Mindfulness at the movies: Where the Wild Things Are
Beerlet Dhiblang
It was a beautifully psychological movie that played my tear ducts
like a fiddle. It's one of the few movies where I was ready to turn
back around & go back to watch it a 2nd time.
Psy. Today had this to say about it:
http://tinyurl.com/wildthingsarewhere
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/addiction-in-society/200910/mindfulness-in-addiction-and-film
/l
Beerlet Dhiblang
> Loved it!
>
> It was a beautifully psychological movie that played my tear ducts
> like a fiddle. It's one of the few movies where I was ready to turn
> back around & go back to watch it a 2nd time.
>
> Psy. Today had this to say about it:
>
> http://tinyurl.com/wildthingsarewhere
and
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/20/opinion/20brooks.html
/l
DharmaTroll
Cool! I'll take my young cousins to see that one.
Hey, that's the book Obama read at Easter:
http://www.entertonement.com/clips/ztrmrdfrvq--President-Obama-Reads-Where-The-Wild-Things-Are
If you go to that site, you can hear the Prez read it aloud. Of course
the book is only 15 sentences long, so the movie is obviously more
exciting. Here is the transcript, with Obama's extra comments and
everything:
Barack Obama: We are going to read Where the Wild Things Are. How many
people have read this book? This is one of my favorite books. Alright
is everybody ready? Okay.
Michelle Obama: Wait, wait is everybody ready?
Barack Obama: Is everybody ready? That’s what I’m talking about. We
got a fan right here. He knows about the Wild Rumpus. Where the Wild
Things Are.
The night Max wore his wolf suit and made mischief of one kind and
another.
He’s got a fork in his hand like he’s going to eat the dog.
His mother called him “Wild Thing!”
And Max said “I’ll eat you up!”
So he was sent to bed without eating anything.
Everybody see that?
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
Look at that. Look what happened to his room.
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.
Does everybody see the wild thing? Look at that. That’s a wild thing.
It’s like a dragon looking wild thing.
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
Till Max said “be still!” and tamed them with the magic trick of
staring into all their yellow eyes without blinking once
Can everybody do that? Try staring without blinking. That’s a good one
not 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!”
So this was them in the wild rumpus. Howl! Howl! They were howling and
they were dancing in the wild rumpus. Have you guys ever been in a
wild rumpus? I bet you guys…you guys look like you have a wild rumpus
all the time. Look at them they’re swinging off trees. They’re howling
at the moon. They’re dancing.
“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.
The End. Uh oh. Those wild things, they can be a little scary. It’s
alright they end up back in the bedroom.
--DharmaTroll
Beerlet Dhiblang
> On Nov 3, 11:26 am, Beerlet Dhiblang <dodecapus...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>
>
> > On Nov 3, 11:08 am, Beerlet Dhiblang <dodecapus...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> > > Loved it!
>
> > > It was a beautifully psychological movie that played my tear ducts
> > > like a fiddle. It's one of the few movies where I was ready to turn
> > > back around & go back to watch it a 2nd time.
>
> > > Psy. Today had this to say about it:
>
> > >http://tinyurl.com/wildthingsarewhere
>
> > and
>
> >http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/20/opinion/20brooks.html
>
> > /l
>
> Cool! I'll take my young cousins to see that one.
Take a hankie ... for the adult.
It's nice to see good CGI realizing great theater, not just for CGI's
sake. In WTWTA the faces of the monsters aren't as realistic as King
Kong's but what's grand is the fine mix of live action costumes with
enhanced digital puppetry.
They've accomplished a wonderful live action and digital amalgam with
absolutely beautiful and convincing facial expressions. It just
completely strained my ability to bear another moment of pathos. If
there's a slow spot in the middle it's there to give us a breather in
preparation for the wild stomp to the finish.
> Those wild things, they can be a little scary. It’s
> alright they end up back in the bedroom.
Ah, Barry can be quite funny in a subtle sly kind of way.
/l
DharmaTroll
I can see the mindfulness connection from the original story: the hero
pacifies his 'inner' monsters by just paying unwavering attention to
them and "staring into their eyes without blinking once."
The film reviews are generally good, but a lot of folks didn't like
the film:
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/film-reviews/where-the-wild-things-are-film-review-1004021258.story
"Terrible!! My son,10 absolutely loves this book, and highly
anticipated seeing this movie and was extremely disappointed. My
husband and I took our son and our 7 yr old daughter and she was
scared, sad and confused. She sobbed nearly through most of it until
my husband took her home early only to sob some more. My son claimed
that he never gets scared about too many things, but was scared
watching this movie. As for my husband and I, we felt very oppressed.
