Into The Fog

The Hedgehog in The Fog was a phenomenal film.  Anytime an animator can beautifully execute effects such as fog they deserve some credit.  In this film the fog has a special role.  The fog represents mystery to the hedgehog.  At first the hedgehog is hesitant to explore the fog for what dangers lurk, but also anxious to explore the fog and find answers to his questions.  The hedgehog then decides to venture into the fog, into the mystery, and the adventure begins.

The hedgehog is immediately overwhelmed with the thick fog clouding his vision.  As the hedgehog stumbles around the dense fog there are moments were the fog will become transparent enough for it to receive a glimpse of some animal or object in the distance.  Before the hedgehog can fully recognize the image the fog becomes dense and the hedgehog is left to stumble around in the fog again.

I believe the audience can relate to the hedgehog in a meaningful way.  We are given an option to either stick with what is normal and known to us, or we can explore the unknown mysteries that present themselves to us.  If we choose to pursue the mysteries of this world we are typically overwhelmed with obscurity and can only poke around at the vast mystery.  We leave the fog with more questions than we when we entered.