Where the Wild Bivins' Are ~Commentary

Facebook Readers: Please scroll to the bottom and click on "view original post" so that your reading enjoyment is enhanced by getting the full picture of this post. Facebook doesn't always import links and videos included in my original blog postings. I apologize now for the length of this post. It took two days to create and I became rather verbose.

Ok, many of you know that I have been counting down the days until I could go watch "Where the Wild Things Are" in the theater. Since I saw the first trailer in March I have been reading and viewing anything I can get my hands on about its premier. I became a fan of Where the Wild Things Are Movie on Facebook so that I could see all of the updates. I watched all of the trailers numerous times in sweet anticipation. I was truly excited about this movie and after viewing the movie I am happy to say that I still am. If perhaps you have been living under a rock or your own Wild Things world then you can click here to see the original trailer. And it is obligatory that at the end of the trailer you raise your fist in the air and howl, understood? Ok, good.

My love of Where the Wild Things Are began in elementary school. I loved the story of Max becoming King of the Wild Things and all of the imagined adventures he had as such. (Let's be real people...Maurice Sendak's book is only 10 sentences long so the only character really developed is Max's and the Wild Things are merely shown in pictures.) I remember loving the beautiful illustrations and thinking how fun it might be to be a Queen of the Wild Things. I also remember how much fun my teachers had with this book. I remember truly amazing wall and door decorations created by my teachers, often during Right to Read month (the month of March by the way). It is a book that I feel sparked my imagination about a world of fun that every child would love to disappear into at some point. A world where only fun exists and no adults, because let's face it there are many times during childhood (and adolescence) where you feel like life would be sooooo much better without adults around.

I loved this book then and I love this book now. Although now when I read this book my adult mind analyzes it in ways that my childlike mind never did. When this book was released it was surrounded in controversy and oddly enough the movie has been too. I never really understood why people get so hyper about books-so hyper they advocate for books to be banned from school libraries and curriculum. What are you teaching a child when you ban a book from their library? (Seriously, if you have an answer I'd love one.) Banned books are typically fictional stories-or at least the ones that receive the most publicity in the process of becoming banned. I can understand not wanting your child to read a certain story until they reach a certain level of cognitive development. I'm with you on that, but to ban a book entirely seems like such a waste. Teach your child to analyze what they read and the fact that there isn't any harm in escaping to a world of make believe in a book, but that reality does in fact exist. *Ahem,* I'll get off my teacher-wanna-be-librarian soapbox now. Sorry for the mini rant. I just don't get it, never have.

In watching the movie of "Where the Wild Things Are" you must understand that this movie isn't going to merely bring Sendak's 10 sentences to life. If you want a movie that does that you should probably stick to watching Reading Rainbow. If you want to watch a movie that takes the heart of Sendak's story and melds it with a deeper look at childhood, families, adolescence, and so many other things then this is a movie you will love. If you're ready to take that journey to a world of Wild Things only to realize that even there life is troubled then this is a movie for you. I truly LOVED this movie. It transformed me back into a carefree kid ready to tackle the world, all the while knowing that life isn't always perfect-people get mad, you hurt other people's feelings, and people leave, but oh the joy that comes from running, jumping, building a fort, putting holes in trees, and throwing dirt clods at each other. You can count on me owning this movie when it finally comes out on DVD. The Wild Things are so beautifully crafted and watching Max interact with them you become part of the story. Below is Sendak's thoughts on his book and spike Jonze's interpretation of his book...pretty interesting if you ask me.



Should you take your kid to see this movie? I don't know. I would say it depends on how old your child might be and how discerning a viewer they are. There is definitely an undertone of sorrow in this movie. If your child is enthralled with happy endings and is sheltered in the bubble that life is perfect-nope your child shouldn't see this movie. If your child is old enough to realize that life isn't always perfect, heartbreak happens, and sometimes no matter how much we want it to a happy ending isn't going to happen then I think your child would love this movie. If you're still really worried then do that thing you do as a great parent-view the movie first and then decide or talk to a parent whose opinion you trust who has seen the movie, duh.

And now *drum roll please* on to our adventure in going to watch "Where the Wild Things Are." Our night began by meeting up with Noah, Tyler, Lezlie, and Marilyn. (Noah and Tyler are Bivins' friends from high school and Lezlie and Marilyn are friends of Noah's we met that night.) We started out at Buffalo Wild Wings so that we could grab some dinner before the movie and still be close to the theater. Bivins, Tyler and I were the first to arrive so we grabbed a table and some drinks while we waited. Finally, Noah, Lezlie, and Marilyn arrived and we ordered dinner. I was hungry by this point because all I had eaten that day was an apple fritter at 9am and it was now 8pm. (Not by choice, I just didn't have time to eat anything else all day.) Halfway through dinner we realize we need to go buy tickets for the show so Bivins and Noah head over to the theater to do that. They stop at the car along the way and pick up Bivins' Max suit. They come back into BW's and the crowd begins to stare at Bivins. I wish I could have taken a picture of the man across from our table because he openly stared with a "what on earth" kind of look. Apparently he wasn't a Where The Wild Things Are fan. (This was really preparation for the movie, becoming like a child again where all of the adults misunderstand you. Yeah, that's it.) Bivins has had enough beer at this point to feel 10ft tall and as such decides to go to the bar to order a drink in his Max suit. (This step isn't recommended for those under age 21. Mmm-k?) I, as the dutiful wife and ever diligent record keeper, sent Noah along with the camera. This event must be recorded! (It should be noted I wanted to wear my Max suit to dinner, but I knew there was no way that the waitress would believe I was legitimately 27 years old in a Max suit and I knew I really wanted a beer so I left my Max suit in the car.)



Pause for Bivins' silly story: He goes up to the bar to order his drink and is apparently standing in front of some guy's chair. The guy is kind of irritated and says "excuse me." Bivins moves so the guy can sit down. There is (in Bivins' words) a kind of hippie type chick sitting across from this guy. She is sitting on her stool indian style with her legs crossed (criss cross apple sauce style, yanno?) The guy then says "what are you anyway?" and Bivins reply is "I'm f*cking MAX!" The guy kinda rolls his eyes and the chick says "Like from Where the Wild Things Are?" (in a super excited in the know kinda voice.) And the guy takes his drink and walks away. Haha! The chick and Bivins proceed to have a conversation about the fact he is headed to the movie since it came out today. (See the guy seated in front of Bivins? Yeah that's Mr. Cranky Pants and the girl across from him in the flowery shirt? Yeah, that is hippie chick.)



Ok, so the boys return to the table and we finish our drinks and head over to the theater. The rest of the story shall be told in pictures...


We're HERE!



The Whole Gang of Wild Things!



ROAR!



Awwwww, new kissy pic!

Ok, in case you are still debating about going to see the movie you should read this article. Once you are watching the movie it is truly important that you allow yourself to be absorbed into the world of the Wild Things. (I wanted to reach out and pet the Wild Things.) And again, you must raise your fist and howl when the Wild Things and Max all do so at the edge of the cliff, ok? It is vital to the enjoyment of this movie. (Ok, maybe not, but it still makes it a lot of fun.) Enjoy and "Let the Wild Rumpus Start!"

P.S. One last thing. Zeke made a cameo appearance in the movie. One of the Wild Things is shown holding and petting a cat that looks like he could be Zeke's twin. (Can't remember if it was Douglas or Alexander. Random note: Sendak named each of the Wild Things after members of his family. Jonze's Wild Things also have names, but they are not Sendak's original names.) I think I better talk to Spike (who names their child Spike? no wonder he interpreted the story so well) about some royalty money...