This was a dark and evil twist to a childs imagination. My son stated
that he did not believe that it represented the book. In his words "
all the good parts were left out" I do not recommend anyone seeing
this movie especially with your children."
"This movie is fodder for folks who grew up in a dysfunctional home,
or just like to revel in the agony of a child with big losses. Who
said the mom and dad divorced? I assumed the father was dead. A child
screaming from the top of his lungs on the kitchen counter saying,
"Woman feed me!!!" is a kid whose never been taught how to manage his
temper. Max is not 3! The ending of this film was pathetic. The mom's
elation of her son returning home petered out into her falling asleep
at the kitchen table. Sad. No one in their world cared enough that Max
was missing to get a phone call that he had returned. Really? It's not
just the family that was dysfunctional- his whole world was. Typical
Hollywood. The world sucks over there. I'm sorry I spent any money to
watch this film...what a HUGE disappointment."
"This movie was an extreme disappointment. Yes, the computer animation
and puppetry was great. But that's all one can brag about. If you wish
to take your children to see a dysfunctional 6 year old throw a temper
tandrum, run away from home, and deal with depression, then take your
children to see this movie. I'd personally use other mediums to
express how to handle depression to children. (Why in the hell are
children depressed anyway... liberal hollywood is out of control)!"
But then intelligent folks liked it:
"As a psychotherapist it's difficult for me to avoid analyzing...not
the film, not the original review of the film, but the reactions of
those who were so repulsed by Jonze's adaptation. True, the character
of Max plays a kid who's struggling with what's happened/is happening
in his family. Many of his behaviors would be difficult to tolerate,
and he is in need of boundaries. This being said, the kid has an
active fantasy life. The monsters embody projections of his internal
psyche (which have been influenced in large measure by adults). It's
this rich fantasy life, along with his mother who survived Max's
attacks without being retaliatory, which might help this kid through
this trying time in his development. I loved the film. I'd add that
it's not for young children."
"Everyone misses the symbolism. The Wild Things provide the story of
Max's life. An abusive father who wants nothing but to be a good
husband, and a mother whose love for her son outweighs her own desires
to get away from her husband. All of those people who claim the story
is depressing obviously weren't watching the same movie. The last
scene with the wild things shows Max's desire for love and acceptance
of the situation that he and his family are in. Carol represents the
abusive father, K.W. the mother, Judith the sister. Douglas represents
the good sides of his father that helped quell the abusiveness.
Alexander was a representation of Max's own loneliness and Ira was his
sister's friends who meant well but were more infatuated with the
sister. Finally the bull, who only speaks once, was the symbol of
Max's own anger and depression which was a constant force and only
after he accepts his mother's love does that anger let go and 'speak,'
as it were."
"Many people are missing the inner meaning and symbolism of the movie.
People are watching the movie and depending on their age, intellect
and personal past experiences are walking out of the theatre as if
they did not see the same movie. Whether this movie becomes a box
office hit, it is a psychological masterpiece. Having grown up with
some domestic abuse and disfunction in my own childhood home and
having worked professionally with children from all types of troubled
families, my experience with this movie was heart wrenching. The
director caught the confusion of emotions between love, fear, loyalty,
and self preservation. KC protecting Max and the racoon despite her
own fears and needs, insecurities, etc... I believe this movie also
will touch those with abandonment issues, etc.. This is a reflective
movie, perhaps even a therapeutic tool."
It's like this list, isn't it leebert: the nutters take the spooks too
literally and get sad and upset, while the rational folks see the
deeper metaphorical meanings.
--DharmaTroll
“There are very few monsters who warrant the fear we have of them.”
-Andre Gide
Beerlet Dhiblang
> It's like this list, isn't it leebert: the nutters take the spooks too
> literally and get sad and upset, while the rational folks see the
> deeper metaphorical meanings.
:-)
It does appear to be a very polarizing movie, even controversial.
Although I see your point, what we're looking at is the way people
limit and guard themselves from exposing themselves to hard stuff.
People want control over their vulnerability.
Sandak himself heartily endorsed Jonez' rendering of the story.
http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi1562247705/
/l
Charles E Hardwidge
news:51b8f5cd-bd00-463d...@m26g2000yqb.googlegroups.com...
> "...My husband and I took our son and our 7 yr old daughter and she was
> scared, sad and confused. She sobbed nearly through most of it until my
> husband took her home early only to sob some more. My son claimed that he
> never gets scared about too many things, but was scared watching this
> movie."
The TV series 'The Magic Roundabout' was turned into the movie 'Dougal and
the Blue Cat' years ago. White faced children and stunned parents were seen
meekly leaving the cinema after viewings. Such was the horror there was no
campaigning or media comment. The movie just... disappeared.
Contrast and compare. If you dare...
