History Trivia / WatershipDown

* CelebrityVoiceActor: The film has quite a handful of well-known actors, including Creator/JohnHurt, Creator/RichardBriers, Creator/RalphRichardson, Creator/DenholmElliott, and Creator/NigelHawthorne.

* AuthorExistenceFailure: TheFilmOfTheBook was to have been directed by John Hubley, but he died early in production and was replaced by Martin Rosen. Some of his work, such as the opening scene, remain in the finished film.

* CreatorsOddball: One of the studios for the miniseries was well known for producing shows for preschoolers. This just isn't the case.

* UnfinishedEpisode: The TV series' second season was supposed to have an episode produced called "Dandelion's Big Story", in which he would tell a story to the younger rabbits, with the roles of El-ahrairah, Prince Rainbow, etc. played by the Watership Down rabbits, while Hazel and Bigwig went to Nuthanger Farm on a raid. However, the episode was never produced and was instead replaced by "Bigwig's Way".

* TechnologyMarchesOn: Over 40 years later, the animated film has aged surprisingly well. Because of the [[OutOfFocus lack of focus]] on humans and all the tech you see them using (shotguns, cars), this story could have been set in 2020 and it would still essentially look the same. For all you know the humans have smartphones, and are on the Internet in the house.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Bigwig was supposed to [[spoiler:die after he fought Woundwort]]. After the author's daughters begged him to [[spoiler:spare him]], he changed his mind.

* WordOfGod: Kehaar was based on a Norwegian Resistance Fighter, and the rabbits that Hazel leads from the Sandleford warren are based on members of Richard Adams' unit in World War II, with Bigwig and Hazel in particular based on specific individuals.
* WriteWhoYouKnow: Creator/RichardAdams based most of the main characters on his WWII buddies (Hazel was based on his wise commanding officer).

* WhatCouldHaveBeen:
** Bigwig was supposed to [[spoiler:die after he fought Woundwort]]. After the author's daughters begged him to [[spoiler:spare him]], he changed his mind.
** TheFilmOfTheBook was to have been directed by John Hubley, but he died early in production and was replaced by Martin Rosen. Some of his work, such as the opening scene, remain in the finished film.

* CelebrityVoiceActor: The film has quite a handful of well-known actors, most notably main star Creator/JohnHurt. Others include Creator/RichardBriers, Creator/RalphRichardson, Roy Kinnear, Creator/DenholmElliott, Zero Mostel, Harry Andrews, Creator/NigelHawthorne, Michael Hordern, and Joss Ackland.

* PlayingAgainstType: One of the studios for the miniseries was well known for producing shows for preschoolers. This just isn't the case.

* WhatDoYouMeanItsForKids: It was originally written as a bedtime story for Adam's two daughters, and Adams has written in at least one foreword that it always makes him glad when he sees children who love and enjoy the book. It even has a sequel that's much LighterAndSofter than the original.
** The film version has always been controversial in the UK due to this trope. Creator/ChannelFive aired the film as an Easter Sunday special in 2016, with caused much complaints from parents. Many people have challenged the British Board of Film Classification's decision to classify the film with a "U" (all ages) rating since its release, and following the aforementioned outcry, the then-newly named head of the Board has insisted that they would upgrade the rating to "PG" if it were ever to be resubmitted. The director Martin Rosen has gone on record saying he was somewhat bemused at the amount of angry letters he received from outraged parents who had taken their children to see the film, basically saying that they should have taken the time to know what they were getting into by actually reading the book beforehand.

** Bigwig was supposed to die after he fought Woundwort. After the author's daughters begged him to spare him, he changed his mind.

* CelebrityVoiceActor: The film has quite a handful of well-known actors, most notably main star Creator/JohnHurt. Others include Creator/RichardBriers, Creator/RalphRichardson, Creator/RoyKinnear, Creator/DenholmElliott, Creator/ZeroMostel, Creator/HarryAndrews, Creator/NigelHawthorne, Creator/MichaelHordern, and Creator/JossAckland.

* TechnologyMarchesOn: As of 2016 - almost 30 years later - the animated film has aged surprisingly well. Because of the [[OutOfFocus lack of focus]] on humans, all the tech you see them using (shotguns, cars) this story could have been set in 2015 and it would still essentially look the same. For all you know the humans have smartphones, and are on the Internet in the house.

