To wonder why the bloody hell Watership Down (the film) is rated U?

[TheCunnyFunt]

There is no way in hell I would ever allow my 4 year old to watch it! It is brutal

[CatThiefKeith]

I know, it's terrible. No way could I let (also 4yo) dd watch it. And the end makes me cry, let alone her.

[TheWitTank]

I had nightmares for weeks when I was a child after watching it. I still can't watch it now, it got to me that much. It was the blood bit that got me, when the field/sun was full of blood shudder.

[Seeline]

I remember seeing it at the cinema when it first came out with my sister - I was 10 and she was 8. She bawled all the way through it - I was sooo embarrassed
I amazed it's a U - I vividly remember certain parts of it and that was over 30 years ago.

[munkisocks]

Omg I know!! I know a woman who brags it's her 4 year old granddaughters favourite film. It's so violent at one part I won't want my daughter watching it for years. Even I don't like it.

[Freezingwinter]

I remember watching it about 8 or 9. I cried and cried and still can't watch it now. It's pretty violent!

[PitBlackwell]

Someone showed me this when I was about 5. Scarred for life. Still shudder.

[BushyTailedPony]

I know. Those horrible black rabbits. But I think a lot of kids films made (make) me bawl. Bambi's mum being shot or Charlotte dying in Charlotte's Web. Sob sob.

[BabiesComeWithHats]

I watched it every Christmas for about 5 years when I was a kid, and it made me sob every time. I'm not sure I could watch it now without blubbing.

4yo DD's favourite thing in the world is rabbits, and I don't want her to even know of its existence for a good few years!

Someone's made a Horror-esque YouTube montage of the gory bits

[Enb76]

My daughter can't watch The Snowman cos he melts at the end. I think I watched Watership Down when I was about 8, thought it was great then and still do. Yes, scary but I quite liked that I think. My daughter will not be watching it at the same age, it will give her nightmares.

[Tuiles]

My two really like Watership Down, they have watched it since age 4 and 6 (with me the first time to make sure they were coping). We live near the real Watership Down and they like to walk there to 'spot' Hazel and Fiver.

[SunsetBeetch]

I was traumatised by it at Primary school. Absolutely traumatised! They showed it to us in the TV room and the reactions were stunned silence and tears; what were the teachers thinking? That it was a twee film about cute little bunnies, or that it was teaching us lessons about death and being kind to animals? I have no idea.

The bit where the rabbits were killed underground, Fiver's visions, General Woundwort, Bigwig in the snare OMG!!!

But honestly as an adult it's one of my favourite books and I really like the film now too.

Has anyone seen The Plague Dogs? I think that's even worse and I'm so, so glad I didn't see that as a child.

[FlysInDreams]

I think I was about 10 when I saw it, and I was ok with it at that age. Also saw Plague Dogs about then, and that has a scene when a helicopter flies over a partly eaten human body! That was not in later releases though, and it was a PG rather than a U.

[FlysInDreams]

X-post, Sunset

[bumbleymummy]

It still makes me cry :(

[SunsetBeetch]

Babies Just watched that video and it pretty much sums it up! The music is perfect too. What were they thinking indeed!

[KingJoffreyLikesJaffaCakes]

Animal Farm is worse...

I like WD. I have a tattoo on my foot of The Black Rabbit Of Inle.

Is important to remember what those bunnies went through.

[Alohamora]

My Mum took me and a friend to the cinema to see WD when it came out thinking it was a film about fluffy bunnies.

I am still traumatised now!! The field of blood, the blue eyed rabbits, the barbed wire .

[KeyserSophie]

The story (might be an urban myth) is that the censor didn't actually watch it but figured as it was a cartoon about rabbits that it was obviously a U. No idea if that's actually true, but IMO should be at least a PG.

If my kids weren't disturbed by it I'd honestly think they weren't quite right.

[MrsClusterfuck]

This bit used to scare the living shit out of me as a child. Scariest bit in a kids' film EVER.

[SlipperyJack]

I saw it aged about 9 - never again. The bit I remember is the rabbits all suffocating underground, crushed in the tunnels. I had nightmares for weeks and still feel panicky thinking about it 30 years later.

[LittleMissAIBU]

I can't watch it as an adult, it's to brutal even for me!

Can they change the rating of a film once it's out? I guess not? But it should be at least a PG.

[lostincumbria]

Looking at the BBFC guidance, not sure U is right:
Violence will generally be very mild. A U film may include brief fight scenes or moments where characters are placed in danger. However, moments of emotional stress or threat will be quickly resolved and the outcome will be reassuring.

[HappyGirlNow]

This mug makes me laugh...

[bimandbam]

Children's cartoons were pretty brutal. I think there is even swearing in wd. Doesn't the seagull say shit at one point?

Plague dogs was horrific. And Animal Farm. And I watched a Japanese cartoon called The Flying Islands of something but I can't remember of what. That was pretty bleak too.

[lostindubai]

One of my favourite films. I was about 7 or 8 I think when I first saw it. My mum prepared us with a box of tissues as she'd already seen it! Watching again as an adult some of it is pretty shocking. Still think it's a great film and will be showing my dc when they're older (one is currently a toddler and am expecting the other).

The book was much more mature and I couldn't get into it as a child. I don't think it's for kids really. But the story is much more indepth (as books generally are).

King Joffrey love the sound of your tattoo!

Incidentally, I always wished for a similar adaptation of the Animals of Farthing Wood. Instead they made a stupid childish TV series