Why I'm Not Thrilled About a Live Action "Where the Wild Things Are"

On December 3, 2009, the Spike Jonze directed live action version of Maurice Sendak's award winning children's 1963 picture book Where The Wild Things opens in American theaters. While the trailer and TV spots promise a big budget, splashy ride, perhaps a fantastically fun movie, I'm still not thrilled about seeing it.

Sendak's phenomenally captivating book stands apart as a cherished family treasure. It's hard to recall a time in my life when Max and his gigantic wild buddies didn't share my family home. Buried amongst frayed teddy bears and bags of Crayola crayons in my toy box, or sitting proudly on a bookcase, Sendak's humorous, authentically crafted tale of a boy's imagination was the go to book. Over the years, my Mom or sisters read it on special occasions, holidays or simply when we missed Max, his monsters and their adventures the most. I've also purchased the DVD, and relived it through hand drawn animation, narration and music.

The cartoon runs about three minutes, but the short still impresses since the look and feel of Sendak's illustrations are faithfully reproduced. One could go on and on about story, the character interplay and Max's adventures, but Where The Wild Things Are sparkles from Sendak 's artwork. He based the characters on family members who'd come to visit him while he was a child living in Brooklyn, NY. He even used his aunt and uncle's names - Moshie, Bruno, Emile, Tzippy and Bernard to christen the wild things. I'm an uncle now myself. I can imagine how flattering it would feel to be used as inspiration for such a beloved book.

In 1983, while still owning rights to Where The Wild Things Are, Disney planned to produce a lavish hand drawn animated feature film mixing the then new technology of digital animation or CGI. Animation tests showcasing this magical experiment exist, which was directed by veteran animator John Lasseter (A Bug's Life & Toy Story), and they clearly show how magnificent this abandoned film could have been.

I'll still give Spike Jonze's effort on Where The Wild Things Are a chance, but I mourn what could have been if Disney realized their plans. Most of all, Maurice Sendak's magical illustrations etched in my psyche, remain so captivating for the warm, cozy colors, and the pleasing textures of the art. It's that essence that live action can simply never capture.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Where_the_Wild_Things_Are