Interview: Max Records & Catherine Keener (Where the Wild Things Are)
Director Spike Jonze has put his unique and imaginative spin on Maurice Sendak's classic children's book "Where the Wild Things Are." The film follows the imaginary adventures of a young boy named Max (Max Records), who is angry when his mother, Connie (Catherine Keener), invites her boyfriend over. After he causes one mischievous antic after another, his mother tries to send him to his room. Max ends up biting her and running away, feeling angry and unloved. He runs outside at night, through a fence until he stumbles upon a boat. He sails away to an island inhabited by seven imaginary monsters called The Wild Things, where they crown him as the ruler.
12-year-old Max Records makes his feature film debut as Max. Keener, who has starred in all of Spike Jonze's films, also serves as one of the film's producers. Tribute's Bonnie Laufer recently spoke to Max and Catherine in Los Angeles about working on this movie and what it was like trying to turn a 12 page storybook into a full-length feature film.
Keener also praised Max's ability to head up this wild and imaginative movie and to keep up with Jonze's imagination and energy.