What Makes the Sequels Good?

[Bruton the Iguanodon]

The movie itself is flawless. Both plot wise and with its clean cut animation. The darker tone of the first film was gone, but the light and positive vibe of the Great Valley was very present. The songs conveyed such a heartwarming feeling that even grown-ups would end up glued to the TV screen.

That's the main issue with the sequels. Does the lack of the dark tone make them better or worse? Everyone says worse, but I don't know. At least, as far as RAS goes. Maybe I overrate him, though.

[NewOrder]

I wouldn't say it makes them worse, just different.

These days it's very rare to find western animation with a more darker tone, especially if it's targeted towards young children. The Land Before Time was one of the last movies to really fit that niche.

The sequels have a different tone and a more positive and colourful vibe. That in and of itself doesn't make them bad, just different. I enjoy them a lot, especially the RAS ones.

[Bruton the Iguanodon]

I wouldn't say it makes them worse, just different.

These days it's very rare to find western animation with a more darker tone, especially if it's targeted towards young children. The Land Before Time was one of the last movies to really fit that niche.

The sequels have a different tone and a more positive and colourful vibe. That in and of itself doesn't make them bad, just different. I enjoy them a lot, especially the RAS ones.

That's good to hear. BTW, you find movie 5 to be a conflict between directors?

[NewOrder]

I don't believe there was an actual conflict between the two directors, I believe that Grosvenor picked up where RAS left and tried to stay true to his vision for The Mysterious Island, while ate the same time implementing his own tone to the movie.

In animation the director is more important than in live action, however, the director's job is still way too much overrated, writers, editors, and animators are the ones who do most of the work, the director just ties the different ends of the story together and decides what point of view the audience is going to get.

Still, in V you can clearly see where one director picked up the story and the other one left. From a professional stand point I don't think they would have a big problem with that, although I would understand if RAS just left Grosvenor on his own to finish the movie.

[Bruton the Iguanodon]

I don't believe there was an actual conflict between the two directors, I believe that Grosvenor picked up where RAS left and tried to stay true to his vision for The Mysterious Island, while ate the same time implementing his own tone to the movie.

In animation the director is more important than in live action, however, the director's job is still way too much overrated, writers, editors, and animators are the ones who do most of the work, the director just ties the different ends of the story together and decides what point of view the audience is going to get.

Still, in V you can clearly see where one director picked up the story and the other one left. From a professional stand point I don't think they would have a big problem with that, although I would understand if RAS just left Grosvenor on his own to finish the movie.

Wait, so RAS actually quit in the middle of the movie and Grosvenor picked up?

[NewOrder]

I'm not sure, that's the feeling that I got from the movie itself. I don't know what really happened.

[pokeplayer984]

Well, I sure have gotten lazy with this article in the last few weeks.  I think I've figured out why, though.

Seems I like reading stories and articles far more than I do writing them, despite being good at writing them.  In fact, writing in general isn't really an interest of mine.  It might even explain why I take so long to finish my stories.  I'd rather read them than write them.

Now, this doesn't mean they won't ever be finished.  It just means they'll come when they are done based on when I feel like doing the work.

I really do want to get it done before the new sequel comes out, but if I have little interest to continue, it just might not happen.

I truly hope to get it done before the end of the month though.  I really will try to keep that promise.

See ya later!

[Petrie157578641]

what makes them good? incredible animation(some of the best 2D animation in animation history, one of reasons I love these movies so much is because they kept it traditional instead of going into 3D like most of others did.)
absolutely amazing(occasionally) songs, outstanding voice acting(Jeff Bennett being my favorite), which, mind you didn't get worse even in the TV series. Decent storylines, not all of sequels of course, but most of them, had an interesting enough story, my favorite being Stone of Cold Fire
Great music. Again - my favorite was in Stone of Cold Fire. I'd even say the sequels pretty much surpassed the original movie. I do wish however they were a little darker, like original movie, movies 7 an 10, and weren't too light-hearted like movies 11-13 were

[Bruton the Iguanodon]

The darker tone of the first film was gone, but the light and positive vibe of the Great Valley was very present.

But that's what makes them bad, imo. The dark tone is what made the first film unique. True, it could also be melodramatic and overly depressing, but it didn't talk down to viewers.

