Trivia

This movie was the biggest Hungarian box-office hit in the 1980s. In 1981, it was also chosen as movie of the year. This is an especially notable achievement, as the jury of the Hungarian Film Week festival have previously dismissed animated works. Reportedly, a single critic convinced them to give the film a chance.

"Vuk", the name of the main character, is the abbreviation of "Vadászom, utamból kotródj!", which in Hungarian means "I'm hunting, get out of my way!" In contrary to a famous misconception, it does not mean "My hunter, move off my way" - the word "vadászom" in Hungarian means both "my hunter" and "I'm hunting", in this context the obvious meaning is the second.

The film is one of the most beloved animated classics in its home country of Hungary and also a significant part of 20th century Hungarian media. It is considered an indelible part of Hungarian culture, practically every child in the country grows up with the film. It has been repeatedly reissued in theaters long after its original release, and in 2017 it was digitally restored for yet another theatrical run. Television often airs it during national celebrations. Multiple buildings in the capital city Budapest have been adorned with giant paintings of the movie's scenes, and you can even find food products, such as sweets, with the film's characters on the packaging. In 2010, an official Vuk playground opened on Budapest's Gellért Hill, dedicated to director Attila Dargay, one of Hungary's most respected cartoonists and children's storybook artists. The film's theme song is also a highly popular children's song and has been released on cassette and CD many times.

The film was originally released as a television mini-series between April 18 and 21, split into four episodes. The feature-length recut followed in December of that year.

The highest-attended Hungarian movie made after 1980. Theatrical showings were attended by about a quarter of the country's population (over 2.4 million viewers), and the film's several re-releases in the following decades have added to that number. No other movie made in Hungary since 1980 came close.