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Inspiring Wonderstruck

Oct 13 — Oct 22, 2017

Brian Selznick’s books, including Wonderstruck and The Invention of Hugo Cabret, are cabinets of wonder, drawing us into their magical tales with child-eyed awe. It is fitting that Wonderstruck, which has been brilliantly brought to the screen by Todd Haynes, is partly set in two beloved New York museums, with keys scenes in the American Museum of Natural History and the New York panorama at the Queens Museum. Set in two different time periods—the 1970s and 1920s—Wonderstruck feels like a magical museum of sorts; collecting and exploring the past are two of its key themes. In creating the film version, Todd Haynes and Brian Selznick, and their collaborative team, including the great production designer Mark Friedberg, drew on movies from the past as key inspirations. This film series features some of the movies that inspired both the book and the movie. On the opening weekend, the Museum will present a preview screening of Wonderstruck with Selznick, Friedberg, and costume designer Sandy Powell in person, followed by a book signing with Selznick.

Organized by Chief Curator David Schwartz and Brian Selznick



Film descriptions by Brian Selznick