Where the wild things story

10 wild facts about Maurice Sendak's Where The Wild Things Are | Children's books

President Obama chose to read one of his favourite children’s books, Where The Wild Things Are, for the 2016 Easter Egg Roll at the White House. His very dramatic reading, accompanied by First Lady Michelle, featured claws and roars from the excited crowd! As one of our favourite children’s books too, here are some fun facts that you may or may not know about Maurice Sendak’s classic.

1. The book is about the author’s childhood

Where The Wild Things Are is inspired by Maurice’s youth, his background growing up in Brooklyn and his relationship with his parents. He intended to write about his own experiences and the people he knew, and the books became a form of self-expression for him.

2. Maurice actually began his career as an illustrator

Maurice’s first published work were illustrations for a textbook titled Atomics for the Millions in 1947. He continued to illustrate other people’s children’s books, before he was given the chance to write and draw his own.

3. Where The Wild Things Are was not the original title

The initial working title of the book was ‘Where The Wild Horses Are’, and the story was supposed to be about a child who escapes to the land of the wild horses. Although his editor loved the idea, Maurice realised he was unable to draw horses, and the idea of the ‘Wild Things’ was born.

4. ‘Wild thing’ refers to a Yiddish term

When Maurice was a child, his mother often used to call him a “vilde chaya”, meaning ‘wild animal’ in Yiddish. In the book, when Max’s mother call’s him a “wild thing!” he retorts with “I’ll eat you up!”, which is why he is sent to bed with no supper.

5. The ‘Things’ in the book were based on Maurice’s relatives

Maurice began to draw his ‘Things’, which he wanted to be personal creations rather than stereotypical and traditional monsters. He soon realised his inventions were similar to his Jewish relatives from his childhood, who came for Sunday lunch each week and often told him he “looked so good we could eat you up”. He focused on their appearance as entertainment when he was younger, and this is what inspired the ‘Wild Things’.

6. Like Max, Maurice often went to bed without his supper

After dressing in his wolf costume and causing chaos in his house, Max is sent to bed with no supper as a punishment. Maurice revealed that he too sometimes went to bed without any supper, but for a very different reason – he hated his mother’s cooking!

7. The book was initially received badly

Upon its release, many psychologists thought that the book would be very traumatising for young children. A prominent psychiatrist said the book would cause fear of desertion, and that Max throwing a tantrum is unacceptable behaviour which appeared to be glorified in the story. Since then, the psychiatrist revealed they had never even read the book, and it has gone on to receive many awards, including the Caldecott medal.

8. Maurice didn’t want to write a sequel

Despite the popularity of the book, which was his most successful, before his death Maurice revealed he didn’t want to create a series from the story, and there was no convincing him to even consider it.

9. Where The Wild Things Are has been adapted many times

In the 1980s, Maurice worked with the British composer Oliver Knussen on a children’s opera based on the book, which was most notably performed at the Proms in the Royal Albert Hall in London in 2002. In 1983, Walt Disney conducted a series of computer-generated imagery tests, using Where The Wild Things Are as their subject. In 2009, a live-action film version of the book was released, directed by Spike Jonze and with Maurice as one of the producers.

10. The children’s book has received many awards

Obama is not the only president who is a big fan of the book – in 1997, American writer Maurice received the National Medal of Arts from President Clinton!

Where the Wild Things Are

Classics

Share your favorite stories with your child. Enjoy classic bedtime stories from your childhood like Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, Chicken Little, Where the Wild Things Are, and Harold and the Purple Crayon.

