AWN Headline News

Last week we announced that the THE IRON GIANT laser disc release will havea 1.85:1 aspect ratio, whereas the film was released with a 2.35:1. Inaddition, when we announced the DVD and VHS releases three weeks ago, weneglected to mention that the DVD, as well as the widescreen VHS release,will also be 1.85:1. It's unfortunate that none of these will be 2.35:1because Brad Bird designed THE IRON GIANT partly in homage to theCinemaScope films of the 1950s, and he even wanted to include "CinemaScope"

Copenhagen, Denmark-based A.FILM has completed "Jumbo Book," a :30 forDisney Scandinavia. The spot touts JUMBO, a collection of Donald Duckcomics. The spot mixes 2D animation and live-action. In the spot, alive-action maid stumbles across all sorts of 2D animated figures includingDonald Duck's beak, Uncle Scrooge's hat, etc. The figures tease and provokethe maid into opening a closet from which spill hundreds of Donald Duckcomic books, burying the maid. Live-action was directed by Michael Hegnerand animation was directed by Craig Frank.

Philip Weiss Auctions, in conjunction with The Big Apple Comic ArtConvention, is overseeing a large animation art auction that will takeplace on Friday, November 12, 1999 at 7 pm in New York City at theMetropolitan Pavilion. Thousands of pieces of animation art are beingauctioned to benefit The American Foundation for the Visual Arts. Previewsof the auction items will begin at 1 pm on November 12. The auction is partof The National Comic Book, Art, Toy, and Fantasy Convention. For moreinformation Tel. (516) 594-0731.

John Canemaker, animation historian and author, will lecture on DisneyStudio storyboards and their creators at the Museum of Modern Art in theTitus II Theatre. The presentation will include slides of storyboarddrawings and clips from famous Disney films, such as SNOW WHITE and 101DALMATIANS. At 5:30 pm, preceding the lecture, Canemaker will sign copiesof his new book, PAPER DREAMS: THE ART AND ARTISTS OF DISNEY STORYBOARDS,which will be available for purchase at the theatre and the MOMA bookshop.

Mary Kocol's MY FATHER'S STORY will be shown at several places inMassachussetts during the next few weeks. October 22, 7 pm: Gallery NAGA at67 Newbury Street, Boston. For more information Tel. (617) 267-9060.November 7, 2 pm and November 10, 2 pm: Boston Jewish Film Festival at theCoolidge Corner Theatre which is located at 90 Harvard Street, Brookline.For more information Tel. (617) 734-2500. November 6, 5 pm: NorthamptonFilm Festival at the Academy of Music on Main Street, Northampton. For more

Gil Zimmerman speaks about Digital and Traditional Animation in TARZAN.Zimmerman, currently Model Development Supervisor on TREASURE PLANET, washired by Disney to be the liaison between traditional animators and digitalartists on TARZAN. Cost: $10. To make reservations Tel. (323) 466-6663. Theevent takes place at Gnomon School of Visual Effects, 1015 N. Cahuenga Blvdon Thursday, October 14, 7 pm in Hollywood, California, USA.

North Hollywood-based Film Roman's Board of Directors has decided thatDAVID PRITCHARD will no longer be president and CEO of FILM ROMAN. Thecompany is not yet ready to provide details on the circumstances ofPritchard's leaving. Chief operating officer BILL SHPALL and senior vicepresident JON VEIN will take over Pritchard's responsibilities until a newpresident is named. David Pritchard was named President and CEO of FilmRoman in August 1997. Pritchard had been CEO and partner of

Buena Vista's supernatural thriller THE SIXTH SENSE, with visual effects by DreamQuest,finished sixth at the US weekend boxoffice, grossing $6,123,967 for a totalof $242,710,195. Other animation-related films in the top 40 include: TheWalt Disney Company's INSPECTOR GADGET, with digital effects by DreamQuest,finished 15th with $566,409 for a total of $94,888,759; Lucasfilm's STARWARS EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE finished 16th with $538,206 for a totalof $426,141,814; DreamWorks SKG's THE HAUNTING, with digital effects by

Whoever wants to know how the cliffhanger ending of the October 15, 1999 episode of SPACE GHOST:COAST TO COAST is resolved will have to win the auction that the CartoonNetwork is holding Friday, October 15 to Monday, October 18. CartoonNetwork is auctioning off the last page of that episode's script, whichwill not be part of the broadcast episode, to benefit Clowns WithoutBorders. The auction will be held at www.ebay.com. At the end of Friday'sepisode, which guest stars comedian Steve Wright, Space Ghost and cast find