Janet Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 Watership Down by Richard Adams The ‘blurb’ ‘Hazel - the danger, the bad thing. It hasn’t gone away. It’s here - all around us… We’ve got to get away before it’s too late.’ Fiver could sense danger. Something terrible was going to happen to the warren - he felt sure of it. So did his brother Hazel, for Fiver’s sixth sense was never wrong. They had to leave the warren and they had to persuade the other rabbits to join them. And so, a small band of rabbits began a long and perilous journey. Not one of them could have imagined the terrors and dangers that were in store for them in this dramatic and totally gripping story that has become a classic and an international bestseller. Fiver sees a vision of the warren he lives in being destroyed by man. When the chief rabbit refuses to listen to his fears, Fiver, together with several other brave rabbits, sets out on a long journey to look for a safe place to live. There is just one problem - they have no does, and without does, any new warren they set up will not endure. During their travels they encounter a strange warren where all the rabbits behave very peculiarly, and Fiver’s intuition tells him that this is not a safe place, a farm where there are captive rabbits and eventually they settle on Watership Down. With the help of an injured gull whom they nurse to health, they set out to find some does to bring back, but this adventure proves the most dangerous yet. Will they survive? This book is lovely. I’m not ashamed to say that it made me cry! It took me a little while to get into it but once I did, I thoroughly enjoyed it and would utterly recommend it. Having finished the book on Saturday, I watched the DVD of it this morning whilst doing my ironing! My son (bless him) bought it for me for my birthday after he saw I was reading the book. I thought it was really good. The animation does not feel like it's from 31 years ago even though it's nothing like today's CGI films (this is a good thing!). The film leaves a lot out of the storyline, which is unsurprising, but it still retains the essence of the story. I think the film was more... harrowing... might be too strong a word but I can't think of anything better at the moment - in places, but this was largely due to the very atmospheric music! It felt much darker than the book too. I cried at the end of the film, even though I knew it was coming! It felt like a Christmas film - not in terms of content of course - but just in the feel of it. The voices that I knew (the majority of them) fitted the characters well but I guess this has as much to do with the animators as anything, since they animated from the voices after the script was recorded so they probably had subliminal bits in them i.e bits of Richard Briers in Fiver! A really good film, but overall I preferred the book. The paperback is 478 pages long and is published by Puffin. The ISBN number is 978-0140306019. 9/10 (Read June 2009) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimmy619 Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 Reading your review has really made me want to re-read Watership Down. I enjoyed both the book and the film and I also cried when reading and watching! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 Really glad to see you enjoyed this, Janet, the movie has been a firm favourite of mine for years. It is very dark, and even when the rabbits get injured or trapped and so on, it's pretty brutal animation. More of a Don Bluth than a Disney feel. I haven't read the book in so long I don't remember most of it, but I'll definately buy it again and re-read it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kell Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 I know full well I will never be able to read this book as the film wigs me out so much (honestly, it's the only film I've ever seen that has me cowering behind a cushion when it's on - I have to change the channel immediately or risk wigging out! I can't even listen to "Bright Eyes" - I have to turn that song off if it comes on *shudder*). It's the black rabbit that gets me every time - I was quite traumatised by it as a child and although I've tried to watch it as an adult, it still has the same effect on me and I have nightmares for days afterwards if I catch even a few minutes of the film by accident! Ooh, crumbs, I'm possibly going to have night terrors anyway because I've been thinking about it now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted June 22, 2009 Author Share Posted June 22, 2009 Oh dear, sorry Kell! The book is not as bad as the film in terms of gore and everything - the film is quite a bit darker! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 Now THAT'S trauma Kell The black rabbit scared me as a kid too, but I still loved the movie. I was more creeped out when one rabbit got caught in a snare and started bleeding *everywhere* - it was animated and it was STILL gross!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephanie2008 Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 I used to be so scared of the film. The evil rabbit (whose name I don't know) really scared me and I still don't like him. Plus I always remember the film being quite dark. I haven't read the book but I too still can't listen to Bright Eyes. I see Hazel boucing through the fields and nearly cry everytime Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted June 22, 2009 Author Share Posted June 22, 2009 I used to be so scared of the film. The evil rabbit (whose name I don't know) really scared me and I still don't like him. General Woundwart. A friend sent me the Art Garfunkel record when I said I was reading this. I was 12 when this film came out and it wasn't the done thing to admit to having watched it... or to like the song! