Where the Wild Things Are(n't)

[Desdichado]

I never understood what the big deal with that book was as a kid, actually. Didn't live up to the hype. I certainly never found it frightening; the wild things were pretty cartoonlike.

For what it's worth, I didn't find the movie all that entertaining either. Would it have killed them to come up with a plot?

 

[papastebu]

I had a similar impression as a child, though the memory is about 35 years old. I do remember thinking the monsters looked pretty cool, though, and that's all that really matters. Ever.

 

[Thunderfoot]

I think the real reason it's popular is because of the - see even if monsters exist, they aren't really scary. Think of it as kind of a Monster's Inc. before Billy Crystal, John Goodman and CGI.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I loved the book as a kid.

My mom's second dog (bought while I was in Law School) did, too- she devoured it! Seriously- my copy was found shredded in the yard.

I heard the movie was a bit of a departure- plot-wise- from the book. I might be able to live with that, though, since the visuals seem to be spot-on!

 

[Fast Learner]

It wasn't so much a departure as a creation. I mean, the book has a very, very simple plot, which they adhere to. They just add a lot more.

 

[Desdichado]

They didn't actually add more plot... they just spent more time sitting around showing the same lack of plot as the book did.

 

[Fast Learner]

I don't remember there being the little lost love thing between the two monsters, nor the boy hiding inside one of the monsters when Carol got mad, etc. That's plot stuff.

 

[Klaus]

I read the book for the first time (in two minutes) this week, to see if it was a book that screamed "adapt me to a movie! I have an important lesson to teach!". Nope, not at all.

The boy dresses up as a wolf, makes a mess, is sent to his room, imagines a journey to a land where he rules over some monsters, then returns in time for dinner.

 

[Tonguez]

I read the book for the first time (in two minutes) this week, to see if it was a book that screamed "adapt me to a movie! I have an important lesson to teach!". Nope, not at all.

The boy dresses up as a wolf, makes a mess, is sent to his room, imagines a journey to a land where he rules over some monsters, then returns in time for dinner.

OMG you just described a typical gaming session!

perhaps thats why the book is so endearing - no moralistic lesson, minimal plot but a kid dressing up and having fun with his imagination -and all in 2 minutes

I love this book, it was the second book I bought my son when he was born (the first was a World Atlas) I haven't seen the movie yet but I don't like that his bedroom doesnt change into a forest