In 1978, Richard Adams’ beloved novel WATERSHIP DOWN was
faithfully and lovingly brought to the big screen by director Martin Rosen. The
animated film, telling the story of a dystopian community of rabbits who seek
safety and harmony away from tyranny and oppression, was not only a box office
and critical hit, but a landmark in the animated film genre; with its dark
undertones, violence, emotional power and allegory about freedom and political
turmoil, WATERSHIP DOWN was an animated film made for adults. For decades the film did not see a proper home release,
and it sadly shifted into the realm of obscure and forgotten movies whose VHS
copies gather dust in the corner of second-hand thrift stores. But no longer.
The Criterion Collection, known for their faithful
restorations of important classic and contemporary films, has finally brought
WATERSHIP DOWN home in the glorious Blu-ray format; giving the world a chance
to remember or discover this important film.
This new transfer, which was rightfully created from the
original 35mm negatives, gives WATERSHIP DOWN the justice it deserves. The
hand-drawn animation style, ranging from a detailed natural look for the
rabbits and lush watercolored landscapes, is simply stunning. Colors are rich
and deep, and the film maintains its original “glow” and avoids the cold
harshness that many older animated films suffer from when upgraded to
high-definition. The music, which includes the magnificent song Bright Eyes (sung by Art Garfunkel), is
powerful and sounds crisp and clean and deep.
Despite its age, WATERSHIP DOWN as a movie still works very
well. The simple plot of a group of rabbits seeking freedom via a long
“road-trip” across the countryside while avoiding pursuit, danger, and finding
new allies, is classic in nature and works well in this beautiful and unique
setting. The strong British cast, which includes John Hurt, Denholm Elliott,
Ralph Richardson, Richard Briers, and Joss Ackland are all perfect. The main
character, Hazel, voiced by Hurt, is worthy of the title of a big-screen
hero…while the main villain, General Woundwort (Harry Andrews), deserves to be
looked at as one of the best villains ever drawn.
As a wee-lad, this Blogger fondly remembers discovering
WATERSHIP DOWN on a new cable channel called HBO…and that discovery left an
impression to this day. Besides the very-adult themes present, this was a violent movie for animation to tackle.
The rabbits fight and battle each other by way of biting, gnawing, scratching, stabbing,
and ripping off ears in horrible fashion. Blood is spilled often, and the
crimson red color is shocking to see in an animated flick…and this is where the
film’s legacy begins. WATERSHIP DOWN was an animated film aimed at adults.
Today it is commonplace for animated films to go dark, but it was WATERSHIP
DOWN which paved the way…and also wasn’t afraid to go for a powerful emotional
wallop at the end.
The Blu-ray extras include (but not limited to) a new
interview with director Martin Rosen, who guides us through the then-massive
task of bringing WATERSHIP DOWN to the screen…and with director Guillermo del
Toro (PAN’S LABYRINTH), who talks about the film’s importance in animation
history; all rounding out another very solid Criterion release. This Blogger
has been waiting decades for
WATERSHIP DOWN to come home. As a wee-lad it was an eye-opener, and as an adult
an important addition to any movie collection.
No comments:
Post a Comment
A few rules:
1. Personal attacks not tolerated.
2. Haters welcome, if you can justify it.
3. Swearing is goddamn OK.