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 I've always loved the song. I used to love the tv series too, and Stephen Gately (Boyzone!) sung Bright Eyes for the opening credits of that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 It's a good thing some of you weren't at the Simon & Garfunkel concert I went to the other night because Garfunkel sang Bright Eyes I've had Watership Down on my TBR pile for a while and I've put it on my priority list for this year so I'm hoping to get to it very soon! Thanks for the review, Janet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kreader Posted June 23, 2009 Share Posted June 23, 2009 I loved reading the book. I watched the film first as a child and wanted to read the book from then. Litlle sis bawled her eyes out when watching the film I didn't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mia Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 I read the book in primary school and it was excellent, but I bawled my eyes out at the end and got really upset and vowed never to read it again. A few years later, I did read it again, got all upset again and vowed that this time I definitely would not read it again. Up to now, I haven't. Maybe I would be able to cope with it better now (I am such a soppy thing)! At secondary school we were forced to watch the film and I got upset all over again. It really is an excellent book though. When I got my own pet rabbit, I named her from the book (Acorn)! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raven Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 I really like the film (Film 4 seem to show once every couple of months, btw) but I didn't get very far with the book - not sure why! I think I'll have to give this another go at some point! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mollie Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 I loved the book but couldn't stand the film! I've just found a copy of the book in a charity shop and I can't wait to read it again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted August 9, 2009 Share Posted August 9, 2009 I know full well I will never be able to read this book as the film wigs me out so much (honestly, it's the only film I've ever seen that has me cowering behind a cushion when it's on - I have to change the channel immediately or risk wigging out! I can't even listen to "Bright Eyes" - I have to turn that song off if it comes on *shudder*). It's the black rabbit that gets me every time - I was quite traumatised by it as a child and although I've tried to watch it as an adult, it still has the same effect on me and I have nightmares for days afterwards if I catch even a few minutes of the film by accident! Ooh, crumbs, I'm possibly going to have night terrors anyway because I've been thinking about it now! I had a similar experience, in fact I think I bugged my mum to let me see the film, but I don't think I watched it until it was shown on television, but I was so scared, I had to turn it off. I tried to read the book later, but I don't think I ever got more than a few chapters in without having bad memories of the film flooding back to me, and needing to put the book down. I kept the book up until a couple of years ago, when I decided enough was enough, and gave it away to the charity shop, as I knew I'd never read it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raven Posted August 9, 2009 Share Posted August 9, 2009 The film is a brilliant piece of animation, well directed and beautifully scored, but it is very dark for a children's film, with some pretty complex issues as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted August 9, 2009 Share Posted August 9, 2009 Okay now I feel strange that I never thought the movie was scary or disturbing when I was a kid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
honestfi Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 One of my most favourite books of all time, and I do believe it is one of those books that everyone should read; Adams's description of the countryside and rabbit behaviour is just simply wonderful. Yes - the film is a bit gory, but it shouldn't put you off reading the book, the book is much better than the film. The film bugs me a little, actually, because Hazel's "encounter" at the very end of the film is not who the book is portraying. The film does keep the essence of the story, but they could have made it longer and thus a little more accurate (okay, expense, particularly 30 years ago) considering it is definitely not a little kiddie's film, and the book is for teens upwards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raven Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 ... considering it is definitely not a little kiddie's film ... It so odd to read that phrase without it being applied to Doctor Who . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
honestfi Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 It so odd to read that phrase without it being applied to Doctor Who . . . Um..wasn't deliberate, I don't watch it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mollie Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 Adams's description of the countryside and rabbit behaviour is just simply wonderful. I agree with you. I've visited the countryside where the book was based and it's a lovely area. You can imagine the rabbits running over the downs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tikkititi Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 Watership Down has been on my TBR for ages and this thread is making me think I should pick it up once I've finished my current read (AKA the never-ending book which is long and never ends). I'm a bit worried about it being sad, though; I cry very easily. I've never seen the film, and after reading Kell's comments, I don't think I ever will! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jewell Posted August 16, 2009 Share Posted August 16, 2009 I will hopefully read this some day. I have always meant to read it for as long as i can remember, but for some reason it just hasn't happened. I love the animation adaptation of the story. And i love the song Bright Eyes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 I'm about a quarter of the way through this and I think it's picking up a little. They're just leaving Cowslip's warren. It looks like I'd better try to finish this book when I'm at home so I'm not around other people when I cry. I'll have to track down the movie as well. I'm intrigued. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
green Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 Watership Down was the 1st 'adult' book I ever read over 30yrs ago! I was 11 then and the book really ignited by imagination and hunger for reading in general. I read it at least another 5 times thru the years,but it's been quite a while now. The film version is excellent,tho yeah should've been longer,it is loyal to the book and captures the darker aspects perfectly. But where was Bluebell?! I've got a 70s hardback edition of WD,and did bid for the U.S 1st edition on eBay yrs ago,but my wages wouldn't cover it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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