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The Land Before Time II: The Great Valley Adventure

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The Land Before Time II: The Great Valley Adventure is a film in the The Land Before Time series. It is the first of many animated sequels to the original film, The Land Before Time. It was released direct-to-video on December 12, 1994; six years after the theatrical release of the first. After this sequel's release, all the films in the series have been released at a rate of one film every one or two years.

The Great Valley Adventure focuses on the experiences of the characters Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie and Spike, after they have arrived in the Great Valley. The characters feel frustrated by their parent's attentiveness, and decide to temporarily run away into the Mysterious Beyond, a barren, rocky place in which many of the dangers they endured on their quest to the Valley exist. There, they deal with two dinosaurs who feed off of eggs, and discover the egg of a Sharptooth. The tone, lighting and plot of the film was made much softer than that of the original, in order to appeal to a younger audience.

The film's reviews were considerably set back, when compared to the critical reaction to the original The Land Before Time. Still, most of the critics believed The Great Valley Adventure to be good for young children. Perhaps in part due to the popularity of the character Chomper, this movie has been released to VHS, laserdisc and DVD many times over since its original 1994 video release. To this day it is considered by all if not by most fans to one of the best The Land Before Time sequels of its time.

Voice Actors

English Voice Cast

Candace Hutson, in the role of Cera, is the only voice actor from the original The Land Before Time to resume her role for the sequels, with Gabriel Damon (Littlefoot) replaced by Scott McAfee, Judith Barsi (Ducky) replaced by Heather Hogan, Will Ryan (Petrie) replaced by Jeff Bennett, Pat Hingle (The narrator) replaced by John Ingle, Burke Burnes (Mr. Threehorn) replaced by John Ingle, and Bill Erwin (Grandpa Longneck) replaced by Kenneth Mars.

Japanese voice cast

Note: The Japanese voice actors are appearing so far.

Plot

The children have made it to the Great Valley, and are living a peaceful and playful life under the watch of their families. However, they eventually decide that they don't want to be treated like helpless hatchlings any longer, and try to prove themselves independent by temporarily running away into the Mysterious Beyond.

Meanwhile, two egg nappers named Ozzy & Strut have shown up in the Great Valley, and have stolen an egg from Ducky's nest. The gang find this out, and chase them into the Mysterious Beyond, where a landslide occurs during the pursuit. Both parties remain relatively unharmed, but Littlefoot fears the egg got smashed. Ducky starts to cry, until she notices the egg in tact - and larger than before. The five work together to bring it home again, but find that it was there all along.

Baby Chomper

The egg has hatched, and Ducky and Petrie look over the new baby, before realizing (when he yawns) that he is a Sharptooth.
Littlefoot with Grandparents (TLBT 2)

Littlefoot asks his grandparents for advice on taking care of a baby (without informing them of Chomper).

They stand around it, waiting for it to hatch and planning how they will take care of it. When it hatches, they run away in fear upon realising that the egg contained a baby sharptooth. Littlefoot gets hurled back to the infant when he runs into a vine in the forest, and he realises the baby isn't so dangerous after all. He names him Chomper because of the noise he makes when eating the dragonflies he catches, and heads off for a moment to ask his grandparents how to look after a baby.

As he is continuing to teach Chomper how to function, the others get attacked by Ozzy and Strut, who are angry at them for interrupting their dinner the night before. Littlefoot hears their cries, and runs to help, while Chomper follows. Chomper's shadow makes him appear like a large sharptooth, which scares the egg nappers off. Everyone else then sees that he's nice, and welcome him into the Great Valley - until he bites Cera's tail out of instinct. Cera then dismisses him, but Littlefoot tries to direct him on the right path and explains that that's not allowed in the Great Valley. He feels hurt, and heads off to one of the smoking mountains, where he chases more dragonflies. The others try to get him down from there, while Ozzy and Strut are trying to get an egg from a flyer's nest. The children's voices alert the mother, who scares the duo off. Fed up this time, they try once more to harm the children, and find out that Chomper's a baby.

Just then, two adult sharpteeth show up and enter the Great Valley by means of an opening caused by the landslide. Everyone in the valley is alarmed, and a local battle breaks out, with even the children participating somewhat. The sharpteeth are defeated, and the adults question how they got in. Cera then explains what happened the night before, and they go off to fill up the entrance; telling the kids to stay behind.

