@benro6564
I do not understand why sometimes ratings boards can be so strict, and other times they look at this and think it's okay for children of all ages. Sometimes i am convinced they do not even watch some of these movies
@Gooieduck1224
No mention of my man Blackavar? He dies so gorily in the movie, it's the death I remember the most. He's brave but in a chaotic kind of self destructive way. In the book though he's a huge bad ass, tirelessly trying to escape Efrafra, surviving his punishment and the escape. And even after they tear his ears and break his body they never break his mind. Even when hope is lost (they think) he just basically says "well we'll take a few of them with us I promise you that". He's a side character but... He's my boy.
@oakleytheaussie7522
the words being different since they're animals... reminds me of Warriors. a "monster" is a car, a "twoleg" is a human, "kittypet" being a domesticated cat, etc!
@pumpkinpatch5
Have we all finally learned that animation is a way of telling a story, not solely a medium for children? Watership Down was animated because they couldn't use real rabbits. Don't forget that the book goes beyond that of a simple children's story. It has the same darkness that they were surprised over when children read Harry Potter. They can take it. I was born in the 80's and I turned out ok. *Twitches Btw, one of my most loved possessions is an animation cel of Hazel during the scene where they're being dug out of the warren. This film was brutal and I love it for that. It taught you that death comes with life.
@infamousizzy
BRO! I watched this at the age of 18 when rummaging through our old DVDs. I was like "Ooh what's this! This looks like it would be a wholesome disney-like film.". And as a bunny Mom...it actually really traumatized me, and I had to cling onto my bunny girl for a good long while.
@azazellon
Fiver WAS Frith's ultimate warning. And the warren not taking that warning was their death.
@tylerlong5112
One thing I love about this book/film is that it shows the how animals and even we as humans need to keep fighting to survive. Once civilization is set up we need to work day after day to keep it stable for generations. It tells kids that the work won’t end and we need to come together in order to build something greater than ourselves for ourselves.
@0Shanna
The blood and death wasn't what traumatized me as a very young child (nature documentaries!), it was the *psychedelic animation and music*, brrr. Still to this day, does it creep me out worse than a horror movie. Oh, and the fact that I wasn't allowed to rewatch it after the first time, so I couldn't come to grips with what upset me. Haunted me my whole childhood—and life actually.
@phoebevaughan5095
As a kid I first watched the 1999 animated series of Watership Down which toned down most of the horrific film moments, but as soon as I watched the film I adored it! I was a morbid kid but what I loved about the film was the characters and the soundtrack! I wasn't scared at all! But rewatching as an adult I was more disturbed as I am more aware of the dark themes like fascism and the destruction of nature! Great film!
@WhatWouldVillainsDo
BigWig was freaking spectacular. Him fighting the general was crazy.
@TooFarGone-g5c
Man I Love Watership Down! I've always been a nature nerd growing up, so I already know about the shortened lives of animals in nature documentaries. But watching Watership Down at an early age did help me be into nature conservation (to save native rabbits) and realize how despite being the youngest I can still find ways to help my family too.
@D3m0n1c4t
Never seen this one myself, but i remember my mother telling me that she watched this as a kid and then sobbed on the way home
@Ravuun
The original cover was the only one that existed when I was a kid in the 80's. My mom had the soundtrack/score on vinyl and it had the same cover art. This film both fascinated and terrified me. When I was maybe 5 or 6, one of my mom's cats died, and we listened to this album over and over and cried. From that day this film has been deeply connected with grief and loss for me, but I still love it. I read the book in third grade and it was also quite good, though it's missing the gut-punches of the music
@racheluk1759
This was the first book I ever read. As someone who's dyslexic, it was a real struggle with all the rabbit language words in it, but I couldn't put it down. We watched the film in our junior school hall and even though it had extremely scary parts in it, it was, and still is, one of my favourite films. Bright Eyes is such a wonderful song too.
@SpiderNightcrawler
Watership Down essay video in MY algorithm?? YES PLEASE
@hikkchik
I watched it every time it came on one of our three channels when I was a kid. I loved it. I was never traumatized or scared of it. I had a lot of empathy for the rabbits, though. I didn't realize it was based on a novel until I was an adult and couldn't wait to get my hands on it. It's so much better.
@Miami.grackle
In the movie, General Woundwort was a near-insurmountable force. Excellent antagonist for a classic good/evil story. Real excitement I saw the movie when it was released in the US, and loved it. Even today, one of my absolute favorite films. Not long after, checked out the book at the local library. Even better. It was a dream come true, a way to further explore the adventure, delve further into the rabbits’ lives. The map fascinated me. Did not read the book in order. Over time, different chapters that peaked my interest were read. Not sure how many others experienced Watership Down in this way, but it made sense at the time. Returning to The General, his portrayal in the book is more interesting. In some ways, more ‘humanized’. We learn that his was a brutal, merciless world from the start. Like with Hazel, one person gave him care and kindness, instead of Man’s danger or indifference. You almost sympathize (or at least understand) with him doing everything to keep the enemies away from his Warren. Of course, he took the protective hand way too far, especially with the extreme organization/ punishment commanded to all, from kittens to the highest officers. Just would like to say, that was an excellent video. Hadn’t seen the illustrated novel yet. Enjoyed how you balanced that with the original book and 1978 movie. Today I’m going to find the illustrated book. Convinced me to find it!
@hikkchik
They didn't put in the scene where Bigwig told General Woundwort to "eat shit, you stinking tyrant.". LMAO
@mustachetwirler7617
If there is one thing I can paise the Netflix adaptation of Watership Down for, it’s how they gave General Woundwort a motivation for his actions that actually ties in with the religion of Frith. In his youth, Woundwort survived an Elil raid on his old Warren and, literally baring the scars to prove it, sets off on trying to overcome his natural place by making himself and his new Warren become the Elil themselves out of retribution. Woundwort near the end of the last episode, when facing off against the dog, even says to himself that he’s no longer afraid, due to his own warped ideologies in believing that he himself is also an Elil, before facing the dog head-on. So in a way, Woundwort in the Netflix adaptation is the contrast to Cowslip in terms of their shared antagonism towards the main protagonists and their abandonment of Frith, as well as a reflection of how humanity claws their way out of the natural order to position themselves at the top of the food chain. (Even though most of us humans actually rank at around 2.21 in the Trophic Level, the same as pigs and anchovies, with the small exception of Inuits ranking at a full-on 5 as apex predators.) …The rest of that Netflix series was lackluster at best though.
@waterwaveybaby