The Land Before Time(1988)

Universal Pictures

G
1h 9m

Release Date: Nov 18, 1988

65%
79%
7.4

An orphaned brontosaurus teams up with other young dinosaurs in order to reunite with their families in a valley.

Release Details

Original Release | Nov 18, 1988

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Box Office Results

2025-02-02T04:16:59.698Z

Results

Opening Weekend US & Canada:
$7,526,025
Total US & Canada:
$48,478,716
Total International
$36,368,000
Total Worldwide:
$84,846,716

Current Showtimes

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Location

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Director & Top Cast

Don Bluth
Director

Pat Hingle
Narrator

Gabriel Damon
Littlefoot

Helen Shaver
Littlefoot's Mother

Technical Specifications

Sound Mix: Dolby Stereo

Other Details

Country of Origin: United States, Ireland

Language: English

Summaries

Plot Summary

During the age of the dinosaurs, a massive famine forces several herds of dinosaurs to seek an oasis known as the Great Valley. Among these, a mother in a diminished "longneck" herd gives birth to a single baby, named Littlefoot. Years later, Littlefoot plays with Cera, a "three-horn", until her father intervenes and tells her that three-horns don't play with long-necks, whereupon Littlefoot's mother describes the different kinds of dinosaurs: "three-horns", "spike-tails", "swimmers", and "flyers". That night, as Littlefoot follows a "hopper", he encounters Cera again, and they play together briefly until a large "Sharptooth" attacks them. Littlefoot's mother comes to their rescue, but receives fatal injuries in the process. An earthquake swallows up the Sharptooth and divides Littlefoot and Cera and other dinosaurs from their herds while some die in the process, including Littlefoot's mother, who gives her son some words of advice about finding the Great Valley before she dies that night. Confused and in grief, Littlefoot meets an old "clubtail" named Rooter, who consoles him. He is then guided by his mother's voice telling him to follow the sun to the Great Valley and pass several landmarks, such as a rock formation that resembles a Longneck and the "Mountains that Burn". Later, Littlefoot meets a "bigmouth" named Ducky and a "flyer" named Petrie, who accompany him on his journey. Cera, who is attempting to find her own kind, finds the unconscious Sharptooth inside a ravine and mistakenly wakes him up. She escapes and bumps into Littlefoot, Ducky, and Petrie; she tells them that the Sharptooth is alive and pursuing them, but Littlefoot does not believe her. As Cera describes her encounter, she accidentally flings Ducky to the direction of a lone hatching "spiketail", whom she names Spike and inducts into the group. Seeking the Great Valley, they discover a cluster of trees, which is abruptly depleted by a herd of Longnecks. Searching for remaining growth, they discover a single leaf-bearing tree, and obtain food by stacking up atop each other and pulling it down. Cera remains aloof, but at nightfall, everyone including herself gravitates to Littlefoot's side for warmth and companionship. The next morning, they are attacked by the Sharptooth, but they manage to escape through a tunnel that is too small for him to follow. Beyond this, they discover the landmarks mentioned by Littlefoot's mother. Cera stubbornly decides to go another way, but Littlefoot, fed up with Cera's stubbornness, refuses, and their ensuing fight leads to a schism that divides him from the others. However, when Ducky and Spike become endangered by lava, Petrie gets stuck in a tar pit, and Cera gets ambushed by a pack of "domeheads" (Pachycephalosaurus) who are also living in the Mountains that Burn, Littlefoot returns to rescue them. Ashamed of her fear and behavior, and reluctant to admit her mistake, Cera leaves them in tears. Later, while crossing a pond, Petrie overhears the Sharptooth nearby. The group devises a scheme to lure him to the pond and drown him in the deep side using a nearby boulder. During the ensuing struggle, a draft from the Sharptooth's nostrils enables Petrie to fly for the first time. The plan nearly fails when the Sharptooth begins attacking the boulder while the group attempts to push it onto him. However, Cera reunites with the group, and she headbutts the boulder, causing the Sharptooth to fall into the water below with the boulder falling on him in the process. The Sharptooth momentarily takes Petrie down with him to his death, but he later emerges unharmed. Littlefoot, alone, follows a cloud resembling his mother, which guides him to the Great Valley. He is then joined by the others. Upon arrival, the five are reunited with their families: Petrie impresses his family with his newfound flight; Ducky introduces Spike to her family, who adopt him; Cera reunites with her father; and Littlefoot rejoins with his grandparents. The group then rejoins at the top of a hill and embrace each other in a hug.

Storyline

An orphaned brontosaurus named Littlefoot sets off in search of the legendary Great Valley. A land of lush vegetation where the dinosaurs can thrive and live in peace. Along the way he meets four other young dinosaurs, each one a different species, and they encounter several obstacles and the evil predator Sharptooth as they learn to work together in order to survive. — Scott Lane Embark on a journey into an enchanting prehistoric adventure with dinosaur pals Littlefoot, Cera, Spike, Ducky and Petrie in this acclaimed animated classic for the entire family. In a long-ago age of rumbling volcanoes and perilous earthquakes, a young brontosaurus named Littlefoot suddenly finds himself on his own. Setting out to find the lush feeding grounds of the legendary Great Valley, he meets up with four other young dinosaurs who agree to join his quest. On their daring trek across a landscape filled with excitement and danger, the brave little band encounters hungry predators and daunting challenges as they discover new lessons in life and the importance of teamwork. — A-Colozza Littlefoot, a brontosaurus child, must fend for himself when his mother is killed (shades of Bambi). With several other orphaned dinosaurs, Littlefoot seeks out the fabled Great Valley, where food and shelter is plentiful. Along the way, the kiddie Dinos learn several vital (and politically correct) life lessons, all the while keeping themselves scarce whenever the fierce tyrannosaurus galumph into view.

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