Where the Wild Things Are (2009)
Directed by
Spike Jonze
Written by
Dave Eggars and Spike Jonze
Adapted from the Childrens Book by
Maurice Sendak
Executive Produced by
Bruce Berman, Jon Jashni, Scott Madnick and Thomas Tull
Produced by
Tom Hanks, John B. Carls, Gary Goetzman, Vincent Landay and Maurice Sendak
Production Design by
K.K. Barrett
Cinematography by
Lance Acord
Art Direction by
Jeffrey Thorp
Costume Design by
Casey Storm
Editing by
James Haygood and Eric Zumbrunnen
Music Composed by
Carter Burwell
Additional Music Provided by
Karen O.
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)
Lauren Ambrose ... KW (voice)
Out of frustration with his home life, a young boy travels to a mysterious island inhabited by giant creatures.
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Its said that life is a journey
filled with roads that we endure with tenacity, avoid with experience and master with skill. But of all the steps one takes on this journey, childhood is perhaps the road most difficult. Its a process of wonder and discovery; of adventure and spectacle
and it ends in transition, an acceptance of responsibility and the inevitability of growing up.
Its through our collective childhood that director Spike Jonze (Being John Malcovich, Adaptation) presents his 2009 formalist flight of fancy, Where the Wild Things Are.
Adapted from the beloved 1963 childrens book by author Maurice Sendak, Where the Wild Things Are is a film with an odd dynamic
playing in the studio sandbox of big budget visual effects wizardry with an indie aesthetic. This creates an unusual hybrid of the two sensibilities that feels intriguingly refreshing. Its a practice that falls right in line with films such as David Lynchs Dune or Terry Gilliams Brazil. Perhaps thats why I enjoy the film nearly as much as the aforementioned.
Known for cerebral and character-driven material, its a treat to see Jonze bringing that approach to the vivid mindscape of a child
and a rather inventive child at that; named Max.
Max (Max Records) is a rambunctious tyke with a penchant for storytelling and a deep well of imagination
qualities that make suburban life with an obnoxiously teenaged sister (Pepita Emmerichs) and a loving but overwhelmed single mother (40 Year Old Virgins Catherine Keener!) particularly difficult and unsatisfying for our lead.
Feeling much like an animal (or Wild Thing
wink, wink) backed into a corner by his own life, Max runs away from home and takes to the sea; making his way to a strange island inhabited by giant creatures. Taken in as one of their own, Max befriends the opinionated Judith (Catherine OHara), the reserved Ira (Forest Whitaker) and, most notably, Carol (James Gandolfini) and embarks on an incredible voyage of fun, fear and ultimately of self-discovery
learning the true value of making peace with your inner beasts and becoming accepting of the changing world around you.
Aside from its intended message Wild Things, like most pictures, is a product of its time and, in several cases, it shows. For instance, Maxs mother is desperate to hold onto her job
commenting all too obviously on the declining employment rate in America in the midst of the economic recession. Another jab is taken at the environmental crisis
in this case; Max frightens the Wild Things with an impending natural phenomenon that sheds light on our own exponential consumption of oil and, by extension, fossil fuels.
But the one thing that leads me to raise an eyebrow is a potential comment on the current administration! Think about it
here is an exuberantly young man who, through a silver tongue, is elected to be the leader
but instead of things getting better under his leadership they arguably get worse. Could this be a statement on the Obama presidency? I am by no means a political aficionado, but perhaps.
There are also several points of intrinsic interest throughout the picture. The hearts that respectively hold Max and Carols first initial
representative of their love and affection for one another and theyre symbiotic relationship. The owls, Bob and Terry, who represent Maxs interpretation of adults (oddballs that dont fit in and speak in bizarre squawks and tongues he doesnt understand) and, of course, the boat
at first a small toy that eventually comes to represent the vessel of Maxs personal journey through childhood.
The cast of the film is an exceptional combination of talents, with the bulk of the big names filling the paws of the creatures as they surround a relative unknown (huh
makes you think of Superman: The Movie doesnt it
). With a story like this, its clear that the project almost single-handedly rests on the shoulders of a child. With a role that couldve easily dwindled into annoying or sappy territory, Max Records delivers a very authentic portrayal of a lad who prefers falling through the veil of his harsh reality to his own home life. His emotion is raw and you feel it when he runs from home
howling and trying to make his escape from a seemingly cruel and misunderstood existence. Rather than a Spencer Breslin or some other familiar child actor, Records performance just feels so tangible and believable.
