Hedgehog in the Fog by Yuri Norstein
My rating: 4/5 cats
the illustrations in this book are beautifully drawn and the book itself so lovingly designed. as an object, it is 5 stars cats for how it pleases the eye and feels in the hands.
the story itself pleased me somewhat less. it is my understanding that this is a picture book adaptation of an animated film, and it might have simply lost some of its potency in the medium-switch.
it claims to be about a philosophical little hedgehog on his way to meet with his friend Bear, but i don’t really get the philosophical angle outta this hedgehog. it is a journey story about a little hedgehog clutching a pot of raspberry jam who gets lost in the fog on his way to bear’s house and encounters many creatures, some helpful and some a little frightening. to a hedgehog. he is curious, certainly, enchanted by the sights around him, but apart from his question, What if the Horse were to fall asleep, would it drown in the fog?
he does not seem to be a particularly musing creature, although he does accurately diagnose this owl as “crazy.”
and after a near-accident where he sighs and gives himself up for lost but is mysteriously saved by “Someone,” he seems a little PTSD’d out, and not really in a philosophical state of mind.
but it might be more clear if i get a chance to watch the fillum.
from the author bio:
Yuri Norstein is a distinguished Russian animator and director, the creator of memorable and award-winning films. In 1984 his film ‘Tale of Tales’ was named The Best Animated Film of All Time in an event organised by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Los Angeles with critics and filmmaker judges from all over the world. In 2002 this film was also named the best animated film of all time in a Zagreb International Animation Festival poll. In 2003, an international film jury in Tokyo declared ‘Hedgehog in the Fog’ to be the best animated film of all time
that’s a lot of “all time” cred. and to have two different films named “best of all time” is both impressive and quite impossible. but i will accept their findings. i will track this movie down and report back to share if it is more philosophical that the book-version. you know, someday
this image is not from the book, but it is lovely:
and my final thought is—although the illustrations by francesca yarbusova were almost all gorgeous, she really made this dog look like a canine carrot top, which was not at all gorgeous.
read my book reviews on goodreads
