Continuity...

[Tails_155]

Action and I had a rather deep debate on the subject of continuity, and how some members over-analyze the films to the point any reader may be considering the movie unwatchable, even if it was their favorite just before... Artistic liberty, what it really comes down to, proves that there's no reason to question the accuracy OF the films... some of us take these movies to a very technical level which isn't necessary to enjoy a film, a couple things need to be taken into account about artistic liberty:

1. nothing needs to be perfect, it just needs to entertain

2. some things need to be made up so a story works better...

these movies, ESPECIALLY the later ones, which everyone gives so much trouble, also have a few problems that people kinda ignore or misplace blame on:

1. we criticize only the things that stick out to us without trying to understand it, or without thinking about the demographic...

2. there WAS a director change

I won't say certain errors haven't bothered me, but I'm not 100% conservative... so I try to understand why the problem happens... and almost all of them, when you get down the basics are explianable in one way or another... I can elaborate if one wants on a specific problem I have justified, but I'm not going to do this with each and every one I've noticed because it'd take an unfathomable amount of writing XD, feel free to question me, and don't think I have all the answers, and don't think you'll always be satisfied, but I will try

and to certain members who are VERY critical: be gentle plz =\ =/

[Petrie.]

I can live with that conclusion.  And that first line made me laugh.    I butchered LBT 11 when it came out.

[Tails_155]

heh, 11 wasn't one of my favorites although lots of people like that opening piano thing

[Malte279]

Just who might you two have been thinking of
The perception of the recent movies (since LBT 10) has been very different indeed depending pretty much on where people set their focus to determine the quality of a movie.

1. nothing needs to be perfect, it just needs to entertain

Nothing CAN be perfect as everyone of us has a different idea of perfection.
There are two points which I consider particularly important for a good LBT movie. First of all a solid plot. And secondly a good realization of that plot. A total failure to meet one of these two requirements usually results in a mediocre movie even if the other criteria is fulfilled...
Anyway, I don't want to go off topic.

2. some things need to be made up so a story works better...

Which things are you thinking of. Where should a line be drawn to determine what can and should be made up? Should there be a line?
Some would consider aliens in LBT 7 a good idea, while others wouldn't. I am not fanatic enough to allow smaller shortcommings in the coherence of a story (Petrie being unable to fly across the crack in LBT 9) to spoil the entire story, but if there are major fractions in the plausibility of a story or the coherence with earlier stories (most notably in LBT 10), or elements which eally seem silly (perfectly harmless sharpteeth for once) I don't think these are things made up for the better of a story.

1. we criticize only the things that stick out to us without trying to understand it, or without thinking about the demographic...

What exactly do you mean about demographic not being thought about? Are you refering to the fact that the movies are made for a younger audience?
Can you give an example for a point that was critiziced without any attempts being undertaken to understand it?

2. there WAS a director change

There was indeed, but is there anyone who is not aware of it? That directors change was back in the year 1997. Of what relevance is that directors change to the newer sequels (since LBT 10) unless they were compared with those movies up to LBT 4?
Did my conduct give any cause for grievance of lately? :unsure:

[Tails_155]

Just who might you two have been thinking of
 

well I didn't want to say names

10 is like the Great Longneck Scheme as far as why it was done IMO...

Don't you think Grosvenor received numerous letters/emails/whatevers asking "what happened to Littlefoot's dad?" just as much as "when is Ali coming back?" breaking it down to basics gives you the reason for what might be considered poor effort

A refers to Ali, B refers to Bron

1{A & B}.  Grosvenor just wanted to stop receiving emails/letters asking these questions, he'd heard it before, and probably got tired of it

2{B}. The story left no explanation as to what happened to his father other than his suggested death, and since it hadn't been mentioned ANYWHERE beforehand that his father was around, or ever existed it's kinda clean-slated, it had been far too long to make any story of him searching make sense to the over-analysts... *ahem* so he probably just did what he could...

2{A}. Grosvenor did NOT create this character, so what he did was went with some ideas he had based on what he saw...

she is fairly unquestioning: She wouldn't work with the others.
she is easily swayed: oh he's a longneck he must be alright: Littlefoot and Rhett
she's not the best decision maker: going alone to the land her mom didn't want her to go to, because she didn't like the others for no reason
she said herself she's been so many places she can't remember them all very well, it didn't say how long she was with or how attached she was to each place

Thusly, the character IS fairly accurate to the original, and maybe she didn't seem too accepting of her old friends because it'd been so long she barely remembered them that much...

If you need to understand this further, what if I gave you a character, and an hours' info on something that happened to him/her, but not a TON of info about him/her? could you make a 100% accurate story about him/her?

3{B}. Bron may have been gone a while before he started looking for Littlefoot and his mom, in which case maybe he (too) forgot about the Great Valley, there's no strong noting of time

3{A} Grosvenor made this episode with no narratorial response stating she'd return from here, which would probably lower (tho not definitely) the amount of letters and whatnot he'd receive

4{B} He (or his staff) DID create this character, so he is at liberty to bring this character back, he KNOWS this character...

[Malte279]

Don't you think Grosvenor received numerous letters/emails/whatevers asking "what happened to Littlefoot's dad?" just as much as "when is Ali coming back?"

Actually I really don't think so. For all I know Charles Grosvenor doesn't have a page such as Don Bluth's where people can contact him. Of course he may have checked out on the opinion in the forums, but having been constantly in the active LBT forums since 2000 I can assure you that questions about Littlefoot's father came up much less frequently than questions about Ali.

2{A}. Grosvenor did NOT create this character, so what he did was went with some ideas he had based on what he saw...

I haven't seen the Ali episode of the series yet, so I can't say anything on Mr. Grosvenor's interpretation of Ali.

Bron may have been gone a while before he started looking for Littlefoot and his mom, in which case maybe he (too) forgot about the Great Valley, there's no strong noting of time

The was no shortage of reminders though according to the description of the first movie. LBT 10 polarized LBT fans like no other LBT movie ever did. Sometimes I can't help thinking that there were harsh feelings by some people. There will never be agreement among the fans on LBT 10. The discussion is here, but I shall not continue it unless this is really what people want.

[Tails_155]

heh, I've read that through, and yes it's the toughest issue to 'answer'

[Nick22]

The Brave Longneck schgeme really could have been done a lot better...there could have been more backstory done, and at the end, ithe kids simply ran off to play together...no mention of leaving.. nothing specfic.. Personally I think they dumbed Ali down a bit, after LBT 4, and her adventures with her friends..there would be no reason to be so standoffish with them..yes, you can lose friendships over distance and timem but once you meet up again with them, the friendship should rekindle..

[Tails_155]

I thought the same thing, don't think I wasn't bothered by the episode in ways, but I still understand how it could've been done so poorly