Watership Down（1978）
Director: Martin Rosen
Produced in 1978 / 93 minutes / England
Original work： Richard George Adams
I saw the movie at Cine Libre Ikebukuro.
Though it was my first time going to that theater, it was quite crowded and thriving.
I wondered what the anime was like in 1978. But, it was very refreshing to see rabbits with twitching noses, cramping bodies, and strong hind legs hopping around on a soft, slightly muffled color screen. They traveled, defended their posts, and fought for their freedom. I also felt a British stoicism from the movie.
The construction of a luxury housing development destroyed the rabbits’ habitat, buried them alive, and traps to catch rabbits were set all around the fields. Humans did whatever they wanted. I felt that we humans actions should be judged from the standpoint of rabbits, birds, river, trees, earth and all.
The theme song (Art Garfunkel’s “Bright Eyes”) was also so beautiful.
It’s a book I’ve heard about for a long time, but I’ve never read it. I want to read the original story as well.
(viewing date:12/14/2024)
