Theory on LBT13

[Ludichris1]

A Theory on LBT13
And Why It Wasn't What WE Wanted

Lately, I've been feeling I haven't watched enough animated films to have a good enough picture to be well-well versed in it. Besides, they're fun to watch! Anyway... to start off, I've been making my own list of films and direct-to-videos/dvds listed on Wikipedia from USA and the UK. Here is what I found...

I found something very startling. I had noticed in my preteens that the movies coming out in the early-to-mid 2000's were beginning to be a lot based on cartoons, TV shows, and previous theatrical movies. Going through the list, a lot of direct-to-videos were dead on. But there was a ton more than before. I mean, a TON. I've been writing every one of them down on my list, and I noticed many based on Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, Disney theatricals, and the like. The industry finally picked up and companies from all over the world produced loads of animated movies (though not theatrically released) in the hopes of money and company social status. While some are good, many are mundane. A lot of them that I saw, just by the titles, were meant for young (young) kids-- Things like Clifford, Fairly OddParents, Bratz, Carebears, Scooby-Doo! and a host of other serial names.

Now, many of these were not only from rich companies like Nickelodeon, but also not as polished. The Land Before Time series, however, is credited for being well animated, voiced and artisticly designed (to each his own you can choose which ones you agree with). The early 2000s were not so bad off as you might think for animated films. But it was the start, and many companies followed suit. As you can see, The Land Before Time XIII was released in 2007 correct? I'm currently working on that year and it is just as cartoon-spinoff-filled as some of the previous years.

Bottom Line for the TLDR: I think LBT 13 was too kid-friendly, wacky, and less polished because Universal perhaps realized all the commotion Nickelodeon and the like were making with their many Direct-to-DVDs for low amounts of money and short amount of time. I'm REALLY thinking that they decided to follow suit and that's how LBT 13, I believe, came to be. Universal has always been rich, so it certainly wasn't a matter of not having the funds. You can also see over years from 2000 (or so) on how the later LBTs were adapting to the 'supposed' youth around them. While this worked and was great in the beginning, not everything stays the same, and apparently, the youth grew too attention-deficient and that's what led from the great Land Before Time 10, to the still great LBT XI, the good LBT XII, and the iffy LBT XIII.
In my opinion

So, in all honesty, if I were you, I wouldn't think that Universal was intending to make the latest sequels less serious and profound than the previous. I think it was just a decision to adapt that didn't work out as much as they had hoped. I mean, if you think about it... The Land Before Time sequels series has gone through TWO decades! Our youth has passed its time and companies of today are focusing on today's youth. That's why LBT 13 wasn't what WE wanted.

All it takes is just LOOKING at the names of animated films over the years and you should reach the same conclusion.

Judging by the state of Direct-to-DVDs now, I think it's best to focus on theatricals for now.

[Chomper98]

Yeah, and thats what put LBT in the grave. Even though I was 8 when the first came out, I still loved it, mostly cause I had, and still have aspergers syndrome, and love dinosaurs, therefore I liked it, and liked all the sequels except 13, which was a massive dissapointment, because it completed bombed what was a great series, that could have been ressurected with a new director, but the failure it was was like the Battle of Stalingrad, or Berlin, as, like Germany by that time, Land Before Time was on its last legs, and it was just to much for the series that the directors abandoned it. Seriously, they think that kids can't handle dinosaur violence, thats fricking why kids like dinosaurs, violence. A little blood isn't going to scar a kid for life like a 'nasty' scene in LBT would.   Back on topic, if I was director, I would make it something like this.

Redclaw finds a new way into the Great Valley and sneaks in. He tries to kill the gang, but the adults save them. Unfortunatley, Cera was bitten by by Screech or Thud off screen but survived, but Mr. Threehorn blames Chomper, as no one saw the fast-biters.

