Watership Down (1978)
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A group of rabbits must flee their warren to escape a looming residential development and find a new home.
The story
In a warren near Sandleford, a young rabbit seer named Fiver has an apocalyptic vision of a coming residential development. Despite the chief rabbit's refusal to evacuate, Fiver and his older brother Hazel manage to escape with six other rabbits. They journey through the woods, facing various dangers, including a hawk attack and a farmer's snares. Along the way, they encounter other warrens and eventually find the hill Fiver envisioned: Watership Down. The group settles there, with Hazel taking on the role of chief, seeking to establish a safe haven for their people.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Based on Richard Adams's novel, the film follows Hazel and Fiver, who flee their warren due to Fiver's visions of human encroachment. They travel with six others, losing one doe to a hawk. They encounter Cowslip's warren, where Fiver senses danger, and later discover Nuthanger Farm. After being chased away by a farm cat and dog, they are told of the destruction of Sandleford and the tyrannical 'Efrafans' ruled by General Woundwort. Fiver eventually finds Watership Down, where they settle. They befriend Kehaar, a black-headed gull, and attempt to rescue domesticated does from Nuthanger Farm, resulting in Hazel being shot in the leg. Kehaar reports on the overcrowded Efrafa warren. Bigwig infiltrates Efrafa and becomes an Owsla officer, eventually recruiting others to escape via a boat. Efrafan trackers find Watership Down, and Woundwort demands the deserters be turned over. Hazel uses a farm dog, Bob, as a distraction. Woundwort enters the warren alone, fights Bigwig to a standstill, and is eventually confronted by Bob, vanishing thereafter. Years later, an elderly Hazel dies peacefully after being visited by the Black Rabbit.
- First release year
- 1978
- Runtime (minutes)
- 102
- Production countries
- United Kingdom
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Martin Rosen
- Writers
- Martin Rosen · writer; Richard Adams · source material author
- Cast and characters
- John Hurt · Hazel; Richard Briers · Fiver; Michael Graham Cox · Bigwig; John Bennett · Captain Holly; Ralph Richardson · the Chief Rabbit of Sandleford; Simon Cadell · Blackberry; Terence Rigby · Silver; Roy Kinnear · Pipkin
- Genres
- animated; adventure; drama; fantasy
- Themes
- survival; friendship; loyalty; nature's balance; totalitarianism
- Tone and mood
- mature; serious; realistic; gritty
- Premise and plot tags
- animal adventure; fantasy; survival drama
- Source material / true-story basis
- 1972 novel by Richard Adams
- Content notes
- violence; blood
- Reception
- The film was an immediate success at the box office and received mixed but generally respectful reviews. Critics praised its mature tone, realistic approach to animal characters, and voice acting, while some found the animation style 'soft-edged' or the plot 'difficult to enthuse over' for those unfamiliar with the book.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 81% · review count: 37
- Awards and nominations
- Hugo Award · Best Dramatic Presentation · 1979 · Nominated
- Production trivia
- The film was an immediate success, becoming the sixth-most popular film of 1979 at the UK box office.; The film was originally going to be directed by John Hubley, who left after disagreements with the film's producer Martin Rosen.; The film was first released to the UK on 19 October 1978, initially running in just five London cinemas—paid for by the producers.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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