‘Where the Wild Things Are’ Pretty Damn Scary

February 22, 2008 - 3:30 pm By ccandysarah

news_where_the_wild_things_are.jpgCan’t wait for the release of the Spike Jonze-directed film version of Where the Wild Things Are? Well just make sure you leave your younger sibling at home: Slashfilm is reporting that early test screenings of the adaptation of everyone’s favorite childhood story are terrifying young kids, and parents are not impressed.

One test screener claimed Max, the young boy protagonist, is “weird and off-putting” and “not charming at all”, while the monsters are “not cute”.

Perhaps I’m remembering wrong, but Max was not exactly “charming” in the original book—he chased after his dog with a fork and told his mother he would “EAT HER UP” after she sent him to his room!

He retreats into his imagination, where he forces even the scary wild things to obey him. The book stirred up controversy when it was first released, as many parents thought the monsters were too scary for children. However, I think the book really touches on some difficult aspects of childhood, which is important for both kids and their parents to read and understand.

It’s no surprise the book has become a classic, and even less surprising that Jonze and Dave Eggers (who often deals with difficult childhood issues in his books) would want to give the story a more adult twist.

What do you think? Are you prepared to see a childhood classic all grown up? It it okay that early screanings are freaking kids the f&%ck out? How did the book effect your childhood?

5 Comments   Posted in Buzz
Share this on Facebook
  Tags: , , , , , , , ,
5 Comments on "‘Where the Wild Things Are’ Pretty Damn Scary"

  1. Ericka says:
    Fri, 22nd Feb 20085:44 pm 

    I didn’t find it a book I particularly liked as a child, and I thought the wild things were scary. It doesn’t surprise me that the movie would be as such.

    I do support sticking to the guts of the book, but I think the real question is, is it a book worth making into a movie? Some stories work best in their original genre, and this might be that case. Children reading a story have a certain amount of physiological control over what they envision, but a movie removes that control, making frightening images unavoidable.

    I think it’s no wonder it’s scaring kids, it’s a book that should have remained just that.

  2. Jes says:
    Sat, 23rd Feb 200812:15 am 

    Oh man I LOVED that book when I was little! But I also had a very strong imagination and read tons of odd books growing up…

    I honestly can’t wait to see the movie :o )

  3. Paulene says:
    Sat, 23rd Feb 20083:02 pm 

    I actually really liked the book when I was little. I don’t remember a single word it but I remember I loved it hahaha

    As for making it into a movie it does either way. I really want to see it I think it would be interesting. As for it becoming a big hit I’m not too sure. But the book IS a classic so people will be interested in it.

    I’m kind of on the fence about childhood classics growing up. I mean, come on, after they made Rugrats All Grown Up I was pretty disappointed haha

    But there are some childhood books that made really popular movies… Umm… What was that one… Oh, yes Harry Potter!? Hahaha And can’t forget Narnia and now there’s talk of “The Lovely Bones” being made into a movie And Charlotte’s Web was pretty big too. So I guess it just all depends on how the movie is as a whole.

    And as for it scarying kids… Kids need to stop being so sheltered. I’m not saying rent Amityville er anything but seriously… Snow White has been made into “scarier” movie and a couple others I can’t really remember but yea… If parents think their kids are too sensitive too watch then oh well.

    BTW, last time I checked monsters aren’t supposed to be cute. It’s not Monsters Inc.

  4. luke says:
    Sun, 17th Aug 20088:06 am 

    Why why why, can’t the entertainment industry come up with some original ideas??? In the same way that we’re destroying the worlds supply of fossil fuels – we’re also ravaging our supply of literary greatness.

    If our generation doesn’t deal with it’s inability to write a decent, though-provoking modern original – the green movement is going to have to extend it’s remit to also cover the arts.

    I loved this book as a child, and Mickey in the Night Kitchen was a favourite too. But they really don’t need to be films. Picture books are going to loose some of their magic, when they become films… so even if the project started out as an homage – it’s actually doing harm.

    As far as I’m concerned, re-imagining = a school project with a 9 figure sum attached to it. GROW UP.

  5. kyra says:
    Thu, 22nd Oct 20095:25 pm 

    I loved the book as a kid it did not scare me at all you know why because my mom read it to me in a silly voice i mean the book was not that bad but the movie is a different thing max in the book just chases the dog but in the movie he attacks his mom even biting her then instead of imagining a world in a room he runs away and sees carol one of the beasts destroying the creatures hut then the other creatures try to eat him in til he intimidates them with his “powers” which he is lying about then they make him there king and all the sudden kw one of the creatures that had the least problems comes back and then they start destroying things more eventually they have a dirt war and make judith the meanest of the monsters and ira the monster that has smaller problems and alexander the crazed creature that resembles the maryland goat man but then max throws a racoon at ira then they try to make a fort and judith say the king had favorites and said haha meanly and then judith and max get into a haha fight then a whole bunch of other bad things happen do not watch the movie to see those parts go ON YOUTUBE where theres poop but then carol gets upset and tries to kill max but he hides in kw’s stomach and then go’s on his boat and goes home my kid went to the bathroom in the worst parts and so did i but when i took my kid and his freind to see land of the lost they enjoyed even though it was pg13 but they hated where the wild thins are so i think this movie should be rated pg14

Tell us what you're thinking...




COVER STORY

It’s a Twihard-Knock Life It’s a Twihard-Knock Life

WTF? So you can sleep with Edward?? When I was waiting outside of the Scholastic... 

Bar Fails: These Offenses Deserve a Penalty Fee Bar Fails: These Offenses Deserve a Penalty Fee

Easy on the soda water, homegirl. A couple of days ago three bars at Penn State were... 

It’s All Fun and Games Until You Live Together It’s All Fun and Games Until You Live Together

"I'm smiling but if she doesn't take out the garbage soon I'm going... 

Read More Posts From This Category

HAHA

I Kissed A Girl…And I Wanna Do More I Kissed A Girl…And I Wanna Do More

Like Katy Perry, and probably many of you, I kissed a girl. And I liked it. More... 

Coupled. It’s the Little Things That Count Coupled. It’s the Little Things That Count

I remember watching Say Anything with my sister when I was a kid and wondering if... 

Ask A Dude: I Refuse To Be A Friend With Benefits Ask A Dude: I Refuse To Be A Friend With Benefits

Hey Dude, I’ve done the Friends With Benefits thing, and, to say the least,... 

Read More Posts From This Category