Where the Wild Things Are(n't)

[Olgar Shiverstone]

In discussing the pending release of the new Where the Wild Things Are movie, my wife and I discovered that neither of us had found that book to be a cute, clever, entertaining child's tale while growing up -- instead we found it to be a dark, disturbing nightmare.

Is that bizarre, or do other folks share our childhood aversion to the story?

In other news, I find clowns and mimes to be disturbingly creepy, but I figure that's pretty common.

 

[Crothian]

I'm not sure I've read a copy of this in 30 years, but I remember liking it.

 

[Mark]

In discussing the pending release of the new Where the Wild Things Are movie, my wife and I discovered that neither of us had found that book to be a cute, clever, entertaining child's tale while growing up -- instead we found it to be a dark, disturbing nightmare.

Is that bizarre, or do other folks share our childhood aversion to the story?

I was always attracted to "dark and disturbing" as a child, so I enjoyed that tale and the artwork. I wil probably wait to see the movie on DVD though.

In other news, I find clowns and mimes to be disturbingly creepy, but I figure that's pretty common.

That's a whole different thing and, indeed, pretty common by my reckoning.

 

[fba827]

In discussing the pending release of the new Where the Wild Things Are movie, my wife and I discovered that neither of us had found that book to be a cute, clever, entertaining child's tale while growing up -- instead we found it to be a dark, disturbing nightmare.

Is that bizarre, or do other folks share our childhood aversion to the story?

In other news, I find clowns and mimes to be disturbingly creepy, but I figure that's pretty common.

As a child, the illustrations in the book scared me. Not scare as in it gave me nightmares, but scared in that I was simply uncomfortable by looking at it. I could not read it despite it's popularity in my class or with my brother.

I will not see the movie for that very reason -- not that I expect it will still scare me, but rather, I don't have any positive childhood associations with the book so I don't have any nostalgic reasons to want to see the movie.

 

[RigaMortus2]

They had a midnight showing of this movie the other night. If this is supposed to be a "kids movie", why show it at midnight? That's just bad parenting

 

[Fast Learner]

I liked the book a ton as a youth, and also quite liked the film (though they are certainly very different things). Director Spike Jonze said that his goal was to make the wild things world be what a 9-year old boy's ideal world would be like, and I'd say he hit it spot on. Expect that going in and you'll likely enjoy it more.

 

[Blastin]

The reviews I've read have been fairly positive, but have all said that the movie is at least a little too scary for most kids, hence the PG rating.

 

[Fast Learner]

Yeah, I'd bring a reasonably mature 9-year old, say, but probably not much younger than there. There are some definitely scary-for-kids moments. Wild Things here are definitely monsters, even if they're mostly friendly.

 

[Wombat]

I am currently working in a bookstore. One of my jobs is reading books to small children there ... and thus I was asked to read Where The Wild Things Are to them prior to the movie opening (important as we are just across the street from a movie theatre).

So, I had loved the book as a child and here I was with a dozen or so kinds, none older than five, sitting with rapt attention, while I read them the tale and show them the pictures ... and they were utterly enthralled.

Afterwards, one of them who particularly enjoyed it, wanted to talk to me about the book. I told him he would make a great Wild Thing ... and he gave me a huge hug.

That was a magical moment.

 

[Fast Learner]

I truly is a great, great book for children. Great story, thanks for sharing it.