[[[Spoiler alert.]]] I guess, if you haven't read the book.
Going into the film, I thought that it would be difficult for it to live up to the joyous Arcade Fire-driven trailer. And it happens that the song "Wake up" was not in the film. Sad.
The film was a wild rumpus. I could relate to Max. I built a snow fort from a big pile of snow left by a plow. I didn't have it crash on my head. But the snow-on-face crying happened once or twice at the end of a nasty sled run before.
Also, like Max, I liked to built forts in my room out of blankets. In college, I slept in a tent in my bedroom. I also like to run around and scream and shout and make animal noises and hit things. So, all in all, Max and I are kindred spirits.
The monsters, by Jim Henson's workshop, looked cool (see fact at end). They were depressing though. I guess because they seemed quite like normal people. Their interactions with each other were not fairy tale-esque. That's what I liked and disliked at the same time. They were at times depressing monsters. But we are at times depressing people I suppose.
I would like to wear a crown and a fox costume. That would be fun. I think that will be a big Halloween costume next year.
I think it would be fun to live on that monster island for a day. I was genuine sad when max left and Carol and the other monsters were howling. I hope they worked things out amongst themselves. I think they could use a counselor. Or, dare I say, a pastor? Maybe I will go there in a couple of years and live in their big fort and listen to their individual private confessions and absolve them.
By the way, maybe its because I'm a divinity student and look at much Christologically, but I think this had the makings of a(n) (anti-)Messiah film.
A being (Max), wearing skin similar to theirs (but is not quite like them) comes into the world of the Wild Things. They crown him their king. They believe that he can solve all their problems. But later they reject him and the cloud of death hangs over him because they have killed all the others that came to them whom they also rejected.
(Then the anti part) Max can't bring true happiness. He admits that he is not really a king, he is really a fraud. Just a kid in a costume. He says that The Wild Things don't need a king, they need a mom. Max leaves, the Wild Things howl in despair. Why? Who knows. Do they resolve things? Who knows? Max goes home to his mom.
Whether intentional of not, where there's smoke, there's a meta-narrative.
Fun Fact:
In July 2006, less than six weeks before the start of shooting, the Henson-built monster suits arrived at the Melbourne soundstage where Spike Jonze and his crew had set up their offices. The actors climbed inside and began moving around. Right away, Jonze could see that the heads were absurdly heavy. Only one of the actors appeared able to walk in a straight line. A few of them called out from within their costumes that they felt like they were going to tip over. Jonze and the production crew had no choice but to tell the Henson people to tear apart the 50-pound heads and remove the remote-controlled mechanical eyeballs. This meant that all the facial expressions would have to be generated in post-production, using computers.
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