Where the Wild Things Are (Book vs. Movie #2)

                                            

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The second book/movie combo I decided to compare was Where the Wild Things Are.  This was one of my brother's favorite books growing up and so I decided to re-read it and then check out the movie version.  The book was written by Maurice Sendak in 1963.  The movie adaptation was then released in 2009.  I was curious as to how the producers were going to take a short children's book and turn it into a whole movie.  Overall, I was pretty disappointed.

The story lines are basically the same, with more being added into the movie. In the book, Max is portrayed as a mischievous little boy, being rambunctious and a little naughty like many young boys.  However, in the movie Max is incredibly angry, mean, and violent.  In both the book and the movie Max sails away on a boat where he meets some strange creatures and he becomes their king.  The one good thing I have to say about the movie is that they did a good job of making the characters in the movie look very similar to the illustrations in the book and they were semi-cute in a weird sort of way..  Unlike the book, the characters have all sorts of interpersonal problems they and Max learn things from each other - basically all just created in order to give the movie some length.

Like I said before, I didn't care for the movie at all.  I thought it was very boring and much too dark for a children's story.  They took a lighthearted book that kids everywhere can relate to - about getting in trouble for being mischievous and escaping into a fantasy world where you can tell everyone what to do - and turned it into a depressing, almost scary, story.  I would recommend the book but not the movie.