Thursday, March 6, 2008

Where The Wild Things Are film... Laugh or cry?

I just learned of this a few minutes ago and it was a bit of an opinion roller coaster...

Doc learns:
Someone is making a film of his favorite childhood book Where The Wild Things Are
Immediate Response: Yes!
Slightly delayed response: Oh no... what if they don't honor the art or story

Doc learns fact #2:
Its a Spike Jones film
Immediate Response: Yes!
Slightly delayed response: Wait a minute... that could be bad, or could be good. Better look for pictures...


Immediate Response to image: No! No! No! Its never ending story 2008! please "random deity" NO! *sobbing ensues*
Slightly delayed response: Sure its live action, sure those are guys in big furry suits, but it still kinda looks cool. *sobbing ceases*

Doc learns fact #3:
The creatures are lovingly crafted by Henson studios
Immediate Response: Yes! If anyone can pull it off they can...
Slightly delayed response: But can they do it without inserting themselves into the designs? The beasts of WTWTA have a look that is very unique and classic, the same can be said for Hensons creations, problem is, muppets usually LOOK like muppets. Even ones not supposed to, like Yoda for example.

Doc learns fact/rumor #4:
The whole thing is getting killed. Warner Brothers is considering reshooting the entire film, fireing Jones and the writer Dave Eggers so they can rework it as a much more "Kid Friendly" film
Immediate Response: That never sounds good, Studio executives tend to think of kids in the lowest common denominator. The EXACT thing I loved about the book when I was a child was that it WAS subversive! It did make me feel like I may have some power or control over my own destiny, at least in my imagination. Children are smarter than anyone EVER gives then credit for, at least some of them are. When you make dumb media for them, you fail to challenge them and thats a tragedy. Please do NOT make a sub par "kid friendly" overly bright and cheery, trend laden, product placement filed, piece of crap in the name of Maurice Sendak!
Slightly delayed response: Eh, It probably would have sucked no matter what... *sigh*

Doc learns fact/rumor #5
Maurice Sendak has been quoted as saying that he loved Jonze and Eggers's script and that it was the perfect approach to the movie and if the movie was not made that way he would prefer there never to be a Where the Wild Things Are movie.
Immediate Response: Yes! Go get them Maurice!!!
Slightly delayed response: Wait a minute... Artist never have any control. Once he signed that paper WB can do what ever the hell they want. Even if thats a film version of Wild Things On Ice! Staring Dorothy Hamill as Max!

I have also just learned that some clips are starting to turn up on the interwebs. Aperantly there may be a fight going on and Spike Jones may be relesing the clips to prove that the film didnt need to be reshot due to tech dificulties like WB has be making souns about.

This is aperantly an early test... thats not the actual actor as Max and thats not his wolf costume, its an off the shelf sheep sleeper they purchased for the test.



That looked pretty cool... man, I don't know about this whole thing.

As I said... I am very conflicted. One thing is for sure... creative decisions about something very precious to me are currently being made by men in suits trying to maximize gross earenings... I hate that.


Updates:
Rumor: Dan Masse / Film Threat says... "I was talking to Roger Ebert about it after he saw the preview - he said it was by far one of the best things he'd seen in the last DECADE."

3 comments:

Carrie said...

max looks too old.

Murdock Scott said...

In the still image you mean? Yeah, I thought so as well.

Bender Bending Rodriguez said...

i can't not watch this movie. its a moral imperative. if it's bad, then i'll deal with it then.