The Magic Roundabout:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfNUdhFIVHA
Dougal and the Blue Cat
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YiESwuVz_bI
Bill Baily on the 'Secret Middle Section'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARBajLHHCHs
--
Charles E Hardwidge
herbzet
Beerlet Dhiblang wrote:
> Beerlet Dhiblang wrote:
> >
> > Loved it!
> >
> > It was a beautifully psychological movie that played my tear ducts
> > like a fiddle. It's one of the few movies where I was ready to turn
> > back around & go back to watch it a 2nd time.
> >
> > Psy. Today had this to say about it:
> >
> > http://tinyurl.com/wildthingsarewhere
>
> and
>
> http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/20/opinion/20brooks.html
"As Paul Bloom of Yale put it in an essay[1] for The Atlantic
last year, we are a community of competing selves. These different
selves �are continually popping in and out of existence. They have
different desires, and they fight for control � bargaining with,
deceiving, and plotting against one another.�
[1] http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200811/multiple-personalities
"And like a frigate, I am full with a thousand souls;
and as on, on, on, I scud before the wind, many mariners
rush up from the orlop below, like miners from caves;
running shouting across my decks; opposite braces are
pulled; and this way and that, the great yards swing
round on their axes; and boisterous speaking-trumpets
are heard; and contending orders, to save the good ship
from the shoals ...
"Ay: many, many souls are in me. In my tropical calms,
when my ship lies tranced on Eternity's main, speaking
one at a time, then all with one voice: an orchestra of
many French bugles and horns, rising, and falling, and
swaying, in golden calls and responses."
-- Herman Melville --
--
hz
zenworm
gratitude
ZN
possum
> "DharmaTroll" <dharmatr...@my-deja.com> wrote in message
>
> news:51b8f5cd-bd00-463d...@m26g2000yqb.googlegroups.com...
>
> > "...My husband and I took our son and our 7 yr old daughter and she was
> > scared, sad and confused. She sobbed nearly through most of it until my
> > husband took her home early only to sob some more. My son claimed that he
> > never gets scared about too many things, but was scared watching this
> > movie."
>
> The TV series 'The Magic Roundabout' was turned into the movie 'Dougal and
> the Blue Cat' years ago. White faced children and stunned parents were seen
> meekly leaving the cinema after viewings. Such was the horror there was no
> campaigning or media comment. The movie just... disappeared.
>
> Contrast and compare. If you dare...
>
> The Magic Roundabout:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfNUdhFIVHA
>
>
> Bill Baily on the 'Secret Middle Section'http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARBajLHHCHs
>
> --
> Charles E Hardwidge
great bill bailey clip, thanks. the MR movie passed me by
completely...
possum
Benjamin
>>Those wild things, they can be a little scary. It�s
>>alright they end up back in the bedroom.
>
>
> Ah, Barry can be quite funny in a subtle sly kind of way.
>
> /l
I completely loved it. I almost saw it again the next day, but didn't
make it.
I reminded of a couple of kids I know, and felt so very real to me. It
was also stunningly beautiful.
Ben
Beerlet Dhiblang
> >>alright they end up back in the bedroom.
>
> > Ah, Barry can be quite funny in a subtle sly kind of way.
>
> > /l
>
> I completely loved it. I almost saw it again the next day, but didn't
> make it.
>
> I reminded of a couple of kids I know, and felt so very real to me. It
> was also stunningly beautiful.
The ending, on the shore ... Carol's face. How *DID* they *DO*
that!?!?! A child's fantasy with the emotional realness of grief
counseling.
What's curious is how divided people are about it ... Sandak
predicted Jonez was gonna catch crap for it & sure enough.... I'd say
a third utterly loathed it, a third are nonplussed & a third recognize
it as a work of art.
The movie release of the centuries will be when somebody has the
stones to get into Jerry Lewis' vault & releases "The Day the Clown
Cried."
Here's the script.....
http://www.subcin.com/clownfinal.zip
(from: http://www.subcin.com/clowncried.html )
It's fantastic.
/l
Beerlet Dhiblang
Ala Whitman .... We *are* multitudes.
The funny thing is the absence of a big swag marketing franchise with
toys at fast food chains. I guess it would be be odd for McDonalds to
push neurotic Janet dolls ... which neurotic monster are you?
Interesting ...
http://weloveyouso.com/category/wherethewildthingsare/
/l
DharmaTroll
Yeah, I definitely want to see it.
-DharmaTroll
Beerlet Dhiblang
Sandak on NPR Fresh Air
http://www.npr.org/templates/rundowns/rundown.php?prgId=13&prgDate=10-23-2009
And Napolean Dynamite director's new movie...
http://www.npr.org/templates/rundowns/rundown.php?prgId=13&prgDate=11-5-2009