Cartoon Sunday: Watership Down {DisturbingTrailer}

How's it going my gumdrops? As a quick reminder, I will NOT  be publishing any blogs for Song Saturday or Cartoon Sunday next weekend. For Easter, I will be taking a break. 

Sometimes it is amazing how March can be about Saint Patrick's Day, then suddenly switch to being about Easter within a matter of days. 

During the last part of last week, I had the hardest time deciding what to share for today's Cartoon Sunday. I wanted to share a creepy animated short. After all the searching I did, it appears that I found something, that actually creeped ME out. It left me with the feeling of "What the FUCK did I just watch?!" 

Have you ever watched, much less heard of Watership Down? It was an animated film from 1978 named after Richard Adams' Fantasy Thriller novel of the same name. Never in all my years of living have I ever seen, much less heard of this G-rated movie. 

Watching 3 1/2 minutes of Watership Down's trailer felt as if I was in the middle of watching a darkly humored, animated prank aimed at children. However, I don't believe Watership Down was meant for younger viewers. 

You may ask "Anna, why do you think Watership Down is 'darkly humored'?" 

You could say I am in disbelief, that such a movie was marketed for children to go see in movie theaters, 4 decades ago. Watching the trailer was like a horrific, animated trailer of Animal Farm except the movie is about rabbits.

It has been said that Watership Down was popular among adults, who attended late-night screenings in 1978. In addition, it is considered to be the most VIOLENT animated G-rated film to have EVER been made.  

The British Board of Film Classification still receives complaints, 40 years after the release of Watership Down. 

It is understandable that the late filmmaker, John Hubley (He died in 1977.) and Martin Rosen wanted Watership Down to personify and give their anthropomorphic depiction of Richard Adams' novel. All the while, the BBFC and MPAA really did NOT  take their target demographic more seriously. 

Watership Down released literally 6 years before the United Kingdom and States began enforcing censorship, and before the launching of the PG-13 rating. In 1978, the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) passed Watership Down with a 'U' certificate. 

A 'U' certificate in the United Kingdom is similar to a Rated-G film in America. 

I cannot speak for everyone else. Although, I find this to be not only hypocritical, but also appalling. 

The BBFC, MPAA, media watchdog groups, and Christian zealots spent YEARS demonizing the Slasher Horror sub-genre and browbeating Slasher Horror filmmakers during the 1980's. It was to the extent, that more films went directly to video to avoid persecution. 

And yet the BBFC and MPAA saw NOTHING wrong with Watership Down being an animated film meant for children?! That's outrageous!

That 40-year-old trailer was and still is too disturbing for younger viewers. Had I been alive to see the movie trailer for Watership Down, I probably would've been traumatized. This is coming from a Horror fan and a 35-year-old single woman with no children. 

Watching the 1978 movie trailer made me feel disturbed. I can only imagine how incredibly disturbing the actual movie was for children and why it still causes so much controversy, 40 years later. 

If Watership Down was going to be marketed towards minors, it should've been marketed towards teenagers. They would've been able to handle both the novel and film as opposed to traumatizing younger children in 1978. 

It is understandable that children in other countries mature faster than American children. Anytime other people still have major problems with Watership Down supposedly being meant for children, that should say something. 

Considering that I have been anti-censorship, since my youth during the 1990's, you may be wondering why I feel so strongly about Watership Down. Allow me to clarify. 

I am NOT  trying to demonize the filmmakers. If anything, I am confronting the double standards and hypocrisy, that the BBFC, MPAA, and media watchdog groups set into motion decades ago. 

More parents should use better judgment, when it comes to graphic content. Knowing their children's interest in entertainment should go without saying. 

Maybe when I have more time out of my hectic schedule, I will try watching Watership Down. In the meantime, here is the disturbing movie trailer from 1978 for today's Cartoon Sunday.

Watership Down Trailer (1978)

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Song Saturday: Black Funeral's Dearg Due (Blood Sucker)

How's it going lurkers? I assume most people really enjoyed Saint Patrick's Day, last Saturday. It was reported yesterday on my local news, that Wisconsin is currently rated the 2nd DRUNKEST state in America. 

