you see with your eyes, others you see with your heart." This was is one of many very memorable scenes for me. And like the flashback scene in "The Secret of NIMH", there's a sense of wonder as Littlefoot's mother lowers her head to give Littlefoot the treestar. There's hair-rising music in this scene too.

While we're on the subject, this film's breathtaking music composed by James Horner is way up there with the score he wrote for "Titanic". I have every single note of the music from "The Land Before Time" memorized, and it describes the epic tone of the movie flawlessly.

Littlefoot starts to wander off and finds a family of triceratops, including a female hatchling named Cera (spelled as it is in the middle of the word triCERAtops). Littlefoot starts to play with her, but is stopped by Cera's father, who is the most racist dinosaur in the series. As Littlefoot continues the journey with his mother and grandparents, his mother explains to him the dinosaurs' prejudiced behavior nowadays.

Very early the next morning, as Littlefoot chases a frog, he encounters Cera again. They play together briefly, until a ferocious t-rex attacks. He almost has them, before Littlefoot's mother comes to the rescue. But at the same time, a massive earthquake opens a deep ravine that divides Littlefoot and Cera from their herds.

Littlefoot finds his mother languishing. Under the last of her breath, her final words to him are "Let your heart guide you. It whispers, so listen closely." This scene is so heart-wrenching that I can't watch it without getting tears in my eyes. That and this movie was one of the first things that brought to me the concept of death. It seems Littlefoot didn't know what death was, either, before his mother died. When I had learned what really happened, I was haunted. Now Littlefoot has to make the long journey without her. As a child, it was tough for me to wrap my mind around that.

Littlefoot, sad and confused, meets an old Polacanthus named Rooter. He tells him why he's so depressed, and that he blames all of his pain on his mother. He explains to him that it's no one's fault and is part of the great Circle of Life (my only quibble with "The Lion King"). Later, the treestar his mother gave him floats down toward him as he hears her heavenly voice speaking to his heart. As he looks into the drop of water in the treestar, she reminds him to the follow the sun and watch for the landmarks.

Soon, Littlefoot meets up with a saurolophus named Ducky. Acknowledging the racial issues among other dinosaurs, Littlefoot still offers for Ducky to come with him to the Great Valley to find her parents. Soon after, they run into Petrie, an aerophobic pteranodon who and has yet to learn to fly. Littlefoot and Ducky invite him to come too. These last few scenes succeed in lightening the mood after the emotional blow of Littlefoot's mother's death. The movie knows when to be upbeat and when to be emotionally stirring. This a bit more what "An American Tail" should have been like.

They run straight into Cera, who claims that she woke up the t-rex from the floor of the abyss. As she brags about how "brave" she was, she accidentally flings Ducky into a clump of grass where a stegosaurus is just hatching from his egg. Ducky names him Spike, and tells him to come with them to the Great Valley. Spike, who doesn't talk, swallows up all the grass around his nest and then joins the group. So the five hungry dinosaurs set off for the Great Valley, Littlefoot leading the way.

If you haven't seen this movie yet, you should. It is just epic. It's a great story with glorious animation and breathtaking music. Through my childhood, I had come to know the characters almost intimately. If I was lacking friends, I always had Littlefoot. When I needed a laugh, I had Petrie. You might think I'm being silly, but this really is how I felt. Though I still enjoy most of the sequels, not one of them has matched this animated masterpiece. It will stay with me for the rest of my days.

10/10 for "The Land Before Time".

This film is one of the greatest family movies I've ever seen. Absolutely none of the sequels, with the possible exception of the second one, ever come close to matching this one in grandeur and majesty.

It teaches children self-reliance, confidence, the value of friendship, the hope for a better future, no matter how far away it may seem.

This is one of the few movies I saw as a child that has stood the test of time. Now twenty-three years old, I still enjoy it. It's one of Don Bluth's greatest works ever, and I hope they come out with a director's cut sometime that puts back in all the material the studio cut, much to Bluth's protest, from his film.

This is one of those films that's grace has been overlooked due to the outrageous number of sequels (I heard there was even a show…) that followed it. None of them come close to the power of the first. Under the helm of Spielberg's Amblin, which also created such wonders as "American Tail", this movie can easily stand up to the Disney titans. Obviously, the artwork is just incredible, the colors created just plain remarkable. The landscapes are just stunning. Quite simply put, you don't see hand-drawn animation like this anymore. There are also dark moments that remain beautiful to this day. I'll never forget the journey of Little Foot and it really is a well told story. I also love the look of the dinosaurs, the Sharp Tooth of course being quite the fearsome beast when I was a child.

Composer James Horner creates an incredible score, one that hasn't aged a day since its release in 1988. To this film's credit, it obviously more or less inspired the multi-million dollar 1998 Disney film "Dinosaur" which had an all-too familiar storyline. A true classic I will eternally admire. Although I have to add this in, I here in recent prints (namely on DVD), the there is a small edit concerning the fight scene in the beginning of the film. Damn you parents, us fans who saw it over two decades do not appreciate your complaining regarding cartoon violence! When I buy this film on DVD I expect it to be just as I saw it when I was but a child.

Littlefoot is the last baby born to a small herd of Longnecks with only his mother, grandmother and grandfather. The world is changing and they must walk to the paradise of the Great Valley. They are attacked by a Sharptooth and an earthquake separates Littlefoot from his family. Longnecks are not suppose to play with Threehorns like Cera. When Littlefoot's mother dies, he is left alone to walk to the Great Valley. Along the way, others join him including orphan Ducky, flyer Petrie, a spiketail and Cera who is also separated from her family.

Producers Steven Spielberg and George Lucas have created Bambi with dinosaurs. It has the same hand drawn style. It has some pretty dark edges to the story. The story may be trying to do too much. It's a bit angry and dark at times. It may not be for the smallest of the little ones.

Littlefoot was a great character. I was glad to learn he even existed. But, dang, he met Cera! Why is that bad? Cera was the meanest, most eye-rotting animated failure I have ever knew of. She blew a raspberry to Littlefoot. So, he didn't do anything! Cera was lucky to be nice at the end, after being a jerk for most of the movie. Her behavior improved, even after meeting other characters in the antisocial actions of the movie. Also, Petrie would make a good impression of the girl on the Mary Tyler Moore show, using one of the stupidest words ever: "falled." The Land Before Time can be interexpectedly mediocre, but it's a good movie. I'll keep it in my memory.