• 59: Watership Down (1978) 1: Prologue

  • Apr 12 2022
  • Duración: 10 m
  • Podcast

59: Watership Down (1978) 1: Prologue

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  • 59: Watership Down (1978) Section 1: Prologue Scripted, narrated, recorded and edited by Newell Fisher, with script assistance by John Ruths This opening section covers from the start of the film to 3 minutes 40 and the equivalent Chapter from the book is Chapter 6.The story of the Blessing of El-ahrairah. The very first thing we experience in the film is a dramatic orchestral flourish, before we see anything. And then a strange object emerges out of the darkness. This is our first sight of Frith, the living Sun. We see Frith creating the stars. The camera shot then pans down to the initially blank “world”, onto which surreal stylised bushes and trees are dropped. We then see a collection of fairly bland looking animals drop out of the sky, though still covered with abstract designs El-ahrairah arrives last and on his own, bumping to the ground in a comedic fashion. All the animals are his friends and they all eat grass together. The music is light and airy, with a lot of what I think is clarinet playing. And then the fall from grace begins, as the rabbits multiply and eat all the grass right in front of the other animals. The other animals are seen to make a gesture towards the sky appealing to Frith, which does not happen in the book. Frith warns El-ahrairah to control his "people" or he will. But El-ahrairah is defiant, walking off in an arrogant comedic way. We see the "face" of Frith redden with anger as we are told of his decision to give each animal a "gift" by Frith extending a sunray towards the world. Briefly we see the more harmless gifts being given, at least from a rabbit perspective. But then the Elil are created, as harmless animals become brightly coloured harbingers of death for all rabbits. We are taken through the Eyes of a newly vicious cat to the well-known shot of rabbits at silflay being killed one by one and turning red. The music is now more staccato. El-ahrairah is afraid. He sees the "Black Rabbit of Death". In panic, El-ahrairah starts to dig as Frith approaches. Frith asks if he has seen El-ahrairah. He has not. So Frith offers to bless him instead if he will come out of his hole. El-ahrairah cannot as the Fox and the Weasel are coming. Frith will have to bless his bottom. Frith's sunbeam touches El-ahrairah's tail and, with a golden flash, it turns white. His back legs grow strong and powerful, his fur colour darkens and, finally, his round face is transformed into a thin sleek one. El-ahrairah speeds off across "the hill", as it is described, faster than any other creature in the world now. But soon he is in a wooded area, where Elil lurk behind every Bush, as Frith gives his familiar warning about all the world being his enemy, “Prince with a thousand enemies”. El-ahrairah demonstrates his skills. The shadows of Elil are seen to one side. But El-ahrairah is too fast for them now. As he darts in and out of his holes, Frith gives his promise that, as long as he is cunning and full of tricks, his people will never be destroyed. As Frith concludes, his mythical aspect melts and dissolves into the actual Sun, as the opening titles begin on Watership Down itself. Comparison with the Book In the original novel, this is just the first of several tales of El-ahrairah told by characters in the book during the course of the narrative, acting often as light-hearted interludes. Although this origin story is obviously the most important, it is very much told in this spirit, by Dandelion, in order to lift his companions’ spirits as they rest, terrified, in the woods just south of Sandleford at the dead of night, shortly after their departure. Here it is elevated to epic status. This opening established a convention for film portrayals of the story that subsequent versions have felt the need to emulate. The decision to use this story in this way was the first act of Revisionism in the world of WD. And possibly its most successful.
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