The Land Before Time: Journey of the Brave
The Land Before Time: Journey of the Brave | |
---|---|
Directed by | Davis Doi |
Produced by |
Lisa Melbye Deidre Brenner |
Written by |
Cliff Ruby Elana Lesser [1][2] |
Starring |
Felix Avitia Meghan Strange Aria Curzon Anndi McAfee Miriam Flynn Scott Whyte Issac Brown George Ball Jeff Bennett Rob Paulsen Barry Bostwick Reba McEntire Tony Amendola Damon Wayans, Jr. |
Music by | Michael Tavera |
Production company | |
Distributed by | Universal Pictures Home Entertainment |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 82 min. |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
The Land Before Time: Journey of the Brave is a 2016 direct-to-video animated feature and the fourteenth film in The Land Before Time series. It is the first movie in the franchise to be released since 2007's The Wisdom of Friends. The film was directed by Davis Doi and written by Cliff Ruby and Elana Lesser.[1][2] It was made available on DVD and Digital HD on February 2, 2016, with the DVD version exclusive to Walmart stores in North America. The film features the voices of Damon Wayans, Jr. and country singer Reba McEntire, who performs the song "Look for the Light".
Plot
Littlefoot, a young Apatosaurus living in the verdant Great Valley, is eagerly awaiting the arrival of his father Bron, who returns to the valley with his herd once a year. However, he soon learns from a Nothronychus[3] member of his dad's troupe named Wild Arms that his father became stranded in the wilderness when the "fire mountain" erupted, leaving the rest of the herd to go on without him. Embarking on a journey with his friends - Cera, Ducky, Petrie, and Spike - Littlefoot enters the Mysterious Beyond to try and rescue him on their own.
After an encounter with a duo of "featherhead sharpteeth", and a disagreement between Littlefoot and Cera on which path to take, Littlefoot decides to go ahead alone, where he meets a Pteranodon named Etta who knows his father. When the two become trapped in a cave, she sings a song to lead him on his way, and he is eventually reunited with his friends as they continue their journey together with Etta into the harsh landscape. Meanwhile, the elder dinosaurs learn about their children's trek, and decide to go after them with two younger ones - Chomper and Ruby.[4] They attempt to have Wild Arms guide them back to where Bron was last seen, but he faints at the mere sight of Chomper, a "sharptooth", and has to be carried, leaving Chomper to lead the way with his nose.
Etta eventually leads Littlefoot and his friends to the fire mountain where they find Bron. They learn that he became trapped and separated from his herd when he went back to save Wild Arms, who was in danger due to his cowardly nature. Reunited with his father and the rest of the herd led by Chomper, the group extol the virtues of working together and finding bravery through companionship.
Voice cast
- Felix Avitia as Littlefoot
- Anndi McAfee as Cera and Petrie's Mother
- Aria Curzon as Ducky
- Jeff Bennett as Petrie
- Rob Paulsen as Spike
- Barry Bostwick as Grandpa Longneck
- Miriam Flynn as Grandma Longneck
- George Ball as Mr. Threehorn
- Issac Brown as Chomper
- Meghan Strange as Ruby and Ducky and Spike's Mother
- Scott Whyte as Bron
- Tony Amendola as the Narrator
- Reba McEntire as Etta
- Damon Wayans, Jr. as Wild Arms
Production
News of a new Land Before Time movie was first revealed in a November 2014 Yahoo! Finance article detailing Universal Studios' future film plans, though no further information was given. A January 2015 interview with child actor Felix Avitia revealed that he had been cast as Littlefoot in the tentatively-titled The Land Before Time XIV: Journey of the Heart, which was planned for release later that year.[5] The following July, the first trailer for the film was released on Rotten Tomatoes, revealing the movie's finalized title Journey of the Brave, along with a new release date on DVD and Digital HD on February 2, 2016.[6] The North American DVD version would be available exclusively at Walmart and Walmart.com, and would be proceeded by a Land Before Time compilation album featuring songs from the series on January 29, 2016 by Back Lot Music.[7]
Journey of the Brave was directed by series newcomer Davis Doi and written by fellow series newcomers Cliff Ruby and Elana Lesser,[1][2][8] with music by Land Before Time series veteran Michael Tavera. It features four sing-along songs, including "Look for the Light" performed by country singer Reba McEntire, who also provides the voice for the Pteranodon character Etta.[7] McEntire finished recording her dialogue in August 2015,[9] and later remarked on how the cast of characters "remind me a lot of my friends when I was a kid."[10] Actor Damon Wayans, Jr. was also cast as the character Wild Arms.[7]
References
- 1 2 3 "The Land Before Time XIV: Journey of the Brave". 2 February 2016 – via IMDb.
- 1 2 3 "Clip: 'Land Before Time: Journey of the Brave' Arrives Feb. 2". 25 January 2016.
- ↑ Universal Studios (February 4, 2016). "Timeline Photos - The Land Before Time". Facebook. Retrieved February 4, 2016.
- ↑ Brokaw, Francine. "'The Land Before Time: Journey of the Brave' on DVD". Family Choice Awards. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
- ↑ "Child Actor Felix Avitia guests on ActorsE Chat with Actress Host Christie Philips". ActorsEntertainment.com. January 7, 2015. Retrieved February 1, 2016.
- ↑ "The Land Before Time Xiv: Journey of the Brave - Trailers & Videos". Rotten Tomatoes. July 28, 2015. Retrieved February 1, 2016.
- 1 2 3 Universal Pictures Home Entertainment (December 17, 2015). "From Universal Pictures Home Entertainment: The Land Before Time: Journey of the Brave". PR Newswire. Retrieved February 1, 2016.
- ↑ "From Universal Pictures Home Entertainment: The Land Before Time: Journey of the Brave". Prnewswire.com. Retrieved 2016-06-14.
- ↑ Whitaker, Sterling (August 18, 2015). "Reba McEntire Voicing Character in New 'Land Before Time' Movie". Taste of Country. Retrieved February 1, 2016.
- ↑ Stephens, Samantha (January 12, 2016). "Reba Gets Animated". Country Music Television. Retrieved February 2, 2016.