Badmovies.org Forum

Guys, around 1982-85 or so I saw a movie or special on TV.  It delt with a number of white rabbits trying to escape captivity.  The TV station had technical difficulties the whole way through, and I wasnt terribly interested(No cable those days, it was either what was on teh other two networks or the two indie stations nearby) so most of the resto f hte plot is long forgotten.  Any help?  Was this "Watership Downs"?  I dint think they had any white rabbits.  

Second ID deals with something not quite a movie or TV show.   On those old film projectors where it would play narration ovr non moving pannels(like a slide show, except it would BEEP whenever it got time to switch).  This was a Halloween strip that featured one story(it may have been in the middle of several other strips) that has kind of stuck with me.  Story delt with a man in a bar telling the inn keeper what he just saw, all the while stoppng the story to emphasize how uncomfortable the inn keepers cat was creeping him out.  What he had seen was a group of cats carrying a casket with a crown and scepter on it. At het conculsion of the story the inn keepers cat jumps up and yells somehting like "Hooray, Old King Marvin is Dead!!!!!!" and runs out.........  

Even if you dont know the name of this film strip but have seen it, I'd like to know I didnt imagine it.  It had VERY creepy animation, almost all black and orange. But it worked for me, I'm in my 20's and still remember watching it on a field trip at the Louisville zoo an October so many years ago.  


BradLaGrange

I think the rabbits thing probably was Watership Down.  Why not rent it & watch it & find out?   It's actually quite a cool cartoon, though the animation is a bit cut-rate in places.
I don't know who produced the King of the Cats filmstrip that you saw, but the story itself -- in several variations -- has been around at least since 1720, when it was first written down, & like the Grimm Fairy tales is probably much much older & existed as an oral tradition in rural Ireland for generations -- probably as long ago as there were Kings there.
You're right, it is a creepy story & holds up, as all the best fairy tales do.  Joseph Cambell analyzed what it is that makes these tales work & why do we continue to pay attention to them after hundreds or thousands (Gilgamesh) of years.  Check out the book "The Hero with a Thousand Faces" & then consider the first Star Wars movie.  Lucas hit EVERY SINGLE ONE of Campbell's main thesis points.

Peter

         I'll try and track down Watership Downes.  I live in a very small county and have acess to few video stores.  May have to make the run to Louisville!  Anyhow, you ever see teh other movie made by the WD people called "Plague Dogs".  Very worthwhile.   Its about two dogs that escape from a research lab and are mislabled by the locals as anthrax carriers.  It sounds like normal kids fare but holds up as well for adults.  In fact, its pretty bleak for kids.  

         Thanks for at least getting me the right title for the cat story I remembred.  Thats a head start I didnt have before!!!!!!!

BradLaGrange