The trailer for the long-awaited, long-delayed, and, for everyone who has cherished the book since childhood, slightly dreaded, live-action version of Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are was unleashed on the interwebs. I had the usual fan overprotectiveness upon hearing about this project, but after several enraptured repeat viewings of the trailer, I’m already deeply in love with this film. After the jump, the trailer, and six other reasons to not fear the Wild Things:
1. Who Else But Spike Jonze?: This book is simply too magical, too amazing, and too beautiful to be entrusted to a skilled professional who will simply discharge the assignment with cool competence: It belongs in the hands of a wonderfully warped, aesthetically adventurous, delightfully deranged talent like Spike. And who else would better understand our hero Max than a director who's rewritten all the rules?
2. Dave Eggers Co-Wrote the Screenplay: Another brilliant contributor who won't approach the material in a conventional way, but instead with passion, intelligence, humor, and a proper sense of wonder.
3. Music by Karen O and Carter Burwell (!?): Carter Burwell is one of the best film composers working today, and is especially well known for his unforgettable scores for the Coen Brothers. Karen O is is the inimitable lead singer of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Carter Burwell + Karen O = an equation not solvable by ordinary mathematics. This is a creative pairing that could yield some awesomely surprising music. [Though the alternate take of the Arcade Fire's "Wake Up" that plays over the trailer is a thoughtful and delightful touch.]
4. The Monsters Are Not Completely CGI: Yes, there's some artful digital enhancement, but it's been rumored the Wild Things are otherwise actors in nine-foot-tall foam costumes. In any case, the results look stunning: the monsters look warm, believable, and above all, deeply huggable. (Bonus nostalgia points, too: These creatures could have come from the Henson creature shop in The Dark Crystal/Labyrinth days).
5. Maurice Sendak Approves: Maurice himself, a cantankerous, persnickety, and passionately opinionated genius is reportedly thrilled with the adaptation.
6. It Just Looks Outrageously Beautiful: The imagery in the trailer is lyrical and melancholy, all fading sunlight and dreamy landscapes. All the tenderness and beautiful gloom of the original book is here...and it's just as moving as in our best memories of it.
And now, let the wild rumpus start!
Leave a comment