2. Picture book adaptation
โข The convention of the picture book adaptation is to play
with objects drawn from the illustration
โข This is how we assess them
โข Adaptations is how stories evolve
โข Criticism of filmโฆ
3. Colonisation
The adapter puts their own unique style on the source.
โข โRevision: Revisions seek to alter the meaning and spirit
of the sourceโ
โข Is it altering the spirit โ or updating it. Is Jonze finding his
way inside it?
โข What was the theme of this adaptation? Book?
โข How does it relate to his other films:
โข Adaptation
โข Being John Malkovich
โข Parallel universes
4. Celebration
โข Both tell the story from third person โ but see the world
through Maxโs POV.
โข Both have Max angry over the lack of power he has in his
own life.
โข The visual look is very similar to the picture book.
5. Celebration: Basic plot remains
โข Max is playing
โข Max is sent to his room
โข Max begins his journey
โข Max arrives at the Land of the Wild Things
โข Max stands up to the Wild Things
โข Max is made King
โข Max organises the Wild Rumpus
โข Max sends everyone to bed
โข Max decides to return home
โข Max is back in his bedroom
6. Expansion โ doesnโt lose sentiment
โข 10 sentences & 338 words = 144 minutes
โข What do the critics of the film expect?
โข Characters are fleshed out.
โข Backstory: We see the mother (Catherine Keener) & boyfriend
(Mark Ruffalo)
โข Traumatising scene with sister.
โข Think how this is different to Rear Window
8. โข Book = anger
โข Film = sadness
โข Film is more character focused and less image focused
โข Film is too dark & characters too complicated
โข It doesnโt treat audience like idiots
9. Revision
Max stays longer โ more than 1 day
His departure is emotional
WildThings donโt try to stop him
10. Final thought
โข Is this a successful adaptation?
โข How do we assess this?
โข Is film the right mode for a picture book adaptation?
โข What happens when a simple and ambiguous story is
fleshed-out?
โข Can it become anything but disappointing?
โข What are the problems of changing the age demographic
of the adaptation?
โข Does the casting take you away from the book source?