RECENT MESSAGES:
Posted: 08/07/2010
From: Elmer Ingles
Email: ewifp@earthlink.net
Subject: The Land Before Time
Message: Hi guys. Im sure you get this question quite a bit, so I apologize for bringing it up again. I saw this film when it first came out, and even bought the little hand puppet as a four year old. I Im a 25 year old married man with a four year old son of my own (who loves this movie as well).I started researching more on this film recently when I came across the news of the 19 scenes that were deleted. I know from one of your other questions answered that the rights you have to this film are limited. However, I have noticed on numerous forums and discussion boards of the desire to view the movie in its original entirety. The funny thing is, these boards are comprised of people in their early, mid, and late twenties; if you do the math, these are the 3-8 year olds that saw the movie when it was originally released (and that the producer were trying to protect)! I myself included share their enthusiasm to see the full uncut film, as it is one of our most favorite childhood films of all time. Do you think that anything can be done to bring it back?
Reply: Elmer, thanks for checking in. This subject keeps coming back. I think I've answered it about six times. Too bad my answers don't stay on the ask us page longer. I think all answers go to archive after 60 days. To the question: The scenes were deleted from the work print during a meeting with Steven Spielberg and George Lucas after a screening in late April of 1988, to reduce the more frightening scenes within the sharptooth attack of Littlefoot and Cera through the briars. Most of these scenes were in pencil test, not yet in color. The actual drawings may still be in the film's archive, now at Universal, but there is no negative film of these scenes. So a "director's cut" is completely out of the question. Further, we would have to get Universal, Steve and George to all agree that it would be worth the time and cost to complete these scenes to color, cut them into the negative and prepare a new master color print and inter-positive to strike a new digital master for DVD and DVD Blu-ray production. The chances of that, I believe, are nil. Looking back, I wish that we would have just finished the scenes to color with painted backgrounds and filmed them, just in case there would be a call for an original "director's cut" - but, alas, we did not. Thanks again for your inquiry. Best, Gary Goldman
Reply Posted: 08/07/2010
Posted: 07/17/2010
From: Alex Grigg
Email: mormonal.grigg@gmail.com
Subject: movie reboots
Message: Its been like what... 20, 25 years since your hit animated movies. If you had a choice, would you guys make reboots for your movies like they did for Friday the 13th and A nightmare on elm street ( when I mean movies, I specifically mean All dogs go to heaven and the secret of NIMH,ect. ect.)"?
Reply: Alex, Due to the volume of inquiries and the development going on here at Don Bluth Films, our ability to answer questions is limited at this time. My apologies for the delay in answering your question. All of the films we've made are not owned by us, with the exceptions of Banjo the Woodpile Cat, and the video games, Dragon's Lair, Space Ace and Dragon's Lair II:Time Warp (which we do own) . The feature films are owned by their financiers, and/or studios that financed them. Therefore, we do not have the right to make sequels to those films. The only film that we have ever considered making a sequel to was The Secret of NIMH. We were asked to do the sequel back in 1995, but we were with 20th Century Fox at the time, preparing to make the film Anastasia. We do have plans to produce a prequel movie to the game Dragon's Lair, a feature-length film, which will provide the audience with the backstory of the characters of that game, Dirk the Daring, Daphne, Mordroc, and the dragon, Singe. We have a slate of eight feature films we want to make, none are sequels. All are new concepts, either based on published books or are original stories we've conceived. Thank you for your patience. Regards, Gary
Reply Posted: 08/04/2010
Posted: 07/12/2010
From: michael carter
Email: mcarter.rams@gmail.com
Subject: ipod app promblem
Message: Dear Don Buth, i like your dragon's lair game and i got it on my ipod but it is now working anymore because the buttons are gone along with the munue and the score adder. can you fix it or do something about it since you made the game. Sincerely your fan, Michael Carter p.s. you can talk to me on my youtube account any time on michaelcarterclassic p.p.s. i think thats it for now
Reply: Wait for the updated version later this week. Once it is available, you should, having previously purchased the Dragon's Lair App, be able to download the updated Dragon's Lair App for free. If the same issues occur with the new download, it may be the iPod that is the problem. If that happens, you may want to take the iPod in to the Apple Store and have them check it out. Thanks for writing. See our answer on your latest submission.
Reply Posted: 08/02/2010
Posted: 07/07/2010
From: Alexei Kobelev
Email: darkwing@rambler.ru
Subject: Linda Miller in Animator's draft
Message: Dear Gary! Hello from Moscow! Do you know that recently Hans Perk published the animator's draft at his blog? afilmla.blogspot.com It is quite interesting document. But there is an issue which is not clear for me. There is no mention of Linda Miller in this draft though her name is in cartoon's credits. I wonder why? I thought that one must animated 100 feet at least to be recognized as animator. Kindest regards!
Reply: Alexie, thanks for checking in. I took time this morning to take a look at the blog. Probably just over-looked the complete list of animators. If you go to www.imdb.com and search The Small One, then see on the extreme left "Full Cast and Crew". Click on that and scroll down to Animation. You will see Linda Miller's name plus many others who received their very first animation credit on that little film - also not mentioned in Hans Perk's blog. Linda eventually became one of our top three animators, She is a formidable draftsman with terrific animation skills. She did most of Jeremy the Crow in The Secret of NIMH and really brought the character to life. Best, Gary
Later today: Alexie, upon further review of Hans' blog and readers comments, one commenter actually answered your question, that is that Linda, Heidi and Lorna were trainees and didn't get promoted to full animators until after the production. This same thing happened to John Pomeroy, Andy Gaskill, Dick Sebast and me on Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too (1974). We animated on the show, and were credited on the film, but weren't paid as animators until after a formal promotion. Not sure why Linda's name hasn't shown up in the draft. It may come up as Hans presents more of the draft. Best, Gary
Reply Posted: 07/07/2010