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The night Max wore his wolf suit and made mischief of one kind and another his mother called him “wild thing!” And Max said, “I’ll eat you up . . .” so he was sent to bed without eating anything. That very night in Max’s room a forest grew . . . and grew . . . and grew . . . until his ceiling hung with vines and the walls became the world all around and an ocean tumbled by with a private boat for Max and he sailed off through night and day and in and out of weeks and almost over a year to where the wild things are. And when he came to the place where the wild things are, they roared their terrible roars and gnashed their terrible teeth and rolled their terrible eyes and showed their terrible claws ’til Max said, “Be still . . .” and tamed them with the magic trick of staring into all their yellow eyes without blinking once, and they were frightened and called him the most wild thing of all and made him king of all wild things. “And now,” cried Max, “let the wild rumpus start!” “Now stop,” Max said . . . and sent the wild things off to bed without their supper. And Max, the king of all wild things, was lonely and wanted to be where someone loved him best of all. Then all around, from far away across the world, he smelled good things to eat, so he gave up being king of where the wild things are. But the wild things cried, “Oh, please don’t go. We’ll eat you up. We love you so.” And Max said, “No.” The wild things roared their terrible roars and gnashed their terrible teeth and rolled their terrible eyes and showed their terrible claws, but Max stepped into his private boat and waved good-bye and sailed back over a year and in and out of weeks and through a day and into the night of his very own room, where he found his supper waiting for him, and it was still hot.

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Relatos salvajes, Argentina, Spain, 2014

8. 2

Features of a Latin American vendetta

The Argentine film selected for the official program of last year's Cannes Film Festival is a cavalcade of 6 short films united by the themes of violence and revenge. In one, the pilot collects a full plane of his enemies in order to destroy them all at once. In another, a waitress attempts to poison a loan shark who has bankrupted her family. In the third, a fired building bombing expert declares a war of survival on the city. An uplifting cocktail of black comedy, drama and thriller was Argentina's most watched film of 2014 and now represents the country before the American Film Academy.

Postenargentina, Spain

Genreutriller, tragicomedy

Directordamian Shifron

Duration1 minutes 56 minutes

Date of exit 21 August 2014

Date of exit in Russia January 19, 2015 9000 stories

2014

Ricardo Darin

Wild stories

2014

Nancy Duplaa

Wild stories

2014

Dario Grandinetti

Wild stories

2014

Maria Onetto

Wild stories

2014

Zilberg zilberg 9000 Also starringRita Cortese, Oscar Martinez, Osmar Nunez, Leonardo Sbaraglia, Erica Rivas0003

Misanthropus

2021, thriller

Sea bottom

2003, thriller

The best reviews about the film “Wild Stories”

Tatyana Uryupina

57 reviews, 82 estimates, rating 169

9,0003

“Wild stories“ Wild stories “Wild stories“ Wild stories “Wild stories » look in one breath and amaze with their revelations. Damian Sifron came up with a really extraordinary story and called the best actors who are not yet known to a wide audience, but at the same time are able to surprise with their creativity. Believe me, you will definitely not be bored while watching. Therefore, I wish you only the most breathtaking viewing!