Representing Maxs own emotions, the Wild Things transcend their physical manifestations and, despite essentially being giant puppets, give some of the best performances in the film. James Gandolfinis Carol is simultaneously so likeable yet so frightening and its interesting to be put in a situation where youre immediately curious about what that character will do next. His simplistic naivety
as is the case with the emotions and whims of children
is palpable to a point that your heart aches for him when he breaks down near the films ending. Truly, having Max make peace with his anger (i.e. Carol) and leave to the sound of Carols howls is crushingly poignant and beautiful.
Other standouts include Lauren Ambrose as the timid and reclusive KW. Come to think of it, it might be my favorite Wild Thing performance aside from Carol
though Paul Danos child-like Alexander and Chris Coopers quietly contemplative Douglas are also favorites...perhaps because they remind me the most of how I was as a young child.
Thanks to the encouragement of both Legendary Pictures and Warner Brothers, the technical building blocks of Wild Things are of a very satisfying quality
working to benefit the concept of an art-film masquerading as an anticipatory event release.
The Wild Things themselves come courtesy of Jim Hensons Creature Shop; the same crew that created the live action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Now imagine that
Visual effects that are produced for in-camera photography
what a concept huh?
Looking like the 21st centurys answer to Falkor from The Never Ending Story, Carol and the gang seem to leap right from the pages of Sendaks book, bringing to life Maurices own illustrations and they look incredible. They are right there, in the eye of that lens and it sure as hell beats some repugnant CG apparition (you hear me Jar Jar!?)
Director of Photography Lance Acord seeks to place these tangible beasts into an enriched palette of color and light and pulls it off with gusto. Prominent shots around the island are handled with a broad, sweeping scope and give visual depth to a story that
for all intents and purposes
isnt that deep (not in context, but in volume; the book isnt that long). On the one hand, several scenes
mostly those with moral ambiguity
tend to be washed out to an extent with slight sepia tones, highlighting the browns of the woods and deserts
in one instance that moral uncertainty is washed in the stark oranges of flame to reflect the chaos of Carol destroying the houses. On the other, close-form sequences like the dirt-clod war and the construction of the fortress are opened up and filled with saturated sunlight and gorgeous blue skies
almost like a technique of deception since both scenes involve the Wild Things being judgmental and skeptical of Max as the King.
Theres also a level of using the frame as an aesthetic device here. Case in point, nearly all of the shots that include Max and at least one or more Wild Thing creature place Max as a smaller component of the frame with the creatures presence being a dominant force
which is used to show Maxs vulnerability as a character despite his deception and being the King of the Wild Things.
Much like his work in The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys, Acord is playful with the lights and shadows and how they correlate with the underpinnings of the story.
The work of costumer Casey Storm is rather miniscule
with her biggest contribution probably being the physical translation of Maxs famous Wolf Pajamas. However, consider
the pjs seem to be made of wool-like polyester reminiscent of most pajamas and Halloween costumes in the 1960s
looking like sheep wool to the eye.
A Wolf
in sheeps clothing.
It might be a deeper visual representation of Max deceiving the Wild Things by appearing to be a Wild Thing himself, beyond the obvious fact that disguising himself as a wolf does as much. At least I thought so.
Lastly, the film is graced with a delightfully innocent score composed by Carter Burwell; a Coen Brothers alum whos capable of giving a voice to a childs emotions
whether its the goofy awkwardness of Fargo or the tension-laced dread of No Country for Old Men. But as well-crafted as Burwells score is, the lyrical workings of Yeah Yeah Yeahs vocalist Karen Orzolek provide the bulk of the films music. Backed by a tinkering of instruments and a chorus of children, it musically identifies with the whimsical trappings of the source material and sells the nature of the film rather well
as shown by its use in every television promo that led up to opening day.
Ultimately I, given my own aesthetics and passions, love the film. With its darkened thematic tones, Where the Wild Things Are may not be for the young
but rather, the young at heart. Those of us whore adult enough to understand, get inside and become immersed with the material while still being able to suspend our pesky disbelief and keep a foot firmly in the realms of eccentric fantasy.
There is a significant difference between growing up and growing out. Most people, rather ignorantly, confuse the former for the latter
deciding that the only way to mature is to sacrifice childhood interests
unaware that those same interests, if maintained, allow our imaginations to flourish as we grow. Flourish into something so terrifyingly precious; the notion that we can make our dreams come true.
Where the Wild Things Are is a film with unhinged imagination that speaks to the child in all of us.
For life is a journey
and while childhood is perhaps the road most difficult
it is the road that reminds us to never lose sight of those dreams.
Lest we grow out rather than grow up.
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8/10
