The violence of watership down, a childrens film about a group of rabbits trying to find new home, was arguably too strong, austin told the bbc. Based on the 1972 richard adams novel, watership down tells of the story of rabbits undertaking a perilous journey to find a safe home, and follows a 1978 animated film which has gone down in history for its shocking scenes of animal deaths. It also has gory scenes of violence, death, and destructionthe black rabbit of inle has long haunted my childhood dreams. Dec 22, 2018 notable for its graphic violence against the cuddly animals, many critics viewed watership down as a tale with a hidden message. But what the bbc and scriptwriter tom bidwell have done is made a quite clear attempt to tone down the violence of. And heck, animals lose their home in real life too. Youll forgive me for launching into a tirade about a troublesome australian pest, but im just trying to convey my general abhorrence towards the species. It was a coproduction of alltime entertainment of the united kingdom and decode entertainment of canada, and produced by martin rosen, the director of the 1978 feature film adaptation.
Dec 10, 2018 watership down airs at 7pm on december 22 and 23. In the 1972 novel written by richard adams the threat of death looms large for the animals, with snares, poisoning and violence. So while this adaptation of watership down is less gruesome and not as damaging to kids psyches, theres still death and violence and scary scenes throughout. Watership down is a britishcanadian animated fantasy childrens television series, adapted from the novel of the same name by richard adams.
Watership down 2018 tvpg 1 season british tv shows a warren of rabbits battles many threats on their daring journey to find a new home in this adaptation of the classic novel by richard adams. On a postapocalyptic earth, a wizard and his faire folk comrades fight an evil wizard whos using technology in his bid for conquest. Watership down, debuting sunday on netflix, is a new fourpart adaptation of the beloved richard adams novel. Dec 20, 2018 watership down, debuting sunday on netflix, is a new fourpart adaptation of the beloved richard adams novel. Still from the movie watership down 1978 with its delicate colors, nonfluffy rabbits and a beautiful english countryside, watership down has captured the imagination of viewers for generations. In 1978, the film watership down became legendary for scaring the bejeezus out of children everywhere, drawn there by parents who either didnt read the book or thought it. Although they live in their natural wild environment, with burrows, they are anthropomorphised, possessing their own culture, language, proverbs, poetry, and mythology. The violence in the film seemed a little heavier than the series. One is even shown being thrown high into the air by the dog, and falling back down, covered in blood. I never read the richard adams novel watership down, and i didnt actually. Enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing watership down near you.
From there, they will be able to see all around them and have warning of any enemies in the area. Dec 21, 2018 so while this adaptation of watership down is less gruesome and not as damaging to kids psyches, theres still death and violence and scary scenes throughout. Its very violent, and definitely not for young kids, even though i watched it when i was about five because. Bbc remake watership down with less violence to avoid scarring children save the 2017 version of watership down left and the 1978 film right. Watership down is about a group of rabbits setting out from the old, known home to find or make a better world out there somewhere in the unknown. Watership down the story that traumatised children of the 1970s is back. It is based on the 1972 novel of the same name by richard adams and adapted by tom bidwell. Down has a horror story about how disturbingly brutal and violent it was. The movie largely averts this, with all the family unfriendly. Death violent, disturbing death is ever present, portrayed in a manner that. I bought the soundtrack 45 rpm single of this a few months ago and being a big fan of art garfunkel i listened to it quite bit.
Notable for its graphic violence against the cuddly animals, many critics viewed watership down as a tale with a hidden message. Parents need to know that watership down is the 1978 animated adaptation of the classic richard adams novel. Watership down original cover uk imagine this book hot off the presses as you check out the cover for the uk first edition. As you can imagine, netflixs watership down was very different from the 1978 british movie that gave kids nightmares. In other words, exploration here is often about facing fears and finding the perfect place to set down some roots or use them to hold up your living room. Watership down is a survival and adventure novel by english author richard adams, published by rex collings ltd of london in 1972. What watership down lacks in aesthetics, it makes up for in the clarity of its story, which sticks fairly closely to adams vision albeit with more nuance and depth added to. Hazel and dandelion explore the top of the hill and find it to be a perfect place for their new warren. Dystopian rabbit masterpiece watership down returns as a. Watership down is a 1978 british animated adventuredrama film, written, produced and. The fellowship of the ring embark on a journey to destroy the one ring and end saurons reign over middleearth. Watership down 1978 rotten tomatoes movie trailers. Jun 17, 2017 a statistical break down of every death in watership down 1978 this video has graphic imagery and spoilers, so viewer discretion is advised. Allstarcinetextnepenthe films the child doesnt make those distinctions, of course.
The british board of film classification dangled a carrot to parents outraged by the easter sunday broadcast of the bloody bunny saga, saying. A statistical break down of every death in watership down 1978 this video has graphic imagery and spoilers, so viewer discretion is advised. During world war ii, adams was a supply officer in the british army. Watership down is a 1978 british animated adventuredrama film, written, produced and directed by martin rosen and based on the 1972 novel by richard adams. The first trailer for watership down, a new fourpart animated series from netflix and bbc, makes a misstep by going for cg animation and delivers a nightmare. With watership down, firsttime director martin rosen and his team of animators created a dark, beautiful work that blends poetic mysticism and austere realism. So, of course, many heads turned when netflix decided to make their own series of this rabbit refugee adventure. It gives many facets of what an adult, nature fiction bookgone cartoon movie. The movie doesnt sugarcoat deeper themes such as the life and death struggle in nature, the struggle between freedom and totalitarianism, and the negative impact humans can have on the environment. Watership down 1978, the perfect easter or passover movie. Watership down is an adventure fantasy miniseries directed by noam murro. Watership down movie poster imagine this hanging out the wall of your local theater. It was financed by a consortium of british financial institutions and was distributed by cinema international corporation in the united kingdom. Thats part of nature nature is very tough, explains martin rosen, watership downs director, speaking as the film marks its 40th anniversary.
