The Land Before Time VII: The Stone of Cold Fire

The Land Before Time VII: The Stone of Cold Fire is the seventh film in the Land Before Time series.

English Voice Cast

 * Jeff Bennett as Petrie/Spiketail
 * Anndi McAfee as Cera
 * Michael York as Pterano
 * Thomas Dekker as Littlefoot
 * Rob Paulsen as Spike/Rinkus
 * Jim Cummings as Sierra
 * Kenneth Mars as Grandpa Longneck
 * Miriam Flynn as Grandma Longneck
 * Aria Noelle Curzon as Ducky
 * Patti Deutsch as Rainbow Face #2
 * John Ingle as Cera's Dad
 * Charles Kimbrough as Rainbow Face #1
 * Tress MacNeille as Mama Swimmer/Mama Flyer
 * Frank Welker as Sharpteeth

Japanese voice cast

 * Minami Takayama: Littlefoot
 * Rica Matsumoto: Cera
 * Satomi Kōrogi: Ducky
 * Yūji Mitsuya: Petrie
 * Sailor King: Spike
 * George Nakata: Cera's Dad
 * Urara Takano: Petrie's Mother

Plot
One night, Littlefoot sees a "flying rock" (more likely a comet) falling from the sky and colliding with a mountain in the Smoking Mountain range. The flying rock's appearance differs very much from any Littlefoot has seen so far, in that it is blue rather than yellow and flies extremely low and almost parallel to the ground. When Littlefoot tells everyone about what he has seen the next morning, most of the full-grown dinosaurs in the Great Valley, none of whom saw the flying rock, disbelieve Littlefoot's story, suggesting it was possibly a regular flying rock that appeared different because Littlefoot was tired at the time. However, two newcomers, referred to as Rainbow Faces, begin to speak eloquently of a "Stone of Cold Fire" an artifact of mystical origin, believed to be either an artifact of magical power, an omen of great changes, or something similar, and other wonders that might become known if the dinosaurs free themselves from limits and think "beyond the Mysterious Beyond". Littlefoot embraces it all, his imagination set to blazing, while most of the older dinosaurs remain skeptical, as well as suspicious of the Rainbow Faces. Grandpa Longneck, however, admits to Littlefoot that while he may not believe in such a thing as a Stone of Cold Fire, he certainly is interested in the idea, and willing to talk about it.

Unknown to anyone at first, Petrie's uncle Pterano has also heard. Being a highly ambitious and deceitful character, he makes plans to take possession of the stone and its supposed powers. Pterano and his two cronies, Rinkus and Sierra, confront Littlefoot and offer to help searching for the stone to prove its existence. Littlefoot refuses to search for the stone, feeling reluctance to trust Pterano. Nor, in fact, does any adult trust Pterano, who once was expelled from the Herd on a charge of neglection and irresponsibility as the herd leader. However, exactly what caused Pterano's expulsion is left vague for now. Following that, Pterano asks Petrie, who idolizes him, to get the information about the place where the meteor landed from Littlefoot. Petrie, feigning curiosity, learns from Littlefoot that the place is Threehorn Peak, a volcano whose top bears a distinct resemblance to the head of a Threehorn (Triceratops). The gang asks why and Petrie tries to lie his way out, but seeing that he is terrible at lying, Cera immediately sees that Pterano wanted the information and that Petrie was used. Littlefoot shares his distrust towards Pterano, much to the fury of Petrie. Later that night, Ducky can't go to sleep due to the guilt of hurting Petrie's feelings that day and decides to go to comfort Petrie, but finds that Pterano, Sierra, and Rinkus are plotting something. Before she can tell anyone about the plot, Ducky is caught by Sierra, whereupon she is abducted by Pterano. Pterano then sets out for Threehorn Peak, along with Rinkus and Sierra, to find the Stone of Cold Fire.

