If you could change one of the sequels...

WeirdRaptor · **on:** May 19, 2005, 10:30:11 PM

First of all, which of sequels do you have a problem with, if you have any with any of the sequels? What do you find wrong with it? Why do you want to change it? And how would you change it?

Malte279 · **Reply #1 on:** May 20, 2005, 03:18:24 AM

LBT 7 was the first one I had a serious problem with. The whole somewhat undefined thing about the stone of cold fire (what do they really expect it to do anyway) seems a bit strange, but I guess I could live with that one.
What I certainly would change about LBT 7 is the leaving of the rainbowfaces. Aliens from outer space belong into a different kind of story. It rather try to make their parting similar (not identical) to Doc's so everyone could interpret them for the own liking (I do see that there seems to be a paradox in my argumentation as I would prefer a clearer defined stone of cold fire but less clearer defined Rainbowfaces). Also I would do some changes of colors (no way there would be green lava in a movie if I had to decide about it).
LBT 8 does have an interesting story and no serious conflict with the way the world of LBT as presented in earlier sequels. Still I think there would be many changes about the way the story would be presented if I had to decide about it. First of all I would definitely make the sharptooth more threatening, dangerous, and not simply be defeated by a snowball being roled towards him (they'd really have to cause an avalanche for this in a story of mine, an avalanche perhaps which could endanger them as well. There is something like that in an LBT winter story I wrote before LBT 8). Also there are several color changes I would may. No deep green skies, no red to show that water is warm (this could be indicated through vapour above it), less extreme color changes to indicate the characters being warm or cold (e.g. I wouldn't create a deep grey Ducky but rather let the characters shiver or rattle their teeth more obviously. In general the effects of the coldness could be shown more obviously). I would certainly do some changes about Tippy. Perhaps in color, but certainly in his way of acting. Give him more of a character without being too silly. Perhaps I would let him utter complete sentences with some shortcommings in correctness as shown by Petrie or Ducky sometimes. I wouldn't allow a hot volcanic spring to freeze over in my version of LBT 8. There could be something else, like a geysir. Finally, if the green stuff around the hot spring is supposed to support the Great Valley dinosaurs and the spiketails for the whole cold time, I would certainly make it look like it is enough. In the movie the tiny bit of green appears almost ridiculous, more like a morsel than a food supply to last for an undefined long time. They could have come up with other ideas algae in the hot spring for example or needles of conifers (which may not be tasty, but might do to keep them alive).
LBT 10 is probably the most difficult one for me to handle. It strongly contradicts a story I'm writing at the moment (something I'd have to live with) and it seriously contradicts earlier movies (something I cannot accept). I guess I would end up with a whole different story in this case. Bron would have to come up with much better a reason for not being around all the time, the solar eclipse would be presented very differently (not like a falling shadow and without meteors to enhance the effect. Also I don't think I'd let a solar eclipse be the reason for all longnecks (excluding, Ali and her herd, Doc, and obviously parts of Brons herd) to head to a crater in the middle of nowhere. The sharpteeth would have to be much more dangerous ("I wouldn't tolerate a quote like sharpteeth are cowards!" in my story). And if Littlefoot was confronted with the choice of sticking with his father or returning to the valley, I would certainly let Cera, Ducky, Petrie, and Spike also show some reactions other than the one during the song "Bestest friends". Don't get me wrong, the song is quite okay, but I would let them also show some more sadness, and attempts to keep Littlefoot with them.

Which sequels would you change in which way Weird Raptor?

Petrie · **Reply #2 on:** May 20, 2005, 05:46:24 PM

I reserve comment since I've a feeling most here know how I already feel about sequels to anything.

Malte279 · **Reply #3 on:** May 20, 2005, 05:51:40 PM

I'm sorry for those who can't enjoy the sequels at all and envy those who so thoroughly love the original movie to make them such devoted fans without even the sequels doing some of the effect.

WeirdRaptor · **Reply #4 on:** May 22, 2005, 03:02:30 AM

State away, Arvens. It seems only you two want to pay my LBT discussions any attention.

