How would the Land Before Time Fare in CGI?

[Little Foot]

There have been a slew of bad sequels to The Land Before Time. At the same time, a similarly large load of CGI family films have flooded the market. Of particular note to me is the 2000 film Dinosaur. How would you feel about a The Land Before Time big-screen remake in CGI?

 

[BeserkerHilf]

would you like me to tie your noose or would you rather do it?

 

[Little Foot]

would you like me to tie your noose or would you rather do it?

Wow, you're fixing my play swing? Yay!

 

[cabel]

no


sure CG dinosaurs are usually impressive, but there's a certain, 'magic' for lack of a better term when it comes to the traditional animation of Don Bluth's films. That same charm would most likely be lost in CG.

 

[Little Foot]

no


sure CG dinosaurs are usually impressive, but there's a certain, 'magic' for lack of a better term when it comes to the traditional animation of Don Bluth's films. That same charm would most likely be lost in CG.

That's a very good point. I just felt that the central story is so emotionally powerful--it's a very Odyssean quest. And the characters were all so delightful. Dinosaur, to me, seemed like it was trying to be a spiritual successor, and played on the same themes and some of the same character types, but the charm was lost. I just wonder if a new CGI film might add a different twist on the old franchise, and perhaps create a new generation of fans who might otherwise look down upon the admittedly childish LBT series. After all, the original LBT was a true family film, not a campy childhood moral story.

 

[Drizzle]

No. They already killed "The Land Before Time" by releasing all those crappy direct to video sequels.

 

[Little Foot]

No. They already killed "The Land Before Time" by releasing all those crappy direct to video sequels.

That's my point, though. I mean, sure, you can't replace the original's animation style, but to go CGI would be to distance itself from the bad sequels. There are some very mature and powerful themes in the original LBT, after all.

 

[Nightmare]

Hell yeah, awesome idea. I loved the original.

 

[terry78]

Walt Disney. Dinosaur. Google them together.

 

[LegendaryCaleb]

i loved the original when i was a kid...i voted great idea...

 

[Little Foot]

Walt Disney. Dinosaur. Google them together.

I've already addressed that film a couple times now. It simply was not a good film, and I recognize that it could be argued as a spiritual successor, but it helps no one if the successor is a bad one.

 

[DarknessOfDeath]

Is it a lucas/spielburg production?

 

[Little Foot]

Is it a lucas/spielburg production?

This is sheerly hypothetical; sorry about that--I had no intention of being misleading. I'm not sure that they would be willing to return to the role as producers, but if it were remade, I'd be hoping for their level of production quality, versus that of the sequels.

 

[Tempest19]

Could work. BUT the graphics would have to look like:

From the film 'Dinosaur.' Otherwise if you're going to make it CG, make it realistic CG rather than pure cartoon CG.

 

[Apollo]

i loved The land Before Time as a kid, i think i got up to the 4th one. i loved them all. I remember i got ever toy at burger king when they were selling them over the summer.

 

[Little Foot]

Could work. BUT the graphics would have to look like:

From the film 'Dinosaur.' Otherwise if you're going to make it CG, make it realistic CG rather than pure cartoon CG.

I could see that realistic angle, but...
I don't know, I'd kind of like to see a more stylized CGI style. I'm not talking Lucas' Clone Wars anime-CGI-whatever sort of thing...but...maybe emphasize the cuteness of the baby dinosaurs, and make the carnivores look excessively big and vicious, and the sauropods excessively large and, particularly, long-necked/graceful. I don't know...the babies in the original were very cute, and the sharp-tooth was very aggressive and horrific-looking, so that's why I'd advocate that.

 

[Tempest19]

By cartoon I mean:

I mean, don't get me wrong- that's good animation for those films. But this is the most important film from my childhood. Comically, I also stole the puppets when I was little (pre-school, so it's alright). So that should say how long this film has been with me. It's the staple film of my childhood. BTW, why did they stop giving Puppets? I remember this for many films, even Casper.

Just look at the art-work:

So, for me it's more 'akin' to Dinosaur than the examples of a cartoon cgi realm. It wasn't all bright and colorful, there was a certain haunting beauty quality about the artwork portraying the fear of going through a dark land and only at the end finding paradise which is lush in color and a certain utopia quality.

 

[Little Foot]

Just look at the art-work:

So, for me it's more 'akin' to Dinosaur than the examples of a cartoon cgi realm. It wasn't all bright and colorful, there was a certain haunting beauty quality about the artwork portraying the fear of going through a dark land and only at the end finding paradise which is lush in color and a certain utopia quality.

Oh, I agree with you completely. But those lush environments and elements of haunting beauty are the exact factors that I am advocating for. That's why I feel that it needs to be stylized. I agree with you, though: NOT cartoony. That would be an insult to the original film.

 

[BatJeff7786]

Cgi ****es Don't Play With Long Necks!

 

[Steelix]

Personally, I could see Land Before Time going into CGI. I'm sure it would be a real hit for the children and only the children. Many of the older fans would probably see it as a joke.

Don't get me wrong. It was/is/and forever will be a great movie. The movie was just smeared by all of the sequels it has had. I just think The Land Before Time needs to be left alone.

Anyway, from my experience, remakes are rather... poor. Let's take the remake of Psycho for example. It was predictable and wasn't really special. Originals are always better, so it's best not to expose future generations to poor remakes, further smearing the franchise.

 

[Little Foot]

Personally, I could see Land Before Time going into CGI. I'm sure it would be a real hit for the children and only the children. Many of the older fans would probably see it as a joke.

Don't get me wrong. It was/is/and forever will be a great movie. The movie was just smeared by all of the sequels it has had. I just think The Land Before Time needs to be left alone.

Anyway, from my experience, remakes are rather... poor. Let's take the remake of Psycho for example. It was predictable and wasn't really special. Originals are always better, so it's best not to expose future generations to poor remakes, further smearing the franchise.

Good point. But I just feel that it could be done well...and I wouldn't mind the attempt, as long as the serious subject matter of the material was treated well, and wasn't turned into a camp-fest like the sequels.

 

[Hectorminator]

One of my dream projects would be to work on would be a LIVE-ACTION remake of the OG Land Before Time. It was one of the greatest movies ever made when I was five, and I would love to see Spielberg or someone apply Jurassic Park animatronics to a live-action remake, with CG enhancements, of course.

Either that, or a live-action Brave Little Toaster remake, with CG animation. I mean, come on! How awesome would that be? Don Bluth is the man! Titan A.E.! Alright, I'm done.

 

[Goku's Biznitch]

The only good one was the first one

 

[DarknessOfDeath]

Ducky!!!

watching the movie. i cried when little foot's mother died.

 

[Why Are You Crouching Spock?]

Horrible idea.