Voice acting here is one of its best qualities, they did a fine job. And were children again when we watch, not so much suspending disbelief as. If this movie were to be rereleased today, it would be given a pg rating because this movie was made in 1978. Rent watership down 1978 starring john hurt and richard briers on dvd and bluray. Bookbased animated tale has intense peril, violence. The discordance between the concept bunnies and the plot everything is scary forever of watership down rendered me unable to do much more than exclaim, my god, this is a horror movie.
Dec 24, 2018 an unprecedented mashup of ecoanxiety, homely bottomofthegarden anthropomorphism, real violence, and febrile mythmaking, watership down struck a nerve. First published in 1972, this tale of two plucky rabbits, hazel and fiver, escaping the destruction of. In 1978, the film watership down became legendary for scaring the bejeezus out of children everywhere, drawn there by parents who either didnt read the book or. It was released on 22 december 2018 in the united kingdom and internationally on netflix the next day. Dec 30, 2018 the discordance between the concept bunnies and the plot everything is scary forever of watership down rendered me unable to do much more than exclaim, my god, this is a horror movie. Netflixs watership down proves it was a horror story all. Gets particularly egregious when bigwig is choking to death in the snare and when the dog attacks the efrafans. Bbc remake watership down with less violence to avoid. It would have taken a mighty piece of filmmaking to make me forget that i hate rabbits, and yet watership down 1978 had me utterly engaged from the opening moments.
Watership down producers warn parents twopart bbc adaptation. From a general summary to chapter summaries to explanations of famous quotes, the sparknotes watership down study guide has everything you need to ace quizzes, tests, and essays. Though its animation leaves something to be desired, watership down is a faithful adaptation that will resonate with viewers of any age. But the violent, bloody battle scenes were hardly appropriate for little kids. Unique in the annals of animated films, watership down is a serious, even grim tale that many will find relentless and depressing and others will find poetic and moving. But what the bbc and scriptwriter tom bidwell have done is made a quite clear attempt to tone down the violence.
The rabbits have such a strong spirit you just cant help but root for them as they seek their new home, high on a hill. Rent watership down 1978 on dvd and bluray dvd netflix. Watership down original cover us of course if you lived in america at the time, this is the version you would have had. Dec 23, 2018 what watership down lacks in aesthetics, it makes up for in the clarity of its story, which sticks fairly closely to adams vision albeit with more nuance and depth added to the female characters. Set in southern england, around hampshire, the story features a small group of rabbits.
Next, a dog is unleashed upon the rabbits, he bites and tears up many of them. The author richard adams took his title from an actual nearby hill in the south of england, but he could hardly have chosen a more evocative one than watership down for his epic 1972 tale of. If you like watership down you are looking for gloomy, emotional and cult film movies about with adventure, rabbit, violence, friendship, journey, survival and gore themes of animation, adventure and drama genre shot in uk. Was it just me that was shown this movie as a child category. A new generation of children will be enthralled and terrified by the netflixbbc adaptation of watership down, just as their parents were enthralled and terrified by the 1978 movie. But against all odds where death and violence are an everyday part of the circle of life, hope prevails. In the list below weve found similar top rated movies that include keyphrases like violence, independent film and adult animation. It gives many facets of what an adult, nature fiction bookgone cartoon movie should be. May 18, 2012 watership down the movie came out in 1978.
I liked it so much that i was afraid, that the movie wouldnt be able to keep up with its soundtrack, but after the first 5 minutes of watership down. It may be a movie about bunnies, but it is not for young children. In the 1972 novel written by richard adams the threat of death looms large for the animals, with snares, poisoning and violence amongst. In this celebrated adaptation of richard adamss classic novel, an offshoot group of rabbits struggle to break from their failing, violent community to form a utopian society.
The bbc broadcast comprised two backtoback episodes per day. The 1978 movie is still available, and half the length. Watership dow n was first released to the uk on 19 october 1978, and was later released in the united states on 1 november 1978, for the latter, the mov ie was distributed by avco embassy pictures. We figured that when looking for other movies like watership down you might be searching for other adventure or animation movies or perhaps those starring john hurt.
Apr 07, 2020 still from the movie watership down 1978 with its delicate colors, nonfluffy rabbits and a beautiful english countryside, watership down has captured the imagination of viewers for generations. A shocking amount of it in an animated movie of the time. Battles among rabbits and with other animals and humans result in bloodshed, serious injury, and occasional death. Apr 28, 2016 bbc remake watership down with less violence to avoid scarring children save the 2017 version of watership down left and the 1978 film right. A warren of rabbits battles many threats on their daring journey to find a new home in this adaptation of the classic novel by richard adams.
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