Watership Down (1978)
(Martin Rosen, John Hubley, UK 1978, 91 min., 35mm)
Watership Down is an animated fantasy based in the world of rabbits in the English countryside. Hazel and his little brother Fiver, who is a seer, lead a fellowship away from their home warren when Fiver has a vision of coming destruction. Seeking a new home, the band must contend with wild animals, farmers and their pets, and another warren run as a police-state, ultimately escaping down a river toward uncertainty. This haunting film has inspired fantasy fans for decades and caused nightmares for children for generations, matched only by its engrossing score composed by Angela Morley, a transgender woman.
Introduction by and post-screening Q&A with Charity Lofthouse, Professor of Music at Hobart and William Smith Colleges
The Art of Music in Movies is supported by the Rodney Hatch Family at the Rochester Area Community Foundation.