In the aftermath of this, the full-grown dinosaurs tell the young dinosaurs the original reason for Pterano's expulsion. Having always considered himself higher in rank and abilities than all other dinosaurs in the herd, Pterano convinced a group of dinosaurs to follow his leadership on the way to the Great Valley, rather than go along with Grandpa Longneck and the others. Careless and over-confident, he led them right into an ambush of Sharpteeth (Achillobators) who attacked his group. Being able to escape by flying away, Pterano was the only survivor of the group, while the rest put up a good fight, but soon turned into a massacre, with not a single leaf-eater surviving. He was expelled from the herd as a punishment for abandoning his followers. However, it is later implied that while Pterano insisted that the massacre was not his fault, he was still scarred by the incident. Littlefoot is told by Petrie's mother to give the location of the Stone of Cold Fire, knowing that Pterano will be traveling there. However, the grownups take so long to decide what must be done about Pterano and the rescue of Ducky that Littlefoot and the others set out by themselves to save their friend. After crossing a huge canyon by way of walking across some massive vines (Spike sees a flower growing out of the vine and eats it, thus they fall and swing into a cave), they manage to find Ducky, who had fallen into the cave while trying to escape the flyers. Ducky comforts Petrie, who is very distraught about his uncle's actions, stating that Pterano is the least wicked of the three Flyers (Pterano is the only of the three who appears distraught when Ducky falls, believing her to be dead), and that the potential for goodness still lives in him. Littlefoot and the others continue to pursue the Flyers, hoping to reach the Stone of Cold Fire before them. As they travel through the mountains, they reach a highly volcanic point, where they encounter the Rainbow Faces, after they catch the male Rainbow Face leaving them leaves to eat. After a brief arguement, the Rainbow Faces agree (recultantly, in the female's case) to help Littlefoot and his friends.

Through their help, we find that the Rainbow Faces appear to have more than saurian knowledge of volcanism. Discovering a shaft that leads to an underground river, they help the young dinosaurs to construct a sort of steam-powered elevator, pushing a slab of rock into the shaft, which causes the steam from the underground river, heated by the volcano's geothermal energy, to build up underneath it, and eventually shoot the slab up the shaft, with the dinosaurs riding on the top. This remarkably fast travel allows them to reach the top of Threehorn Peak (which they were underneath all this time), and find the stone, shortly before Pterano's gangs does.

When they arrive, Pterano takes control of the stone from the youngsters, and attempts to unlock its secret. However, it gives no reaction, and in fact, it appears to be an ordinary meteor, except for its metallic composition and blue colour. Lamenting over this realization, Pterano states that he had meant to create a paradise with the power of the stone, not realizing that this paradise already exists in the form of the Great Valley. Rinkus and Sierra also take this as the perfect opportunity to mutiny against Pterano, and try unlocking the Stone's power themselves. There is not much time for lamenting or mutiny, however, as the volcano is beginning to erupt.

Just in the nick of time, Petrie's mother arrives with an enormous Quetzalcoatlus, to evacuate the young dinosaurs from the erupting volcano. During this process, Pterano spots Ducky clinging to the edge of a cliff for dear life, and has a brief and sudden flashback to the Sharptooth attack that got him banished from the herd year ago, of when he saw another Swimmer (Parasaurolophus) clinging to a cliff's edge before falling to it's death. This flashback stirs him into action, not wanting to revisit the past, and he quickly rescues Ducky. As Rinkus and Sierra attempt to force the stone to reveal its power, the stone explodes, sending them flying into a rock ledge burnt and bruised.

As the gang and the other flyers get back to the Great Valley, the grown-ups have a meeting and decide about Pterano's fate. Grandpa Longneck tells Pterano that even though his behavior "has been inexcusable", he (in light of the fact) saved the children. For his wrongdoings, Pterano is banished from the Great Valley into the Mysterious Beyond, though his saving of Ducky is held in his favor. Therefore, his banishment is limited to five winters. Petrie tries to plead against the punishment. But Pterano tells Petrie that his mother (Mrs. Flyer) --after telling Petrie that his "apologies" do not change what he did and he must be responsible-- is right because sometimes everyone --including Pterano himself-- have to be accountable for actions. Then Mr. Threehorn begs Pterano to move on and sends him to the Mysterious Beyond.

