The Big Interview Spike Jonze Its a runaway hit uthor Maurice Sendak spent almost a decade trying to convince filmmaker Spike Jonze that he was the right man to bring Where The Wild Things Are to the big screen. Sendaks best-selling 1963 adventure, which sends boisterous boy Max on a voyage to a mysterious realm inhabited by hairy, sharp-fanged monsters, has sold more than 20million copies worldwide. It has found life on screen before: in a 1973 Czech cartoon; then, ten years later, as an animated short from a young Disney artist called John Lassiter. But Jonze, whose mother had read him the book as a child, felt a film could not do it justice. I remember the book vividly, says the 40-year-old director, and I can still remember my mums voice telling the story. But its only got about 200 words in it, so when thinking about how to expand on that, I couldnt see what I could bring to the story. Sendak, however, did not give up. For him, the Being John Malkovich and Adaptation director was the only filmmaker with enough creative thrust to propel the story beyond its original, slender form. A path opened up to the filmmaker shortly after his split from then partner (and fellow film director) Sofia Coppola. One night, while lying awake and pondering how to construct a plot from a book that involves little more than a boy and a bunch of monsters swinging on branches, he had his epiphany. It would be a story about emotions, he says. The way we relate to each other and imbue everything with our own emotional perspectives is insane. Hence each of the Wild Things embodies an aspect of human emotion. During their adventures with Max crowning him king and building him the ultimate fort they, by turns, overflow with joy, despair, A envy and pride, squabbling like children and vying for attention. The book has no moral to it, and it seemed to teach kids to act out in a crazy fashion, Jonze says. And also Max seemed to have a problematic family life, which was rare in childrens literature at the time. But thats ideal material for a childrens story. Most kids movies are quite tame. This is different: its dark in places and we all feel its true to the book. Film executives had hoped for something fluffy, with benign Wild Things and a traditional heros story arc. Jonzes Wild Things, while at times happy and playful, are also rather scary. And, as with his previous features, he bathes whole swathes of his film in shadow. When we first screened the movie during editing, it wasnt the kids that were frightened; it was the studio executives, he says. They presumed parents would not like it. But we did not make this movie for politically correct parents. As a concession, Jonze chopped out one scene and added two more. But I did not compromise my movie. I worked on this thing for five years of my life. We have executed our original vision. An important part of that vision is the rendering of the Wild Things. The filmmakers opted for as much live action as possible, commissioning 10ft-tall body suits from the Jim Henson workshop which they filled with unknown actors. Higher profile actors, including Catherine OHara, James Gandolfini, Chris Cooper and Forest Whitaker, then provided the voices and the digitally applied facial expressions. They are furry and cuddly but giant with teeth and nails, smiles Jonze. Their heads are half the size of their body so they are baby-like in that way but they are also scary. For me, they are creativity at its best. They are as close as there is to magic. Where The Wild Things Are is out Fri When we screened the movie during editing, it wasnt the kids who were frightened, it was the studio executives It took the US filmmaker five years to get a 200- word childrens book on to the big screen. Lauren Williams hears why its a tale worth telling How would you explain your affinity for landscapes? Ive always been taken with the beauty of landscapes, and would always strive to take pure landscapes, nothing man-made. I also have the same interest in cityscapes and seascapes. I work more like a street photographer than a classic landscape photographer, wandering around with my camera and catching the pictures as I see them. I never use a tripod, and sit and wait for the best light or for the picture to come to me. Theres never been any doubt about working only with black and white I find it more abstract, more an impression of what you see. Do I do detect an air of Ansel Adams in your new Wicklow series? Being a landscape photographer I cant help but be influenced by Adams work. Other influences are the early-20th century photojournal published by Alfred Stieglitz in New York called Camera Works, which pioneered photography as an art form, and the great street photographers of the 1940s and 1950s Doisneau, Atget, Brassa and Cartier-Bresson. But I also take inspiration from painters, mainly the Impressionists. In terms of collectability and market value, photography in Ireland has always played second fiddle to drawing and painting. How so? Ive never seen it as directly competing, its a different market and priced very differently. Because photographs are taken from a negative, theyre not limited and so can be used in different sizes, framed differently, printed on differing papers and canvasses. They can even be used on FIVE QUESTIONS FOR... Photographer and gallery owner Giles Norman Dirty Three In Town Tonight Melbourne-spawned instrumental trio who moonlight with Nick Caves Bad Seeds and side project Grinderman. Expect experimental and atmospheric soundscapes tonight, with influences ranging from blues to chamber music Tonight, Whelans, 25 Wexford Street D2, 8pm, 20. Tel: (01) 478 0766. www.myspace.com/dirtythree Head Of Hamlet So many actors and directors have tried to get inside Hamlets head over the years. Nows your chance, literally, in George Higgs new audio installation enveloping the viewer in sight and sound Until Dec 19, Project Arts Centre, 39 East Essex St D2, Mon to Sat 11am to 8pm, free. Tel: (01) 881 9613. www.project.ie Richard II Shakespeares timeless tale of political intrigue and personal ambition, revealing the English Court to be a nest of vipers. A 14- strong cast present this seldom produced play last seen here in 1996 Until Sat, Smock Alley Theatre, 8 Lower Exchange Street, Temple Bar D8, 7.30pm, 15 to 20. Tel: (01) 832 7625. www.blankcanvas.ie metro Arts & Entertainment life Book Now Tisto If you thought that superstar DJs were a dying breed, think again. Tisto is still up there, leaving sell- out gigs in his wake across the globe and hell be the first DJ to play at The O2. Such a boon is just another string to this electro-producers bow, having performed to 25,000 at Londons Victoria Park last summer and sold out gigs at The Point in 2005 and 2006. And this Kaleidescope Tour promises to be as much a feast for the eyes as the ears Mar 19, 2010, The O2, East Link Bridge, North Wall Quay D1, 6pm (1am curfew), 55. Tel: 0818 719 300. www.tiesto.com 12 metrolife Wednesday, December 9, 2009 Costume drama: Director Spike Jonze on set with star Max Records, who runs away to a fantasy world The hoTTesT TickeTs in Town We have two pairs of tickets to see TISTO Mar 19, 2010 at The O2, 6pm For a chance to win, e-mail your answer to the question below to life@ metroireland.ie by noon today with Hot Tickets in the subject line. With your answer please include your name, address and a number where you can be contacted between 1pm and 3pm. Strictly one entry per person; entrants must be age 18+. Q. Which songstress features on Tistos single Who Wants To Be Alone? A. Shakira B. Nelly Furtado The winner of yesterdays tickets to see Basement Jaxx is: Eta Mannion index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html24.html25.html26.html27.html