Watership Down [1978] [Criterion] (BLU)
Martin Rosen
Synopsis
With this passion project, screenwriter-producer-director Martin Rosen brilliantly achieved what was thought difficult, if not impossible: a faithful big-screen adaptation of Richard Adams's classic British dystopian novel about a community of rabbits seeking safety and happiness after their warren comes under terrible threat. With its naturalistic hand-drawn animation, dreamily expressionistic touches, gorgeously bucolic background design, and elegant voice work from such superb English actors as John Hurt, Ralph Richardson, Richard Briers, and Denholm Elliott, Watership Down is an emotionally arresting, dark-toned allegory about freedom amid political turmoil.
Special Features:
- high-definition digital restoration, with uncompressed stereo soundtrack on the Blu-ray
- interview with director Martin Rosen
- appreciation of the film by director Guillermo del Toro
- Picture-in-picture storyboard for the entire film (Blu-ray); four film-to-storyboard scene comparisons (DVD)
- Defining a Style, a 2008 featurette about the film's aesthetic
- Trailer
- An essay by comic book writer Gerard Jones
Product Details
- Format: Color, Widescreen
- Language: English
- Subtitles: English
- Aspect Ratio: 1.85.1
- Number of Discs: 1
- Rating: PG
- Label: Criterion
- Release Date: 02/24/2015
- Run Time: 92 minutes
- Catalogue #: 2447
- Region: Canada, US