Watership Down (film)

[ph3-der-loewe]

flum my friends!

I'm currently writing about the 1978 film version of Watership down for university. It's based on my favourite book (with the same name).

Have you ever watched it? When and in which context? Have you liked it?

I think it's a good one. The book is still far better but mostly because they skipped so much of it to get it into 92 minutes. I also like the way it is skilfully drawn.

What do you think?

PS: If you want to discuss the book as well I'm open to open a thread in the other board for it.
PPS: I recommend NOT to watch it with children around. It's both kind of graphic and I think the story is too complicated for most youngsters to understand.

[Contrast]

I watched it when I was like, 6 years old. I can barely remember anything about it, except that it frightened the hell out of me. I remember a scene where two rabbits fought and one of them bit the other's ear off. Another scene was about a tunnel collapse, and all the rabbits were slowly suffocating, trying desperately to get out.

I think lots of kids probably got traumatized like that when their parents sat them down to watch it, thinking it was just a harmless little kiddie movie about cute fluffy bunnies. :/

[ph3-der-loewe]

hm,

This is exactly the same story I hear over and over again when I ask those questions. The tunnels blocked with bodies (destruction of the Sandleford warren), the epic fight of Bigwig with General Woundwort (which is much more epic in the book ;) and not to forget the Tab (the form cat) catching Hazel. It's at least two of those -- most traumatizing as it seems -- scenes from the film that kept in the memory and nightmares of a generation.

In Germany age limit is 6 for this work. I have no idea how it passed that.

Keep on writing my friends! I'm looking forward to hear your opinion!

[Rakuen Growlithe]

I watched it last year, just after I finished reading the book. It's a classic but I felt it's reputation was quite exaggerated. There's not nearly as much blood death (in either the book or the film) than everyone talks about. Most of it is fairly harmless with just the threat of death looming overhead. the film itself is fairly average actually, cutting stuff down too much to try fit everything in and suffering from the limitations of animation when it was done. The worst part about the film was that they cut all of Hazel's thought processes. That was one of the most important parts of the book and helped you bond with the character and see why they could do what they did. The film goes through the motions but it doesn't have the depth that the book did.

[ph3-der-loewe]

reflum,

the film itself is fairly average actually, cutting stuff down too much to try fit everything in and suffering from the limitations of animation when it was done.

Yes. I perfectly agree with you.

The worst part about the film was that they cut all of Hazel's thought processes. That was one of the most important parts of the book and helped you bond with the character and see why they could do what they did.

That is a good point. I think I will write a little bit about this. Some of the actions in the film seem not so well connected or you will ask 'why did he what he did?'.

Thank for your input so far. :)