Books in French are on www.livres-cinema.info
Watership Down
Perspectives On and Beyond Animated Violence
Edited by Catherine Lester
(0 vote)Average rating:
| 0 | rating |  = We can do without |
| 0 | rating |  = Good book |
| 0 | rating |  = Excellent book |
| 0 | rating |  = Unique / a reference |
Your rating: -
Book Presentation:
Watership Down (Martin Rosen, 1978) is as controversial as it is beloved. Whether due to the tear-jerking hit song 'Bright Eyes' or its notorious representation of violence inflicted by and upon animated rabbits, the film retains the ability to move and shock audiences of all ages, remaining an important cultural touchstone decades after its original release. This open access collection unites scholars and practitioners from a diversity of perspectives to consider the ongoing legacy of this landmark of British cinema and animation history. The authors provide nuanced discussions of Watership Down’s infamous animated depictions of violence, death and its contentious relationship with child audiences, as well as examinations of understudied aspects of the film including its musical score, use of language, its increasingly relevant political and environmental themes and its difficult journey to the screen, complete with behind-the-scenes photographs, documents and production artwork. As the first substantial work on Watership Down, this book is a valuable companion on the film for scholars, students and fans alike. The eBook editions of this book are available open access under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 licence on bloomsburycollections.com.
About the Author:
Catherine Lester is Lecturer in Film and Television at the University of Birmingham, UK. Her research centres on the intersections between the horror genre and children's culture. She is the author of the monograph Horror Films for Children: Fear and Pleasure in American Cinema (Bloomsbury, 2021), as well as chapters and articles on Disney Princess films, animated horror and children's horror television.Chris Pallant is Head of the School of Design at University of Greenwich, UK. He is the author of Demystifying Disney (2011) and Storyboarding: A Critical History (2015), and editor of Animated Landscapes: History, Form and Function (2015) and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: New Perspectives on Production, Reception, Legacy (2021). He currently serves as President for the Society for Animation Studies.Cristina Formenti is Assistant Professor in Film Studies at University of Udine, Italy. She is author of Il mockumentary: la fiction si maschera da documentario (2013), and editor of Mariangela Melato tra cinema, teatro e televisione (2016) and Valentina Cortese: un'attrice intermediale (2019). Her work has appeared in various national and international journals, such as Studies in Documentary Film, Alphaville, and Horror Studies. Dr. Formenti is also the co-editor of the journal Animation Studies and of the Bloomsbury series Animation: Key Films/Filmmakers and currently serves as President of the Society for Animation Studies.
Press Reviews:
"Strange, controversial, beguiling: Watership Down is an uncommon film that cries out for this excellent collection of essays, providing much needed context and thoughtful analysis of unforgettable animation. Whether readers are rediscovering the film for the first time since childhood or hoping to gain new insight into a lingering obsession, they will find new information and understanding of what makes this film unique. This book offers fresh research into the troubled production and adaptation process, wide-ranging readings of the film's story and aesthetics, and consideration of its reception and long influence. Essential reading for anyone interested in animation, horror, children's cinema, environmentalism, or British film." ―Malcolm Cook, Associate Professor in Film Studies, University of Southampton, UK
"Watership Down is an enduring classic, but to date the 1978 film has not received scholarly attention. This volume is well-positioned to fill this gap, exploring the multifaceted nature of this beloved film across and organized by four thematic groupings and includes access to never-before-seen archival material. Groundbreaking and thorough, Watership Down: Perspectives On and Beyond Animated Violence is an essential text for undergraduate courses, graduate students and fans of the film alike." ―Amy Ratelle, Research Officer and Independent Scholar, Jackman Humanities Institute, University of Toronto, Canada
"Watership Down is a seminal and influential British feature animation. Catherine Lester's varied and insightful collection of essays finally offers proper appraisal of the film's social impact, emotional affect and political challenges. Drawing on archival sources and closely researched aspects of the film's production, the readings that follow are refreshingly assured in discussing the power of animation itself to represent complex adult themes and challenging emotive imagery. This is not a book for those wishing to read about 'funny bunnies'. These essays go down the rabbit hole and emerge from the warren with a revealing and penetrative gaze. Bright guys, burning like fire…." ―Paul Wells, Professor of Animation, Loughborough University, UK
See the publisher website: Bloomsbury Academic
See Watership Down (1978) on IMDB ...
> On a related topic:
Nightmare Before Christmas, The (2025)
Dir. Filipa Antunes
Subject: One Film > The Nightmare Before Christmas
Spider-Man Across the Spider-Verse (2024)
The Official Movie Special Book
Collective
Subject: One Film > Spider-man Across the Spider-Verse
Race and the Animated Bodyscape (2023)
Constructing and Ascribing a Racialized Asian Identity in Avatar and Korra
Subject: One Film > Avatar: The Last Airbender (TV Series)
Spider-man Across the Spider-Verse (2023)
The Art of the Movie
by Ramin Zahed
Subject: One Film > Spider-man Across the Spider-Verse
What Would Velma Do? (2023)
Life Lessons from the Brains (and Heart) of Mystery, Inc.
Subject: One Film > Scooby-Doo Where Are You? (TV Series)
Back
