As for the matter of character developement, do you mean both physical and psychological developement? As for the physical we have again such a point where LBT fans have been disagreeing about for a long time already
I for my part don't like the idea of the characters actually growing up and change their outward appearance. I do not deny that it would be more realistic (from the realistic point of view Littlefoot would have to put on at least 2kilogramm each day from early age on) if they did grow up, but in this respect I really have to abandon my favor for realism for once. I really like them the way they are.
This is not what I was talking about
at all.
As for the psychological aspect, I do think that they have to learn from their experience and act accordingly, but on the other hand shouldn't totally abandon their ways. I think there is a certain degree of developement for the characters throughout the movies. Just take LBT 11 for example. Of all the characters (excluding Littlefoot) it is supposedly grumpy and intolerant Cera who turns out to be most protective and thoughtful towards the little longnecks. Maybe this is also because she is in a mood to defy her dad, yet whatever her reasons may be, I do see a developement there. The same goes for her attitude towards Tria and also for the attitude of her father towards her ("This is so much harder than yelling!").
This is but just one example. There are other learning processes we can observe throughout almost every single sequel.
I do not think that some of the basic characteristics of the characters should be abandoned for this though. What would we have if all the characters had learned all their lessons and behaved accordingly? Wouldn't we end up with a band of dinosaurs so well behaved that they would be difficult to stand? Cera by nature is an adventurous and to a certain degree bigoted character. Should she be tamed down to act precisely the way Littlefoot does (so long he doesn't lie about disappearing tree-sweets?). I don't really think so.
I'm not saying that the basic characteristics should be abandoned, but I still don't see any character developement in the sequels, and it actually was little surprise to me that Cera was protective towards the little longnecks, because she has always done the right
thing when push comes to shove. And what I was saying concerning Cera is that her prejudice should have began to die down some, at least, by now. Cera will always be Cera, but she can be Cera without being so biased.
As for Littlefoot's situation in #11. That actually struck me more as "out-of-character"-ness than character developement.
If the characters would all turn too reasonable I'm afraid they would also fade in color.
Not what I was suggesting. There's always a problem with someone, but it seems that same old problems and gone over and gone over and gone over, time and again here. If the creators were really "creative", they'd at least present new problems for Littlefoot and the others more often. Yes, they present new situations, but I can never shake the feeling that we're going over an old issue here, in several of the sequels.
The same goes in my opinion for there way of talking, respectively not talking.
I understand Spike's muteness to be a physical disability; which by the way I consider a valuable element in a story like LBT. You may argue that it can't be a physical disability because he actually spoke in LBT 4 and uttered something that very much sounded like speech in LBT 8. However, you could really see how difficult it was for Spike to utter "Ducky" in LBT 4 and it was in a special situation. I don't think that he can command over his voice at mere will and I do not think his muteness is an indicator of lacking intelligence.
Spike is very simple, I think. And of course, Spike's muteness was not innitially a physical disability in the original, as he was just hatched, and the filmmakers have never really bothered to do much with his character, outside of a rare moment found in #4, and then that abysmal mess that was film #8.
As for the talking of Ducky and Petrie it too makes a good deal of their characters I think. It would be a lot easier for me to let Petrie talk in a story if I knew that "I (Petrie) can speak English in a most appropriate and sophisticated manner!" but it wouldn't really be Petrie. And what would Ducky be without her "Yep, yep, yep!"?
I suppose this one does bore too different opinions, doesn't it? For me, at least, the incorrect use of grammar and the "yep, yep, yep" are overused, old gags that have long since lost their charm. And I'm not saying that they should make Petrie into a suave, smooth talker, but it would be nice to see him, say, progress a little, in the area of the vocabulary.
I do agree however that the adults could play a more important role. I certainly wouldn't want them to oust Littlefoot and the others, but the grownups should be good for more than just committing the fooleries Littlefoot and the others have to correct or telling some words of wisdom occassionally. It would be interesting to turn out some more facettes about some of the grownup characters.
Too true, my friend.
Yet I do think that attempts of this have already been made. Cera's Dad in LBT 3 and 11 for example. There were other plots in which other parental characters should have had a chance to do and say a little more (Littlefoot's grandparents in LBT 10, Petrie's mother in LBT 7, Ducky's mother in LBT 8).
But what exactly do you mean by Littlefoot's grandparents not standing up for anything? I mean, they do play a relativelyactive part in some of the sequels, don't they?
Littlefoot's grandparents supposed are no wise and great, yet I've yet to see them finally just stand up for anthing. An example: they've had a number of opportunities to stand up to Threehorn and put him in his place, especially when they are the only ones who can do it. Despite this, it's interesting that they had no reservations about talking down to Pterano. Also, most of the advise they give is very typical. Heck, I can give Littlefoot the exact same advise, myself.
One thing I found interesting was the reaction of Littlefoot's grandfather about Pterano in LBT 7. I found his conduct so interesting that I used it in the story I'm writing too. Can you imagine Littlefoot's grandfather yelling at Littlefoot?
Actually, no, I can't see Littlefoot's grandpa yelling at him, not unless he did something
realllllllllllly bad.
As for the disappearing of guest stars I agree totally and unreserved with you! Characters like Hyp and his cronies, Dinah and Dana, Mr. Thicknose, Pat, Tria (who knows, we might see her again in LBT 12, I think I heard such a rumor, but I cannot pinpoint when or from whom I did, so don't take my word for it) who are residents to the Great Valley should return occasionally. They need not necessarily play a major role, but I think it would be a great imporvement if sometimes we were shown they are still alive. They could easily contribute to further stories even if they were not granted major roles.
Absolutely.
For Hyp, Mutt, an Nod, I think small appearances in #5, #6, and #8 would not have been difficult for the filmmakers to mix in. In #5: the whole population of the Great Valley is traveling together, and they could easily have appeared for a few scenes. IN #6: they, perhaps, could have brought some humor to the plot when the bad luck was going scouring the Valley. Can you just imagine the comedic sequence that could have been!
#8: more humor concerning snow and ice! They could be regular looney tunes for this series, if given the chance. In #11: they could actually have had a decent sized role for that one.
And as for Mr. Thicknose, despite strickly being a dinosaurian scholar, he could easily be useless with his advise, from time to time.
As for Chomper, I don't oppose his return if it is done in a good manner.
No argument here, except that everytime you want to use Chomper, you have to have some darn good excuse concerning why he's hanging around, and how he got there. And now that he's stranded on that island, the difficulty of reintroducing him to the series is practicely infinite!
Sometimes I have the impression that fans lost some interest in him because he returned once. People are more focused on Ali whose (hopefully) impending return has reached almost the status of a "second coming legend" among LBT fans. I certainly look forward to such a "second coming", but I don't think Chomper is a bad character to bring back either. His being a sharptooth does set him apart from the others. The problems of his being a carnivore have been almost neglected so far however. It would give good stuff for another story I think, but it sure would also be difficult terrain for a land before time story. Maybe it could make for the "gloomier" LBT plot many people are asking for. Such a story would be tricky though. I don't like an overly simple solution (if there is such a thing as a "solution" at all) as it was offered on the same matter in the movie "Madagascar". Maybe one could combine a return of Chomper with a return of Ali?
An Ali AND Chomper guest appear in one LBT film? That would be interesting! I'd also like to see the issue of him being a sharptooth gone over in more detail, as well, and it would be very fitting if a solution to this was never, officially, found, and if it was just left inconclusive.
