Trailer Trash: Where the Wild Things Are

Let’s take out some more Trailer Trash after the jump!

Where the Wild Things Are



This movie has been through the ringer. According to my Internet sources (yes Wiki) this teaser trailer is technically nine years late. It was supposed to be attached to The Grinch in 2000, but Spike Jonze dropped Universal and went to Warner Brothers with the film. In February, Warner Bros talked about wanting to re-shoot the entire thing. Howard Berger, the make-up artist / visual effects artist extraordinaire ( http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0074205/) turned down offers to work on the movie four times. Apparently he thought the movie of the book that inspired him as a child was a “horrible idea”. Ouch.

But now it’s here, and when it’s all said and done, this trailer is pretty great! I love Michel Gondry! Even when Spike Jonez is doing his impression of Michel Gondry. This trailer has all the touchstones of a Michel Gondry movie that I love. Outcasts being able to somehow join their own dream world, homemade looking props that work AND look cool and tiny little props that turn into real ones that people ride. In this case it’s the tiny wooden ship that takes him to the new world. Boy, Gondry sure is awesome. Way to go Spike Jonez!

Getting into the specifics…Do I wish the muppets were a bit more expressive? Sure. But they can’t be, they’re muppets. Do I wish there was less of the kid looking forlorn at school and around his parents kissing? Of course, but the movie’s demographic is people who have had unhappy moments in childhood and want to get away, turns out to be a big one. Do I want the movie not to be co-written by Dave Eggers because I believe him to be more hip than talented? Yes, sir. But hey, as a teaser trailer, “Where the Wild Things Are” totally works. Its got everything a good teaser should have (are you listening GI JOE?!) It has a nice reveal, quick shots cut between specifically fonted lettering telling us how important it is, a montage of a kid running to show the movie is fun and most importantly the silhouette of an iconic image we associate with the work. All without stopping too long to let us get a good a hold on it. Also, it shows the us dream world, and a pretty well put together, cool looking one at that, one that doesn’t feel like you’re watching a couple hours of work from a teamster on a lot next to the Gilmore Girls set. This is to be commended, it’s something very few directors can do nowadays. You know, except for Michel Gondry.