The Little Grey Wolf Returns

March 23, 2022 4:43 AM

The 30-minute Russian animated film Tale of Tales has been more than once voted the greatest animated film of all time. Here it is with English subtitles, though they are not needed. The film is structured like a memory, and depicts war, love and dancing. One review site states "It is without precedent in cinema - maybe in all of art, because although it borrows heavily from literature and poetry, it does so in a final form that does not to any real extent resemble those media." The animator Yuri Norstein (also mefi previously) has stated that the film is about "simple concepts that give you the strength to live"
posted by vacapinta (15 comments total)

My personal Russia-- Gogol', Chekhov, Tsvetaeva, Shklovsky, Bakhtin, Tarkovsky, Parajanov, and the geniuses of multfilm (animation)-- is poles apart from the murderous mechanism that serves the desires of tsars and tyrants. Long live the spiritual dissent of these gentle, pluralistic minds!
posted by homerica at 6:10 AM on March 23, 2022 [6 favorites]

(little) Hedgehog in the fog is also incredible and one of my all time favorites. Art, mood, rhythm, emotion… so perfect, tender, touching.

https://youtu.be/ThmaGMgWRlY
posted by andreinla at 6:59 AM on March 23, 2022 [4 favorites]

This is lovely, thank you for putting it out there. Pre-covid I organized a little viewing party of short animations, it's something I plan to do again.. NFB shorts, some Colgrave and Langlois, that sort of thing. Something to plan for, and Tale of Tales is perfect to share.
posted by elkevelvet at 7:34 AM on March 23, 2022 [4 favorites]

related: the cow. paint on glass.
posted by j_curiouser at 8:28 AM on March 23, 2022 [4 favorites]

Just wanted to say thanks for posting this and to the other commenters who have added all these great animation links.
posted by star gentle uterus at 9:53 AM on March 23, 2022

Thank you! Someone had shown this to me years ago and I wouldn't have known how to find it again.
posted by kitcat at 11:50 AM on March 23, 2022

Wow
posted by y2karl at 1:47 PM on March 23, 2022

His Hedgehog in the Fog is one of my favorite pieces of art across all time and space. I’ve never even heard of this one - so excited to watch it!
posted by rrrrrrrrrt at 4:19 PM on March 23, 2022 [1 favorite]

andreinla, I was so excited that I missed your post. +++++++++++++
posted by rrrrrrrrrt at 4:20 PM on March 23, 2022

When I went to the city of Tula Russia just before the epidemic I discovered that the city had a sort of John Henry sort of folk character called roughly "one eyed lefty". He makes sense if you understand that this city has been famous for hundreds of years for metal working and craftsmen.

There was a bronze of the Hedgehog in the fog near the fort.
Here is a charming animated film about Lefty.

We must also not forget Crocodile Gena.
posted by boilermonster at 11:40 PM on March 23, 2022

Some of the actual paper models of the little wolf and hedgehog were in the Ghibli Museum when I visited, and suddenly seeing them was the closest thing I've had to a religious experience. I've gone a bit teary-eyed just remembering it and typing this.
posted by BinaryApe at 2:10 AM on March 24, 2022 [2 favorites]

Do higher res transfers of this and the Hedgehog in the Fog exist? They are beautiful at 320p but I would love to see them more clearly. Thanks for this, I've been meaning to set aside time and watch this for years but this post got me to watch it before work today.
posted by macrael at 9:17 AM on March 24, 2022

Yes, apparently.
posted by kickingtheground at 11:32 PM on March 24, 2022 [1 favorite]

Finally watched this. Does anyone know the name of the tango they play? Something about a sad sun.
posted by hypnogogue at 4:29 PM on March 25, 2022

Found it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_ostatnia_niedziela Weary Sun
posted by hypnogogue at 4:33 PM on March 25, 2022