A review of Land Before Time on DVD

The Land Before Time 1 (1988) DVD launched a series of movies that have thrived for over two decades. Not exactly prehistoric, it is still a healthy span of time for any film franchise to still be progressing.

Land Before Time

Background
Animated by Don Bluth, who also did An American Tail, The Land Before Time series begins by focusing on the adventures of an orphaned young dinosaur called Littlefoot, as he attempts to outrun a plague. On his journey to the safety of the Great Valley, he meets a variety of dinosaurs and faces various challenges. His new found friendships are vital, as he overcomes the difficulties in his way, including carnivores, earthquakes and volcanoes. Industry heavyweights, Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, were among the big names who produced the film and it was released by Universal Studios in co-operation with Amblin Entertainment.
Land Before Time 2
The second DVD of The Land Before Time movies was called 'The Great Valley Adventure - The Land Before Time 2', which again featured the antics of Littlefoot. Unlike its predecessor, it wasn't aired at the cinema and went straight to video. In this film, the young brontosaurus discovers how hard it is to be a kid alone in a scary world. Whilst it is true that the plot is not as wide sweeping as the first, the songs are catchier and serves to draw the younger viewer into the story.

Merchandise

Traditional Merchandise
As with Disney animated films, the success of these films led to a clamour for associated merchandise. Land Before Time toys, both plastic miniatures and plush soft toys became much in demand. Individual figures of Littlefoot, Chomper and Ducky and larger, more expensive play sets often featured on a child's wish-list. Most large toy stores have a section devoted to these creatures and they are also widely available online. A quick search for landbeforetime toys, will provide a comprehensive list of current stock. Computerised Merchandise
Computer game enthusiasts have been well catered for with games being released in PC, Game Boy Advance and in PlayStation formats. The PC games are of an educational nature aimed at the very young whilst the latter two have more entertainment value for a wider audience.