What I See: Where the Wild Things Are

Where the Wild Things Are is one of the most special films made in recent history. In adapting this beloved children’s picture book, Director Spike Jonze defied convention by creating a darkly affecting and visually rough movie about childhood that proves especially resonant for those of us whose childhood is a bittersweet memory. Jonze, cinematographer Lance Acord , and production designer K. K. Barrett created a dynamic mise-en-scene that is both remarkably naturalistic and fantastical. The film begins and ends in “the real world”—a very recognizable suburban environment, a place in which the rowdy Max finds little solace, stimulation, or companionship. To evoke Max’s disenchantment, it takes place in winter, a season that holds both the promise of fun times in the snow, or the disappointment of being left out in the cold. The beginning outdoor scenes are lit ostensibly by a gray overcast sky that gives the feeling of a cold and gray world, as Max plays alone in the snow. Later at night, the interior of Max’s house is unevenly and dimly lit while Max is isolated in his room.

The fantasy world of the Wild Things is dynamic and ever-shifting. It is painted mostly in earth tones—shades of brown, tan, gray, and muted green—but is occasionally broken up by bright colors. The texture in these scenes juxtaposes the coarseness of bark with the softness of fur. Joy, bliss, fear, and sadness are experienced as extremes in this world, reflecting the inconstant emotional nature of childhood. Jonze and Acord chose to shoot Wild Things mostly with a handheld camera, and apparently without the aid of a Steadicam. The shaky camera is used to heighten these various emotions and evoke spontaneity, as if the camera were documenting real experiences. In particular, the rough camera work is meant to generate chaos and energy during Max’s rambunctious behavior at home or when he and the Wild Things are playing one of their wild games. However, I have to say, although I understand why Jonze and other filmmakers want to use the “shaky camera,” I don’t like it because it’s distracting. I feel that the most stunning moments in Where the Wild Things Are occur when the camera is held still. The movie’s beauty lies in what’s happening beyond the camera itself.