The director choice is just as much a problem, however. Over the course of 12 sequels we had three directors. One was clearly a terrible choice, the other was obviously better at directing TV series episodes, and the third left just when it felt he might have had some potential.

Now, there are plenty of things that make them good. Whoever did the art for the first three sequels knew what they were doing. Michael Tavera never fails to excell with the music.

[Petrie157578641]

 Whoever did the art for the first three sequels knew what they were doing.
 

LOL the first 3 sequels? are you kidding? the first sequels looked very messy.They tried to be like the first movie but clearly didn't have the budget for that.  it's the 7-th movie where the animation got so much better and became much more detailed. That's when animators really knew what they were doing. They didn't try to be like the first movie, instead they made it different and more focused, more detailed than ever before

[Ducky123]

They started using more and more digital elements from LBT 7 on. Some people say it looks better, some though say it's horrible...
I think it's a two-bladed sword. On the one hand, I REALLY love the animation they used in the early sequels and just the way these movies look like (background art, not so bright colouring etc.) but. on the other hand, I'm also quite fond of the way things were done in LBT 7 and later (not counting LBT 13 and the TV-series though ). Each animation style has its pros and cons and I try to value both styles for what I think is great about them.

[Petrie157578641]

They started using more and more digital elements from LBT 7 on. Some people say it looks better, some though say it's horrible...
 

What do you mean digital erlements? all I can remember at the moment is the 3D mountain in LBT 7 opening and terrible-looking CG log Cera and her dad were pushing in LBT 9. Other than those extremely rare things almost all of it made in hand-drawn 2D animation. Sure it was drawn on computers later on but it's still hand-drawn, not 3D which is so popular nowdays or cheap-looking flash animation. LBT 7 and laters sequels are nothing like that.

[Bruton the Iguanodon]

 Whoever did the art for the first three sequels knew what they were doing.
 

LOL the first 3 sequels? are you kidding? the first sequels looked very messy.They tried to be like the first movie but clearly didn't have the budget for that.  it's the 7-th movie where the animation got so much better and became much more detailed. That's when animators really knew what they were doing. They didn't try to be like the first movie, instead they made it different and more focused, more detailed than ever before

I disagree. The first three sequels had the best animation because they tried to be like the original. And they ended up looking amazing.

[DarkHououmon]

I prefer the look of the first few sequels myself. While I don't dislike later animation (like 10 and onward), I still like the look of the early couple of sequels better.

[Bruton the Iguanodon]

I prefer the look of the first few sequels myself. While I don't dislike later animation (like 10 and onward), I still like the look of the early couple of sequels better.

Cool. I'm glad you like it.

LBT was what really made me realize how much I dislike digital and brightly colored animation. That's why I can't stand 2-D Disney animation after 1989 (prior to that, the colors were usually bright, but at least it was cel-animation). Between that and how sappy and kiddy I feel Disney stuff is, I think Warner Bros. deserves the title of the greatest animation studio.

Personally, the fact that all animation (almost) is on computers now doesn't bother me that much, as I feel once everyone started using digital, 2D animation just went downhill.

What's interesting is how little the LBT animation has changed since they changed the animation with LBT 8. JOTB looks like it could have been released just a year after LBT 8. LBT 2-4, on the other hand, look like they were made 15 years before LBT 8.

[Ludichris1]

The Lion King was after 1989

I think Tarzan utilised computer software for painting and possibly line art

overall that's a big... opinion xD

[Bruton the Iguanodon]

The Lion King was after 1989

I think Tarzan utilised computer software for painting and possibly line art

overall that's a big... opinion xD

I never said anything about The Lion King being cel-animated.

[DarkHououmon]

I do like both digital and traditional animation. I think both can be done quite well.

Also, I'd have to disagree with you, Bruton, about Disney being "sappy and kiddy", personally. If you look deep enough, there's a number of things in Disney that is a bit dark for something that is "kiddy".

[Petrie157578641]

not sure the link works but I made this vid long ago to demonstrate how beautiful LBT sequels(since 7-th movie) were

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hIB0Oyf2hY
I really don't understand how can someone not like this animation. I think it's among the greatest animations in history

[DarkHououmon]

The reason I prefer the animation in the earlier films is a pretty simple reason. I think the adults look better in the earlier films. Proportion-wise I mean. It just fees that, in the later films, they began to look too much like just "big children", rather than porportions more like an adult.

That's just how it feels like to me.