Hope for Watership Down

[eliservo]

Do you think its likely that this book could be made into an animated film? I know it was done already (1970s I think), but I the animation wasn't very good and with the new technology it could be so much better!

Or do you think this book has too dark of a story to be made into an animated film? I know there's quite a bit of gore involved, and probably wouldn't be suitable for children (even the plot of the book might be too much for children).

Watership Down is my favorite book EVER, so it would make my heart soar if someone could come out with a quality animated film.

[Emperor Cupcake]

I vaguely remember the original animated one, and if memory serves I thought the animation was pretty decent. It is a very dark book, though -- it would probably have to be done as more of a "big kid" or adult type of cartoon.

[Afgncaap5]

Bah. My mom read that book to me when I was six. Kids can take it.

And no, she didn't clean it up as I found out when I read it for myself later.

I think a cartoon could be made. I liked the original, but a remake wouldn't hurt the original at all.

[eliservo]

afgncaap5 said:

I liked the original, but a remake wouldn't hurt the original at all.

I'd like them to keep the "Bright Eyes" song from the original. Maybe they could omit the wierd animation that goes along with that scene (where Fiver is following the Black Rabbit to where Hazel is wounded). There's a lot of psychedelic colors and swirling objects that don't fit the mood at all.

Really, the only thing that needs to be improved is the animation. I thought the voices, especially Keehar's, and music were great. Holly's story during "For El-ahrairah to Cry" needs to better described and illustrated.

[doctorz]

Movies reflect their time. When the first movie was made it was the late 70's and an uncertain time. We were definitely moving out of the hippy and disco eras, but toward what? The Boomer Generation was suddenly faced with moving out of their 20's and 30's into responsible adulthood. Time to put away childish things and that wasn't easy. The gas crisis, Watergate and Vietnam were painful memories and Carter's administration was perceived by most Americans as weak and indecisive. If the movie was made today it would probably emphasize some sort of "terrorist" angle and probably ramp up the emphasis on violence with the characters portrayed in terms of good Vs. absolute evil.

[Wild Rebel]

doctorz said:

Movies reflect their time. When the first movie was made it was the late 70's and an uncertain time. We were definitely moving out of the hippy and disco eras, but toward what? The Boomer Generation was suddenly faced with moving out of their 20's and 30's into responsible adulthood. Time to put away childish things and that wasn't easy. The gas crisis, Watergate and Vietnam were painful memories and Carter's administration was perceived by most Americans as weak and indecisive. If the movie was made today it would probably emphasize some sort of "terrorist" angle and probably ramp up the emphasis on violence with the characters portrayed in terms of good Vs. absolute evil.

If they remade it today they'd de-ball it as they did Planet of the Apes, Rollerball and most of the recent remakes....

Leave it alone.

[Shep]

wildrebel said:

doctorz said:

Movies reflect their time. When the first movie was made it was the late 70's and an uncertain time. We were definitely moving out of the hippy and disco eras, but toward what? The Boomer Generation was suddenly faced with moving out of their 20's and 30's into responsible adulthood. Time to put away childish things and that wasn't easy. The gas crisis, Watergate and Vietnam were painful memories and Carter's administration was perceived by most Americans as weak and indecisive. If the movie was made today it would probably emphasize some sort of "terrorist" angle and probably ramp up the emphasis on violence with the characters portrayed in terms of good Vs. absolute evil.

If they remade it today they'd de-ball it as they did Planet of the Apes, Rollerball and most of the recent remakes....

Leave it alone.

Well said. Enough with the remakes.

[bonfiregal]

No, I'd love to see it done again. It's a great story and one that could really appeal/educate/enlighten a whole new generation of kids. I'd say "Bring it!"

[donmac]

I honestly don't see how they could improve on the original Watership Down movie. I think the animation in it is quite good, better than most hand-drawn animation seen today (which cuts corners too much with computer animation for backgrounds and such). Also, given that hand-drawn animation is mostly on the way out, chances are that - if ever done - a remake would be 100% computer animation, which wouldn't work as well as the original at all. No, just be happy that we did get a quality animated movie based on Richard Adams' novel.

