FIRST LOOK
First Official Batch of Where the Wild Things Are Photos!
by Alex Billington
March 23, 2009
Source: USA Today
With the official trailer for Where the Wild Things Are due out sometime this week, it's fitting that USA Today debut the first batch of real photos from the film. In addition, the newspaper talked with director Spike Jonze about the production and gots a few interesting details out of him. "As a kid, I just connected to it. I wanted to hear it over and over," Jonze says of Maurice Sendak's 1963 book about Max, an angry boy who escapes to a mythical land of untamed giant beasts. "It's like trying to explain why you love somebody. To me, the Wild Things are both cuddly and dangerous. I wanted to climb atop of them like Max."
Jonze talks about his choice to make this live-action as opposed to animated. "I wanted them to actually be there," he says of the looming creatures. "I think as a kid I wouldn't imagine it as a cartoon. I would imagine they were in my world. There's a danger with Max being there on a real location. Dangerous and exciting. I wanted it to feel that you could hug them." I pretty sure you'll feel that exact way when you see these.
"I never thought of it as a children's movie," Jonze says. "My intention was to be true to how it felt to be 9 years old. Maurice's whole thing is to be honest. You can say anything to kids as long as you are respectful and not pandering." The boy you see above who plays Max is Max Records, who Jonze says, "is a very special sort of kid. Deep and thoughtful. Sweet and sincere. Wild, imaginative and caring. He brought all that to the film." Voice actors in the film include James Galdofini, Catherine O'Hara, and Lauren Ambrose.
Where the Wild Things Are is directed by visionary filmmaker Spike Jonze, of films like Being John Malkovich and Adaptation previously as well as numerous famous music videos as well. The screenplay was co-written by Spike Jonze and author Dave Eggers, a former Salon.com editor who also wrote Sam Mendes' Away We Go. This is based on Maurice Sendak's beloved children's book of the same name. Warner Brothers will finally bringing Where the Wild Things Are to theaters everywhere in October 16th.
Reader Feedback - 27 Comments
1
This looks fantastic! I really hope jonze has pulled this one off...
Ryan P on Mar 23, 2009
2
yeah this looks fucking great,i need the trailer now.
zetsu on Mar 23, 2009
3
This looks so good, I just got the book to read to my sister. Also, maybe it's just me, but the site isn't working very well today, I keep on having to reload it for it to display anything except the banner and sidebar.
Timothy on Mar 23, 2009
4
Can't wait to hear Gandolfini's voice coming out of that thing.
Fuelbot on Mar 23, 2009
6
These are wonderful! the trailer should be even better.
PJ H on Mar 23, 2009
7
Warner Bros continues to be my favorite movie studio. Releasing Where the Wild Things are the way Spike intended it makes me respect them even more.
teyhtr on Mar 23, 2009
8
Damn, I want to buy and frame one of these posters/images. This flick is going to be a masterpiece.
peloquin on Mar 23, 2009
9
If anyone knows of a bootleg printing company who's able to sell these at a decent size please do tell.
peloquin on Mar 23, 2009
10
this was a great book 😀
zach on Mar 23, 2009
11
they should have done it Godzilla style with guys in furry monster suits walking around minature landscapes.
chris on Mar 23, 2009
12
Now, if only he would go and direct a live action Totoro movie after this...
Guy on Mar 23, 2009
13
i can't wait for this. and those images look great! reminds me of The NeverEnding Story a bit too. 🙂
dave13 on Mar 23, 2009
14
it seems like it's the same wild thing in every picture so far. Will he be the main wild thing?
Dan W on Mar 23, 2009
15
I'm excited to see this film. (Where the wild things are) was my all time favorite book when I was a child. I really hope they don't F it up.
Mike on Mar 23, 2009
16
Looks cool. I was worried because the article's head picture looks kinda too cartoonish. Looks like the movie will be pretty general, but deep. I don't even remember the book's plot to tell you the truth.
Greedo the Rodian on Mar 23, 2009
17
I love the looks and the style of the movie and a director with previous different movie style and brilliant performance in directing both movies which means this movie will be much more interesting,in addition that i support what he says about having the movie in real time instead of animated.
Fisherr on Mar 23, 2009
18
BAD. ASS.
Nick S. on Mar 23, 2009
19
I'm there
chris vu on Mar 23, 2009
20
kids don't even read books these days, so i don't know why the studio would want to make it kid friendly. thank god they stuck with jonze's vision. p.s. on a sad note. i asked my 6 year old sister is she was excited for the "where the wild things are" movie....she asked back "where the what is? i've never heard of that."
memphistyler on Mar 23, 2009
21
I want see the trailer... this reminds me so much of good old '80s fantasy!
Flavio on Mar 23, 2009
22
20 - kids don't read books? are you serious? I know of plenty of kids that read books.
Scott McHenry on Mar 23, 2009
23
22 - is was a statement based on evolving technology and kids usage of such technology. don't take it so offensively.
memphistyler on Mar 23, 2009
24
Supposedly, the trailer will go up in front of Monsters V. Aliens, so we'll see it on that Friday. Goodie goodie! Although October 16th is a long way to wait.
Greedo the Rodian on Mar 23, 2009
25
Loved that book when I was a kid. Pics look spot on.
JimD on Mar 23, 2009
26
thank you:D
twispious on Mar 23, 2009
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