Talk about embarrassing. This makes me feel ashamed to be a Wisconsinite. Last Sunday, the Internet was a ghost town, or at least it seemed that way on my end. 

There was barely any activity online, when I was on several websites at a time. More people were probably passed out drunk, or high from excessive partying on Saint Patrick's Day. Otherwise, they were involved in other activities. Regardless, I could barely find anyone doing much of anything online last Sunday.  

Hopefully, more people stayed safe and warm during the celebration of Saint Patrick's Day. Even though the festive Irish holiday is over, I still have at least 1 more Irish themed blog to share with you all today.

If you still have yet to read the blog, that I published about Irish Horror Folktales, I encourage you to do so. In that blog, I explained about Dearg Due, Leanan Sidhe, and Caorthannach.

Speaking of Dearg Due, she was an Irish vampiress, who seduced men and drained them of their blood in Irish Horror Folktales. The name, Dearg Due means "Red Blood Sucker" in Gaelic. 

It appears that the Irish vampiress left quite an impression on Black Funeral so much so, that they felt compelled to write a song about her. Maybe Dearg Due should've been considered "The Evil Irish Fairy Muse" and not Leanan Sidhe? Either way, both have Black Metal songs written about them.

Most Black Metal bands are typically from Scandinavian countries such as Norway and Sweden. However, Black Funeral is an American Black Metal band from Houston, TX. They have been around, since 1993 with a total of 9 albums. Ankou And The Death Fire, which was released in 2016, is Black Funeral's most recent album. 

This American Black Metal band also released Journeys Into Horizons Lost and Of Spells Of Darkness & Death. Both happen to be music demos from 1994 and '95. "Dearg Due (Blood Sucker)" can be found on Black Funeral's 2016 album, Ankou And The Death Fire.  

If you would like to learn more about the band, don't be scared to visit their official Bandcamp and Facebook pages. Otherwise, there is Metal-Archives.com. Since today's blog is mostly about Black Funeral and the Irish vampiress, Dearg Due, here is Black Funeral's "Dearg Due (Blood Sucker)" for today's Song Saturday.

Black Funeral "Dearg Due {Blood Sucker}" Ankou And The Death Fire (2016)

Cartoon Sunday: The Gaffe Grant Wonley Made At A Bar In Ireland

How's it going my gumdrops? Did you enjoy celebrating Saint Patrick's Day yesterday? Hopefully, you enjoyed celebrating such a festive Irish holiday safely and NOT at the dangerous expense of others. 

Other than sleeping in and doing the usual chores yesterday, I had nothing personally special planned. Does watching Black Clover, Stardust Crusaders, and Naruto Shippuden on Adult's Swim's Toonami block count? 

Speaking of Saint Patrick's Day, Black Clover, and Toonami, it was a tad disappointing to discover, that Adult Swim planned NOTHING special for the block's 21st anniversary.

What would've been more logical? How about marathoning a series titled, "Black Clover" on Saint Patrick's Day for Toonami's 21st Anniversary? Hmmm... Such a hard decision there. 

Considering that Cartoon Network originally launched the Toonami block on Saint Patrick's Day 1997, it would've been more logical to celebrate the block's 21st anniversary and Saint Patrick's Day with a Black Clover Marathon. 

Yes, I know there are those Toonami fans STILL ranting about Black Clover being chosen over My Hero Academia for Adult Swim's Toonami block. Some are those same Toonami fans from last year, who are still ranting about One Piece being removed from the Toonami block and being replaced with Tokyo Ghoul.

 

RANT: Toonami Fans And Their Incessant Crying

Either way, you gain some, you lose some. 

Even though Saint Patrick's Day is over now, there will still be a few more Irish themed blogs I will be publishing and re-sharing with you all for this month. There are ONLY 2 more weeks left in March. Hopefully, you have been enjoying these blogs this month. 

Originally, I was going to share the link to Episode 1 of Black Clover today in English Dub. Then at the last minute, I changed my mind. Instead I thought I would share this hilarious animated documentary by Grant Wonley. 