Malte279 · **Reply #5 on:** May 22, 2005, 03:50:34 AM

Which sequels would you change yourself Weird Raptor? And in which way?

Littlefoot1616 · **Reply #6 on:** May 22, 2005, 04:11:30 AM

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State away, Arvens. It seems only you two want to pay my LBT discussions any attention.

Oh really?! And who said your topics were a Malte & Arvens flying zone only WeirdRaptor! LOL

I've only posted recently coz my uni course has pretty much ended for the term...had deadlines I was up till 4.30am working on for at least 3 consecutive nights

Won't be repeating THAT move in a hurry!

Sequels I'd change...hmm...? To be honest, I can't say. I don't have a problem with ANY of the sequels to the point I'd wanna change them. I'd probably iron out all the little animation glitches and/or mistakes made in them but I wouldn't completely alter any of the sequels. They'll never beat the original but still, I'm happy with 'em nonetheless

What about u Raptor? What're your sequels you'd wanna change?

Threehorn · **Reply #7 on:** May 22, 2005, 06:32:25 AM

I don't see anything wrong with them at all. I enjoyed watching every single one of them. I've been looking through them over and over again rewatching them that I kind of made a LBT story of my own called Land Before Time: The Journey to the Great Lake.

Link: www.fanfiction.net/~threehorn <<< this link takes you to my story lists. the ones I've made in present and past.

so what do you don't like WeridRaptor about LBT seques?

-Threehorn

Malte279 · **Reply #8 on:** May 22, 2005, 02:47:59 PM

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I'd probably iron out all the little animation glitches and/or mistakes made in them but I wouldn't completely alter any of the sequels.

Now that you mention it Littlefoot-1616, another thing I would iron out that is not exactly a glitch in the original sense of the word, but comes across like one as far as I'm concerned. I would definitely erase the "and the landscape turned red effect" that took place in some dangerous situations ever since LBT 5.

What about your Weird Raptor? Which changes would you make? The interest is imense.

WeirdRaptor · **Reply #9 on:** May 22, 2005, 03:07:20 PM

Oh yeah, I didn't.

Well, for #2 and #5, I'd definitely not have avoided the whole ackward situation about Chomper being a sharptooth, the way both Smith and Grovenor did. They did go over a bit, but not in the deapth I was hoping, even at ages 9 and 12.
Plus, I've increasingly become less and less tolerant of musical cartoons. I'd probably have done allt he sequels in the story-structure style of the original. Although I do love the first three sequels.
For #6. Well...the character Doc was well handled, but that was about it. Plus, I felt like I was watching a rip-off of "The Lone Ranger". Something I did not appreciate. And, NO COUNTRY MUSIC SINGING DINOSAURS!!!!!!!! And the whole "Bad Luck" theme (and song) drove me nuts.
For #7, Could they have given Petrie's uncle a less annoying and melodramatic voice? Plus, I'm no fan of Michael York. Someone like Alan Rickman or Tim Curry might have given Pterano more presence as a villain. Petrie was a bit too fascinated and fooled by his uncle for my tastes. Petrie may not be the brightest bult in the box, but I'd always given him more credit than the filmmakers did in this one. The two other villains were too annoying and it seemed like they trying to copy both Scrut and Ozie and Ril and Itchy with those two. Plus, they left no impression on me. Scrut and Ozie, Dil and Itchy, and the sharpteeth had credibility as villains. Not these two. Don't even get me started on the Rainbow faces...
For #8, actually, it wasn't too bad, but that new spiketail, whatever his name was, drove me nuts! The story was more well-handled than in the previous attempts.
For #9, actually, I have no problems with this one.
For #10, I have no serious problems with this one, other than how Bron was handled. Bron, I don't think, was a bad character, just a victem of bad writing.
For #11, I haven't seen it enough to times to remember everything like I can with the others yet.

Petrie · **Reply #10 on:** May 22, 2005, 08:52:20 PM

Alright, honestly I'd kill the singing in all the sequels; the original did fine without it, and there's no reason the rest couldn't have done the same and many films prove singing is not necessary (done by the characters themselves) for a popular film. Unfortunately, wouldn't you know all the sequels were made during the time of the "animated musicals" so they must sing sing SING!!! -_- Really, just axe all the songs, but then the storyline might not have been as exciting for their target audience so I guess I'd be the axed one if I happened to be a storyboard writer.....