January 17, 2015

Liza Miroshenko

120 reviews, 231 ratings, rating 340

9The Magnificent Six

About two decades ago, director Joel Schumacher and actor Michael Douglas in their famous film Enough Is Enough! illustrated to us how a trifle following a trifle can turn into a huge dramatic lump, which sooner or later will lead to irreparable consequences. This picture for many years became a model of social drama and for the time being, no one could outdo it. But now the time has come, and a new generation director, a native of Argentina, Damian Sifron, who is not yet very famous in our area, has entered the arena, but his new film, Wild Stories, has made a lot of noise in the world film markets and here is his creation finally came to our cinemas. The young director spent more than one year on television, where he developed various series, in which twisted plot moves, drawing unusual characters and the ability to stretch the project into many parts were always welcome, so that the creative team had work to do. As you know, Latin American soap operas are not very favored by highbrow critics, and in our area they are of interest only to housewives and older women. Understands this and Damian Sifron, who decided to try his hand at full-length cinema. His first two films, The Bottom of the Sea and The Time of the Brave, did not become events worth talking about, but Pedro Almodovar himself drew attention to the young director, who decided to take the filmmaker under his wing and help him conquer the creative Olympus. So their first joint film, Wild Tales, turned out to be such an extraordinary work that it was instantly pulled apart for quotes and sent to conquer Hollywood at the upcoming Oscars!
So what is really interesting about the presented film? As it turns out, his story is divided into 6 parts. Each story has nothing to do with the others and describes the events taking place with people who are completely unfamiliar with each other, located at a distance of hundreds of kilometers from each other. In each segment there is a place for both tragedy and humor. The director and part-time screenwriter plays on the verge of a foul and sometimes shows us quite ordinary situations that can be solved without using radical methods. But who cares to watch an ordinary documentary? Wild Tales lives up to its name and shows us dramatic stories with such powerful pressure that we leave them in our minds for a long time, and sometimes think about our own behavior ...
The first story introduces us to a classic loser who bears the surname Pasternak, which is rather sonorous for a Russian audience. The hero throughout his life was a real laughingstock. No, he was not a homeless man, a drunkard, or a mentally handicapped patient in a psychiatric clinic. Simply Pasternak was a sweet and indecisive person who did not know how to insist on his own and achieve what he wanted. Friends laugh at the hero every now and then, the girl decides to go to another, and her passion for music breaks down on the criticism of some high-browed maestro. And so the hero decides to finally do something significant in his life and develops a revenge plan that will really amaze the imagination! In the second story, the theme of revenge is also properly disclosed. The main character, a roadside cafe waitress, recognizes her father's killer in the visitor and decides to teach him a lesson. In the third story, the emphasis is on the rivalry of two men who are addicted to cars and are unable to give in. The fourth story is also not complete without cars. A tow truck takes a car from a man on his daughter's birthday. And no matter what the hero does, no one is going to listen to him ... Then he picks up a bomb and literally forces himself to be reckoned with. The fifth story begins with a tragedy when a certain young man runs over a pregnant woman and goes into hiding. The father tries to help his son avoid justice, but the situation gets out of control and leads to another tragedy. And, finally, the sixth, final part describes to us the enchanting end of the wedding, in which the husband cheats on his wife and becomes a laughingstock. The wife does everything to shame him and turns her holiday into a formal absurdity.

January 15, 2015

Elena Ivanova

81 reviews, 147 ratings, rating 177

9

One of the main advantages of the project is acting. The director invited exceptionally talented performers to his project and did not pay attention to their status at all. Unfortunately, we will not see familiar faces on the screen, but it does not matter, because when a real performance is being played out in front of us, we want to completely immerse ourselves in what is happening, and not pay attention to the replicated faces that now and then flash on the spreads of newspapers and magazines. Personally, I want to highlight the performance of Ricardo Darin, who played the main role in the episode called "Little Bomb". The stately Argentinean actor embodied perhaps the most provocative role in the entire film and proved to us that sometimes you can achieve what you want without unnecessary deaths. In fact, its storyline turns out to be the most fun and sincere of all presented. Although I am also in no hurry to write off the rest. Believe me, you will definitely find something in Wild Tales that will be of interest to you specifically.
Damian Sifron's painting is like a breath of fresh air after a long attack on our minds of big-budget Hollywood blockbusters. Sometimes you really want to look at the difficult human destinies from the outside and at the same time feel that the film does not take energy, but rather gives it away. So "Wild Tales" is quite capable of this.

January 19, 2015

Igor Bryskin

72 reviews, 183 ratings, rating 269

9

The script of the tape turned out to be really powerful. I will not describe all the details, so as not to break the idea of ​​\u200b\u200bthe picture. I can only say that you will have as many as six separate stories, each of which introduces the viewer to new heroes and places them in extraordinary situations that have arisen on everyday grounds. The acting is also top notch. There is no specific protagonist here. In this movie, everything is important. All without exception. Maybe that's why all the artists played with dignity. No one was serving a number, no one was relaxing. Everyone was equal, thus showing that people should take an example from them.

In conclusion, I want to say that Wild Tales is filled with the madness of life. We often don't even think about trouble until it knocks on our doors. And the picture of Damian Sifron perfectly demonstrates to us all the pros and cons of tragedy and comedy before it descended from the cinema screen into our world.