As night falls, Littlefoot finds the Rainbow Faces and asks them when they are leaving. A meteor flies overhead, and the female comments, "Any time now". Littlefoot, somewhat unnerved, puts the question to her and to her male companion: "There was never any such thing as the Stone of Cold Fire, was there?" The male Rainbow Face confirms this, adding that Littlefoot has an intellect remarkable for one of his species— quickly correcting this, when prompted by the female, to his age. The Rainbow Faces go on to reiterate their claim that there are many unknowns to be discovered "Beyond the Mysterious Beyond". Before Littlefoot can react, the male Rainbow Face suddenly remarks on something apparently behind Littlefoot, who looks round to see. When he looks back, the Rainbow Faces have gone. In their place is a crystalline pillar of light, which shimmers briefly and vanishes. As it goes, a meteor streaking across the sky suddenly changes its course, flying upward and off into the night. Behind Littlefoot, Cera, Spike, Ducky, and Petrie all come up and asks what he is doing. Littlefoot states the very same quote given to him by the Rainbow Faces, "Well, that would be telling now, wouldn't it?" Littlefoot, inspired by the Rainbow Faces, reflects that there are many unknowns, adding that such unknowns make life wonderful. His friends do not understand, but the statement is unharmed.

Analysis
It was said in the review on Current Film.com that The Stone of Cold Fire wasn't a remarkable children's movie, but that it at least was well written, and told a decent story, with fully-written characters.The Land Before Time VII: The Stone of Cold Fire at www.currentfilm.com Retrieved on May 2nd, 2008 The film, however, has currently received a 0% by the critics and reviewers at Rotten Tomatoes.com.The Land Before Time VII: The Stone of Cold Fire at www.rottentomatoes.com Retrieved on July 21st, 2008.

Awards
In 2001, The Land Before Time VII: The Stone of Cold Fire was nominated for three Video Premiere Awards. Director/producer Charles Grosvenor was nominated for the award for Best Animated Video Premiere, and actor Michael York receives a nomination for best animated character performance, for his role as Petrie's uncle, Pterano (shared with supervising animator Zeon Davush). Thomas Dekker also was nominated for Best Animated Character Performance, for his role as main character Littlefoot (also shared with Davush). Aria Noelle Curzon received a Young Artist Award for Outstanding Young Voice-Over in 2002, for voicing the main character Ducky in The Land Before Time VII: The Stone of Cold Fire, as well as in The Land Before Time V: The Mysterious Island, The Land Before Time VI: The Secret of Saurus Rock, and The Land Before Time VIII: The Big Freeze.Young Artist Awards ceremony of 2002 at the Internet Movie Database.

Songs
The songs are written by Michele Brourman and Amanda McBroom.
 * Beyond the Mysterious Beyond
 * Good Inside
 * Very Important Creature

Soundtrack

 * The music that plays while Ducky looks for Petrie and gets kidnapped by Pterano, Rinkus, and Sierra, is called Kidnappers, it is by Michael Tavera.

Memorable Quotes

 * Petrie: A Long, long time ago, when big dots in sky where even more shiny and great circle real smooth - not Pockety like now. And whole world very different. But then, there were no threehorn, no longneck - not even sharptooth! No, only one type animal, which fill sky with mighty screech and big flappy sound. This most smart, most brave and handsome creature to ever rule world....The fliers!


 * Cera: *WHAT?! Hold it right there! That's not even *close* to the way it happens!


 * Pterano: Did I startle you petrie?


 * Petrie: Yes - no! Er, how'd you know my name?


 * Pterano: Petrie, I'm heartbroken. Don't you recognise your dear old uncle?


 * Petrie: Pterano!


 * Pterano: Don't tell me, you must me old threenhorn's daughter.


 * Cera: How'd you know?


 * Pterano: Let's just say there's a *strong* family resemblance.


 * Cera: Oh - thanks.

Petrie: Him my good friend. Cera, Ducky and Spike too.


 * Pterano: Yes, yes. But, this is the one who claims he saw a Stone of Cold Fire.


 * Littlefoot: I guess you don't believe me either.


 * Pterano: Oh no dear child, I believe you completely. I know how stubborn the other grown-ups can be - that's why I had to leave the herd you know, they simply had *no* vision!


 * Pterano: The only way to convince yourself and everyone else, is as you say to go and find that stone.


 * Littlefoot: Er... I wasn't serious - I was just - thinking out loud.


 * Rinkus: Ooh, you bent my beak.