Chomper triesto prove he is innocent, but the valley exiles him. Chomper leaves, and encounters an orphaned raptor girl, who tells her about her parent's death at the hands of Redclaw. Chomper remembers his own parents' demise, and has enough of Redclaw.

He tries to convince as many sharpteeth as he can to stand up against Redclaw, and that, if they work together, it will work. Only a few listen, but it is enough to stop Redclaw. The gang tries to find Chomper but are ambushed by Redclaw, Chomper's rallied sharpteeth attack Redclaw and force him off a cliff into a lake, where he drowns like a certain scene in the first.

Chomper convinces the other sharpteeth not to kill his friends, and he goes back to the valley after a celebration, but news makes it to the valley before them of Redclaw's death, and of Chomper's orchestration of it. The raptor girl stays in the valley after Chomper convinces the adults she is nice, and they all live happily ever after.

If something like that came from Universal, then we'd have like 30 sequels of Land Before Time, if only. *Sings if only from 11*.

[jansenov]

I have a hard time believing in shortening attention span as a cause of the deteriorating quality of animated series in the 2000s. The demographic we talk about, children up to 7 years old, have been subjected to the same influences since the 1980s, namely the ubiquity of television and video. The 1990s saw the rapid expansion of computers, and the 2000s the rapid penetration of the Internet, but how much do these influence such young children? If anything, computers and the Internet shorten the attention span of adults, not of such small children.

If I'd have to name a culprit, I would blame the lowering of proportion of disposable income in the average personal income. A growing proportion of income is being eaten up to pay the expenses of credits, rent, gas, heating, food etc. so most companies decided to lower the expenses of making their products to still maintain a desirable profit margin. It is a process that affects everything, not just animated movies.

[Mumbling]

I agree that the movie has focussed too much on children of this age, who are used to modern-day cartoons. It's good that they raise the graphic quality (you expect that in these days). Your theory is, in my opinion, mostly correct.

Personally I'd love the latest movies if they were still anything like 1990 disney classics, they were simply lacking a good plot. I'd also appreciate it if Universal were to bring out a blu-ray disc of the first movie.

[EggStealerGirl]

Even though I was 8 when the first came out, I still loved it, mostly cause I had, and still have aspergers syndrome, and love dinosaurs, therefore I liked it,

I happen to be on the autism spectrum myself, Chomper98. Like you, I kind of liked some of the later sequels, but I can't say this for all of them.

Anyway, regarding my thoughts on this topic... In a way, I can actually see this making some sense; it only comes naturally to companies to follow suit in what their competitors are doing. A big mistake on their part, but I guess they were just desperate for the money.

[Mr Wonk]

A Theory on LBT13
And Why It Wasn't What WE Wanted

Lately, I've been feeling I haven't watched enough animated films to have a good enough picture to be well-well versed in it. Besides, they're fun to watch! Anyway... to start off, I've been making my own list of films and direct-to-videos/dvds listed on Wikipedia from USA and the UK. Here is what I found...

I found something very startling. I had noticed in my preteens that the movies coming out in the early-to-mid 2000's were beginning to be a lot based on cartoons, TV shows, and previous theatrical movies. Going through the list, a lot of direct-to-videos were dead on. But there was a ton more than before. I mean, a TON. I've been writing every one of them down on my list, and I noticed many based on Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, Disney theatricals, and the like. The industry finally picked up and companies from all over the world produced loads of animated movies (though not theatrically released) in the hopes of money and company social status. While some are good, many are mundane. A lot of them that I saw, just by the titles, were meant for young (young) kids-- Things like Clifford, Fairly OddParents, Bratz, Carebears, Scooby-Doo! and a host of other serial names.

Now, many of these were not only from rich companies like Nickelodeon, but also not as polished. The Land Before Time series, however, is credited for being well animated, voiced and artisticly designed (to each his own you can choose which ones you agree with). The early 2000s were not so bad off as you might think for animated films. But it was the start, and many companies followed suit. As you can see, The Land Before Time XIII was released in 2007 correct? I'm currently working on that year and it is just as cartoon-spinoff-filled as some of the previous years.

