Review by Nazam Anhar
Tell Them Anything You Want: A
Portrait of Maurice Sendak was co-
childhood memories as the Brothers Grimm. Almost
more of a fairytale character than a real human.
The filmmakers visit Sendak at his home in rural
directed by Lance Bangs and Spike
Connecticut. When Sendak appears he soon reveals
Jonze, who also made the film version of
himself to be a wonderfully eccentric and irascible
Where the Wild Things Are.
character. He has little sentimentality about children.
The advice he offers to young people is: “Quit this
life as soon as possible. Get out, get out.”
His physical presence is arresting – at 80 years
old, he is full of manic energy. His restless eye-rolling
Though this film was released in 2009, I first
and grimaces recall one of the “Wild Thing”
saw it when it screened recently on Australian
monsters. He would have made a great comic actor.
television. I was instantly captivated. I had never
Doubtlessly, he enjoys playing up to his
before seen film of Maurice Sendak – to me he was
curmudgeonly image.
only a name, as mysterious and rich in evocation of
His view of life is pessimistic, utterly bleak.
Speaking of his acclaimed body of work, he refuses to