The Land Before Time (1988)
Whenever revisiting a beloved childhood movie, you're always cautious in case it doesn't hold up. The Land Before Time does. In fact, I think I like it even better now than I did then.
Set during the age of dinosaurs, the film follows an orphaned “longneck” named Littlefoot (voiced by Gabriel Damon). When he is separated from his family after an earthquake, Littlefoot and several other dinosaur children must find their own way to “The Great Valley”, a land untouched by famine and hidden from the many predators of the savage world.
Although the story features cute characters, its tone is often somber. There are many moments of deep sadness even before the kids begin wondering how come none of the dinosaurs they see on-screen are still around today... Children will understand the danger of the adventure. They'll mostly grasp the depth of the emotions felt by Littlefoot as he contemplates his loneliness but older audiences will understand it better.
While the friendly dinosaurs band together and have some laughs along the way, director Don Bluth subtly sneaks in themes of love, faith and looking beyond society’s prejudices. Littlefoot has never seen the Great Valley. He's only been told about it from the mother he can no longer see but he perseveres nonetheless, believing that his belief in the valley itself is a key to finding it. There are numerous conversations between the dinosaurs about the different species not supposed to interact with each other. Separated from their parents, they choose to disregard what their parents have told them and form a new type of herd. Only by doing this can they ensure their survival.
Despite ideas that could make for a complicated story, it's relatively straightforward (and only lasts 69 minutes). You can choose to dig deeper into the characters or simply admire the picture for its visuals. For animators, there are impressive sequences that use shadows and foreshortening, particularly during the first act. More casual fans of moving pictures will be drawn to the lush, lively and varied backgrounds, environments, and flora. The details in every scene create the feel of a time and place teeming with life - along with added re-watch value. As for the characters, they’ve been given some humanoid features but only in the faces. For the most part, they remain relatively faithful to the creatures they’re based upon; not simply human children in a different skin.
Adding to the atmosphere is the film's excellent foley work and sound editing. The cries of insects, the bellows of prehistoric reptiles in the distance transport you to this world that's familiar but alien. It can get frightening and intense but it’s easy to picture children of any and every generation falling for The Land Before Time in the same way they did with Bambi. Littlefoot and his friends Petrie (Will Ryan), Cera (Candace Hutson), Ducky (Judith Barsi), and Spike have endearing personalities. There are laughs and effective character-based moments too. The character arcs of Littlefoot and Cera, for example, pack an emotional punch. Don’t even get me on the song that plays during the end credits, it’s so bittersweet it'll have your heart melting like a candy bar in the summer sun.
The Land Before Time holds up. Young dino-fanatics won't be able to let it go and for the parents, it's a quick watch. While you're sitting there with the young ones, you might even discover something that'll fly right over everyone else's heads. (On DVD, January 23, 2015)
