A scene from Where the Wild Things Are.Being Maurice Sendak
By Don Simpson
The original 1963 children’s book, Where the Wild Things Are, written and illustrated by Maurice Sendak, consists of a mere ten lines. It tells the story of Max, who is sent to bed without supper for "making mischief." While in his room, a wild forest and sea grows out of his imagination and Max sails away to the land of the Wild Things. Max is promptly anointed "the King of all Wild Things" but soon finds himself homesick, so he returns home where his hot supper is waiting for him.
Spike Jonze teamed up with Dave Eggers to write the film adaptation of Sendak’s much heralded book – and let’s just say that it resulted in much more than ten lines of dialogue. The film is able to dedicate significantly more back story on Max (Max Records). Max’s father is out of the picture (his parents are divorced), his older sister (Pepita Emmerichs) has outgrown him and his mother (Catherine Keener) is preoccupied with her job and new boyfriend (Mark Ruffalo). Max is lonely and frustrated. He removes himself further and further from reality, developing make-believe worlds to escape to. Max is also a bit of a brat – but that’s probably because he is bored and underappreciated.
In dire need of some loving attention, one evening Max dresses up in a wolf costume and craziness ensues. (“Arrroooooooo!”) He bites his mother and runs away to the woods where he finds a boat which takes him to the land of the Wild Things. (Jonze and Eggers opt for a more logical and conventional method to get Max to an actual place – rather than Sendak’s purely imaginary place that develops in Max’s bedroom.)
Little Max, still disguised in wolf’s clothes, comes upon the large and monstrous Wild Things (designed by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop) and renewed self-confidence convinces them that he is their new king. As their fearless leader, Max befriends Carol (voiced by James Gandolfini), KW (voiced by Lauren Ambrose), Judith (voiced by Catherine O’Hara), Ira (voiced by Forest Whitaker) and the other Wild Things…but the wild rumpus does not last very long. (Even Max’s own fantasies don’t have happy endings.) It turns out that the Wild Things, each with their own psychological idiosyncrasies and/or neuroses are even more socially inept than Max’s real life family. By donning Max as king, the Wild Things expect him to make them one big happy family again. Unfortunately, Max is merely a child in wolf’s clothing and knows nothing of psychology.
Both visually (lensed by Lance Acord) and audibly stunning (soundtrack by Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs), the film adaptation (directed by Jonze) remains honest to Sendak’s mantras: it is amazing how children can develop resilience when faced with adversity; children have the capacity to transform traumatic circumstances into their very own means of survival, growth, and maturation. What doesn't kill the child can indeed make them stronger. Where the Wild Things Are (film and book) is a sensitive masterpiece about the pain of being a highly creative, yet lonely child; and that child’s unyielding desire for acceptance, love and stability. It is grim (or is that Grimm?) and heartwrenching tale at times, but it’s a wonderful and amazing cinematic experience nonetheless.