 * Pterano: Then next time, keep it shut!


 * Sierra: Why should we? Them brats wouldn't fall for your little act. I say we go and find that cold - fire - thingy on our own.


 * Pterano: I repeat Mr Sierra, we don't know where the stone landed.


 * Rinkus: Then why not simply make the longneck tell us where it is? [making head cutting gesture] Or else.


 * Pterano: Mr Rinkus. If we threaten the young ones, we'll put the elders on alert. They will watch our moves and our cause will be lost! Now is that want you want?


 * Rinkus: N - n - no - er, of course not! [trips over a tree and falls]


 * Pterano: Therefore, we must be calm and patient. Young Littlefoot will talk. And when he does... The Stone of Cold Fire, will be mine!


 * Grandpa: Were you splashing round in the bubbling mud again?


 * Littlefoot: No, we were just sitting talking in the tall trees.


 * Grandpa: Oh, that's perfectly...


 * Littlefoot: Only - then we had a visitor.


 * Grandpa: Oh - and who was that?


 * Littlefoot: Petrie's, uncle Pterano.


 * Grandma: Oh my goodeness! Here - in the Great Valley?


 * Littlefoot: And he was with some other fliers. I know he's Petrie's uncle but - there's something about him that - ooh, well, i just don't like him. Is that bad?


 * Grandpa:: Littlefoot, you have good instincts and you should pay attention to them.


 * Grandma: Did Pterano tell you why he left the herd?


 * Littlefoot:[unsure] Well, he said the other grown-ups - couldn't see very well.


 * Grandpa: What nerve! We could see just fine - as a matter of fact, we saw right through him!


 * Grandpa: It just sounds like Pterano is up to his old tricks again.


 * Littlefoot: Er, what old tricks?


 * Grandpa: Oh - well let's just say that if we hadn't put a stop to Pterano, we might never had made it to the Great Valley.


 * Littlefoot: That's awful!


 * Grandpa: Yes it was... Someday, when you're older, I'll tell you about this.


 * Littlefoot: Oh, why do I have to wait until...


 * Grandma: In the meantime, remember, Pterano considers he knows everything, even when he knows nothing.


 * Grandpa: So be careful, will you?


 * Littlefoot: OK, I promise.


 * Pterano: Oh Petrie, can I have a word with you?


 * Petrie: Oh yes uncle! Gee, you sure lead exciting life.


 * Pterano: High praise indeed coming from you. I understand that you are quite the adventurer yourself.


 * Petrie: Ooh, you right about that. Me very brave!

[Petrie sees Pterano, Rinkus, and Sierra fly in the sky and hear Ducky call for help]


 * Petrie: Where she going?


 * Littlefoot: Wherever your uncle and the others are taking her. [Petrie gasps and then flies down agrily]


 * Petrie: You wrong! Pterano never do-.


 * Mama Flyer: No Petrie. It's true, it is Pterano! [Pterano, Rinkus, and Sierra have kidnapped Ducky]


 * Petrie: Stop! Uncle, you make mean flier let Ducky go!


 * Pterano: Petrie, listen to me. Tell the others not to follow and no harm will come to the swimmer.


 * Petrie: I don't understand why you do this!


 * Pterano: If there's one thing I will not tolerate, it's violence!


 * Rinkus: Then why are you hitting me?


 * Pterano: Right, make that two things. Violence and stupid questions! [Hits Rinkus again]


 * Ducky: You're not very good at landing, are you?


 * Sierra: Pipe down or I'll-.


 * Pterano: Sierra! Show a little self control, will you?


 * Sierra: Self control my tailbone! I've been putting up with that little whiney voice since we took off! No, no, no! Yep, yep, yep! It's driving me *nuts* *nuts* *nuts*!


 * Rinkus: Look, no-one's coming after us. Maybe we could leave her here and be on our way - yes?


 * Ducky: Oh I would not do that if i were you, no no no.


 * Rinkus: Leave you behind?


 * Ducky: No, stand on the edge. [Rinkus falls when the edge crumbles from under his feet] Told him.

[Ducky has fallen into a hole and Pterano, with Rinkus and Sierra following, has gone to see if she is all right]


 * Pterano: Ducky, can you hear me? Come out now child, I promise we won't hurt you.


