Watership Down

About Watership Down

Watership Down is a 1978 British animated adventure-drama film directed by Martin Rosen. Adapted from Richard Adams's 1972 novel, the storyline centers on a band of rabbits in search of a safe habitat after their warren is destroyed. This journey tests their courage, testifies friendships, and also depicts their struggle against authoritarianism and tyranny.

Making / Production

Martin Rosen directed and produced Watership Down, a mammoth task considering it was his first-ever film in directorial capacity. The nightscape scenes were a prominent aspect, given the hand-drawn rotoscoping technique used to create reality-based animation, which, at that time, was an infrequent practice in feature animation.

Actors

• John Hurt as Hazel: John's narration and voiceover gave depth to Hazel's character, the protagonist who is recognized for his wisdom and courage.
• Richard Briers as Fiver: Briers played the role of the small, runty rabbit with special premonitory powers and presented a devoted and nervous character.
• Michael Graham Cox as Bigwig: Cox gave a robust and vibrant voice to Bigwig, a brave and strong rabbit who plays a critical role in the group's survival.
• Roy Kinnear as Pipkin: Kinnear’s performance added charm and light humor to Pipkin's character, a small and timid rabbit in the group.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The movie was the first-ever British animated feature film to be shown in cinemas.
• Despite its cute bunnies, the film was often noted for its dark and violent themes, gaining a significant adult following.
• Author Richard Adams came up with the story of Watership Down to entertain his daughters during a car trip.

Awards

The movie won the Saturn Award for Best Animated Film, proof of how it was ahead of its time and successfully played a role in transforming the animation genre.

Quotes

• "All the world will be your enemy, Prince with a Thousand Enemies, and whenever they catch you, they will kill you. But first, they must catch you." - General Woundwort
• "My heart has joined the Thousand, for my friend stopped running today." - Hazel
• "You're closer to death than I am." - Bigwig to General Woundwort

Music, Soundtrack

• Art Garfunkel's hit single “Bright Eyes,” which was specially written for the film, became a UK number one and is synonymous with the film.
• The film’s original score, composed by Angela Morley and Malcolm Williamson, mixes intense, haunting passages with lighter, pastoral sections mirroring the rabbits' journey.