Editing Watership Down (section)

===Film===
{{Main|Watership Down (film)}}

In 1978 [[Martin Rosen (director)|Martin Rosen]] wrote and directed [[Watership Down (film)|an animated film]] adaptation of ''Watership Down''. The voice cast included [[John Hurt]], [[Richard Briers]], [[Harry Andrews]], [[Simon Cadell]], [[Nigel Hawthorne]], and [[Roy Kinnear]]. The film featured the song "[[Bright Eyes (Art Garfunkel song)|Bright Eyes]]", sung by [[Art Garfunkel]]. Released as a single, the song became a UK number one hit<ref>{{cite web | last = Collings | first = Stephen |title = Watership Down (1978) | publisher = BFI Screenonline | date = 2003–2008 | url = http://www.screenonline.org.uk/film/id/1266157/ |access-date = 28 March 2008}}</ref> although Richard Adams said that he hated it.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lettersofnote.com/2009/10/i-hate-bright-eyes.html|title=I HATE 'Bright Eyes'!|publisher=lettersofnote.com|access-date=14 January 2019|archive-date=15 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190115075739/http://www.lettersofnote.com/2009/10/i-hate-bright-eyes.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Although the essentials of the plot remained relatively unchanged, the film omitted several side plots. Though the Watership Down warren eventually grew to seventeen rabbits with the additions of Strawberry, Holly, Bluebell, and three hutch rabbits liberated from the farm, the movie includes a band of only eight. Rosen's adaptation was praised for "cutting through Adams' book{{nbsp}}... to get to the beating heart".<ref>{{cite news |author=Phil Villarreal |url=http://azstarnet.com/sn/review/83996.php |title=Phil Villarreal's Review: Watership Down |access-date=11 May 2008 |date=15 July 2005 |newspaper=[[Arizona Daily Star]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081227010304/http://azstarnet.com/sn/review/83996.php |archive-date=27 December 2008 }}</ref>

The film has also seen some positive critical attention. In 1979 the film received a nomination for the [[Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thehugoawards.org/?page_id=40 |title=1979 Hugo Awards |date=26 July 2007 |access-date=11 May 2008 |publisher=[[Worldcon|World Science Fiction Society]]}}</ref> Additionally, British television station [[Channel 4]]'s 2006 documentary ''100 Greatest Cartoons'' named it the 86th greatest cartoon of all time.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.channel4.com/entertainment/tv/microsites/G/greatest/cartoons/results.html |title=100 Greatest Cartoons |publisher=Channel 4 |date=27 February 2005 |access-date=11 May 2008}}</ref> But, "lovable bunnies notwithstanding, younger children might be troubled by the more graphic scenes. Numerous rabbits die in bloody fights, while one gets choked by a snare and another is snatched by a bird of prey."<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Sherry |first=Kevin F. |date=June 2002 |title=Watership Down |journal=REQUEST: Replay Member Magazine |pages=46}}</ref>