(And besides the original Watership Down, the same British animation team also adapted Richard Adams' The Plague Dogs, a truly underappreciated animated film that I think is even better than WD.)

[Tars Tarkas]

bonfiregal said:

No, I'd love to see it done again. It's a great story and one that could really appeal/educate/enlighten a whole new generation of kids. I'd say "Bring it!"

Or Bring it on Again!

Or even Bring it on 3

[themanosguy]

So, somebody agrees with me that Watership down is the greatest piece of fiction ever written. I should show you the fan script I am writing in my spare time to keep my skills sharp. This is the dream film project I'll probably never do. A new animated Watership Down.

The opening Scene is, well, Woundwort's backstory. It's introduced to late in the book for some to get sympathy for him. He sees his father foolishly shot, runs back to his warren, and tells his mother. Then the shovel comes down. It's the most exciting scene so far.

I think that Watership Down, the movie, was decent, if you didn't read the book. The ommitted the character of Strawberry! The took out much of the suspense, and, of course, many the rabbit folk tales. My version would be true to the book with minor changes, and probably run just over two hours. I'd also Rotoscope many of the landscapes and try to keep all human characters mostly off screen. It would probably have PG-13 rating in today's censorship loving society, when it would clearly be PG content.

[eliservo]

Allright! Another Watership Down fan who is not satisfied with the cartoon. I re-watched it recently and whoever said the animation is "not bad" should really watch it again. There were plenty of flaws, like sound coming from characters whose mouths weren't moving and the movement of the animals seemed a little unnatural at times. Yes, they did leave out Strawberry! And I thought Holly's story about the Sandleford Warren could have been a little more detailed (of course, I understand why film makers tried to make it less gruesome). Still, I love the watercolor background and also think that the voices fit each characer, I can't imagine another Keehar voice!

Another gripe about the characters: Silver looked like an old, fat rabbit when he actually was a young buck and an Owsla officer....I also would have liked to see Silverweed and if they can make him look as creepy as he sounded in the book. What's your opinion on the Black Rabbit?
As for the rabbit folklore stories, they were nice in the book but I don't think they would add any charm to the movie or further the plot. If you've read Tales from Watership Down, almost the entire book is rabbit folklore and it seems to drag at times.

Would you keep the song "Bright Eyes" for the scene where Fiver is searching for Hazel?

[themanosguy]

Please tell me you are attractive, Single, and rich...... lol, just kidding.

First of all, the Rabbit Folktales do not need to be as big of a part. You don't have to tell the full story all the time. However, The King's Lettuce is important, and the black Rabbit is important, and it wouldn't make sense to leave out the Trial of El hrairah (sp?). Is this necessary? No. But it helps you understand the rabbit's culture.

So, in my fan script, I sort of cut the stories down. I leave out the one they kept in the movie. There is no need.

I don't understand what you mean by what I think of the black rabbit. In the movie? His existance made no sense in the movie. He was poorly animated, and served no purpose.

In the book, I loved him.

And not only was the song Bright Eyes unnecessary, it was a horrible song. America wrote a song for the movie called "Watership Down" that would not have fit the scene but would have fit the film. Because you know any songs in the movie would HAVE to be folky soft rock.

[eliservo]

Single and attractive I may be, but rich...sorry.

Yes, I was getting at the Black Rabbit's presence in the cartoon. I didn't think he was well animated, came off too cartoonish and weird looking to be taken seriously. In the book he is a very powerful and revered character, but is kinda goofy (especially during the Bright Eyes scene.)



Is this the same America that did all the songs for The Last Unicorn? The songs in that movie are far worse than Bright Eyes by Garfunkel! I understand that any songs in the film would have to be folksy...I can see the Shins doing something for the soundtrack (or maybe that's just another fantasy of mine). I don't mind "Bright Eyes" mostly because I like Garfunkel's voice, but they have far superior songs.

To finish up, I'll include a picture of the watercolor backgrounds found in the cartoon that I love

[themanosguy]

Don't judge the America "Watership Down" song unless you've heard it. America has their fair share of hits (Sister Golden Hair, Horse with No Name) and misses (basically anything that is not on their greatest hits album).

The song is Good, but not for the scene. It's for the opening titles, ideally.