Director: Lance Bangs & Spike Jonze
Released: 2009
On the day of Maurice Sendak's death, it seems most appropriate to profile a documentary made about Sendak. Done as a series of candid interviews with Sendak at his house in Connecticut, directors Lance Bangs and Spike Jonze take turns asking questions and prompting Sendak to discuss certain issues.
Maurice Sendak is best known for the popular children's books Where the Wild Things Grow and In the Night Kitchen, but he'll be the first to point out his work is not intended for children or adults. Inspiration for his stories came from a difficult childhood being sickly, ignored and punished, but also from the many games and stories he and his brother made. He was particularly affected by the kidnapping of the Lindbergh baby, and his personal story and subsequent children's book are touching. His sense of humor is on the darker end of the scale, a product of family legacies lost from European concentration camps. He shows the ugliness and realities of childhood most children's books ignore, the excitement of mischief and the curiosity of what goes on in the big, scary, wonderful world.
Though the film is only 39 minutes, there is much packed into it. Sendak describes his life, influences and many artistic creations. His fear of death permeates throughout the film, even as the filmmakers try to convince him of the many positives in his life. The title works as either a statement directed to or from Sendak, and perfectly conveys his apathy: he's not sure why he's famous, and he's not sure why anyone would want to make a film about him.
Even though Sendak wasn't trying to be a popular children's author, he has become one of the most beloved, and perhaps it is because of his unconventional style that he was so successful. His close friends will miss him, but the world has yet to know the true man behind all the books. This film is a good start.
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