It is always best to learn about foreign countries, their cultures, customs, religions, and especially their social environments before visiting them. I have been saying this to friends and other people for the last 16 years. 

People cannot always say and do whatever they want, whenever they want to whoever they want. This is especially when they are in foreign countries as VISITORS. 

Grant Wonley's short animated documentary is a hilarious depiction of the time, when he visited Ireland. Wonley recounts the time, when he made a gaffe at a bar in Ireland.

The Gaffe Grant Wonley Made At A Bar In Ireland (2016)

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Cartoon Sunday: BEWARE! The Curse Of The Banshee!

How's it going my gumdrops? Last night, did you remember to turn your clocks ahead 1 hour? Spring is coming around the corner, which is why it is best to be prepared to "SPRING forward."

BTW: If you have not already done so, make sure to like, subscribe, share, and +1 blogs from OMG, Anna! What's Going On?! 

This can be done via facebook, Google Plus, Blogger, or other social media sites such as World of Anime. Otherwise, there is always subscribing by e-mail. 

Also, for those who don't know how to find previously published blogs from my website, It's Not All Gumdrops & Unicorns, all the blog links are currently in neon green font. You can't miss these links. I post links in bright bold colors to make them highly visible for everyone to see.

With that being said, here is yesterday's Song Saturday blog once again, in case you missed it.

Song Saturday: Primordial's Hosting Of The Sidhe {REVISITED}

Speaking of World of Anime, I was asked on the Anime-centric social media site about why I did not publish a blog specifically about International Women's Day. 

Last month, I wanted to publish a blog about Women In Horror. Considering my hectic schedule offline with doing chores, attending doctor and dental appointments, and being a personal caregiver, there was not enough time. 

Most people have no idea the amount of times I have backburned things I really wanted and needed to do both on and offline. I still have yet to return to revising and editing my own Short Horror Stories. 

Let's also not forget, that I have published at least several blogs about women on here and It's Not All Gumdrops & Unicorns within the last week to 2-5 years. Therefore, me not publishing a blog about International Women's Day was nothing too severe. 

Since we are on the topic of International Women at this very second, I will have you know, that if you clicked on my blog link about Irish Horror Folktales, I specifically chose to focus on WOMEN from those folktales. 

Basically, I killed "2 birds with 1 stone" so to speak regarding the matter of International Women and Horror Folktales. That particular blog was linked inside of yesterday's blog above, in the bold neon green font. 

In addition to those previously published blogs on OMG, Anna! What's Going On?! and It's Not All Gumdrops & Unicorns, you can expect to see more blogs about women in Irish Horror Folktales. 

This includes today's Cartoon Sunday blog about the banshee. The banshee was another woman, who was a part of Irish Horror Folktales. 

In March 2016, I published a Song Saturday blog on It's Not All Gumdrops & Unicorns explaining about her. However, I never shared a Cartoon Sunday blog about the banshee, until now. 

Sapphire from Snarled shared an animated vlog enlightening viewers about such an appalling woman. Megan Matheson from Scotland told Sapphire in disturbing detail about her terrifying encounter in real life with the banshee. For today's Cartoon Sunday, be prepared to be creeped out. 

BEWARE: Curse Of The Banshee! (2017)

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Cartoon Sunday: The Foreigner's Guide To Irish Accents

How's it going lurkers? Hopefully, everyone is enjoying these Irish and Saint Patrick's Day themed blogs, so far. Every time I work on these blogs, I always learn something new.

As I began writing these blogs last week, I stumbled upon this animated vlog about Irish accents. I have not heard many people with Irish accents. 

Normally, I hear those with Australian, British, Mexican, Cuban, and Asian accents. There have been shows and movies that I have watched in the past with American actors playing Irish roles.

Even though I have known for the last 30 years, that U2 is an Irish band, I never paid much attention to Bono's accent. 

Years ago, I did manage to hear the late Glenn Quinn's Irish accent. I was amazed to learn that he was Irish because he spent 7 STRAIGHT YEARS playing as "Mark Healy" on Roseanne.

