Curious George

Remember the cute but curious little monkey and his owner, the Man in the Yellow Hat? With the first book in 1941, Curious George has been adapted to the big screen.

Aimed at kid's, this story delivers. While some parents wrote reviews about the slow pace or simplistic story, I enjoyed nearly every minute. Jack Johnson's music fit the theme of the movie perfectly. This film highlighted how monkey and man first met.

Some people see symbolism in this kid's story. Some note the references to slavery. I saw a similar perspective on a TV news interview. I am outraged that they are outraged. Then I read this article. Now I see their reason for comparison. The movie varied considerably from the original book.

Book:
The Man with the Big Yellow Hat (in other words a European, colonialist poacher) kidnaps George from the African jungle and ships him to America. "George was sad, but he was still a little curious." Once in the Big City, George quickly gets into trouble and is tossed in jail. He escapes, only to reach his "happy" ending behind bars just the same — in the zoo, with the other "uncivilized" creatures.

How did the two become friends? Without checking out the book from a local library and reading it myself, I won't understand.

Movie:
Ted, the Man in the Yellow Hat, is a museum collector searching for the Lost Shrine of Zargawi in Africa. George stows away on a boat to America after a curious encounter with this man. In the Big City, George's curiosity takes him on wild adventures (including through the zoo). Ted calls Animal Control to rid himself of this pest. With George in a cage on a ship back to Africa, Ted changes heart and chases the ship to save his new friend.

The movie is about adventure and risk. Ted began the movie afraid to even ride the city buses. Curiosity is still a major focal point.

If you go see "Curious George," let your mind open up to that of a 5-year-old, and I guarantee you will enjoy the film. Then, you'll want to pull your book collection off the shelf and read them again.