a film by Yuriy Norshteyn
The story of a little hedgehog and his friend the bear cub. The two meet every evening to drink tea from the bear cub's samovar, which is heated on a fire of juniper twigs. As they drink their tea, they converse and count the stars together. On his way to meet the bear to count the stars, he passes through the woods and encounters a beautiful, white horse standing in a fog so thick that the hedgehog can't even see his own paw. He is curious as to whether the horse would choke if it lay down to sleep in the fog. The hedgehog decides to explore the fog for himself.
He finds himself in a surreal world inhabited by frightening shapes and creatures, such as an eagle-owl, moths and a bat. But also helpful, benevolent ones, like the snail, the dog and the mysterious 'Somebody' in the river. He discovers a world of silence and rustles, of darkness, tall grass and enchanting stars. He is frightened, but his curiosity keeps him exploring the unknown, and slowly he learns there is nothing to fear. The owl, which has been following the hedgehog, appears near him suddenly and hoots, only to disappear again. He explores a large hollow tree, then panics as he realises he has dropped the raspberry jam he was carrying. A large dog, which is initially frightening to the hedgehog, retrieves the jam for him. Later he falls into a river and believes he is going to drown as he floats downstream on his back until he is rescued by a mysterious Somebody, a catfish, in the river that 'speaks' to him silently.
We hear the voice of the bear cub anxiously calling to the hedgehog. When he finally appears, the bear is so relieved to know his friend has arrived safely but also because it means his life of routine and order is restored. He needs the hedgehog to sit with him and count the stars because that's how it has always been. Without the hedgehog his world would fall apart. He is safe within his comfort zone, happy to live his life without change, without challenge, without fear. He's happy to count the stars but would never once think about reaching for them. But the hedgehog is different. We see the hedgehog's expression, almost of regret, as he listens to the bear. He has now experienced the world in a different way, he has seen the magical world inside the fog, another dimension. He has felt the excitement of exploring new worlds, the fear of being lost, new emotions, new friends. As he sits on the log with the bear cub, he thinks how wonderful it is that they are together again. But he also thinks about the white horse in the fog and wonders, "How is she?". Although he is happy to continue the life he has always known, the hedgehog's world will never be the same again.
A beautiful, lyrical and deceptively simple film with the innocence and wonder of a child's view of the world. The inquisitiveness of a child exploring an unfamiliar and slightly frightening world for the first time. Its dream-like images, symbolism, haunting music and beautifully intoned narration, all combine to make this award-winning stop motion animation from 1975 such a delightful and unique experience.
Hedgehog in the Fog (YouTube)