A young boy named Max who, after dressing in his wolf costume, wreaks such havoc through his household that he is sent to bed without his supper. Max's bedroom undergoes a mysterious transformation into a jungle environment, and he winds up sailing to an island inhabited by malicious beasts known as the "Wild Things." After successfully intimidating the creatures, Max is hailed as the king of the Wild Things and enjoys a playful romp with his subjects. However, he starts to feel lonely and decides to return home, to the Wild Things' dismay. Upon returning to his bedroom, Max discovers a hot supper waiting for him.
Direction
Deitch's Eastern European surrealism meets Sendak's chaos.
Practical Effects
Scrappy 70s animation with genuine menace.
Sound
Allen Swift's manic narration carries everything.
Director
Gene Deitch
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Gene Deitch produced this in Czechoslovakia for $125,000, drastically undercutting Disney's rejected $2 million version. The Eastern European animators had never seen the book, giving the monsters their uniquely off-kilter energy.
Maurice Sendak reportedly hated this adaptation, calling the monsters 'grotesque' and 'vulgar' — which honestly makes it more interesting. The 2009 Spike Jonze film was his approved do-over.
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