Where the Wild Things Are

Image by minipixel via Flickr

A most beloved book, written ten years before I was born, is coming to life in the form of a film in October. After seeing a trailer, which seems to keep the movie fairly close to the book, I can't wait to see the movie. Of course, the book is quite short by movie standards, and the plot is not complex. I am wondering what details they will fill in, what storylines they'll add, and what aspects they will make more complex to make the movie long enough.

The film makers apparently consulted with Maurice Sendak, the author of Where the Wild Things Are (among other very wonderful things), on the movie. Sendak gave his strong opinions, but then deferred to co-screenwriters Spike Jonze and Dave Eggers. In fact, it was Sendak who came to Jonze a few years ago to pitch the idea of a movie for Where the Wild Things Are.

The trailer shows images which really do look like they are straight from the book. Silhouettes of Max dressed up as a wild thing and brandishing his scepter bring back memories of all the times I've had the book read to me, and read it to my own children. There wasn't a lot of swinging from trees in the trailer, but I'm sure that will be in the full film.

Books from our childhood are precious memories to us. Some books are made into films well, others not so well. Some are made into great movies but are quite different from their wonderful book counterparts. This trailer shows great promise to the young and young at heart. I can't wait to see if it delivers.