Frightened Child Not Likely to Reassure Warner Bros. About Wild Things

For a while there, despite years' worth of anticipation around Hollywood, the Web and, well, everywhere, it looked like Spike Jonze's live-action adaptation of Where the Wild Things Are might die of neglect in some Warner Bros. utility closet. Studio boss Alan Horn said Jonze still needed to get the hang of the material; Jonze said Warners misunderstood his vision. But today, an unlikely observer may have the key insight into what's wrong with Wild Things. It's caught on tape after the the jump.

That's Jonze himself (who's been blogging this and other Wild Things inspirations since last month) in costume, hoping to earn an audience with a young boy who's not having any of it. "Take the mask off," he yells in despair from behind a door. "I don't like it!" Poor thing! Even if it talks like James Gandolfini and we crank some Arcade Fire in the background? Still? Bummer.

· Wild Things mask - first test audience [We Love You So via /film]

Where The Wild Things Are Focus Group #1 from Lance Bangs on Vimeo.