Where the Wild Things Are (2009)

Director:

Spike Jonze

Writers (WGA):

Spike Jonze (screenplay) &
Dave Eggers (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

16 October 2009 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | Family | Fantasy

Tagline:

There's one in all of us.

Plot:

An adaptation of Maurice Sendak's classic children's story, where Max, a disobedient little boy sent to bed without his supper, creates his own world--a forest inhabited by ferocious wild creatures that crown Max as their ruler.

Plot Keywords:

Imagination | Creature | Tantrum | King | Forest

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 7 nominations

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Max Records	...	Max
Pepita Emmerichs	...	Claire
Max Pfeifer	...	Claire's Friend #1
Madeleine Greaves	...	Claire's Friend #2
Joshua Jay	...	Claire's Friend #3
Ryan Corr	...	Claire's Friend #4
Catherine Keener	...	Mom
Steve Mouzakis	...	Teacher
Mark Ruffalo	...	The Boyfriend
James Gandolfini	...	Carol (voice)
Paul Dano	...	Alexander (voice)
Catherine O'Hara	...	Judith (voice)
Forest Whitaker	...	Ira (voice)
Michael Berry Jr.	...	The Bull (voice)
Chris Cooper	...	Douglas (voice)

Also Known As:

Where the Wild Things Are: The IMAX Experience (USA) (IMAX version)

MPAA:

Rated PG for mild thematic elements, some adventure action and brief language.

Runtime:

101 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:PG (certificate #45516) | Finland:K-7 | Ireland:PG | Canada:G (British Columbia/Quebec) | Canada:PG (Alberta/Manitoba/Ontario) | Portugal:M/12 | Japan:G | UK:PG | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Germany:6 (f) | Australia:PG | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Central City Studios, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

Max Records's favorite scene in the original book, is when Max meet a sea monster. That scene is however not included in the film.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: Scenes supposedly set in United States suburbia often show Eucalyptus trees and other Australian vegetation, revealing the scenes were actually filmed in Australia.

Quotes:

Max: The vampire bites off the top of a building and loses his teeth. Another vampire says, 'Why are you crying? Those are your baby teeth.' And he says, 'No they're not. They're my adult teeth.'

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Siskel & Ebert & the Movies: (2009-10-10)" (2009)

Brilliant film if sadness and hopelessness was its intent.

Last night we went to see Spike Jonez's film adaptation of Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak. I can't say that the film was bad. Considering that everyone in our party, who ranged in age from 7 to 42, had an incredibly strong reaction to it, I have to admit that it probably is quite good. It doesn't mean however, that any of us liked it. None of us did.

As a child, I found the book a little creepy and maybe even sad, but the last images, those of Max returning to his own room on the very night that he had left it and finding his supper, left for him still warm, redeemed some of the angst of the book. Those last few lines left this little reader feeling relieved and hopeful that tomorrow would be a better day for young Max. The film offered no such relief from the considerable gloom and sadness it inflicted.

In fact, Jonez's adaptation was overwhelmingly sad from beginning to end. Worse, there was a weighty hopelessness to it all. Jonez's characters, whether human or monster were so wholly deficient that they appear forever locked in a cycle of longing for love, understanding and acceptance without any apparent means to make it happen. Not one of them presented the strength in character to make those slight alterations of growth and understanding that would break the barrier and connect with the very creature standing next to him, who although desirous of the exact same thing, is somehow rendered unreachable.

The effect was so powerful that even the chatty, joyful eight year old girl in our group left the theater legitimately depressed, an emotion that is completely new to her. If the director's intention was to leave his audience with this level of hopelessness, then the film is brilliant. I myself will not be purchasing the DVD.