Littlefoot remembers Chomper, and runs off to find him. When he does, the lighter coloured sharptooth (the female) comes and attacks them. As they are running, Littlefoot falls into a rotten log acting as a bridge along a canyon, and gets his leg stuck. Both sharpteeth show up then, and when Chomper roars at them, they realise who he is - their son. A lot of nuzzling and licking ensues, and the family then walk off together. Littlefoot, once out of the log, however, gets caught by the egg nappers, who then take him to a cliff to throw him off. Chomper and his parents come along, when they hear Littlefoot's cries, and chase Ozzy and Strut into the Mysterious Beyond.

Back at the opening, the children get to be present, and Littlefoot even gets the honor of flinging a large stone at several loose rocks on a ledge up above. As the rocks fall down, covering up the hole, the herd returns home and resumes their peaceful life in the Great Valley. Littlefoot then realises that being young is not so bad after all, but decides he still looks forward to growing up.

Production

On June 18, 1994, Billboard Magazine announced in its "Video Newsweekly" section that MCA/Universal planned to release the first of three direct-to-video sequels to the 1988 Don Bluth movie The Land Before Time.[1] The Land Before Time II: The Great Valley Adventure was to be released in late December that year, while the next two sequels were still being produced.[1] Andrew Kairey, the senior vice president of sales and marketing for MCA/Universal, said that the project would mean "rolling the dice", but included that the company was putting a full effort into the development, adding "In comparison, it's very much like the original. We need to come out with something that's so good that not only will customers like and buy this one, but they'll like and buy two others as well."[1] MCA/Universal also planned a large marketing campaign for The Land Before Time II: The Great Valley Adventure.[1]

Reception

Analysis

Rotten Tomatoes critic Steve Rhodes considered this movie not as compelling or imaginative as the original had been, and that the main villains were very setback, although he thought that the character Chomper was quite creatively designed, and made for an adorable show stealer.[2] Rod Gustafson of Parent Previews said that the film was not as well animated as the Don Bluth original had been, but was still enjoyable and better-developed than most direct to video sequels to movies were.[3] British journalist MJ Simpson called it a "weak film"; citing its animation as "unremarkable", and saying that the movie's message about tolerating those with different lifestyles didn't work well because it used a character trying to fit in with members of a group from whom he would kill, to maintain his lifestyle. While he pointed out that the concept of a carnivore being friends with certain herbivores while retaining his natural diet was not unheard of, it would not work in a sustained environment consisting purely of herbivorous creatures, such as the Great Valley. He also criticized the songs, but included that his eighteen-month old child, TF Simpson, only paid attention to them, and ignored the rest of the film. Simpson gave more positive reviews on the comedy involving Ozzy and Strut; particularly the scene where Chomper's shadow frightens them away, and the scenes following the arrival of Chomper's parents, which he described as "almost exciting fights".[4]

The movie has received a current rating of 0% at Rotten Tomatoes.com, along with one review labelling it "fresh" and two labelling it "rotten".[5] Its current rating at IMDB.com is 5.1 stars out of 10, based on 1933 votes.[6]

Awards/Nominations

The film was nominated for an Annie Award for Best Animated Home Video Production, in 1995, which lost to Miramar's The Gate to the Mind's Eye.[7]

Cultural Influence

Merchandise

OriginalGreatValleyAdventurevideocover

The original video cover for The Land Before Time II: The Great Valley Adventure.

The Land Before Time II: The Great Valley Adventure was originally released direct-to-video on VHS and laserdisc on December 12, 1994. It was released on VHS and laserdisc again on May 13, 1997, in The Land Before Time Collection. It was released on both devices once again on Universal Family Features on December 1, 1998; marking its final laserdisc release. Three years later, on December 4, it was released on VHS again. Its first release on DVD was on December 10, 2002. Its second DVD release and final VHS release were on December 2, 2003, on the 4 Movie Dino Pack (Volume one) and the 9 Movie Dino Pack. It was released to DVD for the currently final time in 2 Great Movies Featuring Chomper, on February 1, 2005. In the year of its first release, Universal Studios also published a book simply titled "Land Before Time 2: Great Valley Adventure".[8]

TV Airings

The film aired on HBO for the first time on January 1, 2009, right after the original film The Land Before Time. Both films later aired on HBO Family on January 4, 2009. It was also shown on HDNet Movies along with some of the following sequels in December 2010.

