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Source: ONE News
The upcoming premiere of Where The Wild Things Are has me all excited, but childhood classics, especially Maurice Sendak's highly regarded bedtime-story, are difficult to translate into cinema.
The soundtrack can bring a movie to life: A musical backdrop that is vitally important in encouraging your imagination, but must balance on the thinnest of lines so as not to over compensate for the film's message.
Translating Where The Wild Things Are into song was never going to be an easy task, but Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, along with indie dream-team The Kids, has succeeded in creating a great soundtrack.
The song accompanying the trailer that's burned through more than two million YouTube hits is, surprisingly, not from the soundtrack (it's Arcade Fire's Wake Up that's been luring viewers into director Spike Jonze magical kingdom). BUT it's a perfect example of what Karen O and The Kids are aiming for: A whimsical, folksy, musical journey with enough hooks to keep older listeners interested and the younger generation screaming along.
All is Love, the second track from the album, is simplistic and catchy enough to engage with the kids without seeming forced. Not to say that it isn't enjoyable for older viewers either - its stomping beat will have you nodding your head and humming along without you even realising it, while Capsize will get you chanting just as loud as the little ones will be as well.
While ultimately a soundtrack, Karen O unleashes enough of her unrepentant energy into songs like Animal that the album can be appreciated independently from the movie.
It works both ways.
Hideaway serves as a softer lullaby that's easy on the ears while Karen O's rendition of Daniel Johnston's Worried Shoes will likely succeed in bringing on the tears.
Ultimately, Karen O's efforts on Where The Wild Things Are's soundtrack can be declared a success; the ideal musical access to Sendak's childhood fantasy come to life.
