John Hurt

Richard Briers

Michael Graham Cox

John Bennett

Ralph Richardson

Simon Cadell

Terence Rigby

Roy Kinnear

Richard O'Callaghan

Denholm Elliott

Lynn Farleigh

Mary Maddox

Zero Mostel

Harry Andrews

Hannah Gordon

Nigel Hawthorne

Clifton Jones

Derek Griffiths

Michael Hordern

Joss Ackland

Michelle Price

Martin Rosen

Richard Adams

Angela Morley

Terry Rawlings

Art Garfunkel

Dennis Gardiner

Philip Alton

Judy Hayward

Marilyn Barham

Ron Garrett

Jo Gregory

Linda Gregory

Gordon Harrison

Ted Pettengell

Arthur Humberstone

George Jackson

Tony Guy

Phil Duncan

Edric Radage

Bill Littlejohn

Ruth Kissane

John Perkins

Ralph Ayres

Brian Foster

Chris Evans

Marie Szmichowska

Alan Simpson

Doug Jensen

Bill Geach

Kathleen "Spud" Houston

Barrie Nelson

Ian Henderson

Sue Branch

Paul Shardlow

Rodolfo Azaro

Brian Melling

Vanessa Clegg

Richard Bell

Ray Kelly

Alistair Byrt

Malcolm Bourne

April Spencer

Sarah Vincent

Bobby Clennell

Chris Caunter

Steve Woods

Carol Slade

Rosemary Welch

Luciana Arrighi

Donna K. Baker

Peter Turner

Alma Sachs

Sandy Houston

Karen Webb

Elaine Mills

Maggie Brown

Olive Scott

Barbara Todeschini

Alan Andrews

John Hubley

Jake Eberts

Ray Merrin

Bill Rowe

Philip Campbell

Moses Agyemang

Ron Boston

Alan Buchan

Les Green

Tony Haines

Denis Hall

Julian Holdaway

Bob Mintern

Christopher Morgan

Barry Orsborn

David Smith

Chris Williams

Jose Amoros-Sanz

Lynne Anderson

Margot Allen

Joan Bradshaw

Briony Catling

Peter See

Malcolm Williamson

George Dunning

Colin White

Denis Ryan

Gary Sycamore

Errol Bryant

Adventure

Animation

Drama

Watership Down

Nepenthe Productions

Watership Productions

United Kingdom

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.

CinemaSerf

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.

English

4K Restoration Trailer

Trailer

Guillermo del Toro on WATERSHIP DOWN