Adaptation of Maurice Sendak's children's book

1. Dr Steve Gaunson
RMIT University

2. Picture book adaptation
• The convention of the picture book adaptation is to play
with objects drawn from the illustration
• This is how we assess them
• Adaptations is how stories evolve
• Criticism of film…

3. Colonisation
The adapter puts their own unique style on the source.
• “Revision: Revisions seek to alter the meaning and spirit
of the source”
• Is it altering the spirit — or updating it. Is Jonze finding his
way inside it?
• What was the theme of this adaptation? Book?
• How does it relate to his other films:
• Adaptation
• Being John Malkovich
• Parallel universes

4. Celebration
• Both tell the story from third person — but see the world
through Max’s POV.
• Both have Max angry over the lack of power he has in his
own life.
• The visual look is very similar to the picture book.

5. Celebration: Basic plot remains
• Max is playing
• Max is sent to his room
• Max begins his journey
• Max arrives at the Land of the Wild Things
• Max stands up to the Wild Things
• Max is made King
• Max organises the Wild Rumpus
• Max sends everyone to bed
• Max decides to return home
• Max is back in his bedroom

6. Expansion — doesn’t lose sentiment
• 10 sentences & 338 words = 144 minutes
• What do the critics of the film expect?
• Characters are fleshed out.
• Backstory: We see the mother (Catherine Keener) & boyfriend
(Mark Ruffalo)
• Traumatising scene with sister.
• Think how this is different to Rear Window

7. Revision
Film is more realistic (and scary)

8. • Book = anger
• Film = sadness
• Film is more character focused and less image focused
• Film is too dark & characters too complicated
• It doesn’t treat audience like idiots

9. Revision
Max stays longer — more than 1 day
His departure is emotional
WildThings don’t try to stop him

10. Final thought
• Is this a successful adaptation?
• How do we assess this?
• Is film the right mode for a picture book adaptation?
• What happens when a simple and ambiguous story is
fleshed-out?
• Can it become anything but disappointing?
• What are the problems of changing the age demographic
of the adaptation?
• Does the casting take you away from the book source?