Glenn Quinn As "Mark Healy" From Roseanne

It was not until Glenn Quinn played the character, Doyle on Angel, that I discovered he was Irish; When the late Glenn Quinn joined the cast as "Doyle" on Angel in 1999, his Irish accent really surprised me. This only proved, that he was a very talented actor gone too soon.

Since today's Cartoon Sunday blog is about Irish accents, here is an animated YouTube vlog from Facts Media LLC. explaining about the different types.

 

Facts Media LLC: The Foreigner's Guide To Irish Accents (2015)

Song Saturday: The Cranberries Tribute

How's it going my gumdrops? How are you liking the latest background? At the moment, we are green for Saint Patrick's Day and the spring. With my extremely hectic schedule this year both on and offline, I have not been publishing and sharing as many Song Saturday and Cartoon Sunday blogs. 

On It's Not All Gumdrops & Unicorns ~ 2 months ago, I already mentioned, that I would be blogging less. 

Lately, funerals, doctor, and dental appointments keep throwing monkey wrenches into my plans. Also, technology keeps working against me every time I want to edit and revise my stories. 2018 is a year that I would love to see my goals and accomplishments come to fruition.  

Hopefully this month, I will be able to start revising at least some of my short stories; I want to start revising some of my short stories, which have been backburned for the last 5 years or so. 

Speaking of Song Saturday blogs and funerals, today's Song Saturday blog is somewhat overdue. Whether it is a celebrity, family member, or friend, it always sucks to start the year with a demise. Judging from what I can see, 2018 hasn't been as terrible as 2016 and 2017 in that regard. 

On January 15, 2018, I was shocked by the sudden death of Dolores O'Riordan. Dolores O'Riordan was originally the lead singer of the Irish Alternative/Celtic Rock band, The Cranberries. 

After learning about her death on the local news 2 months ago, I could not help feeling sadness. I guess you could say The Cranberries were another band, that was a part of my youth during the 1990's. 

Over the last several days, I noticed that MTV Classic has been airing The Cranberries' music video, "Linger." When it comes to their song, "Linger," it brings back childhood memories. (Or should I be saying, "pre-teen nostalgia"?)

The Cranberries debuted with "Linger," in 1993. At the time, I was only 11 years old and instantly took a liking to the song. I liked "Linger" so much, that I recorded it on tape. 

Gen Xers will know what I'm talking about. Younger Millennials and Generation Z have no idea what it's like to buy vinyl records, CD's, and audio cassettes (also known as tapes). At the time, I did not always have enough money in my allowance to buy albums. This led to me recording songs from radio stations to blank tapes. 

Before going on a family road trip to Michigan in 1993, The Cranberries' "Linger" was 1 of the many songs I just HAD to record before our trip. 

Growing up, it was a necessity to have my own music for road trips playing in a Sony Walkman. I didn't always want to listen to the music, that was on every radio station, while we traveled. 

Sometimes while traveling and if "Linger" happened to be playing on a radio station, I got excited and yelled at my mother to turn up the radio. "Linger" was such a soothing song. Now that Dolores O'Riordan is dead, I cannot help feeling a little depressed. 

A major disadvantage to getting older is hearing about some of your favorite icons dying. Throughout late 2015 to 2017, learning about so many music icons dropping dead ALMOST everyday was upsetting. Their deaths became a constant reminder of the end of certain music eras, genres, sub-genres, and most importantly, those icons' lives. 

We as fans can only hold onto our nostalgia. Even that can be depressing. For the last 1 1/2 -2 years, you have no idea the many times I have watched MTV Classic and have felt a little pain watching so many DEAD music icons' videos back to back in blocks. It's a constant reminder of how much time has gone passed and, that I am getting older. 

The autopsy report for Dolores O'Riordan will not be released, until sometime next month. 

Since this blog is mostly in tribute to the late Dolores O'Riordan, here are 3 of my favorite songs by The Cranberries for today's Song Saturday.


1) The Cranberries "Linger" Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We? (1993) 

2) The Cranberries "Ode To My Family" No Need To Argue (1994)

 3) The Cranberries "When You're Gone" To The Faithful Departed (1996)

Thank you my gumdrops! Don't forget to like, subscribe, share, +1 on Google Plus, and leave your feedback in the comments section below!