United States

References in media

  • The Land Before Time II: The Great Valley Adventure is referenced on page 38 of Video, Kids, and Christian Education: How to Use Video in Your Christian Education Program by Russell W. Dalton, where it is described as a useful film for teaching children to honor their parents, and to acknowledge that the parents know what is best for the children.[9]
  • The Land Before Time II: The Great Valley Adventure is referenced on pages 256-257 of Donald Glut's 2001 book, Jurassic Classics: A Collection of Saurian Essays and Mesozoic Musings, where Glut opinionates that a "better" sequel to The Land Before Time, based on a more paleontologically correct plotline, would feature an overpopulated Great Valley, with most of the vegetation consumed and the residents in famine.[10]

Music

The Land Before Time II: The Great Valley Adventure was the first of the movies in the Land Before Time franchise to feature a musical element. Since then, every one of the movies has featured at least three lyrical songs, with some containing four.

Songs

The songs are written by The Roches.

Soundtrack

  • Genesis C
  • If We Hold On Together (instrumental)
  • Bedtime
  • Sharptooth Encounter (Original)
  • Sharptooth and the Earthquake
  • Whispering Winds
  • The Rescue
  • Ozzy & Strut
  • The Valley

Trivia

  • In the Japanese version of this film, Chomper's voice is provided by Ikue Ōtani, the voice of Pikachu on Pokémon.
  • A verse from the opening song states "We finally found a peaceful valley and everyone's having a good time now!" This indicates that this film takes place only a short time after the first film. That may or may not indicate that the creeping Egg-stealer/Struthiomimus seen in the end credits of The Land Before Time is Ozzy.
  • Because Chomper is so young, the film's creators can get away with a bit more violence with him than with other Sharpteeth. Chomper is so far the only Sharptooth allowed to eat on-screen (a dragonfly in this film), and is the only Sharptooth to have directly injured one of the original five (when he bites Cera).
  • This was the first time Spike "sings"; his lips can be seen moving during You're One of Us Now.
  • Chomper has several speaking roles in this film; as Littlefoot tells him to get ready to pull the vine to knock down a Sharptooth, he says "Okay". He also says "Huh" several times during the film. In the scene where Chomper bites Cera, he makes a sound similar to "What did I do?" after Littlefoot calls him off.
  • In the song "Eggs", Ozzy refers to himself as a Struthiomimus, the scientific name of his species; whereas in the Land Before Time films and TV series, this species and others similar are usually referred to as "egg stealers", "egg nappers", or "claw-hands".
  • Also, one verse of Peaceful Valley, in the end/credits, has the word "sun" in it, where in all other references to the sun the use the words "Bright Circle". The beginning of the song has the word cloud in it, where in all other references to clouds use the words "Sky Puffies". Finally, the word "dreams" is used twice in the song, although the characters usually refer to dreams as "Sleep Stories."


Goofs

  • Sometimes the characters' color scheme gets lightther and then returns to its normal darker shade in the next shot.
  • When Petrie's mom goes to distract the female Sharptooth,she has the same color scheme as her son,but in the next shot she's back to blue.
  • In one scene when the gang is looking for Chomper,if you pay enough attention you'll see Littlefoot is walking on mid-air.

Character debuts

Memorable Quotes

Cera: I suppose you all got the same lecture I did?
Littlefoot, Ducky, Petrie, Spike: Hmm-mm.
Petrie: Me too young to wander far.
Ducky: We are not grown up and should remember it.
Littlfoot: There are many dangers. I should always be careful.
Cera: Don't hang around with longnecks, big faces, and spike tails. [the others glare at her]
Cera: Well, it was... mostly the same lecture.

:Ducky: Let's play! Let's play!

Littlefoot: Not it!
Ducky: Not it!
Cera: Well, I'm not it.
Petrie: Me not it either.
Ducky, Littlefoot, Cera, Petrie: Spike's it!

:Cera: That wasn't any fun at all.

Ducky: Yep, yep. No fun at all.
Petrie: Boring.
Littlefoot: So what do you want to do now?
Spike: [muttering very pathetically] I don't know.
Ducky: I know! I know! We can go to the Sheltering Grass... and play Sharptooth Attack! [Ducky immitates Sharp Tooth as the others laugh]
Cera: No way! Not if I have to be the Sharptooth again!

:Cera: You guys are all just a bunch of eggs!