* ActorAllusion: Hazel and Bigwig are voiced by the same actors as Aragorn and Boromir are in ''WesternAnimation/TheLordOfTheRings'' which was released the same year. The characters and their relationship with each other is similar in both movies. The actors in question are ''Creator/JohnHurt'' and Michael Graham Cox, respectively.
* CastingGag:
** Creator/JohnHurt, who provided the voice for Hazel, the protagonist, in the film, would later go on to do the voice for Woundwort, the BigBad, in the TV series.
** In the Japanese dub of the TV series, Bigwig is voiced by Creator/JojiNakata, who already voiced another [[Manga/KeroroGunsou military critter before]]

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Bigwig was supposed to die after he fought Woundwort. After the author's daughters begged him to spare him, he changed his mind.

* WriteWhoYouKnow: Richard Adams based most of the main characters on his WWII buddies (Hazel was based on his wise commanding officer).

* CastingGag: Creator/JohnHurt, who provided the voice for Hazel, the protagonist, in the film, would later go on to do the voice for Woundwort, the BigBad, in the TV series.

** The film version has always been controversial in the UK due to this trope. Creator/ChannelFive aired the film as an Easter Sunday special in 2016, with caused much complaints from parents. Many people have challenged the British Board of Film Classification's decision to classify the film with a "U" (all ages) rating since its release, and following the aforementioned outcry, the then-newly named head of the Board has insisted that they would upgrade the rating to "PG" if it were ever to be resubmitted.

** The film version has always been controversial in the UK due to this trope. Channel5 aired the film as an Easter Sunday special in 2016, with caused much complaints from parents. Many people have challenged the British Board of Film Classification's decision to classify the film with a "U" (all ages) rating since its release, and following the aforementioned outcry, the then-newly named head of the Board has insisted that they would upgrade the rating to "PG" if it were ever to be resubmitted.

** TheFilmOfTheBook was to have been directed by John Hubley, but he died early in production and was replaced by Michael Rosen. Some of his work, such as the opening scene, remain in the finished film.

* WriteWhoYouKnow: Richard Adams based most of the main characters on his WWII buddies (Hazel was based on his wise commanding officer).

* HeyItsThatVoice:
** In the film:
*** Hazel, the leader of the band of rabbits escaping from Sandleford is voiced by...[[Film/VForVendetta Chancellor Sutler?!!]] Or was it [[Series/IClaudius Emperor Caligula]]...? [[Series/ArrestedDevelopment Maybe]] it was [[Film/HarryPotter Ollivander]]... Or [[Series/DoctorWho the War Doctor]], mayhap?
*** [[Franchise/IndianaJones Marcus Brody]] as Cowslip.
*** At one point, this troper expected Pipkin to say [[Film/WillyWonkaAndTheChocolateFactory Veruca!]]
*** [[Film/TheProducers Max Bialystock]] as Kehaar, sadly a posthumous role.
*** The Chief rabbit at the original warren is [[Film/TimeBandits The Supreme Being]].
** In the series:
*** Campion is voiced by [[TheMrMenShow Rob]] [[WesternAnimation/BobTheBuilder Rackstraw]].
** In the Japanese dubs of both the animated film and the TV series:
*** Hazel: Creator/ToshioFurukawa (movie) and Tokuyoshi Kawashima[[note]][[Manga/VictorianRomanceEmma Willard Jones]][[/note]] (TV series)
*** Fiver: Creator/KazukoSugiyama (movie) and Creator/KoukiMiyata (TV series)
*** Silver: Creator/KanetoShiozawa (movie)
*** Pipkin: Keiko Yamamoto[[note]][[KunioKun Mizusu]][[/note]] (movie) and Creator/SayakaAoki (TV series, and [[Anime/{{SonicX}} not the first time she voiced a rabbit]])
*** Bigwig: Creator/JojiNakata (TV series, [[Manga/KeroroGunsou and not the first time he voiced a military little critter, except he was an alien frog]])
*** Black Rabbit: Creator/IchiroNagai (movie)

*** Hazel: Creator/ToshioFurukawa (movie) and Tokuyoshi Kawashima[[note]][[VictorianRomanceEmma Willard Jones]][[/note]] (TV series)

* TechnologyMarchesOn: As of 2015 - almost 30 years later - the animated film has aged surprisingly well. Because of the [[OutOfFocus lack of focus]] on humans, all the tech you see them using (shotguns, cars) this story could have been set in 2015 and it would still essentially look the same. For all you know the humans have smartphones, and are on the Internet in the house.

* TechnologyMarchesOn: As of 2015 - almost 30 years later - this animated film has aged surprisingly well. Because of the lack of focus on humans, all the tech you see them using (shotguns, cars) the story could have been set in 2015 and it would still essentially look the same.