Watership Down (1978)

It sure lives up to its reputation!

The sole thing I knew about <em>'Watership Down'</em> pre-watch was that it's relatively graphic and had an impact on children at the time of its release. Well, I can certainly see why! Heck, even by today's standards it's still pretty out there in terms of how it portrays the violence.

The animation, for its time, is absolutely splendid - super effective! The music is also noteworthy. I will say that I don't think the characters are anything above solid, like post-watch I can't really remember any of them individually; visually at least, because the voice cast are very good.

The instantly recognisable tones of Sir Michael Hordern set the scene as he tells us a tale of yore about the rabbit. How it got it's white fluffy tail, it's strong hind legs and it's speed, sure, but also of it's vulnerabilities. It is the animal that most others just want to eat! Many generations later and a colony is struggling with overcrowding. Mankind is encroaching on it's territory and there simply isn't room in the warren anymore. "Hazel" suggests to the boss that they start a new one, but he flares up and refuses. Together with "Fiver" they go anyway but it's not long before they encounter the rather more militaristic one run by the menacing "Woundwort" who rules with claws and blood. I aways though their something Orwellian about Richard Adams's novel, and the selection of the sweet and docile bunny rabbit as the subject for this rather ferocious analysis of societal dysfunction adds even better to the anachronisms as even they prove to have a class system, an hierarchy and even their own furry version of a secret police! The animation is gorgeous to watch. The innocence and frivolity; the violence and the brutality - they are all captured quite graphically at times as the story unfolds. Art Garfunkel's song "Bright Eyes" doesn't actually feature so prominently as I'd remembered, but it does add quite potently for the few moments it's used to illustrate that which is tantalisingly close for "Hazel" and co. There's something truly fitting about a conclusion that seems righteous, even if it does rather reinforce the survival of the fittest mentality that these critters are trying to escape - with four legs or two.