BBC remake Watership Down with less violence to avoid 'scarring' children

UKTelegraph ^ | 4/28/16 | Hannah Furness, Arts Correspondent

[originalbuckeye]

Another one bites the dust due to political correctness. I guess I likely won't be allowed to sing that lullaby to my granddaughter that my dad sang to me. In the lullaby, two little babes died. I don't think it is good to scare young children, but some stories shouldn't be messed with.

[miss marmelstein]

I’ll never forgive the makers of The Plague Dogs cartoon of HAVING THE PLAGUE DOGS MURDERED! In complete violation of the book. I adore Richard Adams’ books, especially Traveller about Marsh Lee’s brave war horse.

[Fai Mao]

When I was a school librarian Watership Down was one of the books I most recommended to students.

[sparklite2]

When I was a kid, the loss of Bambi’s mother had the same effect. That’s why I am the cynical sociopath you see before you today.

[GraceG]

[antonia]

When I was a kid, the loss of Bambi’s mother had the same effect. That’s why I am the cynical sociopath you see before you today.

Your comment is a great example of why FreeRepublic needs a 'like' button.

[Billthedrill]

When I was a kid, the loss of Bambi’s mother had the same effect. That’s why I am the cynical sociopath you see before you today.

Yeh. For me it was when they shot Old Yeller. Couldn't stop giggling for days...

[Cicero]

What, no gay rabbits while they’re at it?

[Mrs. B.S. Roberts]

“Watership Down” is not a children’s book - never was a children’s book - High School maybe junior High but not young readers.

[discostu]

It’s not political correctness, it’s realizing that the old cartoon is pretty brutal. And nothing’s biting the dust, the old cartoon will still be out there. And the remake from the late 90s which also mellowed things out a bit.

[miss marmelstein]

My mother refused to let me see Bambi after my older and more relaxed brother went mad in the movie theater. To this day, I haven’t seen it. Dumbo and his mother is enough for me. Ugly, ugly.

[miss marmelstein]

You have a point. The original cartoon was not necessarily meant for children.

[miss marmelstein]

You nasty person, you, lol!

[Fhios]

My sixth grade English teacher told me it was trash, along with Jonathan Livingsting Seagull.

[Fai Mao]

Watership Down is not New Age type stuff. It is just a very well told story. That does not mean everyone likes it. Johnathan Livingston Seagull is pretty weird.

[IronJack]

I HATED that book. I've never read anything so simpering, banal, or tedious. And I've read the New York Times!

Toward the end, I was hoping the rabbits would all get slaughtered. By a harvesting machine ...

[struggle]

[miss marmelstein]

LOL. I disagree but like your way with words.

[blackdog]

I treasured reading it in high school. I still remember most of it by heart. A lot of good v evil to take from it. A lot of not settling for what you are told by those in authority. Form strong trusting bonds with peers to overcome just about anything. Great book.

[discostu]

And it ran right into a bad parenting problem, especially when VCRs entered the home. Lazy parents looking for some “me time” would say “oh it’s about bunnies” put it in, plop the kid in front of the TV and go do whatever then the movie gets to the splashes of blood bunnies tearing each other apart part and there’s screams from the living room and nightmares for weeks. You can do the same story and not make it quite as scary, and maybe tone up the packaging so people don’t assume it’s sweat and innocent.