Watership Down the two girls. Adams's descriptions of wild rabbit behaviour were based on "The Private Life of the Rabbit" (1964), by British naturalist Ronald Lockley. The two later became friends, embarking on an Antarctic tour that became the subject of a co-authored book, "Voyage Through the Antarctic" (A. Lane, 1982). "Watership Down" was rejected seven times before it was accepted by Rex Collings. The one-man London publisher Collings wrote to an associate, "I've just taken on a novel about rabbits, one of them with extra-sensory perception. Do you think I'm mad?" The associate did call it "a mad risk," in her
Watership Down (film) an 82% 'Fresh' rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 33 reviews. The critical consensus reads: "Aimed at adults perhaps more than children, this is a respectful, beautifully animated adaptation of Richard Adams' beloved book." The film was nominated for Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation in 1979. In 2004, the magazine "Total Film" named "Watership Down" the 47th greatest British film of all time and it was also ranked 15th in the "100 Greatest Tearjerkers". Investors in the film reportedly received a return of 5,000% on their investment. Despite its success at the UK box office, the film underperformed at