 * Sierra: Well, must have been quite a drop.


 * Rinkus: [looking into the hole] Ooh er, I can't see a thing. It's way too dark in there.


 * Pterano: Poor thing. So young, so full of life...


 * Sierra: So what?


 * Pterano: I was responsible for that little swimmer! And now I've lost her.


 * Sierra: Well, Pterano. You should be used to this kind of thing by now. [he and Rinkus fly off]


 * Pterano: [Nighttime planning] Sierra! Settle down, will you!


 * Sierra: Why should I? Anyway, what are we waiting for? We could be halfway to the smoking mountains by now!


 * Pterano: Yess! With half the Great Valley right on our tails!


 * Rinkus: Why would they come after us?


 * Pterano: The young ones have told their parents that they have seen me. If we leave in a hurry, they might think that we are up to no good.


 * Rinkus: But we are up to no good.


 * Pterano: Noo-oo! I work for the greater good. My purpose is noble! They have never understood. But soon I will prove I am right! Until then, we must be careful. We will leave with the rest of the far-walkers once the Great Night Circle starts to shrink.


 * Sierra:[huffs and grumbles]


 * Rinkus: Hee-hee And then we will find the Stone of Cold Fire, yes?


 * Pterano: Yes! And I shall take my rightful place as leader of the herd. And I will rule over the most beautiful, fertile land in the world: The Great Valley!

Trivia

 * This was the first in the series to use digital ink and paint and computer techniques for the animation rather than transferring the characters to cels (I-VI).
 * The original title for the movie could have been "The Search for the Stone of Cold Fire" as the narrator calls it in this trailer.
 * This was the first sequel in the series to be released on DVD.
 * This is the second film not to have a narrator.
 * This was the third time Spike sings; he mutters Good Inside.
 * The music that plays in the background when the gang is chasing the male Rainbow Face is instrumental music from An American Tail: The Mystery of the Night Monster and Jay Jay The Jet Plane.
 * There is a scene when Littlefoot, Cera, Petrie, and Spike are crossing a canyon on vines, and Cera complains that every time they do this she is always at the back of the line. However, Spike is almost always the one at the back of the line, not counting Petrie, who flies across, with one exception in, when they are quickly crossing a log while being chased by a Sharptooth. However, during this scene Cera is the first to cross and Littlefoot is the last.
 * Aside from the Pterano flashback, no sharpteeth appear in this film. This is the one of two movies in the film series where the gang (the main characters) does not encounter any. The other one is in The Land Before Time IX: Journey to Big Water (aside from the Sharptooth Swimmer Liopleurodon --encountered by the main characters). However, said movie is the only one where there is no walking Sharptooth.
 * This is the first film in which Petrie cries, although he may have cried in the original, however, his face is turned away from the camera in that movie. In this film, he cries four times.
 * First film in which Spike cries; there are tears visible in his eyes during the scene where he draws in the dirt
 * Rainbow Faces also appear in The Land Before Time X: The Great Longneck Migration running along with an Ouranosaurus and a Styracosaurus.

Goofs

 * Look at Topps in the background when the rainbow faces first appear...his head looks like Tria's! (6:29 into the movie)
 * When Rinkus and Sierra are blown away by the Stone of Cold Fire's explosion, and they land in the cave in the mountain, when we see a closeup of them, Rinkus and Sierra's positions have been switched around.

Character Debuts

 * One-off characters:
 * The Far-walkers
 * Rainbow Faces
 * Pterano (although mentioned occasionally later on in the TV Series)
 * Rinkus
 * Sierra
 * Species debuts:
 * Gallimimus?
 * Cearadactylus
 * Styracosaurus
 * Deinonychus
 * Kentrosaurus
 * Archaeopteryx (In films)
 * Ouranosaurus
 * Rhamphorhynchus
 * Camarasaurus

Home video release history

 * December 5, 2000 (VHS and DVD)
 * December 4, 2001 (VHS and DVD and laserdisc)
 * December 2, 2004 (VHS and DVD - 4 Movie Dino Pack (Volume 2) and 9 Movie Dino Pack)
 * November 29, 2005 (DVD - 2 Mysteries Beyond the Great Valley)