A new generation will need to see a shrink.
The transformation scene in The Witches. The Child Catcher from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Mufasa’s death in The Lion King.
All genuine moments that caused serious emotional trauma for an entire generation of film fans – my own personal mental scarring came from this witch in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves – but there’s one film that absolutely haunts the dreams of anyone that watched it, Watership Down.
Adapted for the screen by Tom Bidwell (My Mad Fat Diary), the new version of Watership Down uses Richard Adams’ bestselling novel as its source to bring an innovative interpretation to the beloved story.
Set in the idyllic rural landscape of southern England, this tale of adventure, courage and survival follows a band of rabbits on their flight from the intrusion of man and the certain destruction of their home. Led by a stout-hearted pair of brothers, they journey forth from their native Sandleford Warren through the harrowing trials posed by predators and adversaries, towards a promised land and a more perfect society.
The cast for this new adaptation is seriously impressive with the voice of Hazel being provided by James McAvoy, alongside Fiver (Nicholas Hoult), Bigwig (John Boyega), Clover (Gemma Arterton) and Strawberry (Olivia Colman).
Academy award-nominated actors Daniel Kaluuya (Get Out, Black Panther) and Rosamund Pike (A Private War, Gone Girl) playing Bluebell and The Black Rabbit Of Inlé respectively. Elsewhere, Peter Capaldi (Doctor Who, The Thick Of It) will be playing the seagull Kehaar.
Taron Egerton (Kingsman, Rocketman) has been cast as El-Ahrairah, with Mackenzie Crook (Britannia, Detectorists) as Hawkbit, Gemma Chan (Crazy Rich Asians, Humans) as Dewdrop, Jason Watkins (A Very English Scandal, The Crown) as Captain Orchis, Rory Kinnear (Peterloo, Skyfall) as Cowslip, Craig Parkinson (Line Of Duty, Indian Summers) as Sainfoin, Henry Goodman (Genius, Snatch) as Blackavar, Tom Wilkinson (The Happy Prince, Selma) as Threarah, Lee Ingleby (The A Word, Innocent) as Captain Campion, Charlotte Spencer (Line Of Duty, Glue) as Nettle, and Daniel Rigby (Flowers, Sick Note) as Dandelion.
Watership Down will air as two feature length episodes on BBC One on Saturday 22 December and Sunday 23 December.
Here’s a look at what’s in store.
Clip via BBC
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ with Aideen McQueen – Faith healers, Coolock craic and Gigging as Gaeilge
