Where the Wild Things Aren't

I've never read Maurice Sendak's "Where the Wild Things Are," not even as a kid, and I'll understand if you never return to this blog after learning that little factoid (though I will be a little hurt). To make matters worse, all day today I could not access the newly released trailer for Spike Jonze's film adaptation that debuted on this morning's episode of "The Ellen Degeneres Show." In short, where the wild things are not is in my virtual possession.

But, fear not, dear readers. I finally, finally have tracked down the full-length preview, which paints the film as about as dreamy an offering as one could hope for in 2009 (and that's coming from an uninitiated viewer). I often put little faith in vast expansions of short stories (everyone can't be "Brokeback Mountain"), but stick a real visionary like Jonze behind the camera, and you can end up with something really special. "Where the Wild Things Are," shot primarily in the reliably picturesque realm of New Zealand, certainly looks like one of those somethings. I've got the trailer here. Now I've just got to swallow my pride and ask one of the bajillions who've read the book if I can borrow it. Wish me luck.