Steven Spielberg steps in to remove some scenes from The Land Before Time for being “too scary for children. The film depicted a particularly vicious T-Rex. Don Bluth believes a good children’s story should have a good villain and a scare moment.
Don Bluth, known for classic animated feature films including The Secret of NIMH and An American Tail, had creative differences that led Steven Spielberg to remove some scenes from The Land Before Time. Bluth believes that every good story needs a good villain and a scare moment. The final film balances darker tones with fun ones.
Many classic children’s movies, including Disney’s The Black Cauldron and Jim Henson’s The Dark Crystal, have included dark and scary elements. Don Bluth’s comments on The Land Before Time emphasize the importance of balancing dark moments with fun ones. The Land Before Time’s scarier moments may have been removed, but the film still achieved the balance Bluth sought.
