MovieChat Forums > The Land Before Time (1988) Discussion > Why don't the sharpteeth talk? Would tha...

Why don't the sharpteeth talk? Would that make it too creepy?

posted 12 years ago by Vaajraath
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Now granted I haven't seen ALL of the... what is it 13, 14 sequels?..... I know I saw at least the first 7, through The Stone of Cold Fire. Anyways, from what I remember the sharpteeth NEVER talked. The only exception to that was lil Chomper from the sequel when he showed up again in the 5th one. He could talk like all the other dinosaurs, but then again, he had gone vegetarian if I remember right.

So does being a carnivore infringe upon a dinosaurs ability to speak english in LBT universe? I'm kind of assuming that they don't let them talk because then that would make them slightly more humanized. As is, the sharpteeth are sort of monsters. Do you think it would scar kids if they had allowed the sharpteeth to speak english and interact with their prey?

Now that I think about it, this same rule was applied in Disney's 'Dinosaur'. All the animals could talk..... except for the meat eaters.

[–] CosmosX9 12 years ago

Well, think about it! If the carnivores were to ever "talk" in these kind of movies, they would be a LOT less threatening.

I think the point that Bluth, Lucas, and Spielberg were trying to make here, was that carnivorous dinosaurs (like the T-Rex) are essentially mindless killing machines (metaphorically speaking).

"Tina you fat lard, come get some dinner!" -Napoleon Dynamite

[–] Vaajraath 12 years ago

I could see that, although, after having looked deeper into the series, it apparently was established in movie #5 that the carnivors have their own dialect and the herbivors have their own dialect. Chomper apparently is billigual as are a few select other dinosaurs as established in later movies and the eventual tv series.

So I guess that makes sense, but I still think it would be interesting if they did speak the same language. You could have a sharptooth like Hannibal Lector or Freddy Krueger or something. But again, that might make it too creepy for the kids watching.

[–] CosmosX9 12 years ago

Well, I don't take the sequels' logic too seriously, as Don Bluth had nothing to do with them anyway. So I only count the first film as canon. :)

"Tina you fat lard, come get some dinner!" -Napoleon Dynamite

[–] DeRo64 12 years ago

Ted Nugent is also essentially a mindless killing machine. I wish he didn't talk.

"There is no escape, John!"

[–] DeRo64 12 years ago

You know, I used to wonder that too. I still do occasionally. Maybe it would have made them less threatening. I almost always find Jason Voorhees scarier than Freddy Kreuger and I think it has a lot to do with Jason never speaking.

"There is no escape, John!"

[–] SkittlesMilly 11 years ago

It would take the horror and danger out of their scenes, if they were humanized. I think it's a great idea that they didn't give them voices. It was better like that in 'Dinosaur' too. It makes them seem like a force that can't be reasoned with and adds to the danger moments.

Believe me, nothing is trivial. - Eric Draven, The Crow.

[–] Vaajraath 11 years ago

Maybe, but if it was done right, I think it could still be very scary. For instance if sharptooth had a speaking voice similar to this....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuEbH3cShmk

Of course I don't think Smaug the Dragon and Sharptooth have exactly the same persona, but I think you catch my drift. If they gave sharptooth the right voice that came across as very dark and menacing it would work imho.