January 17, 2015

Roman Vartanov

58 reviews, 58 ratings, rating 142

9

Brilliant idea!
Went to see this movie hoping to take a break from the endless Hollywood delirium. And he got what he was after. This is one of the best movies I've seen in cinema in 2 years.

The plot consists of different stories united by the theme of revenge.
Each story starts out pretty boring. At the very beginning, I thought, "What's so wild about this? It's just pathetic," but in the end my thoughts were: "Oh, God! No, no.. Well, they couldn't stir up such a turn! This is class!"

Each next story is an exciting previous one.

An interesting point: Latin America, people's experiences, their behavior and many other things are VERY similar to Russian reality.

Definitely worth a visit. However, you should not take your child or grandmother with you :-)

January 30, 2015

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1991, tragicomedy

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2000, tragicomedy

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2006, melodrama

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Stories of survival in the wild, the search for rare birds and butterflies and the incredible friendship between a man and a predator.

13. The Big Year

The Big Year

• USA, Canada, 2011.
• Drama, adventure, comedy.
• Duration: 103 minutes.
• IMDb: 6.2.

It would seem that an aging head of a large corporation, a roofing contractor with marital problems and a lonely programmer can have in common? This trinity is included in the "Big Year" - a long-term competition, during which the heroes must find as many rare birds as possible. An unusual competition changes the lives of everyone.

Surprisingly, such a competition really exists, and the characters have real prototypes. Moreover, during the search, participants do not need to provide any evidence, the only question is the honor and aspirations of the nature lovers themselves.

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12. The Beach

The Beach

• USA, UK, 2000.
• Adventure, drama, melodrama.
• Duration: 119minutes.
• IMDb: 6.7.

A young American travels to Thailand in search of adventure. A card falls into his hands, which will lead the hero to a beautiful island. The commune lives there on conditions of general equality. Richard goes to look for a heavenly place, but soon becomes disillusioned with the utopian way of life.

The film was based on the novel by Alex Garland. The author did not specify exactly where the main events take place. And director Danny Boyle chose the incredibly beautiful bay and beach of Maya Bay on the island of Phi Phi Lay for filming. And even those who do not seem too close to the plot of the film will enjoy the incredible nature in the frame.

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Ex-Israeli soldier Yossi Ghinsberg is on a journey through the Amazon jungle with his friends. After a series of failures, the hero is left all alone, not knowing how to get out of the dangerous area. He has to survive in the wild, looking for food and fighting off predators.

The plot of the film is based on the true story of Yossi Ginsberg, who miraculously escaped lost in the jungle. Interestingly, the authors of the film did not go to the Amazon for filming, but to Colombia and Australia. According to them, the forests there look even more impressive than at the site of real events.

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10. Call of the Wild

The Call of the Wild

• Drama, adventure.
• Duration: 100 minutes.
• IMDb: 6.8.

The owner of the playful dog Beck kicks him out into the street for bad behavior. Shortly thereafter, the animal is kidnapped by traders and transported to Alaska, gripped by the "gold rush". There, Beck becomes the assistant and best friend of prospector John Thornton.

The film adaptation of Jack London's famous novel delights in the breathtaking snow-covered landscapes of Alaska. And it’s not immediately possible to guess that a significant part of them are computer effects.

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9.

Wild

• USA
• Biography, drama.
• Duration: 115 minutes.
• IMDb: 7.1.

After a series of failures, Cheryl Strijd struggles to cope with her depression and take control of her life. She decides to walk the 1,770-kilometer Pacific Trail alone. Except Cheryl has never gone hiking and knows nothing about preparing for them.

Director Jean-Marc Vallee ("Big Little Lies", "Dallas Buyers Club") and starring Reese Witherspoon tried to convey the feelings of the main character as realistically as possible. That is why a significant part of the picture was filmed in real locations. This allows the viewer to experience the journey with Cheryl.

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8. Butterfly

Le papillon

• France, 2002.
• Drama, comedy, adventure.
• Duration: 85 minutes.
• IMDb: 7.2.

