Carol and Max, the perfect couple
Maurice Sendak’s illustrated children’s book Where The Wild Things Are, which proves a hit since 1963, has recently received a furrr-tastic makeover by Spike Jonze. The film adaptation now totally smashing the US box office will be released in the UK on 11 December - just in time for Christmas. Being film-forward, SUPERSWEET have jostled our way into the Wild Things world and brought back incredibly wild manner tips that will astound your entire clan at any family occasions. Say, if you want to talk to owls, hit them hard with rocks. The Wild Things say, “The owls love it!”
What’s a big deal with this children’s book? Where The Wild Things Are attracts all sorts of attention; not just from the kids and their parents who pay for it. Freudian theorists refer to the book as the anger management crash course, whilst the Post-Colonialists, likening the Wild Things to the indigenous people, say the story perpetrates the myth about the white man’s superiority and about colonialism.
Obviously, there is a major “adaptation” question. Besides the names of Sendak’s family members being delegated to the Wild Things, how is this ten-phrases-or-so picture book re-made into a 101-minute feature film? Most crucially, the audience is explained the lessons the runaway, semi-jerk boy-protagonist Max learns from hanging out with the furry, savagely adorable creatures.
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Interestingly, Jonze also introduces a parallel between Max and Carol (the horned, stripy Wild Thing). Both of them are on the “wrong” path wanting attention from their families but never getting enough. Soon they become best pals and hand-in-hand they roam the island learning about each other and themselves. So, take a look at SUPERSWEET’s exclusive preview of Max and Carol’s charmingly anti-social behaviours and see which one applies to you.