A Work of Art

Watership Down, the glorious novel by Richard Adams, soared to fame when it was written, and rightly so. It is a poignant tale of a group of rabbits' struggle to find a home after theirs is destroyed to make room for a shopping mall. Through their struggles, we are offered a glimpse into an entirely new world, complete with its own language and mythology. It was a tall order to try to convey this world on film with but an hour and a half to spare. But this movie managed beautifully.

Its realistic animation bathes the rabbits in an aura of authenticity which can't be found in the wisecracking Bugs Bunny or even in the forest-dwelling Thumper. Sticking closely to the plot and leaving out as little as possible, this masterpiece transcends the ordinary, interweaving the rabbit mythology so intricately with the plot that the entire movie is wreathed in shadows of otherworldliness.

This effect is completed by the ever-angelic voice of Art Garfunkel, whose haunting melody "Bright Eyes" accompanies Fiver's ruminations about death when Hazel is shot by a farmer. Other than the beautiful ending, which carries on in dialogue what the song begins, this segment is my favorite part of the movie. Robed in mysticism, Artie's richly echoing voice sweetly sings of the mysteries of death, using rich natural images.

The simple line "There's a fog along the horizon" never fails to send shivers down my spine, and you can't help but wonder along with Fiver, "How can the light that burned so brightly suddenly burn so pale?" In deference to the rabbits' graciousness upon finding Watership Down ("Oh, Frith on the Hills! He made it for us!" "He may have made it, but Fiver found it."), I feel compelled to point out that while no other singer could have handled the song so masterfully, the song would not have been in existence were it not for Mike Batt. Way to go, Mike!

Few animated films achieve what this film has, and its beauty will leave you stunned. But there is a good deal of darkness as well, and images of rabbits screaming out in agony as they are trapped underneath a newly-laid parking lot may be too frightening for younger children. Nor will they be comforted by images of dogs tearing out the throats of rabbits or the fearsome rabbit General Woundwort ripping rebels to shreds. For older children and adults, however, this is not a film to be missed.