An elderly hermit Julien collects butterflies. A single mother with her daughter Elsa moves into the apartment opposite. So it turns out that a grumpy old man and an eight-year-old girl go in search of a rare butterfly in the mountains.

A kind French film combines the story of friendship between two completely different people with amazingly beautiful nature shots: Julien and Elsa make their way through the forests, climb the mountains. And the sincere delight of the young heroine only adds emotionality to what is happening.

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7. Kon-Tiki

Kon-Tiki

• Norway, Denmark, UK, Germany, Sweden, 2012.
• Historical, adventure, drama.
• Duration: 109 minutes.
• IMDb: 7.2.

In 1947, Norwegian traveler Thor Heyerdahl set out to prove that South American Indians could cross the Pacific Ocean. He built a raft, calling it "Kon-Tiki", and set sail on it.

Of course, this picture cannot be compared with the documentary "Kon-Tiki", which Heyerdahl himself shot during the trip. But on the other hand, in the artistic version, they showed incredible seascapes. Some of them were filmed off the Maldives.

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6. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

• USA, 2013.
• Adventure, comedy, drama.
• Duration: 114 minutes.
• IMDb: 7.3.

Walter Mitty, an illustration worker at Life magazine, is stuck in a routine. But one day he finds out that one photo is missing for the release of the last printed issue. The only way to get it is to go on a long journey.

Ben Stiller's directorial project, where the actor himself played the main role, shows that even a typical city dweller sometimes needs to escape from everyday affairs. Traveling the world, Walter Mitty not only sees beautiful places, but also learns a lot about himself. A large part of the film was shot in Iceland, where the film crew spent about three months.

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According to the traditions of the New Zealand Wangara tribe, only a man who masters martial arts and then rides a whale can become a leader. But the aged leader Koro has no heirs, but there is a brave granddaughter Pai, ready for any trials.

This picture will introduce the viewer to the unusual traditions of the indigenous people of New Zealand. And at the same time, it will allow you to admire the incredibly beautiful nature of this country.

4. Hunt for the Wilderpeople

Hunt for the Wilderpeople

• New Zealand, 2016.
• Drama, comedy, adventure.
• Duration: 101 minutes.
• IMDb: 7.9.

Bully Ricky Baker doesn't get along with foster families. The guardianship service takes him to the countryside and settles him to the friendly, middle-aged Bella and her withdrawn, grouchy husband Huck. After the death of her adoptive mother, Ricky must be taken away again. Then the teenager runs into the forest, and Huck goes after him.

Another New Zealand film. This time from the famous Taika Waititi ("Real Ghouls", "Jojo Rabbit"). This director is originally from New Zealand, and he shows such stunning places like the North Island and the Wataker Ranges with great love.

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3. Life of Pi

The family of the Indian boy Pi, who owns a zoo, is forced to emigrate to Canada. On the way, the ship gets into a severe storm, as a result of which only a young man and a Bengal tiger survive.

Incredibly beautiful filmed in India and Taiwan. Although, of course, they worked on the sea scenes in a specially equipped pool. Life of Pi received 11 Oscar nominations and won 4 awards.

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2. The Revenant

The Revenant

• USA, Hong Kong, Taiwan, 2015.
• Adventures, action movie, biography.
• Duration: 156 minutes.
• IMDb: 8.0.

Hunter Hugh Glass is attacked by a bear and seriously injured. Comrades leave the hero to die alone. But the will to live forces Glass to fight the forces of nature and wild animals.

Director Alejandro González Iñárritu always strives to shoot as realistically as possible. Therefore, in The Revenant, the actors really had to spend a lot of time in the forest and even climb into cold water. Snow-covered views of the Wild West captured in Canada without computer graphics. Even the avalanche shown in the film is real.

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Excellent student Chris McCandless leaves all his possessions after graduation, donates money to a charitable foundation and goes on a journey through wild places, meeting various unusual people along the way.

The film is based on real events from the life of the traveler Chris McCandless. Moreover, the authors of the picture really proceeded to the places visited by the protagonist of the story. They had to go to Alaska four times to capture all the seasons.

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