The Land Before Time

Image credit: Amazon

While I adored a lot of Don Bluth movies growing up, the majority of them just don’t stand up when you watch them as an adult. Sometimes the story’s too simple, or the animation is cumbersome, or the content is factually incorrect, there are a number of Don Bluth movies that just haven’t stood the test of time. But then there are some that have.

The Land Before Time tells the story of an Apatosaurus named Littlefoot who is born at the film’s beginning and grows up journeying with his mother and grandparents to the Great Valley where food and water is plentiful. Along the way Littlefoot’s mother dies after a Tyrannosaurus attack and then he is separated from his grandparents during a disastrous earthquake. Determined to find the Great Valley he journeys on, picking up new friends along the way.

There are two things that I really like about this film. The first is that it’s –more or less- factually correct. The great journey that the central characters embark on stems solely from their need to find food, it’s just gussied up for the kids by having talking dinosaurs.

The second is that this movie is all about overcoming the inhibitions of social and racial confines in order to achieve a common goal. The central theme of the movie is that, even though we are born different, there are many things about us that are the same and therefore, there’s no reason to treat anyone like they are any better or worse than yourself. The film’s heroes are a group made up of a longneck (Apatosaurus), a three-horn (Triceratops), bigmouth (Saurolophus), a flyer (Pteranodon), and a spike-tail (Stegosaurus), all very different species that overlook their differences to band together and find a safe haven. It’s a great message for the kids. And let’s not forget that Littlefoot’s mother is a strong, independent woman who don’t need no man!

Image credit: WingClips

While the animation is nothing to rave about, and is definitely a little dated, the quest narrative, relevant themes, and relatable characters are what makes The Land Before Time successful. Did then and does now. It’s a heart warming and exciting movie that doesn’t pander or talk down to its audience, but stands up tall, long-necked, and proud.

Director: Don Bluth, 1988

Cast: Pat Hingle, Gabriel Damon, Judith Barsi, Helen Shaver, Bill Erwin, Candy Huston, Will Ryan, and Burke Byrnes