Bright Eyes, Burning Like Fire (Watership Down (DVD))

Member Name: shewhoguards

Product:	Watership Down (DVD)
Date:	29/04/08 (13 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Classic film

Disadvantages: Even if it is a cartoon, it's not for tiny kids

Children have for decades been traumatised by a film that LOOKED like a kid's film - with cute little bunnies and everything! - right up until the fighting and the bleeding and the nightmares.

I apparently enjoyed my childhood traumatisation as I ended up buying the DVD. So, review time!

Hazel is a rabbit with a runt brother - Fiver, so called because he was the fifth of the litter. Fiver is known for babbling and strange turns, so it's not entirely out of character when he starts babbling about visions of FIELDS OF BLOOD.

He convinces Hazel at least, and Hazel tries to convince the head of the warren that they should leave. He gets told to stop talking nonsense, but still takes things seriously enough to convince a few other rabbits to up and leave the warren - an illegal action which gets them chased by the warren guards, including Captain Bigwig.

As I said, this is a little traumatising for a kid's film. The cute bunnies go through dangers including traps, dogs, men with guns and rabbits who willingly allow men to kill a few of them in return for food.

This is a classic film, but don't be fooled into showing it to very small kids just because it's a cartoon. I would put the minimum age for it at around eight or nine, and even then watch it with them.

This film, incidentally, is also what Simon and Garfunkel's classic song "Bright Eyes" was written for - a lovely but incredibly sad song.

The DVD version I had of this has no extras and is now apparently no longer being produced. However there is a new version, with extras, priced £3.98 on Amazon.

Summary: Watch this one with your kids - they might just need a hug