WeirdRaptor · **Reply #11 on:** May 23, 2005, 01:31:42 AM

Actually, the fact that it was a sequel to LBT probably would have made some sales,then word of mouth. The series would have been just as successful without all the infernal singing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Malte279 · **Reply #12 on:** May 23, 2005, 04:02:34 AM

Probably, and I admit that when I first heard them singing it send shudders down my back and I turned the volume down when I watched it. However, if I had the possibility to decide that that all the songs were never made, I would decide for the songs. For besides the really poor ones there were also some okay, and some I really wouldn't want to miss (e.g. No one has to be alone).

Littlefoot1616 · **Reply #13 on:** May 23, 2005, 07:05:10 AM

I think the idea of the sing-a-long songs was to generate some means of a spin-off products. There are videos dedictated just to the s-a-ls and I'm pretty sure there's at least one CD out there which has s-a-ls on it up to about #4...I think. Also, if you look at the DVDs now they have backtracked s-a-ls as Bonus Features complete with the glowing "follow the bouncing ball" words. I reckon the s-a-ls are there to entertain kids as a means to break-up the movie a bit so it doesnt become tedious, like a commercial break without the adverts. With kids, you've gotta be diverse moreso than with adults coz their attention span will dwindle if it's not simulated and refreshed every now and again. Adults will tend to sit through something just purely out of respect even though they are bored out of their brain!

I personally dont have a problem with the s-a-ls (not that I ever have a problem with anything to do with the LBTs LOL) but I have to admit, when anyone else happens to be watching the movie me, I tend to cringe at the thought of what my additional viewer is thinking as everyone suddenly starts bursting into song

Yesterday for example, I was watching LBT 11 and one of my housemates walked into my room a few minutes before a song was due to play, as soon as it did, I couldn't shake the feeling of what my friend was thinking... :unsure:

Threehorn · **Reply #14 on:** May 23, 2005, 08:41:59 AM

I love the sing along songs. I even put a load of the tracks on a CD and listen to it on the way to college. So I like to listen to them, what I like and no one can stop it

Some ppl don't like some of the songs but you EVEN said to Avrens you think the Bestest Friends song was a touching song that even you said to me that it right song for the right moment. maybe you forgot that you said that to me, but I remember it.

-Threehorn

WeirdRaptor · **Reply #15 on:** May 24, 2005, 07:26:03 PM

But did the original film need those songs?

Littlefoot1616 · **Reply #16 on:** May 25, 2005, 06:25:10 AM

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But did the original film need those songs?

How'd you mean? In terms of what I said? Obviously we all know that there was only Diana Ross's IWHOT at the end of the original but if you think about it, LBT 1 has a total running time just short of an hour (not including the credits), but the other LBTs run from 1h 5mins right up to nearly 1hr 30mins now. LBT 1 was dramatically shortened because it was feared by the makers that kids would switch off and get bored. It was even written by Don Bluth that it was decided to cut the film because it was thought of as being too long (much to Bluth's disapproval). The sequels inc. the s-a-ls pad the movie out and pose as a fun little break for kids who are taking in the story

WeirdRaptor · **Reply #17 on:** May 25, 2005, 01:05:53 PM

But did the original nee dany songs to be a darn good movie?

Actualy, even from age 9, I liked none-musical cartoon than musical ones.

Petrie · **Reply #18 on:** May 25, 2005, 04:20:45 PM

To answer your question, to me, the original didn't need any songs. I still watched the darn thing countless times a week.

Don't ask how I didn't manage to burn a whole in the tape playing it over and over like I did. I even recorded the audio on cassette through one of those cheesy tape recorders with the plastic microphones so I could listen to it on road trips.

The original didn't need songs to keep my attention.

I can't speak for everyone but that's where I stand.

WeirdRaptor · **Reply #19 on:** May 25, 2005, 08:12:04 PM

I think you do speak for everyone in saying that about the original. If the original didn't need the songs, the sequel don't.