Tell Them Anything You Want: A Portrait of Maurice Sendak

This documentary portrait of Maurice Sendak from Where the Wild Things Are director Spike Jonze and his special-projects collaborator Lance Bangs was begun in 2003 and shot over the years with the blessing and encouragement of Sendak, as Jonze embarked on his adaptation of the classic children's tale. The two artists became dear friends, and that trust and affection comes through in this intimate profile of the author, illustrator, and designer. A playfully cantankerous octogenarian, Sendak touches on the inspirations (some of them quite painful and personal) for his most famous books, his philosophy of writing for children, and the controversies surrounding his works. Originally aired on HBO, Tell Them Anything You Want is an interesting profile in which Sendak talks openly about his life (including a frank discussion of when he came to terms with being gay). DVD extras include a Q&A with Jonze and Sendak; tributes and readings by Meryl Streep, James Gandolfini, and Catherine Keener from a Sendak birthday tribute; and a playful short film with Jonze and Keener acting out a story from Sendak's childhood. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (S. Axmaker)