You might think that Yuri Norstein's "Yozhik v tumane" ("Hedgehog in the Fog" in English) is based on an old story, but it's an original screenplay. This clever little short features a hedgehog on his way to visit a friend, only to get caught in the fog and get a sinister feel for the animals in his vicinity. I guess that the cartoon is about facing one's fears. On its own it's a perceptive piece of animation. Shorts like this remind us that cartoons don't need big budgets or fancy production to be good. The plot is what matters, and the Soviet Union turned out some good cartoons in that respect. Indeed, "Hedgehog in the Fog" is more interesting than the average animated feature that stars the celebrities of the moment. I recommend it.
In 2006, Norstein published a book based on the cartoon. It listed him and screenwriter Sergei Kozlov as the authors.
In 2006, Norstein published a book based on the cartoon. It listed him and screenwriter Sergei Kozlov as the authors.