Animation To Go: New Home Video Releases
The Land Before Time V: The Mysterious Island
Lost your calendar? The sequential releases of The Land Before Time videos can almost serve as a measurement of the passing time. It's hard to believe that a whole year has gone by since the last one was released. In December, the fourth direct-to-video sequel to Steven Spielberg's 1988 animated theatrical feature, The Land Before Time, will be released directly to home video. So far, the six-title franchise (which includes a Sing-Along-Songs title) has amassed consumer sales of over $480 million. The character design in these films is an accomplishment in itself, in that dinosaurs, which are more or less giant prehistoric lizards, can be depicted as so, well, cute and cuddly.
The Land Before Time: The Mysterious Island takes us on a toddler adventure with the little tyke dinosaurs Chomper, Littlefoot, and friends. After "swarming leaf gobblers" devour the food supply, the entire dinosaur clan embarks on a journey in search of food. The animation in this film is quite good, with full movement and expressive characters. Universal's producer/director Charles Grosvernor and Overseas Animation Supervisor Richard Forgues worked with their US staff and Akom Productions in Korea. Additional work was contracted to Galaxy World (Korea), Inventaria (Spain), Funbag Animation Studios (Canada) and Heart of Texas (USA). The film includes three new songs music scored by Michael Tavera, to lyrics by Michele Brourman and Amanda McBroom, who also scored the previous Land Before Time titles.
Distribution Universal Studios Home Video
Available 12/8/93
Price $24.98
Run Time 74 min.
Rating G
Tie-Ins Denny's Restaurants, Dairy Queen Restaurants, Sound Source Interactive, Kitchen Sink Press, Equity Toys, Float in Hollywood Christmas Parade
Beauty and Beast: The Enchanted Christmas
It's no wonder that Disney chose the Beauty and the Beast franchise as the next direct-to-video project. Just in theatrical grosses alone, the original animated feature topped $350 million worldwide, and, to date, the film is the only animated feature ever nominated for a Best Picture Academy Award. The all new, direct-to-video Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas was directed by Andy Knight and produced at Disney's facilities in Vancouver and Toronto. Disney Australia handled some animation and inbetweening as well as clean-up, checking, and digital ink and paint on Toon Boom software. Wang Film Productions created additional backgrounds, and additional animation was contracted to Chuck Gammage Animation and Character Builders.
Freshness is added to the story with three new characters: Angelique, a treetop ornament (voiced by Bernadette Peters), Forte, an evil pipe organ (Tim Curry) and Fife, an insecure piccolo (Paul Reubens, formerly known as Pee Wee Herman). All the other characters are voiced by the same actors as appeared in the first theatrical film.
Distribution Walt Disney Home Video
Available 11/10/93
Price $26.99
Run Time 70 min.
Rating G
Tie-Ins Mattel Toys, Disney Online, Walt Disney Records, Disneyworld, Disneyland, Ocean Spray
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