Bottom Line for the TLDR: I think LBT 13 was too kid-friendly, wacky, and less polished because Universal perhaps realized all the commotion Nickelodeon and the like were making with their many Direct-to-DVDs for low amounts of money and short amount of time. I'm REALLY thinking that they decided to follow suit and that's how LBT 13, I believe, came to be. Universal has always been rich, so it certainly wasn't a matter of not having the funds. You can also see over years from 2000 (or so) on how the later LBTs were adapting to the 'supposed' youth around them. While this worked and was great in the beginning, not everything stays the same, and apparently, the youth grew too attention-deficient and that's what led from the great Land Before Time 10, to the still great LBT XI, the good LBT XII, and the iffy LBT XIII.
In my opinion

So, in all honesty, if I were you, I wouldn't think that Universal was intending to make the latest sequels less serious and profound than the previous. I think it was just a decision to adapt that didn't work out as much as they had hoped. I mean, if you think about it... The Land Before Time sequels series has gone through TWO decades! Our youth has passed its time and companies of today are focusing on today's youth. That's why LBT 13 wasn't what WE wanted.

All it takes is just LOOKING at the names of animated films over the years and you should reach the same conclusion.

Judging by the state of Direct-to-DVDs now, I think it's best to focus on theatricals for now.

 Funny because I loved all of the sequels. Yes all of them. I think the reason is because I watch them all as a kid and even a bit now I still think ''more is good''. As long as there was Land Before Time sequels to watch I would always be happy to watch them. Now onto the subject of why ''Theory on LBT13'' I agree with you that ''LBT 13 was too kid-friendly, wacky, and less polished'' because it could of been something much more. (Hard to put it into words)

I liked it, and liked all the sequels except 13, which was a massive dissapointment, because it completed bombed what was a great series, that could have been ressurected with a new director, but the failure it was was like the Battle of Stalingrad, or Berlin, as, like Germany by that time, Land Before Time was on its last legs, and it was just to much for the series that the directors abandoned it. Seriously, they think that kids can't handle dinosaur violence, thats fricking why kids like dinosaurs, violence. A little blood isn't going to scar a kid for life like a 'nasty' scene in LBT would.

Agreed. How many kids these days have over 18 video games? Many! In fact I was playing Grand Theft Auto when I was seven years ago. With that in mind there should of used more violence but not so much too put families off letting there kids wacth it. But to at last make it a bit more realistic. (Not sure if I've used the right word there)

[/i]

If I was director, I would make it something like this.

Redclaw finds a new way into the Great Valley and sneaks in. He tries to kill the gang, but the adults save them. Unfortunatley, Cera was bitten by by Screech or Thud off screen but survived, but Mr. Threehorn blames Chomper, as no one saw the fast-biters.

Chomper triesto prove he is innocent, but the valley exiles him. Chomper leaves, and encounters an orphaned raptor girl, who tells her about her parent's death at the hands of Redclaw. Chomper remembers his own parents' demise, and has enough of Redclaw.

He tries to convince as many sharpteeth as he can to stand up against Redclaw, and that, if they work together, it will work. Only a few listen, but it is enough to stop Redclaw. The gang tries to find Chomper but are ambushed by Redclaw, Chomper's rallied sharpteeth attack Redclaw and force him off a cliff into a lake, where he drowns like a certain scene in the first.

Chomper convinces the other sharpteeth not to kill his friends, and he goes back to the valley after a celebration, but news makes it to the valley before them of Redclaw's death, and of Chomper's orchestration of it. The raptor girl stays in the valley after Chomper convinces the adults she is nice, and they all live happily ever after.

That's really a good story and would kick start the movies again if it was done. Sometimes I don't know why the fans just make the movies. They would be so much better. If only Universal would see it like that. I guess there think it would be a waste of money.