THE LAND BEFORE TIME (1988) Movie Poster, Daybill, Animated, LUCASFILM
Size AU Daybill Post 80's (33 x 66 cm)
THE LAND BEFORE TIME (1988) Movie Poster, Daybill, Animated Classic from Lucasfilm, Voiced by Judith Barsi & Burke Byrnes and Directed by Don Bluth is in Very Fine+ condition. Movie...
THE LAND BEFORE TIME (1988) Movie Poster, Daybill, Animated Classic from Lucasfilm, Voiced by Judith Barsi & Burke Byrnes and Directed by Don Bluth is in Very Fine+ condition.
Movie Poster and Condition
Condition: This Original Australian Daybill Movie Poster is in Very Fine+ condition, 2 Daybill Folds present with some minimal handling wear and 2 minor edgewear bumps on left hand bottom half and top right side top part, apart from that this is an excellent example of 1980's Daybill poster. This poster is currently stored folded and will be shipped in an acid free archival polyproplene bag with acid free archival backing board. This Australian Daybill format is highly collectable among animation fans, especially for films produced under the creative influence of Lucasfilm and executive producer George Lucas. The artwork retains excellent colour quality and displays beautifully, making it an appealing addition for collectors seeking authentic 1980s animation memorabilia. This poster was produced and printed by Robert Burton Printers Pty Ltd.
Movie Synopsis
The Land Before Time (1988) is one of the most cherished animated films of the 1980s, produced by the acclaimed team of Don Bluth, George Lucas and Steven Spielberg. Directed by Bluth, the film follows the emotional, heartfelt journey of Littlefoot, an orphaned Apatosaurus who becomes separated from his family after a devastating earthquake. Guided by his mother’s final words and a symbolic treestar, Littlefoot embarks on a quest to reach the Great Valley, a lush and safe land where dinosaurs can live in peace.
Along the way, Littlefoot forms an unlikely but enduring family of young dinosaurs: the cheerful and stubborn Cera, the gentle giant Spike, the anxious Ducky and the timid but loyal Petrie. Their journey is not only a physical trek across barren prehistoric landscapes but also a story of personal growth, courage and the power of friendship. Their interactions highlight themes that remain universally resonant—cooperation, resilience and hope—making the movie a timeless classic for audiences of all ages.
The film’s creative team was a powerhouse of animation talent. Don Bluth, known for his distinctive hand-drawn style, brought emotional depth and painterly detail to every frame. With George Lucas and Steven Spielberg serving as executive producers, the project was shaped by some of the most influential storytellers in modern cinema. Their shared vision resulted in a film that balanced innocence and peril, creating a story that was honest enough for children to relate to yet rich enough for adults to appreciate.
Behind the scenes, the film underwent a lengthy development process, including a significant amount of removed footage considered too intense for young audiences. This decision helped shape the movie’s emotional tone, preserving its sincerity without overwhelming its core audience. The use of traditional cel animation gives the film a warm, handcrafted feel that stands apart from later digital productions, and the score by James Horner adds a deeply moving musical backdrop that has become iconic in its own right.
Upon release, The Land Before Time was praised for its artistry, storytelling and emotional impact, earning a devoted global following. It went on to inspire numerous sequels, a television series and an expansive merchandise legacy, but the original film remains the most beloved instalment. This Daybill movie poster is an excellent piece of Australian cinema history, representing a landmark moment in animated filmmaking and a treasured title for collectors of Lucasfilm-associated works.
To find out more about The Land Before Time (1988) click here to go to IMDB.com.
Special Notes
Images may have a small 'MPA' digital watermark and this does not appear on the poster. Posters are being held by magnets in the corners to take photographs, so you may see some magnet and shadows from the magnets in these areas. The magnets are not included in the sale of the item.
Postage, Insurance & Your Country Taxes
Postage costs are quoted for this item, include insurance up to AUD$100, but if you reside outside of Australia, the price does not include any import taxes/fees that you may be required to pay when the item reaches your borders. Please check with your local authorities for any additional taxes or fees. If you would like full insurance coverage for your purchase, please message me and I would be happy to quote the additional cost (estimate is AUD$2.50 p/AUD$100 or 2.5% of the item value, up to a maximum item value of AUD$5,000).
FAQ
At Movie Posters Australia, the love and conservation of movie posters comes first, and we like to share this passion. Our commitment to quality means we will provide high quality memorabilia to our customers. Posters are carefully chosen and authenticated to ensure originality and value. We want our customers to trust MPA, so we always try to be as open and transparent as we can, provide detailed condition information and images, to ensure customers are comfortable and confident in their purchase.
While the industry does have a few condition rating standards, there is no movie poster condition rating system that has become the accepted standard world wide. This unfortunately makes condition terms vary from movie poster dealer to movie poster dealer. Terms like Mint, Near Mint, Very Fine, Fine, Very Good, Good, Fair, Poor, seem to be universal to most condition rating standards, but most standards still lack definition about what and how many flaws/defects/damage defines a specific condition level. For more information on how Movie Posters Australia grades the condition of its movie posters, daybills, lobby cards and other ephemera please see out Movie Poster Condition and Grading page.
In the early days of cinema, posters were primarily hand-drawn and printed in various sizes, often tailored to fit the available space in theaters or promotional areas. In the United States, the "One Sheet" size (some times called '1 Sheet' or '1SH' approximately 27" x 41", became the standard during the 1930s. This size was manageable for theater display and suited the needs of a growing film industry.
Different countries developed their own poster sizes and styles, which also changed sometimes over the decades, and were influenced by local preferences and practical considerations, like available paper sheet sizes and how many posters could be printed on one sheet.
In Australia, the most popular size, the Daybill, has evolved over the decades. Australian Daybills sizes in chronological order are:
- Long Daybills (15" x 40"), from 1920's to pre-WW2 or pre-1941, were printed two to a sheet, longer than current Daybill versions. There were size variances in width from 14.5" to 15" and in height from 39.5" to 40".
- War Time Daybill (10" x 30"), during WW2, for a short time to conserve paper during a war time shortage, four Daybills were printed on one sheet. Information from Press Sheets also referred to these War-Time sizes as "New Size Daybills".
- Post-War Daybill (13" x 30"), this 13" x 30" Post-War size carried through until the 1980's, but also varied in size from 13"-14" x 29.75"-30.25".
- Post-80's Daybill (33cm x 66cm, or 13" x 26"), over a few years in the late 80's, the size changed again to a metric 33cm x 66cm, although these have also varied from 32-33cm x 64.5-66cm. New sizes from the late 80's were created, sometimes called a Mini Daybill or Mini Poster, in 9" x 12", 11" x 17" and 13" x 20".
In the UK, the somewhat unique 'Quad' poster, measuring 30" x 40", became popular, offering a larger landscape format that allowed for more elaborate designs.
In Japan, movie poster sizes were smaller, such as the "B2" (20" x 28"), which suited the more compact living environment of larger cities, smaller advertising spaces, and unique aesthetic sensibilities.
The 1970s and 1980s, witnessed the rise of the "six-sheet" (81" x 81") format, reflecting a trend towards larger and more visually impactful advertising.
Overall, the variation in movie poster sizes across different countries and decades highlights the interplay between technological printing advancements, paper resource availability, paper sheet size changes, cultural preferences, and the evolving nature of movie marketing.
At Movie Posters Australia we tag each poster we sell with a 'size' and 'condition' description at the very top of the page for our customers to easily see. There may however be some slight variations to sizes by up one inch due to variations in production and guillotine methods by printers over the decades.