:Cera: If we stop them, the grown-ups won't treat us like babies anymore.

:Cera: There's five of us and only two of them! What could go wrong, hmmm?

[Ducky falls into a pit screaming]

Littlefoot: Ducky!
Cera: Don't worry. I got her.
Ducky: You mean I got you! (giggles)

:Ducky: Hello, baby brother or sister.

:Cera: He bit me! Chomper bit me!

Littlefoot: It's okay, Cera. I'm sure Chomper didn't mean it. [Cera indicates Chomper]
Cera: You call THIS not meaning it?

[Ducky's stomach growls]

Ducky: My tummy is making it's hungry noise again.
Petrie: My tummy talk too. [stomach gurgles] It say, "Feed me."

:Petrie: Good shot, Ducky!

Ducky: Thank you, Petrie.

:Ozzy: [singing] I'll even kiss you

Strut: [Suprised] Kiss me?

:Strut: [singing] Ozzy, what's the matter with a little vegetation?

Ozzy: I've had it up to here with this aggravation!
Strut: Well, can't I have this piece of a tree?
Ozzy: Why can't you be more like me? You leaf lubby
Strut: Hey!
Ozzy: Bush burping, stem smelling
Strut: Now wait a minute
Ozzy: Garbon gourging, plant popping, tree tasting, dirty vouring beast
Strut: Ozzy
Ozzy: You've got to have eggs, thrice a day at least

:Cera: Psst! Littlefoot. Littlefoot, wake up.

Littlefoot: Huh? Cera? Where are you?
Cera: Here.
Littlefoot: Where?
Cera: Here.
Littlefoot: What are you doing here?
Cera: Shh! Quiet.
Littlefoot: What's the matter?
Cera: I can't sleep. It's important. We gotta talk.
Littlefoot: Now?
Cera: Shh! Yes, now. Scared of the dark?
Littlefoot: I'm not scared.
Cera: Then, come on. Let's get the others.

:Cera: What's a chomper?

Ducky: It is his name silly. [laughs]

:Strut: But Ozzy, I'm tired. And I'm hungry. I'm how they say, "Egg-xhausted".


Ozzy:  Leaving so soon?  But you haven't had your baths!

Petrie: Me no need a bath.  Me had one just yesterday.

- Ozzy and Petrie, where Ozzy is considering pushing the kids into lava

Gallery

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Billboard magaizine, dated June 18th, 1994. Page 53, of Vol. 106, No. 25, ISSN 0006-2510 Published by Nielsen Business Media, Inc. [1]
  2. ↑ Steve Rhode's review of The Land Before Time II: The Great Valley Adventure. www.rottentomatoes.com - Steve Rhodes' review Retrieved on April 2nd, 2008.
  3. ↑ Parent Previews.com critic Rod Gustafson's review of The Great Valley Adventure www.parentpreviews.com Retrieved on April 2nd, 2008.
  4. ↑ British journalist MJ Simpson's review of The Land Before Time II: The Great Valley Adventure, on his official website. Retrieved on December 4th, 2008.
  5. ↑ Rotten Tomatoes.com's synopsis for The Land Before Time II: The Great Valley Adventure. www.rottentomatoes.com Retrieved on April 2nd, 2008.
  6. ↑ The Land Before Time II: The Great Valley Adventure at the Internet Movie Database.
  7. ↑ Annie Awards' ceremony of 1995, on the Internet Movie Database Retrieved on January 8th, 2009.
  8. ↑ Google book search page for: Land Before Time 2: Great Valley Adventure. Retrieved on January 8th, 2009.
  9. ↑ Video, Kids, and Christian Education: How to Use Video in Your Christian Education Program, By Russell W. Dalton, Firelight Bible Learning Curriculum. Edition: illustrated. Published by Augsburg Fortress, 2001. (ISBN 080666410X/ISBN 9780806664101). Page 38. Retrieved on May 29th, 2009. [2]
  10. ↑ Jurassic Classics: A Collection of Saurian Essays and Mesozoic Musings by Donald F. Glut, Edition: illustrated. Published by McFarland, 2001. (ISBN 0786409614/ISBN 9780786409617) Pages 256-257. Retrieved on May 29th, 2009. [3]


External links


Preceded by:
"The Land Before Time" 		The Land Before Time film series Followed by:
"The Land Before Time III: Time of the Great Giving"


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